THEY CLAPPED FOR ME. They actually liked me. For the first time since I've stopped believing that I am worth the time and space I take up, I feel good about myself. I forgot this feeling. It's like taking a test that you thought you were going to fail and then actually getting an A. No, it's that feeling you get when you're parents genuinely congratulate you on something you thought they might not even pay attention to. They're proud of you.
After I finished my audition, I was told to go backstage with the others that already finished their auditions, too. I watched Shannon and Iliana each do their own from within the wings. They were both amazing, as expected. They joined me and we all went to the room that connects to the auditorium where everyone else was waiting. Including Junie, Dean, and couple of their other friends.
Shannon, Iliana, and I sat against the wall, laughing about how nervous we were and trading compliments.
"Okay, I know for damn sure that I am in no way, shape, or form crazy, but...Is it just me or do Junie Elmore and Dean Weston keep looking over here?" Shannon said.
"Ok, I didn't wanna say anything because I wasn't sure, but I agree!" Iliana said, "Not with the first thing, though. You are crazy."
"Oh! That reminds me..." I trailed off. I didn't think the whole "bumping into Dean Weston" thing was that big of a deal, but now that I think about it, my friends may have thought otherwise.
"What?" They demanded en masse.
"Well, I kind of ran into Dean on my way to the bathroom before my audition."
The expressions on their faces were a mix of both vexation and excitement. "Ugh! I wanna throttle you but I wanna hug you and I just," Iliana gushed out, "can't!"
"Li, shut up, they're coming over here," Shannon warned, "All of them."
Before I could ask her what she meant by "all of them" they were already upon us. Imagine this: five kids, teenagers dammit, standing in front of you while you're sitting on the floor, your back against the wall.
I've never felt so terrified.
"So," Junie said, arms crossed, eyes locked on me, "Frances—"
"Junie, stop. Like, literally. You're scaring her." Nora Betancourt. Wildfire, light brown hair. Hazel eyes like a forest and freckles everywhere. She smiled warmly at me, kind of like the feeling of taking freshly baked cookies out of the oven.
She sat crisscross applesauce, (yeah, I said it), in front of me, and the rest of them followed her example. Finally, the playing field was leveled. I think Shannon, Iliana, and I each let out a collective sigh of relief.
"I'm Nora," she said, holding out her hand. I shook it and tried a smile so that I didn't seem rude. "I'm Frances."
The two other girls, Sienna Mercer and Bristol Reeve, also introduced themselves. All three of them were so nice to us and they seemed so genuine.
The boys just had to ruin it.
"Wait, I don't remember this being some weird girl powwow," Junie said, interrupting our conversation, "I came here for one reason and one reason only: To interrogate Frances Cartwright aka Cold Hands Girl!"
Oh my goodness, who the fuck is this kid?
"Yeah! Where were you at 10:00PM on a Wednesday in the summer of 1904?" Dean said, shining a keychain flashlight in my face. I shielded my eyes while laughing.
"Dude, I wasn't even alive in 1904, much like the rest of us. Now, please get the light out of my face and ask me your questions before things get rough," I threatened. Dean turned off his flashlight and feigned a fearful look.
