The ring of the bell made the entire class sigh in relief.
Sikowitz was always so energetic and full of high spirits while still being strange and eccentric, but not today. Sikowitz seemed to be lousy and sloppy today, and acted like he stayed up all night. He entered the class like how a normal teacher would, not through the window like he usually does. He didn't bring in a single coconut. And his lousy teaching bored every student, well, except for Cat.
As the class began to pack their bags and leave, Sikowitz called in a slightly more cheerful manner, "Tori, Beck, Andre, Cat and Jade, stay."
The five turned to face him, with confused and impatient faces. Jade groaned and dropped her bag to the floor, plopping herself on the nearest chair.
"What about Robbie?" Cat asked in her usual peppy and innocent voice, pointing to Robbie who was standing near the door with an upset face.
"He isn't an actor, singer nor a dancer and so he has nothing to do with this," Sikowitz said.
"Come on, Sikowitz!" Robbie groaned in a grouchy tone.
"Leave," Sikowitz demanded in a booming voice. Robbie slowly tipped his head down, and set his hand down the doorknob.
"Bye Robbie," Cat said in a thin and feeble voice.
With one last look, Robbie frowned and closed the door shut.
"Please don't tell me we have to dress in idiotic costumes and sing to four year-olds again," Jade groaned.
"Not really, but kinda like that," Sikowitz responded.
"Alright, I'm outta here," Jade slung her bag above her shoulder, stood up, and impudently left. But before see stepped out, she was stopped by Sikowitz's words.
"Money is involved," Sikowitz said with a cheeky grin.
Sikowitz paused for a while, and kept his cheeky grin and stared at each of them.
"Speak up, Sikowitz!" Tori burst, breaking the silence and the confused atmosphere of the room.
"Jade, remember when you were twelve, you joined the Hollywood Arts's summer show camp?" Sikowitz asked in a more serious and solemn tone.
Jade's eyes widened and her face turned red. She looked like she was going to run into and attack Sikowitz, but she luckily managed to calm herself down. "Yes."
"Remember how your mentors were only high school students?"
Jade nodded as a response. "Now I know where this is going."
"Every summer, Hollywood Arts offers arts programs for kids aged eight to twelve. We've he visual arts program, and the performing arts program, and each program is mentored by students. I want you four to be the mentors of the performing arts camp. You plan everything out- the flow, how you're going to manage your time, and you're going to decide on the show you're going to do," Sikowitz explained with a dramatic and theatrical tone, unlike earlier that day.
The group-well, except for Jade, lit up and burst into cheers of excitement.
"That's awesome!" Tori said. "But what's in it for us?"
"It depends on how well you do it. At the-"
"At the end of the two-month program, you're going to have a musical production, and they base your pay on the quality of the production." Jade interrupted, explaining it in an impatient manner. "Okay, can we eat our lunch now?
"But wait, Jade, you forgot one thing." Sikowitz said. "The highest amount you each can get is a thousand bucks."
"A thousand bucks? Each?" Tori exclaimed with a with a big beam. "We're in!"
"If you do it well, then yes, a thousand buck."
"Can we eat lunch now?" Jade, getting impatient, asked in her monotonous voice.
"Yes, but before that I need your sizes- you're all going to wear matching t-shirts during the program," Sikowitz said.
"Just as I thought," Jade said with a smirk.
I always wanted to know how handling an SYOC story was like, and so.. ta-da! And I decided to make it different from the other SYOCs. You know, the "new freshmen of Hollywood Arts" stuff. It's so common nowadays. So, submit your character! The form's in my profile, and I'm accepting 10-20 people. You can submit it through review or PM. So... submit!