Did he just wink at Mary? I frowned. Why the heck would he do that? I had hated enough for his audition, now he was preying on Rory.

I say preying because he suddenly reminded me of those mosquito wasps that paralyze their prey before injecting their eggs into it. He paralyzed her with music, music that sucked by the way, and now he was winking at her. WINKING! My move!

"Tristan? Ready?"

My head shot up towards Miss Warren. "Huh?" I had forgotten why I was even in the room.

"Your song."

I didn't have one prepared. I didn't even know I needed one. Did I even know a song? Sure, I've seen Broadway, I'm rich, it's a requirement, but I've never admitted I like it. I've actually only liked-liked one musical. Rent because they cursed a lot and it was finally a realistic Broadway show. I even had the Rent soundtrack hidden in an Audio Adrenaline case in my car.

"I just signed up yesterday-" I began.

Curtis smirked at me from the front of the room. I felt a little red creep up the back of my neck.

"Not prepared?" He asked softly.

I forced a bigger smirk. "Yeah, Curtis, I gotta song. But I don't dig Broadway."

I watched in amazement as Tristan squared his shoulders to Sean Curtis.

"Cuz Broadway pretty much sucks. And, dude, I'm trying out for a modern play, so I'm gonna sing a modern song. You like Usher, Curtis?"

"No."

"Well, ok. Wuddya like, Curtis?"

Sean opened his mouth, but Tristan cut him off.: "Usher? Nokiddin'?I don't really care for him, but ok, only for you baby."

"Tristan! You can't do modern. It has to be Broadway, that's the rules!" I snapped. I said it without thinking.

He looked at me and smiled. "Ok Mary, wuddya want me to sing?"

I paused. Patty had picked out my song because I didn't know any Broadway music. "Sing...um..."

"How about Rent?" He asked. I'd never heard of it before.

"Sing Rent."Sean agreed."I know you've seen it, it's the only Broadway show with the f word in it." Sean cut in.

Tristan smiled evily. "The F-word?" He pounced. "Which F word, Curtis?"

Sean finally broke and blushed a little.

"I actually do know some rent." He looked at the teachers. "That ok?"

"It's Broadway." Ms.Warren conceded.

"Great." He scowled at Sean and began.

"How do you document real life?
When real life is getting more
Like fiction each day
Headlines -- bread-lines
Blow my mind
And now this deadline
"Eviction -- or pay"
Rent!
How do you write a song
When the chords sound wrong
Though they once sounded right and rare
When the notes are sour
Where is the power
You once had to ignite the air
And we're hungry and frozen
Some life that we've chosen
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's rent
We light candles
How do you start a fire
When there's nothing to burn
And it feels like something's stuck in your flue
How can you generate heat
When you can't feel your feet
And they're turning blue!
You light up a mean blaze
With posters --
And screenplays
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's rent!"

It was a rock song, obviously a duet too, but he pulled it off. It was more entertaining than skillful. He knew all the words. I'd never heard the song before, but I imagined with a few drum machines and a guitar in the background it would pass for preformable.

"There's your song, Curtis. Forgive me, but I have to get going." He left abruptly.

I watched him go in slight shock. He had just done a fabulous audtion. The song didn't require a lot of vocal skills, just performance, and his contempt for Sean, easily loud voice, and unembarassed chreshendo had made it in character and absolutely amazing.

Miss Warren looked turned on, and Mrs. Fletcher looked mortified. When they said Broadway, they meant Annie and Les Miserables. They had just gotten an audition that was actually in the form of music they'd be performing. And it was good.

I think I was more shocked than anyone. Tristan singing was a classic comedic moment, but he'd been decent. Not vocally, just performance wise.

Well, he lies to girls all the time, he must be a performer.

"Right...um...next?" Miss Fletcher asked weakly.

Yeah, I didn't want to get too unrealistic and say that Tristan or Rory had amazing vocal talent. Don't worry, I won't pull and Tristan being Romeo and Rory being Juliet on you guys!