A Little Time to Get to You

act one (part 2)

I'm pacing the halls of East High, my hands visibly shaking as I process the information Kourtney had relayed to me. 

I shouldn't be nearly as stressed as I felt. I prepared so much for this performance. I'm more ready than I could ever be, and Kourtney's talk before the show helped calm down enough to ensure a good first half, so the admissions lady had already seen my best.

But something about knowing the fact that she's there, a faculty member of my dream school, sitting in the audience, first row, watching and zeroing in on everything that I did makes me absolutely terrified. 

I had been prepared for a high school performance. Not an audition for college. And even after intermission, I still had more than half the musical to finish knowing that the person who could change my life was watching. 

I stop my pacing and lean against a locker, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. This was all too much. This was all more than I expected. 

And yet, I still found myself devising a game plan. I just had to pretend like she wasn't there. I wouldn't even tell Ricky. I just needed to pretend like she was just a normal audience member.  

***

As I take a few more deep breaths, resting myself against the locker still, my eyes pop open at the sound of someone running down the hallway towards me. I stand up straight when I see Carlos, his expression seemingly concerned and frantic. 

"There you are Nini, god, you can't just leave the backstage area when you're our leading lady." Carlos scolds and I sigh, giving him an apologetic nod. 

"I'm so sorry Los." I say sincerely, rushing it out. I shake my head, glancing down the hallway. "Is it intermission?" I ask and he nods. "What's going on?" He asks and I shake my head again. "It's nothing." I say, but it's far from convincing and one more pointed expression from my choreographer has me caving. 

"I heard that there might be a college scout out in the audience for the University of Southern California. That's like one of my dream schools and Ricky and I applied there together, and now all of a sudden we're both under this immense pressure that I don't think I could've every anticipated." I confess and Carlos' eyes widen. 

"The woman from the school came?" He asks in shock and I shake my head, stuttering. "What? What? Carlos?" I say and a guilty expression writes itself all over his face. 

"Nini I'm so sorry but please don't be mad at me." He rushes out, leaning towards me in a plea. "What? Were you the one who called her? How did you even get her to come?" I ask and he shakes his head quickly, glancing down at his clipboard. 

"I didn't call her. Miss Jen did. But I was there when she did it." My jaw drops and my eyes widen. "WHAT? Why wouldn't you tell me that Carlos?" I raise my wavering voice, the sound of it making Carlos wince. "I know Nini, I should've. But I didn't even think someone would come. It's a California school, it's top notch." He says. "You don't think I already know that? Why wouldn't you at least warn me and Ricky?" I whine and Carlos shakes his head, his expression pleading. "I know. I'm so sorry hon, but I'm begging you not to think about it. You did amazing during the first half. You have to keep it up and just pretend like she's not there." He says, reaching forward to grab my hand. I sigh and close my eyes tightly before nodding. "I guess that's my plan." 

A few beats of silence pass before I speak up again. "Why did Miss Jen call the admissions department, Carlos?" I risk asking and he winces again. "I don't know?" He tries and I shoot him a pointed look. "Okay, okay." He gives in. 

"Miss Jen saw the complete turn around that you and Ricky had over the course of the three months of rehearsals and she thinks you two are mini professionals. She found out that our music teacher wrote letters of recommendation for you and Ricky and apparently she has connections to USC faculty so she got someone to prioritize your applications... so I guess now there's an admissions faculty member in the audience." He concludes and my jaw drops. 

"But Ricky and I are a dating. That's why there's chemistry." I say dumbly and Carlos nods. "Yeah but I couldn't tell Miss Jen that, so she thinks you guys have a gift." My eyes widen and I shake my head. "That isn't right." I say simply and Carlos shrugs. "What's the worst that could happen? You and your boyfriend get into USC?" He asks and I sigh, shrugging. "I don't know it's just-" Carlos squeezes my arm gently. "Come on Nins, the reason why Miss Jen called USC doesn't matter. You just have to focus on your performance tonight. You're gonna be incredible, just keep your head in the game and your eyes on the prize." He urges and I hesitate for a split second before I nod. 

"I hate you so much but thank you for talking me off a cliff." I say and Carlos smiles, giving me a nod. "You've got fifteen or twenty minutes until you need to be back in place for act two. Calm yourself." Carlos says before giving me a wave. "Keep that mind clear hon, you'll be great." He reminds me and I smile, giving him a nod, watching as he turns to head down the hallway. 

*** 

I revel in my thoughts for a few seconds before I hear the sound of footsteps bounding towards me from the other direction of the hallway. 

I whip my head around and I see Big Red running as fast as he could towards me. 

I tilt my head, smiling as I pretend to slow him down by holding my hands up. 

When he reaches me, I furrow my eyebrows, my smile still present. "Hey Red, how's the tech booth?" I ask. He shakes his head, bending down and resting his hands on his knees, attempting to catch his breath. 

"It doesn't matter. Ricky needs you."