Because I'm a Nerd.

Chapter 3- "I would give up my hotdog to do it again!"

Chapter 3- "I would give up my hotdog to do it again!"

SCARLETT POV

Day 6:

Today was by far the most stressful day of practice. I officially switch back to my former view of dance. I don't understand how any sane person can call it an art! An art? Seriously? Dance is a form of torture. If I were ever kept imprisoned, making me dance would be the best way of making me spill it all out!

Turns out there's more to dance than just shaking your ass to a song. You need to be in sync with all your other mates, put on expressions, lip-sync to the lyrics AND shake your ass to a song! How is one person supposed to do all this? They should have like different people from the same group being judged for different criteria. I could be judged for my expressions. My face will look zoned out on stage anyway! Just like a zombie's face should.

This brings me to the matter of our make-up... Our make-up. Adrian has been going gaga over our make-up. If I didn't know my best friend, I'd say she needs to visit a psychiatrist immediately. She has been making daily trips to "Aunt Mabel's", this retro costume and make-up store in town. She's obsessed. But maybe, she's allowed. Maybe, just maybe, her crazy make-up skills can save us from being a complete joke. Now that I think about it, I am the only one not contributing anything to the success of this act. With the exception of my klutziness, that is!

Evan got us the tune and the dance. Allie helped with the dance. Emmett with the tune. Adrian is completely in charge of our looks. And me? I'm just in charge of not messing up. And boy am I honored! Note the sarcasm! I contemplated helping with the masks but I knew that my meager art skills weren't going to make the ride a smooth one. Feeling down in the dumps, I opened my Facebook and scrolled through my news feed.

Looking at my crazy selfies with Emmett and Allie, laughing at the fangirling that Adrian and I did and just reliving old memories made me feel better. Life would be the same after a while. I just had to hang on. And stop moping around.

Day 7:

Today was good if I had to compare it with yesterday. We all worked our asses off. We were getting better if I said so myself. But then I didn't speak dance. And my opinion on our act was about as useful as a dirty tissue. Although, judging from Allie and Evan's expressions, we were quite far ahead on our way to success!

Day 8:

Today was "No Practice Day". Adrian dragged our asses to the retro costume store in town and made us try on our outfits. She had done a wonderfully disgusting job. It was an oxymoron, not my usual sarcasm. Adrian had managed to make our costumes look hideous and glamorous. I wouldn't be surprised if she ruled the fashion world ten years from now! Allie and Evan worked on the masks; Adrian gathered our make-up stuff and Emmett and I fooled around. It was fun. I felt better than I had in ages. Maybe that was the whole point of it... I don't know!

Day 9:

Today was dress rehearsal day. Evan and Allie thought that it would be better to have a final practice just like it was going to be tomorrow. I was too tired to argue and put on my costume without a word. It wasn't really a costume. Adrian had gotten old paintballing suits from the paintball arena across the road and dyed them black. That was it. The mask was a shocking white and clashed horribly with our robes. Even though I was no big fashionista, I could tell that it wasn't a good pair. They were hideous. Maybe that was the point... I didn't know. Honestly, by that time, I didn't care either.

We had a bad practice. I forgot a few steps, Emmett missed his cue and Adrian messed up her entry. Allie and Evan were perfect. Maybe it would be better if we only entered them in the duet round! I felt dejected. All that I had worked for, was now trash.

"If we're like this today, how can we hope to be better tomorrow with triple the nerves and half the reassurance?" I spat out. I wasn't angry on them. I was furious that I couldn't dance. It was the first time this inability had gotten to me.

"Relax, Scar. It's going to be fine. We weren't that bad." Evan interjected.

"E, both you and I know that's a lie. A crafty, diplomatic untruth... but a lie all the same." I said.

"It's okay, Scar... Maybe we didn't mess up that bad!" Adrian suggested.

"Who said we messed up? I loved it. Missing my cue and watching Adrian stumble... Ha!! I would give up my hotdog to do it again!" Emmett said, being the joker he is. I let out a small chuckle. It was very difficult to be mad or sad with Emmett around. Adrian glared at him and he snickered.

"Whoa! Emmett! Anyway, we all know what a bad final practice means... It means a good show. A good final practice means a bad show. That's theatre for you!" Allie spoke.

"That doesn't make any sense. Like, how can anyone buy it?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Who said you had to believe what I said? Be skeptical, if you will. Even if you don't believe this, which I doubt you do, you have heard this. And it's going to be there at the back of your mind. Because, your subconscious will catch on to the faintest flicker of hope in such a desperate situation." Allie replied.

"Someone's getting an A in Psychology this term. I'm sitting next to you Allie, so I can copy off you." Emmett said before I could get a word in. We all laughed. Maybe the logic was shit, maybe it wasn't. Either way, there was only one way to find out: Show up to the talent show tomorrow.

"Okay, guys, one word before you leave. We have to show up at school tomorrow at 10:00 am sharp. Emmett get us some food. I'll get the drinks. Evan can get us the music. It would be better if only Adrian got our make-up. And Scarlett, pick us all up. Hazel's Mercedes. Let's make a big, grand entry!" Allie piped up.

"We'll meet you near Papa Jone's at 9'40. Don't forget." Emmett threw in before leaving. They left one by one. And I was left alone, contemplating the impending doom that was about to befall me soon.

D-Day:

Hazel agreed to pick my friends up and drop us off to school. She said it was because she wanted to be there for me in any way that she could. Ha! Anyone with a brain could tell her sudden insistence to come had something to do with Matt. I guessed that he would be there. But I couldn't care less. Matt or No Matt, I was going to have my ass kicked tonight!

The talent show was due to start at 10:30. We all changed into our costumes. Adrian flitted from person to person, doing them up. Allie did Adrian's make-up. Since I was about as good at applying make-up as I was at dance, I decided to stay the hell away!

At about 10:25, Mark Jameson, our host for the day, began the proceedings. He started introducing our judges one by one. "And now, we have our fourth and final judge, Mrs. Sarah Henessey.." I applauded, not bothering to see who it was. The name sounded strangely familiar, but I, for the life of me, couldn't figure out where I'd heard it. It was a first for me. The anxiety was getting worse. It was getting to me, more than I had thought possible. I sighed. What was going to come would come, and when it came, I'd have to face it. I quoted Hagrid, from Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire. God, I loved the boy wizard!

Mark started announcing the acts. The first was a group of sophomores presenting the mime. Normally, I would have found that fun. But then normally, I wouldn't be breaking into a cold sweat at a high-school talent show. I guess nothing was normal for me, then.

It was 10:53, and a blonde member from the crew came and told us that we were up after three acts. Adrian started hyperventilating. I decided to peek out and get a glimpse of what awaited us. Tiptoeing backstage, I snuck a peek from the curtains. When I saw the brunette sitting behind the "Sarah Henessey" placard, I broke out into a colder sweat. I know knew why the name sounded so familiar. Allie came prancing up to me, asking me what's wrong.

"It's her...." Was all I could mutter before breaking down. Allie gave a sigh before trying to comfort me. My mind had gone completely blank...

A/N:

Hey, so I updated again! Happy Diwali to all my friends! What do you think is bothering Scar? Who is Sarah Henessey? All this and more to be answered in the next chapter... Stay tuned... A surprise is on it's way!

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