The Reincarnated (Book 2A of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 70

"Cass?" someone asked and shook my shoulder a few minutes later. Concern filled their voice while I "came to" again, and I looked that way to see that it was Bryson standing near me with furrowed brows.

Relief filled his eyes when he saw my gaze on him, and he cleared his throat while he cocked his head and studied me. "Are you ok?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You kind of zoned out for a bit."

I bit back a small sigh and shook my head while I rubbed my face and cleared my throat. "Sorry, sorry," I said before I cleared my throat again. "I'm fine. What did I miss?"

"Nothing much, but you are supposed to be out in the hallway. Is everything written on the paperwork?" He looked at the paperwork before he looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

I looked it over to see that I had written everything and pursed my lips in annoyance because I didn't realize I had written it. "Yes," I said and nodded before I cleared my throat and looked at him. "Everything is written the way it needed to be."

Bryson nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. "Then I can take that to Ms. Grey. You are to be auditioning last." He moved something in front of me, and I looked that way to see that there was an excerpt in front me. "You need to study that in the hallway. When it's time, you'll read that and then sing."

I sighed and nodded before I grabbed the paper and stood. "Thanks, Bryson," I said and offered him a small smile. "I do appreciate all that you do for me and more."

Bryson smiled and nodded. "Of course," he said and cleared his throat while he gestured to the door. "Now, go ahead and leave. Everyone is about to start."

I held back an eye roll and scowled playfully before I grabbed my bag and put it on my back. "Have fun playing the piano," I teased, and he rolled and scowled playfully. "Don't get too tired and make me sound bad." I winked teasingly, and he grinned while he dipped his head closer to his chest.

"I won't, Cass," he promised before he cleared his throat and grew serious. "I will make sure that you sound very good no matter what song you sing." He winked teasingly and gave me a small smirk.

I bit back a small snort but rolled my eyes and scowled teasingly. "Thanks, Bryson," I said. "I do appreciate you. I really do."

And with that, I left the room, ignoring Claire on the stage waiting for me to leave.

Stupid bitch, I thought while I scowled and narrowed my eyes before I pursed my lips in annoyance. Be careful who you mess with and when because I don't know how long I can be nice with the vengeance that continues to grow inside of me...

And it's almost ready to burst...

***

"Good, you are awake," the male who looked like Zion, Frederick, said when I walked out of the drama room. A look of relief appeared on his face while he looked at me, and he slowly bowed his head when I scowled and narrowed my eyes, not meeting my gaze. "I was getting worried."

"I don't know why you are nervous, but whatever," I said and shrugged while I grimaced, and he smirked before he cleared his throat and grew serious.

"You're a friend of Bryson's, so of course, I am going to be worried about you." He paused and cleared his throat again while he raised an eyebrow in question. "Are you feeling ok?"

I pressed my lips into a thin line before I slowly nodded and looked away from him. "I will be," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Frederick scowled and narrowed his eyes while he studied me, and I couldn't help but feel slightly naked underneath his hard gaze. "That didn't answer my question, Cass," he said. "Are you feeling ok, like right now?"

I pressed my lips into a thin line and hesitated before I shook my head no, not able to look at him. "It's nothing for you to worry about though. I am just tired."

He raised an eyebrow in question. "Like..?"

I raised an eyebrow too and looked at him again. "Like..?" I inquired. "Like what?"

"Like what type of tired are you? Are you mentally tired? Are you emotionally tired? Or are you just physically tired? Or are you all three? What type of tired are you?"

I pursed my lips in annoyance before I dipped my head closer to my chest, not sure why he wanted to know. I didn't say a word while I studied him, not sure how to respond to his question.

"You can trust me, Cass," he said and bowed his head a little and to the left to show his neck, submitting. "I won't use anything you tell me against you. You have my word. I promise."

I didn't respond and slowly blinked while a wave of relief washed over me, but I did feel a little proud and grateful that he wouldn't use anything I told him against me.

Frederick sighed and shook his head as if he knew that I wouldn't answer his question before he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "So, you are auditioning for Dawn?" he asked, changing the subject while he raised an eyebrow in question, and I bit back a small sigh of relief, feeling very grateful.

"Yes," I confirmed and nodded. "What about you? Who are you auditioning for?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Earl," he replied with a shrug. "If not, then I hope I get Joe."

"And be a grumpy old man?" I asked and raised an eyebrow while I gave him a tired smirk.

Frederick laughed and slowly nodded. "Yes," he confirmed, "but also in a way, he is a father figure to Jenna and helps her find herself in the end. He's a good guy, and I like him."

"True," I said and nodded slowly. "So, what song are you going to be singing?" I asked and raised an eyebrow while I looked at him.

Frederick shrugged and grimaced. "I haven't thought about it," he said.

I raised an eyebrow in question, feeling slightly amused. "And why not?" I asked while I cocked my head and studied him. "I mean shouldn't you have already decided?"

"I know that I should have, but I didn't," he said and shrugged again. "Now, what about you? What song are you going to be singing?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Lost in the Brass, by Band Geek," I replied.

He slowly nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. "Now, why aren't you singing She Used to be Mine or something else from the musical?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"First off, the blonde "claimed" She Used to be Mine, even though she can't claim a song, and I didn't really want to sing a song from Waitress."

Frederick snorted but nodded again. "Watch you sing that song anyway though," he said, and I groaned and wrinkled my nose while I pursed my lips in annoyance. "When are you going to be doing tryouts?"

I sighed and sat down, and Frederick sat down beside me. "I'm trying out last," I said and shrugged, "which is fine." I leaned my head against the back wall and closed my eyes.

"Do you want to practice?" he asked. "Or are you going to take a nap?"

"I think I am going to have to practice," I said, biting back a small groan of annoyance. I opened my eyes and looked at the paperwork to see what I was given. "Do you have something that correlates with it?" I asked.

"Here, lemme see," Frederick said, and I handed him the paperwork. He looked at it and slowly nodded while he read it. "We do have a scene that looks the same," he said. "So do you want to practice together?"

"Sure," I said and shrugged. "As long as you don't leave me in the dust and make it so that I get attacked by something or someone."

"What?" Frederick asked and raised an eyebrow while he let out a small breathless laugh. "What did you say?"

Shit...

"Nothing, nothing," I said and shook my head while my cheeks grew red. "Don't worry about it because it's nothing. I don't even know why I said it."

Way to go, Cassandra for almost making me spill the beans in front of him.

Way to fucking go.