CHAPTER 2:

At the Asphalt Cafe, Tori, Jade, Andre, Cat, Robbie, and Beck sat at a table together, having lunch.

"The decorations are very pretty!" Cat said as she examined the outside of the Asphalt Cafe with keen eyes.

"Yeah, they are!" Robbie sighed. "Say, did you guys see what happened to Trina?"

"Yeah," Andre said as he turned to Tori. "What's up with that?"

"I don't know," Tori shrugged as she put her smoothie down. "Jade, you were the last to see her."

"How would I know?" Jade asked back.

"Wait, I know!" Cat said suddenly with a giggle. "I saw Trina sitting beside a bunch of daisies earlier today in the Black Box Theater!"

Jade eyed Cat silently. "So?" she asked casually.

"I don't know," Cat said in a small voice as she cowered in her seat.

"Wait a minute," Robbie added as something dawned on him. "Jade, I saw you with a bunch of daisies earlier, and everyone here knows you hate flowers."

"Are you accusing me of something?" Jade snapped back. She glared at Robbie intensely.

"Wait!" Tori exclaimed in shock, turning to Jade. "You know my sister's allergic to those, right?"

"Yeah?" Jade asked. "I was hoping her eyes would swell shut. But hives will have to do."

"Hah!" Cat said suddenly. Jade shot a glance at her and she cowered again.

"So you admit it?" Tori asked, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.

Jade shrugged. "I knew she wanted the lead in the play," she said.

"But you naturally wanted it for yourself, right?" Tori asked her.

"I'm not going to sit here and just listen to this," Jade grunted as she gathered her things and left the table.

"What's up with her?" Robbie asked the remaining group.

"Family problems," Beck answered as he watched Jade storm off.

"That still doesn't give her an excuse though," Tori huffed. "Trina is allergic to daisies!"

"Take it easy," Beck said. "Jade's going through a tough time."

"If you say so," Tori muttered. "But it's still not okay."

Tori updated her status on TheSlap which read: "What's wrong with Jade?! Like seriously? - MOOD = Irritated".

The next day, at the Black Box Theater, auditions for the play had begun. Three judges sat at a table just meters away from the stage. Jade stood nearby at the corner, overlooking the auditioners.

"Next," said a female judge.

Jade watched with annoyance as a girl came onto the set. The girl began her audition.. "Good pipes, less attractive. Might be good for Erika," Jade thought.

She stood there for thirty minutes or so, watching every candidate that was auditioning for different parts in her play. Where was Trina? Hopefully she chickened out, Jade thought, delighted.

"I'm sorry, I'm late!" came Trina's annoying voice. She hurried in through the doors and almost tripped on her heels getting to the stage.

Jade watched smugly as Trina took the stage. God, she looked disgusting, she thought to herself, gloating.

"And you are?" said the female judge, examining the girl who had just entered

"Trina Vega!" Trina said, fluffing her hair. "T-R-I-"

"They know how to spell it!" Jade snapped.

"Ms. Vega, you may proceed with your audition," the judge stated, writing down Trina's name on the clipboard.

"I'm auditioning for the lead role!" Trina said excitedly.

The judge nodded. Trina cleared her throat and began to sing one of the songs Jade had written down in the monologues.

"Thank you Ms. Vega," the judge said immediately, just as Trina started to sing the chorus.

"But I'm not done yet," Trina stuttered.

"Thank god," Jade heard one of the judges whisper.

"Is it because of how I look?" Trina asked them. "Because if it is, my doctors say that it'll clear up in three days!"

"You may step down from the stage now," the female judge insisted.

"So do I get the part?" Trina asked hopefully, with a beaming smile.

"We'll call you," the judge answered. Jade watched as Trina got off the stage.

"I nailed it!" Trina whispered to Jade as she passed by on her way to the exit..

As if, Jade thought.