How I don't like tea

A Competition

The weekend went really fast and before I knew it, I was at the studio. Monday morning blues doesn't even describe this morning. This morning everyone must audition to stay at the studio and almost everyone who has ever attended is here. Everyone catches up with old friends, knowing after this they probably won't be friends. I'm nervous and I'm not even in the competition.

Antonio then comes onto the stage.

"Hello everyone, now as you know, only ten will be selected to remain at the studio and the decision is very important. For this reason, everyone has been assigned a song that you will have to perform at the end of the week. There will be a round every 2 weeks and each time someone will be eliminated. We wish you luck for each challenge. Now, first challenge!"

Everyone stares at him in anticipation.

"The first challenge is to perform a song on your own, you will be assigned a song that you will perform to remain in the competition. Lists with who will sing what are being distributed now."

Everyone runs at Gregorio who holds the sheets and he almost topples over. I'm glad I didn't have to give them out, I could have hurt myself.

Once everyone else is buzzing at the line up, Pablo comes over and hands me a sheet. He then nods slightly and walks over to Esmeralda who apparently still has a job at the studio despite not taking my lessons yet.

I look at the sheet and I'm shocked. There are a lot of people.

Song list - You must perform the song you are given

Violetta - Como quieres

Leon  - Entre dos mundos

Tomas - Entre tu y yo

Diego - Yo soy asi

Francesca - Nel Mio Mondo

Camilla  - Habla si puedes

Ludmilla - Si es por amor

Natalia - Algo se enciende

Maxi - Te esperare

Federico - Luz, Camara y accion

Lara - Voy por ti

Helena - Destinda a brillar

Napo - Ven y Canta

Broduey - Te fazer feliz

Andres- Dile que si

Braco - Are you ready for the ride?

Marco - Mi perdicion

Carla - Hoy somos mas

I looked at the list and I held my breath. 18 entrants and only 10 would be selected. With only one going every two weeks I'd be heavily pregnant or maybe with child by the time the decision was made and that scared me. I can only imagine how everyone else feels.

Moments later everyone was dismissed and I was left for a staff meeting. The staff were discussing what the next task would be and it was decided that everyone should be paired up. Preferably one boy and girl in each, but it occurred to us that we would have one pair of two boys. However, it was decided that would work and names were taken randomly from a hat over which people should be paired. With 9 pairs, each of us teachers (Myself, Pablo, Beto, Esmeralda and Gregorio) would be expected to work with 2 pairs each, except Gregorio who would only take one pair.

We began to select names from the hat and I was worried for everyone. We had girls name in one and boys in another. The two boys not selected to work with a girl, would work together.

It took a while but we finally had all the pairs:

Camilla and Maxi

Carla and Napo

Ludmilla and Leon

Francesca and Tomas

Lara and Diego

Helena and Broduey

Naty and Andres

Violetta and Marco

Maxi and Braco

They would be the pairs for the following competition. The person who was voted out, would leave their partner as a solo performance, but that would not ruin their chances. We could tell everyone their partners, so I didn't need to keep any secrets from Violetta. I was exhausted after the meeting and really needed to sleep. Antonio and Pablo noticed this so insisted I take the day off but I was not going to leave for Esmeralda to steal my job.

"I'll take your lessons." says Pablo lifting me up, "Esmeralda can take mine."

"Okay." I say, too exhausted to argue.

"Let me call German to pick you up." he says smiling.

As he picks up the phone I take a seat again and I slip into oblivion.