Just Another Confusing Love Story

Chapter 11: Touchdowns and Auditions

AJ's POV

"Do you think that singing a song from the show is a bad choice or not?" I asked my theatre friends. We were waiting in the lobby of our performing arts center to go into our auditions and I was freaking out. Auditioning doesn't ever seem to get easier no matter how many times I do it. When I was a freshman, there was a senior girl that auditioned for things every day. From shows just around our town, all the way up to shows on broadway. She would even go to LA once a month to audition for movies and stuff. She said it was her favorite part of the process and that eventually, you learn to love auditioning. Last I heard, she is now on Broadway as a swing for Six the musical, so maybe she's right and I just gotta get used to it.

"Dude, chill. Miss Ortega said we can sing a song from the show if we want. Fallon and I heard you sing and your rendition of Michael in the bathroom, it was amazing." Phillip assured me.

"He's right, you have nothing to worry about. I on the other hand have like 20 girls to compete with for Christine. And then in the winter, I have to compete with all those girls for Katherine in Newsies! Miss Ortega just needs to pick more female-driven musicals." Fallon ranted. She was right in a way, we have a massive drama program, but there are way more girls than guys.

"Fallon! You're up!" Aiden our stage manager called out before either one of us could respond. She was poking her head out from the door that led to the auditorium and I could see that Fallon was shaking with nerves. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Go get it, girl!" I cheered. She smiled and gave me a quick hug before walking in. I felt the butterflies in my stomach grow because that meant I was that much closer to going next. Miss. Ortega likes to call us in randomly so we are forced to be on our A game. She tells us all the time a performer should be prepared for anything and you never know when a last-minute audition could come your way.

"I hope she does well, cause if she gets Christine, you get Michael, and I get Jeremy. How cool would that be?" Phillip dreamed. While Phillip and I always played opposite each other, Fallon has never been added to that mix. I think it would be fun for us three to get the leads.

"It would be so much fun! Especially because I heard scouts from Juilliard and Carnegie Mellon will be at opening night!" It's always so nerve-racking to perform on opening night, throwing big-time college scouts into the mix makes it all the more stressful. But if I can land a lead role and completely sell it, that'll give me the upper hand to make it into my dream school.

"Hopefully Juilliard is looking to hand out scholarships. I would kill for one of those." I took a quick sip of my water while Phillip continued ranting. Scholarships are extremely hard to come by, but if I could get one to Carnegie Mellon, I would die.

"Well, as stupid as this may sound, this audition is one step closer to our career on broadway." I straightened out the papers on my lap as I gazed over my lyrics.

"Hey Phillip, can I borrow your pencil?" I gulped when I heard whose voice was speaking. I felt a stir in my stomach. It's like Mark was purposefully trying to mess with me or something.

"Sure!" Phillip handed his pencil to the figure that loomed above me. I tried to not make a move, hoping that he wouldn't notice me.

"AJ." He smiled at me as he walked away. I continued to stay frozen even after Mark walked out of the lobby.

"AJ?" Phillip snapped in front of my face.

"Huh?" I said coming out of my daze.

"You were unresponsive for like five minutes, are you okay?" What? It felt like thirty seconds, tops. I noticed that Fallon had finished her audition and was sitting next to me.