Chapter 1
Auditions
-Music Appreciation Class-
Rei sat at his desk, head buried in a notebook, studying. Mariah came up then and sat next to him. "Rei...there's a parade this weekend downtown. You want to go with me this?"
Rei sighed. "You know I have classes on the weekend, Mariah. Anyway, I have two tests on Monday I need to study for, I can't go."
Mariah pouted as she was again turned down.
-
Kai was texting on his phone, feet propped up on his desk, ever the uncaring popular guy. Tala and Bryan strolled over and occupied the desk next to him. Tala sitting on the desk and Bryan on the seat. "Hey, Kenneth, where's my lunch?" Bryan demanded from the scrawny boy seated next to him.
"I-I don't have any today B-Bryan..." he stuttered.
"Tch...I'm feeling merciful so have it for me tomorrow and we won't have any trouble." The boy nodded and got up to sit farther away from them.
-
"Hey, Max! Look, look! The new issue of Shonen Jump came out this week!" Tyson raced over to Max's desk and slammed down the magazine.
"gasp So cool! Can I read it?! Please please please please?!?!?!" Max gave his ultra pathetic puppy dog pout with eyes.
"Not till after I'm done buddy."
"But you're like the slowest reader ever..."
"Take that back and I'll give you this candy bar to make up for it." He waved the chocolate in Max's face.
"Okay, okay! I take it all back." he snatched the sugary goodness from Tyson's hand and started to devour it.
-
"Emily, I heard you won an award for the national science fair last weekend."
"Yes Rick, I came in first place again...I don't know why it seems to surprise any of you anymore, I always win." She sighed and went back to scribbling formulas in her notebook.
-
"All right everyone, you have five seconds to get in your seats and get your books out. 5..." There was a lot of scrambling and moving about as everyone rushed to their correct seats. "...1. Good. Let's see, it looks like everyone is here so I'm not gonna bother with calling roll this morning." Mrs. Miller went to her desk and picked up a stack of papers. "Before we start class today I have an announcement to make about the up coming school play." This was followed by a series of groans and sighs. She started to pass the flyers out before continuing. "Since this is Music Appreciation, I expect everyone to audition. After much deliberation, we decided to do the Broadway musical 'Rent' this year. I'm sure most of you have heard of it, with the movie coming out recently and all." she returned to the front of the room and leaned against her desk. "Now, since I can't force you all to audition for the play. I have a little incentive for you. If you audition for the play, I will drop your lowest quiz grade and replace it with a 100. If you get a part, and I don't mean as an extra, then I will drop your lowest test grade instead and make that a 100."
There was a small amount of chatter among the students now. "Today, we will spend all of class I expect watching the movie." She moved over to the TV and turned it on and started the DVD player. "Those of you who know the words, please do not say the lines nor sing along, alright? You may and/or will annoy your classmates." She dimmed the lights as the movie started. "I don't care if you talk or don't pay attention, but if I catch you sleeping it's straight to detention for you." She sat at her desk and started to grade papers.
-At Lunch-
"What do you think about the play, Rei? Are you going to audition?" Mariah whispered.
"I don't know Mariah. I could use the grade, but if I actually got the part I don't know if I'd actually have time for the play." Rei answered not look up from the book he was reading now.
"Well, I'm definitely going to audition. I always get so close to the leading role. Last year I audition for High School Musical for the part of Gabriella and I got Sharpay instead." Rei made a noncommital sound still engrossed in his book. Mariah scowled. "You're not listening are you?"
"Of course I am." Rei muttered distractedly.
"No you're not." Rei didn't respond. Mariah narrowed her eyes. "So you're going to audition for the part of Mimi right?"
"Yeah, sure. Could you leave me alone now?" He looked up finally as Mariah burst into giggles. "What now?"
"You just agreed to audition for the part of Mimi, you know that right?"
Rei looked confused. "I did?"
"Yep. I expect you to be there now. Or you owe me a date to the parade this weekend."
Rei sputtered for a moment. "There's no way out of this is there?" Mariah shook her head giggling more. "Fine. I'll audition."
-
"Hey Tala, I dare you to audition for that play thing." Bryan muttered boredly from his spot next to Tala.
"What's in it for me?" Tala asked after a moment.
"That video game you've been begging for all month." Bryan replied after a moment of thought.
"Only if you audition too."
"What do I get?"
"I'll sneak you into a strip club." Bryan gave him a look. "Okay, a gay strip club."
"Now you're talking. Kai, will you audition if we get you into a straight strip club." Bryan received a black stare over the top a laptop. "What if I give you access to Tala's porn site membership?"
"Hey! How do you know about that?"
"I have my ways." Kai put away his laptop and started to leave. "Hey, where you goin' Kai?"
"The bell's about to ring." As if on cue there was an annoying ring right then.
-After school, auditions-
Many drama and chorus students filled the auditorium for the school play auditions. Most were talking excitedly and practicing singing and acting. Others, though, were sitting around lazily with bored looks on their faces. "I see you made it Bryan." Tala smirked at the other.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm just here to watch people make fools of themselves." He yawned and turned off his mp3 player an put it away before the teacher saw it. "Is that Kai? Damn I think it is. What are you doing here Kai?"
Kai sighed as he took a seat next to Tala. "It was either join an extracurricular activity, or lose my motorcycle for a month. Parents can be so strict."
-
Mariah pouted as she looked around. "Rei you big chicken...now you have to take me on a date this weekend." She giggled manically to herself as she made plans to get Rei into her bed.
-
"Max, why are you here?" Tyson asked, looking up from his magazine as the other flopped down next to him. "I'm done by the way." he muttered as he handed the book to Max.
"I need the extra grade. You know that 58 I got on the notebook check?...dad's not happy about that."
"Same here. Well, well, well. What's miss smarty pants doing here?"
Emily scowled. "If you must know Tyson, I got a 98 on a quiz and I need to bring it up. Why else would I be here."
The lights dimmed and Mrs. Miller walked onto the stage. "Okay everyone, we're gonna start the auditions now so pipe down. Turn off all electrical devices now, including music players and phones. I don't want to here them or see them or I'm taking them. Now, I'm going to pass out the music you're going to learn..."
-The Next Day-
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS-
Sadly, we lost last night's football game...again.
A watch was found in the football stands after last night's game. Please came to the front desk to claim it. You must be able to identify the watch. So if the watch isn't yours, don't try to claim it.
All students who auditions for 'Rent' are to report to the auditorium after lunch.
An amount of money was found in the teacher's lounge yesterday afternoon. If you lost the money and can tell us the amount, please come to the front desk. If you are a student, don't try to claim the money.
Today's lunch will be...who really cares...
And the car parked in spot 324, licence plate number SLJ 2907, your lights are on. ...Wait that's me!!
This concludes the morning announcements with Tala. Now I gotta go turn the lights off on my car. Have a nice day.
-After Lunch-
Mrs. Miller stood in the middle of the stage. "I would like to thank everyone who audition yesterday. I'm not gonna drag this out so let's get this over with. First I'm gonna call up our eight main roles. Emily Robertson, Mariah Chang, Bryan Kuznetsov, Tala Ivonov, Tyson Granger, Max Tate, Kai Hiwatari, and Rei Kon. Let's give them a round of applause. I'd like you all to come up on the stage." The eight filed up on the stage, most with unhappy looks.
"I thought you didn't audition Rei?" Mariah whispered.
"Of course I did, why wouldn't I?"
"Now if you would just line up here." Mrs. Miller lined them up in the order she'd called them. She cleared her throat. "Now I'll tell you who got each part. Emily will be playing the part of Joanne, and Mariah received the part of Maureen. Bryan will be playing the part of Collins, along side Tala who will be playing Angel. Max will be playing Mark. And Tyson got the part of Benny." Everyone was now rather confused over the fact that there were now two boys left on stage for the make and female lead roles. Everyone watched in fascination as Rei took off his coat, revealing a rather feminine figure. "Our lead roles will be played by Kai, as Roger, and Rei as Mimi." No one payed attention to Mrs. Miller as they continued to stare at Rei.
"So you're a girl?" a voice raised from the crowd.
"...I'd think that's rather obvious..." His...or rather, her voice was softer than usual, obviously that of a woman. "I've always been a girl, I just wore baggy clothes and never corrected anyone about my gender. Get over it." She stalked off the stage and back into the audience and took her seat.