Yayness!! new chapter and reviews!! I've told you all a million times, but I do love to see reviews in my inbox. Especially when I'm at school. :) It helps my usually lack-luster days become bright!! :)

On with the chapter!!

The next morning, Friday morning, dawned and with it stood Xion in the bathroom. She had woken up early to get a shower, which she did, and to avoid Riku. Now, the black haired girl stood in front of the bathroom mirror, examining herself.

Her skin wasn't tan like Kairi's, or as pale as Namine's. It shone with the same healthy paleness that Riku's did, except her cheeks were usually tinted red with a blush. Her eyes were large and a pretty ocean blue. Her nose was small, yet sloping. Her face was slightly chubby, and her bottom lip was slightly larger than her top one. Her hair was lopsided (she would never let Namine cut her hair again) and the light brown roots were starting to show.

Xion sighed, tightened the towel around her body and cracked the bathroom door. Steam poured out and she peeked her head out. Not seeing anybody, she fully opened the door and walked out.

Only to jump when she heard something fall to the floor. She jumped with a scream and turned, seeing Sora standing there - his toothbrush on the floor.

"Erm...hi Sora," Xion greeted with a tiny wave. Her other hand was making sure her towel was secure. Sora blinked a few times before waving back.

"Morning...Xion," he said slowly. "Why are you in that shower? Don't you have your...."

"Something was up with the hot water knob," she explained waving it off. "I'll just get dad to fix it." Sora nodded and rubbed the back of his head.

"You should-" Xion nodded.

"Get dressed, I know," she smiled at him. "See you in a few, Sora." She then dashed off down the hallway and that was when Riku emerged from Sora's room. He saw his friend staring down the hallway with a stunned look on his face.

"What's up?" Riku asked him. Sora shook his head, dismissing it.

"N-Nothing. Nothing at all," he stuttered. Riku rose an eyebrow as Sora made a mad dash to the bathroom.

Sora was confusing.

- -- - -- - -- - -- - -- -

Xion pulled her sweater down farther, trying to cover up the hem of the really short skirt. She got within an inch and then decided to leave it. The longer side of her hair was pinned back by a couple of bobby pins, something she thought looked decent enough for her audition today.

Remembering it, Xion squeaked, suddenly nervous. It never mattered how guaranteed she was of a role, she was always nervous. Especially now, she had never had to audition with another person before for a duet. Xion usually just tracked down some dialogue or got the director to read some for her.

Inhaling and exhaling quickly, Xion grabbed the bag of the clothes she would change into before her audition and picked it up along with her school bag. She walked out of her room, down the hall, and to the first floor kitchen where she knew Ven, Roxas, Sora, and Riku were eating breakfast.

"Mornin'," Ven grunted out through his pancakes. Xion winced at this display of...grossness before nodding.

"Good morning," she stressed out through her teeth. "Please, don't talk with your mouth full. It's disgusting." Ven opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it and nodded. He took another bite of pancakes.

"Are you ready?" Riku asked her. Xion nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said with a smile. "I have the instrumental CD in my bag, so forgetting anything won't be a problem."

"Did you put in a change of clothes?" Riku asked. Xion nodded again.

"Yep," Riku smiled at her and took another bite of his own breakfast. Mr. Raulaim had told them that they could bring a change of clothes to change into for the audition. They just couldn't wear them around the school. "Do you have yours?" Riku nodded.

"Would you mind if I put them in your bag? I have no where else to keep them besides my car," Xion nodded and held open the bag while he walked over to her and put in (what looked like) a dark blue button-up shirt and a pair of dark jeans. Xion tried not to blush.

"Get some pancakes before they go cold," Roxas instructed, pushing the plate towards her. Xion smiled at him in thanks and laid her bags on the floor. She quickly grabbed the last three pancakes before Ven could get them. He whined and she rose an eyebrow at him. Ven winced and backed away, turning instead to down his eggs.

'Eww...'

- -- - -- - -- - -- - -- -

Xion felt like she was about to hyperventilate as she stood in the dressing room that afternoon. The other girls, the Mrs. Lovette's, Lucy's, and Johanna's, all stood around talking as they dressed. Xion hurriedly took off her uniform and slipped on her change of clothes. A simple white tank top and a long, light blue flowy skirt. Xion also slipped on some Greek sandals.

"Wow Xion," Selphie said looking at her. "You look amazing." The Junior turned to the brunette girl and thanked her, a blush grazing her cheeks.

"Th-Thanks Selphie," she replied. "So do you." The other girl nodded her thanks. She was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and gray pants, something vaguely Mrs. Lovette-ish if women could have worn pants back in the 1800's.

Olette snorted and covered it up with a smile in Xion's direction. She hesitantly smiled back, that girl sure was strange.

When it was time, Xion followed all of the girls out of the dressing room. She was clutching tight to her CD, and didn't notice when she slipped on a piece of curtain. She squeaked as she started to fall but was stopped as a pair of arms grabbed her.

"New feet?" Xion glared up at Axel as he smirked down at her. After he helped her right herself, she smacked him on the arm. He let out a gasp of pain and clutched the appendage.

"Sheesh," he said. "Nobody can take a joke these days." Xion rolled her eyes and walked with the tall red head to the back of the auditorium.

Mr. Raulaim decided he would do all the singing auditions first, and then would move onto the duets and dialogues. He had a list in his hand.

"Right then," he said with a smile. "Welcome to the auditions for Marluxia Raulaim's production of Stephan Sondheim's production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." The students laughed, some nervously. Mr. Raulaim smiled.

"I will call your name and you will come up here and sing," he said. "If I find it to be less than pleasant, I will cut the music and you will walk. If you do decently, I might tell you to try better at the dialogue. If you do well, you make it through the whole song and have a brownie point. Don't expect brownie points." The crowd gulped as he laughed.

"Right, all the Mr. Todd's first. Axel - you're up," the red head grinned from ear to ear as he patted Xion's shoulder walking by her.

Once he got up on stage, he smiled at Mr. Raulaim. "I'm singing Epiphany." Xion and a few others snorted. It was so predictable of Axel.

Mr. Raulaim nodded and started the music. Axel started to sing, keeping his pitch. He even schooled his face to look mean.

Once he finished, the entire hall applauded and he walked off the stage assured that even though he went first, he would most likely get the role. Xion hugged him when he came and sat beside her.

More auditions passed and then it was finally Xion's turn. Both Riku and Axel squeezed her hands and she left them to go up to the stage. She smiled at Mr. Raulaim.

"I'm singing Green Finch and Linnet Bird," Mr. Raulaim nodded. The upbeat, fluttery music started up and Xion took a deep breath before she started to sing.

"Green Finch and Linnet Bird

Nightingale Blackbird

How is it you sing?"

Unfortunately, her voice cracked a little on the high note and she tried not to repeat it through the rest of the song. When it did crack, she kept her expression the same as if nothing had ever happened. When she was done, the hall applauded and she blushed before walking offstage.

"You did great," Axel muttered in her ear. Selphie patted her shoulder and Xion smiled up at the other girl. She noticed that Olette had a glare on her face, but she didn't let that bother her.

Riku went up a few people later. He sang Johanna and was perfect throughout the entire thing. When the song was over, he got a standing ovation - just for an audition!! He bowed, egotistically, before leaving the stage.

The rest of the people passed in a hurry of terrible singing. A few people stuck out above the others with decent singing, Olette was surprisingly good considering all she had to do was talk really fast and sporatically.

"Okay then!" Mr. Raulaim said standing up in his chair. Despite the fact that it was a theatre seat, he didn't wobble at all. The man has had practice. "Duet's and dialogue up next! All the Sweeney's! Axel, you're up."

The red head nodded at Mr. Raulaim, he smiled at Selphie and the girl stood up with him. Once they got up on stage, Axel smiled.

"Me and Selphie will be doing A Little Priest," Xion snickered in her seat as she watched Axel and Selphie dance around the stage, perfectly in sync with one another. When it was over, they also recieved a standing ovation."

"Almost us," Riku whispered in her ear during a particularly bad performance. "Are you ready?" Xion grinned at him.

"Oh yeah," she said. "We'll knock their socks off." Riku smiled and the two waited until one of them was told to go up.

When she was called, her and Riku both stood up. Almost everyone gasped as they walked up on stage together - it was something they didn't expect. Even Mr. Raulaim seemed surprised. Xion smiled at the audience as Riku pulled a couch out from behind the curtain.

"Riku and I will be singing Kiss Me," a few more gasps rose from the audience and she heard Riku snicker. Mr. Raulaim started the music and Riku quickly sat down.

They followed their practiced footsteps easily, thankfully Xion's voice didn't crack. Once it got to the break, the room laughed as Riku shouted "Blackout! Five minutes later!"

Their performance went smooth up until the kiss. Xion thought that Riku wouldn't actually kiss her, just ghost his lips over her's like they had done at practice.

Wasn't she surprised when Riku planted his own lips on hers.

She didn't let that get her though as she kissed him back, determined to stay in character. Xion tried to ignore how right they felt with each other. Once Riku pulled away, she didn't have to act sheepish as they went into their 'Oh, sirs' and 'Ah, miss's.

Once it was over, they too got a standing ovation. Some of the guys were wolf-whistling and Xion blushed. She could still hear Riku snickering.

They sat down and the auditions continued on. Once the final Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford sang Ladies in their SensibilitiesMr. Raulaim stood up on stage.

"Well! This was a very nice audition," he started. "Some of you all did excellent, while other's did poorly. But I digress. The cast list will be posted in two weeks, now get off of school property before I call the cops!" Everyone laughed.

"You did great," Axel whispered in her ear. She smiled up at him.

"Thanks Ax, so did you," the red head smiled back at her.

- -- - -- - -- - -- - -- -

Xion propped herself up using Riku's car. He was busy talking to someone about something, leaving her to wait outside. She had already donned her heavy sweater, since the tank top did nothing to keep her warm. She rubbed her hands together to gain friction and blew into them.

"Here," a voice said. "You seem cold." Xion turned and smiled as a fair-haired Junior whom she shared a few classes with offered her his jacket. She thanked him and put it on.

"Tidus, right?" the boy nodded.

"Yeah, you did really great Xion," he said. She blushed.

"Thanks. So did you! You put all the right emotion into Toby, it was amazing!" Tidus's cheeks slightly reddened.

"You're too kind," he looked like he was about to say something else but stopped once Riku appeared by the driver's side door.

"Xion, we're gonna be late. Get in!" Xion nodded at the silver haired boy and bid goodbye to Tidus. She tried to offer him the jacket back, but he let her keep it. Made her promise to give it back to him Monday.

She got in the car, a delighted smile on face. Xion turned to Riku and saw that he had a scowl. She rose an eyebrow but didn't question him, knowing he would talk in time.

What is Riku's problem? Only I know... If you too want to know, review so I'll update faster. :) The outfit that Xion is wearing is the exact outfit of the girl from the video last chapter. :)

-The Gray Rook