Hello, mates! Sorry for the delays in writing. It's finals week and all my spare time outside of keeping my social life alive has been going to keep my GPA alive and well lol
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this update and have a wonderful day!
"Maybe this was a bad idea." I swallowed hard as I ran a single hand through my hair. Toby was beside me as my slight panic started settling in in the right-wing of the stage. "How did I think I can handle this? I can't even speak normally let alone in front of others."
"Honestly, I don't even know how you can talk to Claire sometimes." Toby chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just a few months ago you were a babbling mess just at the mention of her name." I opened my mouth to refute the boy's comment, but I closed my mouth suddenly as I remembered not even being able to make a sound when I first saw the girl.
"Okay, you win that one." Toby just snickered for a second before uncrossing his arms and placing them upon my shoulders.
"Bro, you're gonna be okay. Alright? It's just auditioning. How bad can they be?" I swallowed dryly as I looked past him toward where the audience sat. It was filled with just a lot of other auditioners, but it did not calm my already unsteady nerves.
"Terrible?" Toby just rolled his eyes as I turned my attention over toward the stage.
Maybe I jumped before I could think this through. I'm not cut out for this kinda stuff. I'm an anxious mess as it is.
"Hey boys!" I snapped my attention toward Claire as she neared the two of us. "Ready for your first audition?" I swallowed hard once more as cotton balls seemingly replaced where my tongue once was.
"Yeah. Totally. Definitely not panicking." I laughed nervously as I rubbed the back of my neck with my left hand. She gave me a concerned look as she placed a delicate hand on the top of my back.
"What exactly is scaring you?" I shrugged as Toby's hands fell off my shoulders and Claire moved in closer beside me.
"I guess the whole embarrassing myself thing? I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing. Let alone what I should say." I let out a soft smile as I felt Claire rub gently at the top of my back. "I'm just-. I guess I'm just nervous."
"If you don't feel right doing this, you don't have to."
"No," I stopped for a minute a ran my hand through my hair once more. "I want to do this. I'm just a ball of nerves and anxiety and I have no clue how in the hell to deal with it."
"You know," I watched Claire as she spoke softly to me. "I'm always nervous about auditions too." I gave her a confused look as her thumb now rubbed at the nape of my neck.
"Really? You of all people?" She giggled a little at my disbelief as she just continued speaking.
"Every time." She gifted me with a wide smile as she went on to continue. "Never really changes either. It's always there. You just learn how to hide it better."
"How do you deal with it then, Nuñez?" She looked over toward Toby to gift him a smile and a small shrug.
"You just kinda do. You realize very easily that everyone else during auditions is just as frightened as you are and you just kinda roll with it. You don't think about what you're saying. You just speak. You feel what is happening and you carry on from there." Claire turned her attention toward me with a soft smile as she ended her little speech. "But once you're out there, nothing else matters."
"Don't think. Just feel." I took a deep breath before releasing it slowly. "Got it."
"If it helps though, there's a thing I used to do when I first started auditioning for stuff like this." I gave Claire a curious look as she placed her hands on my shoulder and effortlessly made it so I gave her my full attention. "If you ever get too stressed or nervous, look for me in the crowd. I'll be your anchor." She squeezed my shoulders gently as a smile graced her face. "I'll be right there for you. No matter what."
"Doesn't help during the show though."
"By then, Jim," She brought her hands up now so she could cup my face with them. "You won't need me to help you." I smiled softly as I brought my hands up to cover her gently.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Good God," Claire and I both snapped our attention over toward Toby as he let out the exasperated words. "You two are gonna make me vomit one of these days." I looked over toward Claire to see her reaction to the shorter boy only to witness her rolling her eyes at his words and looking back toward me.
"Anyway," Claire gave a small glare out of the corner of her eyes toward Toby before continuing. "You'll be just fine. But if you need me, I'll be right there."
"That helps a lot more than you might think."
"Next!" Claire just smiled widely as she dropped her hands out from under mine before making her way toward the stage.
"Here." She stopped for a second just to look over her shoulder with a smirk. "Watch and learn."
"Ms. Nuñez! Wonderful to see you audition once again!" I watched as Claire gave the director a large smile.
"Won't miss it for the world, Miss Janeth." I watched with wide eyes as they continued on with a small bit of small talk.
She looks so natural up there. As if it's where she's meant to be. That somehow that all of her life lead to her standing there just now.
"Whenever you're ready, sweetie." Claire gifted the woman with a smile before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
If she's nervous during this, then I wonder how she would perform when she isn't.
"Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars," She walked slowly across the stage with a hand toward the sky as her over was cradled in her chest. "And he will make the face of heaven so fine. That all the world will be in love with night. And pay no worship to the garish sun." She pulled her hand down slowly and put her hands together in front of her chest.
"O, I have bought the mansion of a love." She put her hands on top of her heart and ended her lines there. She smiled and did a small bow as everyone clapped for her. She started walking toward us to get off the stage once more. I was looking at her still with wide eyes as she stopped before Toby and me once more.
"How in the hell?" I nodded along with Toby's words as I just stared at the girl for a bit longer.
"My personal thing is to just engulf myself into the character I want to become. Tie who I am to the character as well. Connect with them on a personal level, ya know?" Claire brushed her hair behind her ear as she gave us a soft smile. "It wasn't that great though."
"Are you kidding?" I put a lot of emphasis on the last word as I looked at her in disbelief. "You just did all that as if it came second nature to you." I gave a nervous chuckle as I shook my head a little. "If that was you nervous, I'll pay to see you perform when you're not." Claire gave me a joyful giggle in reply.
"It wasn't that good though," I noted the soft blush on her face as I took a step closer to her.
"Yeah and I'm not your soulmate. Are we gonna keep telling each other lies?" Claire just giggled at me once more as I just smiled toward her gently. "Seriously though. That was wonderful, Claire. Makes a lot of sense now why this," I rolled up my sleeve and showcased the marking upon my skin. "Is how it is." I looked back up toward her with a wide smile only to be gifted with one in reply.
"Well, thank you." Claire and I smiled gently toward each other softly as Miss Janeth's voice called out once more.
"Next please!" Claire's smile just widened as she placed her hands upon my shoulders once more.
"That would be you." Without a single thought seemingly, she moved in and placed a soft kiss on my cheek before pulling back with the most beautiful smile. "Break a leg, Jim." I gave her a determined nod as her hands slipped from my shoulders.
"Thanks. I'm gonna need it." I gave her a gentle smile as I made my way out toward the stage. My nerves immediately kicked up a gear as I made my way across the stage and became the center of attention to all those before me. I swallowed dryly as I looked over the crowd as I was watching Claire and Toby now find seats of their own within the rows of people before me.
"Name?" I nearly jumped as I looked back toward Miss Janeth that sat at a long table before us.
"James Lake Junior." I gave the math teacher a soft smile as I nervously scratched the back of my neck. I watched her intently as she scribbled down something on her clipboard before her before greeting me with a smile.
"Whenever you're ready, young man." I nodded my head softly for a moment as I looked back over toward where I knew Claire and Toby were sitting. Toby gifting me with a set of thumbs up as Claire gave me a reassuring smile in reply.
Don't think.
I took a deep breath as a sudden memory took over my mind.
"Don't think. Just become. Alright?" I nodded my head toward my mother as she placed her hands on my shoulders. "When you meet them, that's all you gotta remember, alright? It's destiny that your soulmate is made for you." I smiled toward the woman before me as she then lifted up her right hand to toy with my hair a little. "There are so many others that wish that they could have what is upon your skin now. It's a gift." She dropped her hands now so that she could take my skull-covered forearm. "Others go their whole lives not knowing who they are supposed to be with. Remember that you're lucky, alright? Remember that you have been blessed." I looked up toward my mother once more as she gave me a wide smile.
"And your friend will forever be destiny."
"Destiny," I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes for a moment and released it slowly. "Is a gift." I glanced toward Claire out of the corner of my eye as a smile graced my face. "Some go their whole lives searching for their other halves. Searching for the one person that compliments them completely." I pulled my gaze away from her as I looked high above the audience before me. A sudden surge of confidence taking over me. "Others go their whole lives not knowing who they were supposed to be with. Our marking is the only gift we have to help ourselves accomplish that." I rolled up my sleeves with a smile before bringing my soulmate match right over my heart. "Do not think when you are gifted with such, as others just wander so aimlessly." I glanced over toward Claire once more as we smiled gently toward one another once more. My heart skipping a beat within my chest as I allowed the last word to fall from my lips.
"Become." I stood there for a moment as I dropped my hand down toward my side as my performance was met with pure silence in reply. I took a deep breath to calm my now frantic nerves, but as I released it slowly, I was greeted with a sudden wave of applause.
"That was beautiful! Where did that come from, young man?" I shrugged for a moment as I glanced back over toward Claire who was looking up toward me with the most beautiful smile.
"It came from the heart. That's all I know." I brought my attention back toward Miss Janeth as she just smiled gently up toward me.
"Well, it was beautiful all the same. Thank you, Mr. Lake." I gave her a nod in reply before adding a small bow. With that, I turned toward where I came from and tried my best to not show how truly shaken I was to my core. Once I stepped out of everyone's view though, I nearly dropped down onto my knees due to how weak they were.
Holy fuck. I did it. I actually fucking did it.
I placed a hand over my heart as I just felt how hard the organ was beating within my chest.
Good Gods, I made it.
"Jimbo! That was awes-." Toby stopped as he saw me. "Oh, you good, homie?"
"Better than I thought I would be, honestly." I gave him a soft lopsided smile as Claire joined his side.
"That was great! You really took my words to heart, didn't you?" I got up to my feet slowly as Claire stepped closer to me.
"I did." I reached out and took her hands in mine with ease despite the fact they were still shaking slightly. "I definitely did." I watched her gift me with a toothy grin before releasing my hands so she could pull me into a tight hug I reciprocated with ease.
Don't worry, mom.
I smiled as I tightened my hold on the slightly shorter girl.
I'll remember I'm blessed forever with a soulmate like mine.