A Thing Called Love

The Read-Through

POV JULIETTE

Third day of school and everything changed. I've ingressed on East High School, auditioned for the High School Musical play, and I got the Kelsi role! And yesterday, after the cast list was released, I texted my Mom happily and after the school, my entire family celebrated the news eating pizza and soda!

And now, today it's the first rehearsal day, and as the school drama text group said, it's gonna be at least 74 rehearsals until the great performance day. By my calculations on the calendar, it's almost 2 months. I think I'm probably going to get through this.

- Hey, guys! - Ricky says, entering the room with Big Red by his side.

- Hello! - Nini says, as she and Kourtney salute him.

- Good afternoon! - Miss Jenn says. - Could everyone take their assigned seats?

Then we sit on our seats, with the characters/functions plaque on the front. My chair "Kelsi Nielsen" is on the middle of Seb's and Ashlyn's. One of the two sweetest people I've met today (and yesterday too).

- Who is Natalie and why do I care if her glands are swollen? - Miss Jenn asks, softly.

- Our stage manager. - Carlos answers. - Guess she's not coming.

- Ginger boy, can you read? - she asks, referring herself to Big Red.

- Not really.

- Well, you're reading today. Just the stage directions.

- Thank you. - then he pauses and realizes. - Excuse me?

- Do you know what that means? - Big Red asks softly to Ricky, who says "no" with the head.

- Don't forget to silence your phones! - Miss Jenn adverts, just like Ms. Darbus.

Lucky for me, I'm always with my phone silenced as I hate noises.

- I realize that you all walked in here as strangers. - she starts.

- Actually, E.J. is my cousin! - Ashlyn says.

- But after today, you're a family. - she continues. - One tribe, committed to lifting this classic film to new heights.

Then Carlos takes a selfie of him, with the camera making a noise. Miss Jenn looks at him reprehensible and he guards his phone.

- Okay. Please take your neighbors' hands.

What?

- Hand. Hand. Hands. - she emphasizes.

Then we all take everyone's hands, and probably everything is tensiful. I'm holding Seb and Ashlyn's hands. And, oh my, their hands are soft.

- Feel each other's energy. Let the silence speak volumes. In a world full of "no", this is a space full of "yes".

Wow. It was inspiring, I may admit.

- Nice! - Carlos says. - Did you just come up with that?

- Yes.

Then, unexpectedly, Miss Jenn starts to sing.

🎶 We're all in this together
Once we know that we are
We're all stars
And we see that
We're all in this together
And it shows when we stand
Hand-in-hand
Make our dreams come
Truuuuuuueeeeeeeee 🎶

She hit that last note flawlessly. Ashlyn and I then applause her.

- Thanks. - she says, smiling proudly.

A FEW MINUTES LATER...

- "Sharpay heads for class hears singing opens the door to the Biology lab She finds Gabriella and Taylor washing their hands They turn to find there are no paper towels in the dispenser" - Big Red reads.