This is kind of a side story, so it's a little bit after the events of the previous chapter. Everyone look forward to singing and dancing Roxas!

Chapter X -- High School Drama

Professor Xemnas began every day by reading off any annoucements to the students. As usual, no one paid much attention to them. However, one announcement in particular caught Roxas' attention.

"Auditions for the school play will be next Friday after school. The play will be Meet Me In St. Louis, a musical set around the time of the 1904 World's Fair. Students who wish to audition need to prepare a monologue and a song."

A school play? That would be fun to see... Roxas thought. His old friend Olette had always been in the school plays at his old school. He wondered if maybe he could take Namine on a date to see the play.

However, that plan was quickly aborted when Axel murmured, "I heard that Namine's trying out for it." Roxas looked over at his red-headed friend, whose eyes were half-open in the struggle to stay awake. "I bet if you tried out for it you could get the lead male part."

Roxas laughed softly. "Yeah right, I could never get into the play. I can't act!"

During lunch, the freshmen discussed their plans involving the school play.

"I could easily get the lead part!" Kairi shouted. "I'm so cute, and I have a good singing voice!"

"In that case, I'm going for the male lead!" exclaimed Sora. "Then we could both sing together on stage!"

Riku sighed. "You guys are both nerds." The idea of singing and dancing to impress a girl did not seem worth it to him.

Selphie giggled. "I'm trying out, too! And so is Namine, right?" She turned to Namine, who was quietly eating her lunch. "What part to you want, Nami-chan?"

Namine looked up. "It doesn't matter, really. Any part would be fine with me." She then glanced over at Roxas. "Would you go see the play if we were all in it?"

"Actually, I was kinda considering trying out for it," Roxas mumbled.

"Really?!" Sora jumped up in excitement. "I didn't know you liked to sing, too, Roxas!"

"Well, I've never really tried before..."

Kairi shot out of her seat and ran to Roxas. "Roxas-kun! I'll help you out, then! I did plays at my old school, and I always got the lead part! I'll help you so you get in, too!" She was secretly trying to get Roxas and Selphie together, because in her mind it seemed like a good match.

"Thanks," Roxas said. "But if I don't get in, I guess it wouldn't be the end of the worl..."

"We'll get you in!" Sora exclaimed. "Then we can all sing and dance together!"

That night, Roxas stared at the pile of songbooks looming over him in his room. Kairi had lent him all of her karaoke CDs, and Sora had given him songbooks to look through. Roxas, however, had no idea where to start.

Why am I doing this? he thought. If I don't get in I'll look like a total idiot in front of Namine... He picked up a CD and tried to pick a song. None of them seemed all that interesting to him, until he found one called "I Can Do This!" from the musical A Chorus Line. "That seems very encouraging," he thought. "Maybe with this optimistic song I'll automatically get in, because the judges will see how hard I work!"

He worked on the song all week, and when he came into school for the audition he felt fairly confident that he could get in for the lead part. He sat down outside of the audition room next to Sora and Selphie.

"Kairi and Namine have already gone," Selphie informed him.

Crap, I was going to encourage Namine. Roxas sighed and tried to calm himself down, for he had suddenly become nervous. Suddenly, the door opened and out came none other than Axel!

"Axel?! You didn't tell me you were trying out!" Roxas was utterly shocked.

Axel grinned. "Eh, why not? It gives me another opportunity to tease Larxene." He pointed at the blonde-haired junior, who glared back at him. "She pissed off at me right now, which makes it all worth it."

"You mean you just tried out to make Larxene mad?" Roxas asked.

"Pretty much."

He's terrible...

A teacher poked her head out and called for the next person to come in. When Roxas' turn came, he was about to faint in anxiety. He popped in the karaoke CD and began singing. Suddenly, he realized that the teachers were nodding their heads. I must not suck that bad, then! he thought excitedly. He finished his monologue and grinned, glad that the audition was over.

"The list of who made it will be posted outside the music room on Monday," the teacher told him as he left the room.