CHAPTER 17: THE GIRLS ARE BACK!

'!'

I felt someone jump on me. Jess was so heavy that we started tilting and we would have fallen backwards if Embry hadn't put his arm around me to steady us.

'Hey! I missed you! How have you been? You haven't changed a bit! I wish I could say you look great but I can't look at you. Where is Amber?'

'I'm right here, you just can't see me.' Amber said, giving me a hug. Or so I assume. 'Why are your eyes closed? Did something happen to them?'

'Do you have red eye?' Jess interjected.

'No! It's a long story. Girls, I want you to meet Embry.' I said, pointing in the general direction of where I assumed Embry was standing.

'Hi! I'm Jess and this is Amber.' Jess said. Embry removed his arm from around me to presumably shake their hands.

'Did he look at you when he shook your hands?' I asked quickly.

'Yeah. Why?' Amber said puzzled as to why it mattered. I sighed with relief and opened my eyes.

'I told you, you'd be the first to break.' I told Embry.

'Not fair. It's rude not to look at people when you're talking to them.'

'It's weird to keep your eyes closed when you're supposed to see someone you haven't seen in a while. I dealt with it. Deal with the fact that you lost, slave.'

'Fine.'

'Fine. Sorry girls. I'll explain. Embry was staring at me, so I told him to stop but he wouldn't so I closed me eyes. He then told me to open my eyes, but I refused to until he stopped staring, and he refused to sop staring until I opened my eyes, so we made a bet on who would break first.'

'Oh.' They said at the same time.

'You guys are so cute!' Jess said. She was jumping up and down.

'I'm glad you approve.' Embry said, smirking. I elbowed him.

'Ow.' I whimpered. I keep forgetting, he's so hard (that sounds dirty. Hehehe) that I hurt myself more than him when I do that.

'Sorry, it's not my fault. Next time get Damon to do that.' Embry said, rubbing my arm.

'Who is Damon?' Amber asked. We were on the way to Embry's truck.

'You know the girl I was telling you about, Britt? Well, Damon is her boyfriend.'

'So how did you guys meet?' Jess asked

'He came to pick Britt from school.'

'Are you and her related?' Amber questioned.

'No, it was a favor for D.' Embry said. We had reached the car.

'D?'

'Damon.'

'Oh! We totally forgot to tell you, Bree! The director hired another actress for a supporting role than he had originally planned, and she can't sing. Isn't that great?'

'Um… I guess. What is the director planning on doing?'

'Well, at first he was at a loss, because everyone he wanted to sing was unavailable. Then I played him a recording of you singing and he loved it! He wants you to audition!'

'Oh.' I know, that wasn't the most enthusiastic reply in the world, but I wasn't feeling very enthused.

'Why aren't you excited? If I was you I would be jumping off the walls!'

'Well, that would mean singing in front of someone I don't even know. I almost had a heart attack when I auditioned for the musical and that was only in front of our music teacher! How can I sing in front of a director!' I have severe stage fright.

'You could practice in front of me.' Embry offered.

'Thanks, Em but you're even worse than the director. If he doesn't like my voice then who cares? He's not important to me, but you on the other hand…'

'Oh, he looks like he's so in love with you that you could sing like a broken tuba and he wouldn't care!' Jess exclaimed with Amber nodding next to her.

'Whatever.' I said. I doubted that even Embry felt that strongly about me but I learned along time ago that you do not argue with Jess. You can't win.

'So, what are you going to sing for the director?' Jess asked me. We were laying on my bed in our pajamas. It was 10.00pm. We had spent a couple of hours with Embry then he had to go to work. Funny, even after all this time, I still don't know where Embry works. I definitely have to ask him tomorrow.

'I don't know, Jess. I don't even know if I want to audition.'

'You have to. I already told him that you would. I called him while we were collecting our baggage.'

'You did WHAT? Without even consulting me?'

'I thought you would be happy! It's an amazing opportunity! You're audition is on Friday next week.'

This sucks. I can't be mad at her because she was just trying to do something nice for me. She thought I would be thrilled. And if I do get the part, I will be thrilled. She's right. It is an amazing opportunity! I sighed and Jess took it as an admission to defeat.

'I knew you'd come around! So pick a song. I'll help you!' she exclaimed.

'Sshh. I know you love being loud but you're going to wake Amber up.' Amber was asleep on my other side. She tried to stay up for the conversation but she normally sleeps really early and she's afraid of planes, so of course she was exhausted. Jess told me earlier how she had scars from how hard Amber was holding her arm.

'Whatever. So, Song!' she was practically jumping up and down.

'I don't know. Something slow and simple. Nothing too loud. Acoustics are better simple.'

'Ooh. Have you been watching Glee?' (I'm a Glee fanatic!)

'On and off. Why?'

'Well, I know the perfect song. Jessie and Rachael sang it together the first time. Hello.'

'Oh! I love that song. And the song that Rachael sang together, something about a dream?'

'I dreamed a dream. That was really great as well but I love hello more.'

'Oh, and there are a couple of Jonas Brother songs from JONAS LA that I love. Critical and Invisible. Their so romantic.'

'Speaking of romantic, do you think Embry can sing?'

'He is pretty much perfect, but I think a perfect singing voice would be too much to ask.'

'So we can rule out being spontaneously serenaded?'

'Yes. Fortunately. I don't being serenaded sounds so romantic in books, but in reality I think it would be embarrassing.'

'I should find a way to tell Embry that. Especially if he can't sing.'

'Try to be subtle. And not your version of subtlety which is basically yelling out the information for everyone to hear.'

'I do not do that!'

'Yes you do, now can you guys please go to sleep?' Amber complained and rolled so her back was facing us.

'Oops.' Jess mouthed and lay down to sleep. I followed suit.