I do not own the celebrities or plot from HSM. (Duh, how could I own a celebrity?) I do, however, own this story's plotline and OCs. The e-mail addresses, phone numbers, et cetera are completely made up.
I apologize for the unfortunate writing I'm using in this chapter. It will get better, I promise.
Chapter 1
I was never the pretty girl in school. There was always someone prettier than me. I wasn't unfortunate looking or anything, just not the prettiest.
At 15 I was abnormally skinny and a mere 5'6". My shoulder-length blonde hair had natural highlights and lowlights which matched my pale skin. Rimless glasses covered my green-grey eyes.
Sitting at the popular girls' table? Forget about it. I was a nerd. Unusual for a blonde, I know, but I was still a nerd. The other nerds hated me, the popular girls hated me, and the in-betweens, well, they sort of accepted me, but never truly did.
Now that you know about my unfortunate background, you can hear about the unfortunate happenings of my life that led me to the most amazing thing that ever happened in my life.
"Oma!" I rushed into the hospital. My grandmother lay on the stiff hospital bed, a tube stuck up her nose to help her breathe, and an IV attached to her arm. I rushed to her side and grabbed her small cold fingers.
"Oma," I cried, "are you alright?"
"Yes, Sonja, I'm quite alright," she answered irritably. "You must stop acting as if I'll break every time I set a foot outside of my house. My name is Felicia, isn't it? A good, strong German name. My name means lucky, so I must be lucky. As your name means wisdom and you are the smartest person I have ever met." I smiled at my grandmother. Even in her older years she seemed as lively as if it were the end of the war.
The doctor walked in, followed by my father and my mother. My mother glanced at me sternly before walking over to Oma's side. Oma was her mother after all. My father came to stand behind me as the doctor told us the bad news.
"I'm sorry to say that Mrs. Mielke has had quite a fall. She had internal bleeding in one of her legs and a slipped disk. We performed all the necessary operations and she will be fine but she will require the help of a nurse." I saw father's face darken.
"Thank you," he answered.
The moon was covered by grey clouds as I slowly walked down the stairs. My mother and father were sitting in the kitchen.
"I could go back to work," suggested mom. She had retired only a month ago. My father shook his head.
"No, Jack needs you." Jack is my little brother. At 12 he's already been asked to play in Europe's Junior Soccer Tournament. A parent must accompany him.
"Where are we going to get the money to pay for both the nurse and the tournament?" My father scribbled furiously at a scrap piece of paper. He had retired 3 years ago. Taking a deep breath I entered the kitchen.
"I could care for Oma." My parents looked at me in surprise. My father's face softened.
"Sonja, you're only in high school."
"I could drop out."
"Sonja!" my mother gasped.
My father's voice gained a hint of anger. "Sonja, we will not allow you to drop out of high school. You have too much potential to waste it."
"But daddy-"
"Oma wouldn't want you to." I turned to see Jack leaning against the door frame in the hall. I opened my mouth to retaliate but he was right. She wouldn't want me to quit school for her sake.
"Then what are we going to do?" I whispered. My parents did not answer. After a few moments my mother broke the silence.
"Go to bed, you two! We'll figure something out."
I went up to my bedroom slowly. There had to be something I could do. As I entered my room I saw a new e-mail message pop up on my screen. It was from my best friend in the whole wide world, Serena.
To: Contest
Hey Blondie. You are going to flip when you see this. I was surfing the net today and found this on the IMDB website! I know how much you love to sing and act (OK, so I'm the one that acts and sings, but you sing too!)
Have you ever wanted to meet the cast of High School Musical? Here's your chance!
If you act, sing and dance, go to West Edmonton Mall on July 2nd for your chance to audition to be part of the HSM3 Cast! (For girls between the ages of 14 and 19.)
Entry forms are to be filled out at the mall. Parental consent is required if under the age of 18.
Sing up today for 2go Premium!
I closed the e-mail and sent an IM to Serena.
Smrtblnd: nice try, but my parents would nvr let me
Luvsux: come on. U'd get 2 meet zac efron
Smrtblnd: yeah and we'll fall madly in luv and liv in our fairy kingdom. GIV IT UP SERENA!
Luvsux: srry. Ur the 1 who was obsessed w him
Smrtblnd: I was not.
Luvsux: yes u were
Smrtblnd: Ok, mayb a little bit but I'm still not allowed 2 go
Luvsux: beg ur parents
Smrtblnd: it's not a good time and July 2nd is 2morrow
Luvsux: grndma?
Smrtblnd: yeah, we hav 2 hire a nurse
Luvsux: say that if u win u get $$$
Smrtblnd: I do?
Luvsux: duh. I thought u were smrt. Job$$$
Smrtblond: right. Ok. I can do this.
Luvsux: meet me gate 50 10 AM 2morrow
Smrtblond: kk. Byez
Luvsux: bye. kisses
Smrtblnd: hugs and kisses
Smiling I printed out the contest information. Once I had shut the computer down I quietly put it on my dad's bedside table.
"Absolutely not!" roared my father.
"Why not?" I asked defiantly, tears spring up in my eyes.
"We do not want you to waste your life, Sonja! Acting is not what you were made to do!"
"How would you know?" I shouted back, "How would you know what I want? Maybe I'm sick of being the nerd. Maybe for once I want to be a star!"
"Honey," my mom started to tell my dad, "I think you're taking this too seriously. It's only an audition. Chances are Sonja won't make it."
"What do you mean she won't make it?" My father huffed. I love how easy it is to predict my dad. I smiled gratefully at my mother.
"Well, Sonja's not much of a pop singer and her dancing is atrocious."
"What? You know our daughter excels at everything she does!"
"Then let her audition." My father deflated as he realized he had lost the argument. Slowly he turned to me.
"I'll let you audition, but if you don't make it I don't want you crying about it, okay?"
"Okay!" I shouted happily and hugged my father.
And so began my journey.
