The Reincarnated (Book 2A of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 72

Ms. Grey smiled and stood before she walked over to me. "How are you, Miss Lanchester?" she asked while she raised an eyebrow in question and dipped her head closer to her chest. Concern filled her eyes while she stopped and studied me, and I had a feeling that she didn't like how exhausted and downtrodden I looked. "I hope Miss Perkins didn't take away your confidence. I have heard nothing but good things from your teacher about you at your other school."

I offered her a tired smile and shook my head. "No, Ma'am," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted. "She has not. I am just tired is all. It has been a long day."

She furrowed her brows and cocked her head while she continued to study me. Worry flashed through her eyes, and I couldn't help but like her a bit because I knew that she cared about the well being of her students, especially those that weren't "behaving" as their normal selves. "Are you ok to do this?" she asked while she gestured to the stage. "We can do another day of auditions if you are not."

I smiled a little, feeling grateful while I shook my head and cleared my throat. "It's ok. I am able to do it," I said before I cleared my throat again and shifted on my feet ever so slightly. "Thank you, though. I do appreciate it, Ms. Grey."

Ms. Grey furrowed her brows further and slowly nodded. Concern flashed through her eyes while she studied me, and I had a feeling that she was wondering if it was something else that I was hiding. "Are you worried about someone bullying you because you will have another day?" she asked.

I bit back a small snort shook my head. "If someone bullies me, then it's going to happen, and I don't care," I said while I shrugged. "I don't care what Claire has to say or do or whatever." I paused and cleared my throat while my cheeks turned slightly red, and I looked away from her while I shifted on my feet. "I don't want to bother you or hold up everything if you have to wait for me to audition another day..."

"It wouldn't be a problem, Dear," she said and shook her head. She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. "So, do you want to wait and do it later?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"No, Ma'am," I said and shook my head. "Thank you, though." I cleared my throat and shifted while I held my paper tighter in my hands. "Can we go ahead and get this done, please?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question.

Ms. Grey and Stacey looked at each other before they looked at me. They didn't say a word, and I couldn't help but hold an eye roll, not knowing why they wanted to "bend" the rules for me when it was only an audition and nothing else.

Maybe they knew that I was chosen to go to Julliard...

I set my jaw and stayed silent while I waited for them to say or do something.

Even though I didn't know if I would be able to do it...

"Are you sure?" she asked again, and I nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am," I confirmed with another slight nod. "I am."

"Ok," she said and nodded before she cleared her throat and gestured to the stage, and I looked at the stage and then at her. "Then, the stage is yours. Please hand me your papers before you hop up."

I sighed with relief and nodded, grateful that she didn't question me further and decided to let me do this.

Thank Goddess, I silently thanked while I walked a couple of steps over to her, breathing another sigh of relief. Thank you for letting her not push me further but also doing this. I handed the paperwork to her before I made my way to the stage.

Ms. Grey watched me go onto the stage before she walked over to the table where Stacey stayed seated. She sat down and cleared her throat while she handed the paperwork over to her. "Now, are you ready?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I hesitated before I nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said before I cleared my throat and placed my hands behind my back. "I am ready."

"Ok." She nodded and cleared her throat again while she looked at the paperwork in front of her. "So, let us go through some of the lines first and then you can sing the song that you have picked. Bryson, are you able to play the song?" she asked and looked at him with a raised eyebrow in question.

"I can," he said and nodded. "I will be able to play the song."

"Good," she said and nodded before she looked at her paperwork. She cleared her throat and looked at me. "Now, let's go ahead and get this done so that you can get some sleep. Yes?" She raised an eyebrow in question, and I let out a breathless chuckle while I nodded, biting back a small smile.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said and stopped myself from running a hand across my face. "After I finish dance practice tonight, though, then I will get some sleep."

"Ok," she said and looked at her paperwork again. "Now, do you want to go ahead and turn to page two of the document you received?" she asked, changing the subject while she raised an eyebrow in question. "We can go ahead and start from the top."

I did what I was told to do and turned to the second page while I stayed silent.

"I will read Earl, and you can read Jenna. Are you ready?"

I bit my tongue while a frown appeared on my face, annoyed.

Are you serious? I silently asked while I bristled slightly. Didn't I just tell you that I was?

Stacey seemed to catch my annoyance, and her eyes grew wide while her face grew pale. "We're sorry," she said and looked between the two of us, and I looked at her. She smiled sadly and dipped her head closer to her chest. "We just wanted to make sure that you were ready. Sometimes people's feelings could change, and they can get nervous before we are about to begin and ask for a breather. Ms. Grey wanted to make sure that what you said was still true."

"It is," I confirmed while I nodded, feeling slightly guilty for my attitude, even though I hadn't said anything to them. I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck, sheepishly while I shifted on my feet. "I am sorry."

My drama teacher chuckled and shook her head. "Don't apologize, Sweetheart. It is fine, Dear," she said softly. "You don't need to apologize to me. Now, let's go through the read along and then you can sing the song you have chosen for us. Ok?" She raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said. "Thank you."

"Of course, Dear," she said and offered me a smile that didn't reach her eyes while she bowed her head. "Anything for you, Sweetheart."

And with that, we started to go over the line section of the auditions, me pushing the pain and tiredness away for the time being so that I could give this my all.

It was the best thing that I could do for me even if it wasn't what I should be doing...

But I didn't know what I should be doing except for trying to get in touch with my friends and making sure that they were safe and fine.

And stop trying to figure out why they were not contacting me like I thought they would...