Dream's big break

It was that time of year for Drama club rehearsals at our high school for the upcoming musical. I was usually always behind the scenes but I knew this year would be different.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm, the Beatles singing Yellow Submarine loudly in the room. I slide my alarm off on my phone and yawned, smiling at my calendar. Today was the day I was going to try out for the lead in our school's musical; Raindrops on my parade.

I had been practicing the lines for weeks on end and the music we had to rehearse, no one except my best friend, Lola knew I was auditioning for Clara, the protagonist of this little musical.

Lola even told me that my voice was exquisite for the part.

I had been scared to audition though. Our drama teacher, Mrs. Lawrence was a hard blunt woman that had a favorite gem, Sierra Washington, the princess of our grade. I think she is just a bully that is sleeping with half of the football team if you ask me.

I slowly went to my restroom and took a shower. Today was a Saturday, random within itself but meaningful to me because I am taking that leap of faith, I am going to audition for Clara. Raindrops on my parade are my favorite musical. Let me tell you that it takes place in the cold afternoon of Georgia in the 1950s. Clara is a 16-year-old girl that has a crush on a boy named Daniel Walker. He suddenly disappears from school and she and her best friends; Jeremy Plant and Juno Harris must find him before it is too late as someone else is searching for him.

I turned off the water smiling at myself as I got dressed in my best gown; a long-sleeve button-up denim dress with pale stockings and my grandmother's flats that she wore as a schoolgirl.

I was ready to get this part. I was ready for anything as I smiled, putting on my gold lipstick and gold eye shadow. I was glowing and I looked at the part of Clara. I hope that gave me points for trying, for researching, for- working on getting Clara's voice right.

I want this more than life than itself and I worked hard, especially with Mrs. Lawrence to work with her from the day in and day out. I was there from 6:30 am till about 9 pm. I was dedicated to working on trying out for her. I wanted this so bad and I was putting myself in a role that had a high risk to it.

I didn't want to be in the shadows anymore. I worked hard enough to prove to Mrs. Lawerence that I deserved to be Clara. And not an understudy, I was taking myself out of my comfort zone, and leaping faith to be the head leader of this musical.

I walked down the stairs and greeted my father and mother who was making breakfast. I grabbed my drama folder and kissed my mother's cheek as I sat down at the table to a plate full of hashbrowns and waffles with homemade blueberry syrup. Yum.

"You excited for today pumpkin?" My father asked reading the newspaper.

"Of course, if I can get Clara, it will have proved to myself that I am much more than the sound operator, or the curtain guy, or even the costume designer. I want to be the part." I said excitedly.

"You are a shoo-in sweetie." My mother said as she brought me over a glass of water.

"I hope I am." I mused, sipping on the water and taking in a large bite.

I smiled at them, hugging my parents lovingly.

"Pumpkin, you will get it. You have worked the hardest for the past 6 months. And you have learned the lines from cover to cover. I think you will get it Dream." She noted as I practiced my lines with her real quick.

I nodded as I finished up my meal just in time to hear Lola honking her car horn.

"That girl doesn't know how to call, does she." My father said angrily.

"Lola is just being Lola's dad. See you later tonight." I assured him. 

"I want to know how it went." He joked setting down his paper.

"Well, I won't find out till Friday." I consoled him.

"I know that, I want to know how you made that girl, Sierra, run for her money." He teased, laughing at his joke.

I smiled as I ran out the door with my drama folder. I opened the car door, waved by to my mother and father who lingered in the doorway and we drove off with my parents waving bye. I buckled up quickly and smiled as Lola and I sang to whatever was on the radio.

"Breaking the backs of the downpour, can't go more, I have been fighting this battle and cryptic rattles on inside of me, death lingering in the air, haunted awakenings at the end, making me, fighting for the downpour....." We both sang imperfectly.

"Lola, your not nervous about auditioning for Juno Harris." I jabbered, tugging on a string on my dress nervously.

"Nope, never have been afraid, and Juno is much better than being behind the scenes." She marveled turning down the windy lane to the school.

"Thank you for making me do this," I whispered.

"You put in all of the work. Sierra is going to make the biggest hissy fit and I am glad to see it." She bragged softly, turning down the music.

"She is going to hate me more," I remarked.

"Well I think it is mutual, Dream some advice when looking at the audience..." She added stopping in a closer parking spot to the door.

"Think of them in their underwear?" I noted.

"No, of course not, stare at them with confidence, stare at them like you are long-lost friends and having a decent conversation." She spoke unbuckling her seatbelt as I slowly did the same.

"What would I do without you, Lola?" I asked, giggling.

She smiled as we both got out staring at the large school before us.

"You probably would be dwindling in the cupboard about now." She teased walking next to me slowly.

"Your right." I agreed with her.

"Come on, we have to get inside before they close the door on us," She pointed, Lola, saying it defiantly.

We nodded to each other as we walked in being handed a number after we showed our school IDS. I was number 38, Sierra of course got number 1. She looked over at us rolling her eyes as she stared at the stage waiting for Mrs. Lawerence to come onto the stage. We took our seats near the front of the stage, Sierra was towards the back.

I placed my number on my shirt, clipping it to the hem of my dress. I smiled as Mrs. Lawerence came onto the stage. We all clapped our hands as she quieted us down.

"Welcome, welcome my little thespians. We all are here for one thing and that is to audition for this lovely play that was made by an anonymous author. It is a mystery and new and supports all kinds of drama people. Clara, the main protagonist is searching for her crush who mysteriously disappeared randomly. It is important and vital to understand that Clara is a hard character to understand and sing for. She is hard because Clara can be anybody. Clara can be a southern lady with small eyes or can be a large and in charge thespian with dealings. Her voice and her words are vital to grasp as she was written to have an accent and be a little risky in a way." Mrs. Lawerence replied.

"I am getting that part." Sierra boasted indignantly. 

"Everyone has a fair chance Sierra, this is a musical, not a court case. Now I want you all to understand that it is not the end of the world to not get apart. Multiple tasks are a part of this musical, there are the school children, the teacher, and other smaller parts. But no large part or small part is less than they seem. All parts have a lot of work and a lot of dedication. So Miss Sierra let's see what you got.

She walked up glaring at all of us as she took the center of the stage, smiling with her flashy smile." Mrs. Lawerence praised as Sierra rolled her eyes.

We all nodded and agreed with our teacher.

"When you are ready I want you to recite a monologue, any monologue from this play or from something you have read." Mrs. Lawerence finally noted.

"Alright then;" She said ecstatically. "The cause of the end of the world. it wasn't because of me. No, it couldn't be. I have been there for you for every damn time, every day, night, and evening and you chose her over me. I was the one that went to your appointments. I got your prescription meds. I cared for you when had cancer. I made you meals. I took you into my arms when I thought you were to die. I made you who you were and you threw me out like a sack of burritos. I told you, I told you that I loved you. You agreed but now I think I was just being used. You used me selfishly to get you better. You made me cry each day in and out because I thought that was going to be your last day. I wished it was your last day so I could move on from this pain. I knew it was too good to be true. It has been a month and a half. And I learned that you never even had cancer. You never once had cancer or disease. Tonight will be the last night that you play me."

Sierra was slightly booed off the stage by me and Lola. No one knew where it was coming from as Sierra didn't seem to notice or mind it.

"Dang, immaculate Sierra. Now I want you to step down. I will post the results on Friday." Mrs. Lawerence praised turning to her sheet.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lawerence, see you in class later." She said icily. 

It was a while before it was my turn. I became more and more nervous. Lola smiled at me as I whispered to her, each person is better than the last.

Finally, it was Lola's turn. She turned to me and winked standing up as she made her way to the stage.

"Lola, from the top." Mrs. Lawerence noted writing some stuff on her sheet.

"Camp, I have always gone to this place, in the woods. Girl scouts running around on sugar crap that seems to be fixated on the night sky. Horses running around, trampling the leaves under the undergrowth. I don't want to be here, I tell myself. We go by nicknames here, names from pop culture and worldly views. Some were as easy as Elsa or even Eeyore and others were anime-based or book-based. I was a camper, afraid, scared, and mad. These counselors treated us horribly. ANd the head one treated everyone like she was better than the rest. A poor disabled counselor did not have the means to further their journey but she continued. At the end of the week, I told my mom, never to send me there again. If you do, I will run away from there." Lola said in tears.

Mrs. Lawerence clapped as I clapped too. Unbeknownst to Mrs. Lawerence or even me, that was a true story from our camping days. I was silent as the world was too. Lola had to drag me after realizing Mrs. Lawerence was calling my name. I slowly stood up, Lola pushing me forward as I walked forward to the stage smiling as everything was blocked out.

"Don't be nervous Dream now I want to hear what you have got for me." Mrs. Lawerence added writing something else on her long sheet.

"Sorry;" I mumbled straightening my posture. "Broken doors, coffee tables, and the world around us. Where could have Daniel Walker gone? I wanted to know where he was, who he was but his house had been destroyed. I had gone there to finally have our first date. I had asked him out the night before at the spring fling and now he was gone, gone like a ferry to perry. We didn't know where he was. I looked around me looking at the broken glass crunching through my heels, my flowers throwing down as I walked in looking, searching for something. Why was he not here? Things like this, don't happen in Georgia. Our small peaceful town hasn't been blanket with war since I was real little and now he was gone."

I paused smiling at Sierra, a devilish grin coming over my face.

"Where is daniel walker, he was in bed, where is daniel walker, as I walk with dread, I have been searching, waiting for our date, his parents are gone, no more to see, for I rather be, with daniel walker. Did you know his name, when he tackled that linebacker, did you know his name, when he took Lara out on a date, did you know his name, when I asked him out, now daniel walker is gone and I am all alone, twisting and turning, as I ran to the phone......" I sang, the part of the song that broke.

We left shortly after going back to my house to play some video games.

It was finally Friday morning, and I and Lola had gotten there early to see Mrs. Lawerence post the sheet. It was 6:30 am and we were at school early. It was vital to be here early as when she posted it, people would crowd it like flies. We of course were in the middle as Mrs. Lawerence slowly came into the room.

"Before I post this sheet. I want to say you all are dedicated, hard-working individuals that deserve praise and applauding. ANd that you are the same person that you were before this musical to that you are now. Once I post, you need to look for your name, if your name is on there great, if it is not, come and talk to me." She said slowly walking to the front of the massive crowd in front of her.

We nodded to her as she put a tack on the paper and put it up, slowly walking away as she stood at the back of the auditorium. 

Sierra stood there for what seemed like a long time as people high-fived or walked away. She kept on mumbling something underneath her breath.

Lola looked for her name and nodded and then looked for mine as I was shorter than her and couldn't see. She kept on going to the top as she stopped by my name. I was the lead, I was the Clara and Sierra was my understudy. I stared with my mouth agape bewildered by it but a smile spreading across my face as I slowly walked away hugging Lola and thanking her for helping me get my dreams.