and we scored

Scene 24

NINI

"Okay, everybody, gather around", the teacher calls us and we all form a circle around her on stage. She's staying in the middle, her long curly dark hair up in a bun as she's staring us through her glasses, her eyes all warm. She doesn't seem more than ten years older than us, probably even less. I highly doubt she's five years older than us. Probably just graduated.

"My name is Miss Gert and I'll be the one making sure you're ready to play your part in this year's production. As you might well know, the stakes are up high for you. Producers and directors from all around the world will come to search for new talents at opening night, so I highly advise you to use this chance."

We all nod and I swallow hard. I know damn well how important this play is for my future. It could make myself a name in the acting industry and prove to myself that I didn't spend the last three years fighting hard for nothing. And I need that.

"But, before we get started on the real stuff, why don't we get to know each other?", the teacher asks. We all agree, since I only know half of the students gathered here. And I can only put a name to a face, nothing more.

We begin a well-known introduction round in which we have to say a few things about us. Name, Age, Interests and so on. When everyone is done and even though they all said their names, I can still only remember five tops, we play another game. Impro around Shakespeare plays. We're paired up and I end up with a brunette with some big blue eyes. She smiles at me and comes closer, so that we can talk to each other.

"Hi", she says. "I'm Nyla. Nyla Summers"

"Hey. I'm Nini, Nini Elway", I answer, reaching her my hand. She smiles wider and shakes it.

"You're the girl playing Juliet, right?" she asks me. My face turns guilty, just in case she wanted the role. And I could understand that. Nyla definitely looks more like she should get the lead. Not only does she look like some kind of model with her looks, but she also has that Juliet-kinda-smile. I don't.

"No, oh my gosh, no." She replies, much to my surprise. "I'm not a lead role type of girl. I'd rather be one of the supporting ones."

"So, who are you playing?" I ask, feeling guilty again that I didn't memorize the role list by heart.

"I'm your mother." She begins, and quickly explains as she notices my raised eyebrow. "Lady Capulet I mean."

"Ah. That's nice", I say, really meaning it. She seems to understand that and smiles honest.

Miss Gert steps in again and lets us know what we have to do. Nyla and I begin the game and it is fun to improvise with her. She likes to have humour in the scenes and has my style of acting. We quickly get along, til we both end up laughing together at the ideas we come up with. A Midnight Summer's Dream in winter, Macbeth has a dating app... All sorts of stuff. The two hours we have to rehearse go by quickly, and we almost miss the timer ringing on Miss Gert's phone, reminding us we still have classes to attend to.

I go take my tote bag from the seat in the first row I left it on and head back to Nyla, to see what her next class is.

"Psych", she answers, not really thrilled by the idea.

"Ethics", I reply, as thrilled as she was. We both get it and chuckle. She starts explaining.

"It's not that I don't like the class, I really find it cool...it's the other students and this day in particular matched together that I don't like."

"Why? What happens today?" I ask her, and she tugs a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Wrencore against Westview", she says. I look at her with an eyebrow raised. She gets the hint and moves on.