CHAPTER 16: AMY
I closed the door before sinking to the floor in my room. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I tucked my head down against my knees, sobbing as if my heart would break. There were so many things I was feeling, it was impossible to figure out why exactly I was crying. I was excited. I was scared. I was hurt.
I had never expected to get the role, and I thought I hadn’t wanted it without Liam’s help. But talking to him just before going into the audition hall had given me the calm I needed to carry on, and I’m sure I couldn’t have done it without him.
And before all of this, I had looked forward to another year here. I was still stumbling with what ‘stage left’ and ‘stage right’ meant, trying to remember they were the opposite of the normal view. I had just learned that ‘corpse’ meant to break character, not to fall down dead, during a scene. And I still felt like there were a million things going through my head.
And Liam … he had been so harsh. It was clear he wanted me to go. He wanted me to leave the school. I hadn’t realized how much I missed him until he called me into his office and the memories we had in there came flooding back. A very small part of me had hoped he was calling me in to reconcile.
I didn’t care what he was now. It didn’t matter to me. He was what he was, and I accepted that. But the distance that had grown between us seemed too great to ever cross; to go back to the way things were.
And why else had I come here if not to pursue my dreams? This is exactly what I wanted to do with my life and here it was, being offered to me on a plate. I would be an idiot not to take it; not to move forward and leave this school forever.
Wiping my tears away, I went to take a sip of water and look over the contract. I was to be a chorus girl with few lines and the possibility of more as the show went on. It signed me on exclusively for three years which seemed like a long time, but maybe that was normal. The show’s run was to be a year, so maybe it would be extended.
Opening my desk drawer, I slipped the contract in, and headed to the bathroom, splashing water on my face. It was time to head to rehearsal for Beauty. I could deal with this when I got back.
I locked my door, and headed down the hallway. My mind was still back in Liam’s office, replaying the situation over and over again. I was so stuck in the moment that I didn’t notice the woman standing in front of me until I bumped right into her.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I said, as I stumbled back. She was beautiful, tall and long limbed, with dark hair and dark eyes that were exotic looking. When her eyes met mine, I took a step back. I went to a school full of beautiful people and she was possibly one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen.
“It’s alright, Amy.” When she spoke, her words curled around her tongue, a liquid French accent pouring out. “One such as you has a lot to keep her pre-occupied.”
“How do you know my name?” I asked, surprised, and she smiled slightly.
“Everyone knows the scholarship winner,” she said gently. “You are famous around this school.”
“Oh…uh…thank you,” I said, blushing. “Can I help you? Are you lost?”
“No,” she shook her head, a twinkle in her eye. “I am an old friend of Liam’s, merely here to observe.”
Of course you are, I thought, a rush of anger flooding my veins. There seemed to be a lot of beautiful women floating around this school who were ‘old friends of Liam’s.’ Glancing at my reflection in the window beside us, I wondered how I could have ever competed. With my eyes red from crying, and my hair in a messy pony tail, I felt like a hot mess compared to this beautiful woman. That’s fine I thought, trying to keep my face neutral. Liam can have his harem of women now that I’m out of the picture.
“Alright, well…” I said, looking past her to the door where I needed to go. “It was good to meet you…” I paused, realizing I didn’t know her name.
“Selene,” she said, extending a long arm with long elegant fingers, perfectly manicured.
“Selene.” I shook it, surprised at the coolness of it. My palms were sweaty in comparison, and I was annoyed that it seemed every aspect of this woman was perfect. “I really have to get to rehearsal.”
“Of course,” she said, nodding. “Best of luck…break a leg. Isn’t that what they say here in the theater?”
“Yes,” I gave her a small smile. “Nice to meet you.” Brushing past her, I headed down the hallway. I pulled open the door to the theater and hurried inside.