When school is canceled and it's been raining all day... there's nothing to do but write another chapter! I was totally procrastinating on updates because I wasn't really sure how to write this chapter but then yesterday I had a flash of inspiration to try something new. Hope you like it!
CINDER
Why, oh why, did she have to choose me? I literally have the worst luck ever. Slowly, tensely, she stepped forward to center stage. She could feel the director's eyes piercing into her like knives.
CRESS
I feel terrible for Cinder. But more for myself, actually. Why did I do this again? I'm a terrible singer. Backing into the wings, Cress realized she was shaking from head to toe. Scarlet patted her arm awkwardly.
SCARLET
Oh, poor Cinder. Typical mean teacher, picking on the nervous ones. What's the best way to get revenge for Cinder and make her so mad she kicks me out? Think, Scarlet, think. She wasn't the slightest bit nervous about her audition. She didn't care what that insolent lady thought of her, much less any of the popular kids.
KAI
She came. I can't believe it. He had tried his best to convince her, but she had still seemed doubtful the last time he saw her. Must have had a change of heart, one part of him said. But the other, smaller part, argued, What if she didn't? What if she's here... for you?
CINDER
Oh no. Her eyes locked with Kai's for the briefest of seconds, and he smiled encouragingly while she looked away. Great. I can make a fool of myself in front of the cutest boy in school...
THORNE
I was not expecting Cinder to be here. She seems like the last person who would ever be interested in theater.
WOLF
I want to talk to Scarlet. She looks confident. I do not want to be here... Think about Ma. She would want you to be here. She gave up everything to let you have a good childhood and education. You have to do this.
LEVANA
Who's Kai smiling at?
CHANNARY
Looks like a terrible lot this year. I bet not one of them has an ounce of talent.
CRESS
I'm so nervous. Oh no, Thorne is here! He caught her eye and winked. Blushing, she backed farther away and tripped over her own feet in the corner, somehow becoming entangled in a swath of curtain fabric.
THORNE
Aw, it's that tiny little girl from the bathroom. Wasn't expecting her to be here, either. She looks terrified. He puffed out his chest. I'm probably the only one here not nervous. Come on, guys. It's just a little audition. Easy peasy.
SCARLET
It looks like Wolf wants to come over, but that big doofus is too shy. Whatever. She peeked out of the wings at her friend. Wow, Cinder is actually pretty good at singing.
CINDER
I'm a terrible singer, but I tried my best. "It wasn't too bad, was it?" she whispered to her friends as she left the stage.
KAI
Cinder wasn't the best singer he had ever heard, but something about her confidence and bold personality stuck with him. She walked off that stage like she owned it, like she didn't care what anyone else thought about her. I wish I could be like that. Levana's always told me that I care too much.
CRESS
She's pointing at me.
WINTER
The aura of the room is dark. Too many negative thoughts. Everyone needs to calm down. It's hurting my head... The last time she had felt this much darkness in the air... her mind was transported back to the body of little twelve-year-old Winter, huddling against the wall as Levana advanced on her with a knife.
JACIN
No, Winter, please no. Not now. I can't deal with this. She collapsed into his arms. He had thought doing the play with her would be a fun activity, something easy and harmless to take her mind off all the pain and trauma of the past. But nope. Jacin sighed. He loved Winter (not just as a sister, something in him whispered), but it could be exhausting to always have to comfort her and help her. This was Jacin's very existence. Loyal to the core, but still aching to be seen as a person and not just Winter's protector.
CRESS
Somehow, Cress didn't feel nervous anymore walking out onto the stage. Maybe it was the threat of embarrassing herself in front of Thorne, or maybe she just didn't want to let the director intimidate her. She lifted her gaze, cleared her throat, and began to sing.
SCARLET
Why don't I just sing the parts that are supposed to be spoken and speak the parts that are supposed to be sang? That would be hilarious. She could see Wolf, out of the corner of her eye, staring at her as she stifled a snort, but she ignored him.
WOLF
Staring at Scarlet, watching her laugh at some private joke she was telling herself, eyes sparkling mischievously, red curls bouncing... it was impossible not to notice that she was incredibly pretty.
CINDER
"Scarlet, please don't get in trouble. Trust me, that woman is not someone you want to cross. Plus, you have to be there for Cress and me." She stopped talking abruptly as a hush silenced the chatter in the wings. Anxious about Cress, she peeked out from behind the curtain. She stood there, dumbstruck, listening to her friend's voice lift and dip and soar, high and clear. This was why Cress had wanted to do the play. She deserved to share her talent with the world.
CRESS
I actually think I did okay.
THORNE
That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard.
WINTER
"I'm okay," she whispered to Jacin, who had caught her under the arms. "I can feel happiness now."
JACIN
And she's back. Back from whatever mental pocket of despair and horror she gets trapped in whenever a sight or sound or smell is too much. She's never told me what happens during that time... but I suspect she relives all the terror of her past. The murder of her father, Levana scarring her... I wish I could ease her of her pain. But I can't. So I have to be there for her, in whatever way possible.
KAI
Kai grinned at Cinder, trying to catch her eye from across the stage. She had done amazing and he wanted to tell her that. But she seemed preoccupied, talking to her redhead friend. Sighing, Kai decided he would just talk to her later. When he turned back to the kids he was sitting with, he was faced with a far bigger obstacle than Cinder not seeing - ignoring? - him. Seeing Levana's suspicious glare was like a dagger to the chest. Kai, what are you doing? Unbidden, the words of advice Torin had spoken to him after he and Levana became a couple floated to the surface of his mind. Be careful, Kai.
CINDER
After finishing with her audition, she had been stealing glances at Kai every few minutes, watching him talk and laugh easily with the rest of his squad. That was a group she would never be a part of. Get over him. He's not on your level. She turned to talk to Scarlet, who was still dreaming up creative ways to punish the director. But her eyes kept flitting back over to Kai against her will. When she turned around again, Kai and Levana were locked in a fierce kiss. She swallowed.
KAI
So this is Levana's way of showing that I'm hers... make someone else jealous. Wonderful.
WOLF
I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. It's clear I don't belong. But I made a commitment and I'm going to stick to it. He lumbered onto the stage when called, shuffling awkwardly with none of the coordination he had on a football field or in a wrestling ring. Bracing for ultimate humiliation, he began to sing.
SCARLET
Breaking off from her conversation with Cinder, she looked at Wolf standing with terrible posture out there. A smile flitted over her face. He looked so silly, this massively muscled boy shaking all over, probably a result of nerves, holding a piece of paper and singing to audition for a role in a musical. She had to bite back laughter at the thought of him in a cape or some other silly costume dancing and singing on the stage in front of hundreds of people. His deep, sonorous voice filled the room as she giggled watching him.
WOLF
I wonder if Scarlet is watching. I bet she's thinking about how stupid I look. Remind me why I did this again?
WINTER
Jacin has been telling me for ages now that I should make some more friends, that I should have a social circle bigger than him. Well, now's the perfect time to start.
SCARLET
She was surprised to feel a hand tapping her on the shoulder. "Uh...hi," she said to the girl standing before her. Upon closer examination, she realized that she was looking at the girl always trailing at the back of Levana's pack. She was the same age as them, but something about her made her seem younger. Scarlet had seen online posts about her calling her the most beautiful girl in the country, which might make you think that she was stuck-up and pretentious, but Cress had told her that the girl was actually really nice and helped out at the local animal shelter. "I'm Scarlet."
WINTER
She looks like she could be a friend. "I'm Winter."
SCARLET
Three two-inch long lines slashed through the perfect skin of her cheek, ruining the otherwise perfect face. Looking closer into her golden-brown eyes, Scarlet saw something in them that reminded her of her own life: the pain of missing a family member, the loneliness of having no friends.
JACIN
Looks like she's finally taking my advice. He swallowed. But if she makes more friends, they might hurt her feelings or ask prying questions or do things that would tip her over the edge... He shook the thoughts aside. Think about Winter. Your primary goal in life is to make her happy. And if she's finally brave enough to make new friends, let her do it. Another, smaller voice in his head whispered, Maybe if she can make friends, they'll be your friends too.
KAI
I hope Cinder is okay. Levana certainly put on a show there. On the other hand, she looks like she has awesome friends. They're laughing over there together. I wish I had friends who actually talked to me and helped support me. I wish I had friends who really knew me.
CRESS
Maybe I'll be able to accomplish my bucket list this year. Make a new friend, check. Sing in front of other people, check. Try out for the musical, check. Crescent Moon Darnel is going to smash senior year!
WOLF
This is a chance to make friends and fix up your life before college. Don't blow it.
THORNE
Ladies, I'm single if anyone is interested.
CINDER
This year might not be as bad as I thought it would be. I have friends, Scarlet and Cress and possibly Winter. And I have Kai. I'm not really sure what he is to me yet.
WINTER
This could be the start of something new. I just have to relax and "go with the flow," let things happen around me and accept them. Whatever that means. It's what Jacin and my therapist are always telling me to do.
EVERYONE
Today was a good day.
These are going to be the most fun scenes to write - the gang is forming! I love each and every character and the scenes in the books where they have funny conversations are my favorites.
Obviously, I'm not going to write the rest of the story in this format. I decided to try something different because I wanted to represent all the different perspectives and intersecting threads of the story, without writing a long section for each character. Marissa Meyer said that one of her favorite things about the Lunar Chronicles is the large cast of characters, and I want to give them each a unique voice in the story. So what do you guys think? Success or failure? I can always rewrite this chapter if you guys think it didn't work. If it was good, leave a review and I'll maybe write some other scenes with all the characters like this!