𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐁𝐎𝐘! ricky bowen

iv. The Auditions

────chapter four
the auditions

VERONICA SAT IN the dressing room the day of auditions,  adjusting the number four on her crop top so it was neatly displayed. She didn't exactly feel very preoccupied, since she'd been going through this process for years and wasn't even auditioning for the lead this time.

Ellie on the other hand, looked like she was about to throw up.

"Why did I agree to this?" she hissed, her leg bouncing up and down. "You-Know-Who is literally right there. And you didn't see the look he just gave me! Can't the floor just swallow me whole?"

"First of all," Veronica spoke calmly, stretching to get ready for the warm up. "You agreed because you're my best friend and I threw my smoothie on EJ in front of the whole school, so you needed a way to repay me. Second of all, forget EJ, his head is so swollen he thinks he and Nini have absolutely no competition. Third and most importantly, you were literally born to play the piano, you do it in our videos, why not in front of a live audience?"

"Recording is different, I can't see the people watching me there." Ellie explained. "Here I know everyone is looking at me, and now that I got it into my head that I do want to play Kelsi, I'll be immensely disappointed if I don't get casted."

"But you will," Veronica told her. "Remember, it's better to try and fail than to not try at all. But you won't fail."

Ellie let out a deep breath, about to speak when Miss Jenn entered the room, quieting down every conversation.

"Okay, theater people." Miss Jenn clapped her hands together. "Let's do this!"

"Where's Ricky?" Veronica hissed at Ellie as the room erupted into cheers. They followed the crow into the auditorium, both girls looking around for a head of curly brown hair. "He's gonna miss the auditions!"

Carlos taught a small group a choreography for the piano version of Stick to the Status Quo, and Veronica and Ellie stood by the wings watching the dance number. Veronica smiled slightly, watching the dancers smile and laugh as they moved to the rhythm of the music. There was some real talent there, from what she could see. The boy with the number six moved like he had been dancing since birth, his moves matching the excitement he held on his face.

"Holy cow, she's incredible," Ellie muttered, her eyes wide in amazement. Veronica followed her gaze until it landed on a curly-haired girl at the front with the number one sign. She nodded in interest, the girl was good, she went all in on the high kicks and gave her all to every single move.

"Great!" Carlos exclaimed, turning to Miss Jenn. "That's it for the warm-up."

"Everyone, pair up!" Miss Jenn called. Veronica glanced at Ellie, but the girl's eyes were still fixed on number one, following her as she grabbed her water bottle. "Not with a friend," added Miss Jenn. "Theater is a community."

Veronica rolled her eyes in amusement, giving Ellie a push towards the new girl.

"Ver, what—" Ellie started saying, immediately cutting herself off once she stumbled into number one. "Hi,"

Veronica shook her head, looking around for someone to pair up with. Her eyes locked with the boy wearing the number six on his shirt, the very same that had just been part of the choreography. The two approached each other until they were front to front.

"Hi," the boy smiled, his eyes glinting. "I'm Miles."

"Veronica," she introduced herself, grinning. "And wow, can I just say your moves were completely outstanding? I haven't seen you in theater before, this is your first time?"