The Audition

Somehow, after that first conversation, his reaction towards me changed. He wasn’t really cold around me. He would smile wider or say hi first when we ran into each other in the corridor or anywhere around campus. Even once or twice, when he’s walking with his friends, he actually can say something like, “Hey, Anita. Have a nice day”.

Well, I think once you know or talk to him personally, he was just like everybody else, just a bit quieter and much more good-looking… But I think my first step has succeeded, I finally know the man I have crushed into in person. And I still think I’m not having a crush on him because he’s famous, but just a cool, gorgeous smoking man on campus.

I have a few classmates that are closer to me than others. We’re usually together in class, and in the cafeteria, but we’re not really close outside campus, though. Even so, I know they’re all quite a big fan of Clayton, since our freshman days. Georgina, one of my close friends, was one of his biggest fans and if I may say, she’s falling in love head over heels with him. She’s falling in love with Clayton as a movie star, a celebrity, but usually, she can’t accept and complains constantly about his ordinary-looking student style. She doesn't really like it because Clayton never wears fancy, branded clothes on campus, doesn’t have the latest car, doesn't have a showy personality, also never likes being surrounded by so many people. She always complains that Clayton should dress better, be more talkative and Cassanova-like, and maybe give away his autographed photos every day. (Okay, I made up the last one, but you get my points). On the other hand, I think I like him more this way.

I didn’t tell my friend that I know Clayton personally, not even tell them that I have a crush on him. I‘m not trying to hide the truth that I already bumped into him and having a nice conversation with him completely, but I just don’t know how to put it into an appropriate conversation without sounding like I’m bragging yet, because I really, really do excited about that. Well, as long as they didn’t ask, I guess I won’t tell for now. I know if I’m telling them right now I’ll most probably sounded like a showoff b*tch.

And one Monday, less than a week after my first conversation with Clayton, I was walking with my girls, Georgina, Jess, and Caddie after class. We were walking in the corridor heading to the locker aisle when I heard a deep voice with a little rasp called my name.

I turned my back and could almost hear my heart thumped harder when I turned around. I found Clayton waving while walking towards me and the next second realizing that it was him who called my name. He looked so nice wearing a white V-neck t-shirt, black cardigan, and grey jeans. I smiled and greeted him cheerfully, waved back, and waited for him to come closer. Georgina, Jess, and Caddie saw him coming to us in amazement. They’re whispering unbelievably that I was called by THE Clayton Sommers, and told that they're gonna wait for me in the locker aisle. I stood waiting for him while my friends walked away to the locker.

“Hey, are you going to the theater hall for the audition today?” he asked, smiled slightly.

“Yes, after I go to my locker to get the script. Why?”

“Well, your theater club head, Pax, is my classmate and one of my closest buddies. He asked me to help with the audition process and maybe some of the future rehearsals. Today is audition day for all the leading and supporting roles, right?”, he said with his baritone voice.

“Umm.. yes. So you mean you will be there at the audition? Today?”

Oh my goodness… why does he have to be there at the audition process? Is there isn’t enough tension and nervousness waiting for me??? I hope I’m not going to do silly things at the audition, or I would die in embarrassment.

“Yes, I will be one of the casting judges... So, I guess see you later at the hall, then? Good luck”, he slightly smiled and walked away.

I sighed and walked to the locker aisle, where my classmates waited. They look very eager to ask me hundreds of questions, and I guarantee it’s all about Clayton. They’re his big fans, I know.

“Anita… you didn’t tell me that Clayton knows you personally. You have to tell us the whole story!”, said Georgina with an envious voice. She seems really eager to make me spoil everything I know about him.

“No story, Gina. I was sitting next to him on the reading aisle near the park about a week ago, and he was interested in my reading material. Then we talked a bit. That’s it…”, I told them shortly.

“You are sitting next to him on the reading aisle?? I mean, LITERALLY beside him??”Georgina asked.

“Well, the reading aisle was full, the only empty chairs were beside him. So I asked him politely to sit beside him and he said yes”, I answered.

“Wooooow… Nobody dares to do that, you know? Because he’s not friendly toward others, except his close buddies.”, said Jess.

“Well, he couldn’t shoot me because I sat next to him, right? I asked him politely if I could sit beside him and he didn’t mind. Turns out he wasn’t that scary, after all. By the way, I think really gotta go now. The audition will start in half an hour and I was not even having a warm-up. Wish me luck, okay?”.

By the time I arrived at the theatre hall, I saw him seated in one of the front seats. He was talking with Pax, our theater club head. Beside Pax were Nina, our club’s head of artistic section, also in senior year. Jermaine the music director, junior year, and Trey, the play’s director, also junior year. My heart was racing really hard because I cannot really imagine myself having an audition with him watching every single movement.

And the critical time arrived. My soul almost leaves my body when I heard Pax called my name. Lord, give strength and ability to go through this. I would never EVER wanna look bad in front of Clayton. I guess I just have to try to give my all. Acting, I believe, is one of the best abilities I have. So, nervous or not, I gotta do this, and it better be the best attempt.

I stepped onto the stage nervously. When I got to the center of the stage, I bowed a bit and greeted them. When I saw him looking at me from the judge's seat, I felt my heart almost stopped. It felt worse than any other auditions that I've ever been to. I mean, hey… I acted for almost seven years since junior high and got into play at least twice a year. It means I already went through like fifteen audition processes, and the nervousness I felt never was this bad.

Okay, back to the audition. When I greeted them, I noticed the beautiful brat curled one side of his lips and smirked at me. Even that tiny little gesture made my heart jump and I was about to lose my control. Hey, Anita, calm down! You didn’t even start being auditioned!! Don’t fork things up!

I crossed my finger, hoping he wasn’t gonna give any smile to me during my turns. It will tear my concentration apart!! I’m not going to act as Juliet, looking deeply in love with her Romeo, but a witty, blunt, spontaneous girl, who got bitten by Count Dracula, got sick and died because of that and became one of the succubi. She even bothered her mother, who has heart disease, and got her killed because of worrying her too much.

I also have to be able to sing a few songs if I want to grab the Lucy role, some of them are cheerful, happy songs from when Lucy was still human, being chased by three nice and handsome gentlemen who wished to marry her and later sadder, creepier songs for her succubus phase.

Thankfully, as soon as my scene started, my nervous bubble had burst and I guess my audition went pretty well. I did an act thoughtfully, the best effort I could muster, and didn’t make any mistakes when I recited Lucy’s monologue. After finished my song at the end, I saw him smiling wider at me, then I smiled back while bowing to the judges. It was such a blast!!