CHOOSING.

17. Right? Wrong.

A couple of days after the Ombachi incident I was still pretty much angry at his behaviour. Maybe I hadn't exactly been the best friend out there but really his hostility towards me was uncalled for. I had tried without much luck to persuade myself to call him and talk things over only my pride kept getting in the way. Our estrangement had me grumpy and cross on most days seeing as I couldn't help miss his wild presence in my life. If my family noticed the change, they did not comment on it. Instead they just made it their aim to cheer me up with plans of how I was going to be a star and all. Luckily, their idea worked quite well and soon I found myself anticipating the quickly approaching auditions.

On the last week of my holiday, I went for the audition. I was a jittery mess and could barely sit still in my sit on the drive there. My brother had decided to tag along and he kept making irritable comments of how the audition might end up a disaster.

"Imagine what it would be like if your brain shut down and you forgot even your own name," he said putting on an expression of horror on his face. My father just drove on not even commenting about it. I would really have used some support since I was too nervous to start a debate with my brother. I sat in the backseat going over what I would do for the audition to try and impress the panel. Each time I replayed the message in my head my confidence waned a little bit more. The car came to a stop in front of a huge amphitheatre.

"Why did you stop?" I asked my father.

"We're here," he said calmly. I could feel my eyes bulge out of my eyes.

"Here?" I asked in a voice that sounded closer to a squeak than a human voice.

"Yes here Soni, out you go. Go whirl them away with your amazingness," Kiama put in.

"That's not a word," I answered.

"Boom! And she is back," my father said right before fist bumping Kiama. I was quite surprised by my father's playful side but I just rolled my eyes and got out of the car. It was time to go face my fears in there.

I did not look backwards once I started across the parking lot towards the amphitheatre. I held my head high and squared my shoulders in hope it would make me look more impressive. I was surprised to see that there weren't that many contestants in the waiting area. I soon got my tag and joined in line. I didn't wait for long and I was soon walking into the stage only to be faced by the most smartly dressed panel watching my every move like a hawk. I was nervous to my core but I put on a dazzling killer smile on my face sauntered to the centre stage and placed a dramatic hand on my hip.

Silence. It was all I could here as I stood there looking as cocky as I could  smiling in challenge at the panel. A couple of beats passed and I decided to break the disquiet. "Hello ladies," I sassed out then turned toward the only man in the room, "and gent. Am I in the right place or did I stumble into a staring competition? Wait!" I exclaimed widening my eyes dramatically. "Are you all bound by a curse to look but not speak, oh poor souls," I ended sadly shaking my head. One of the three ladies who looked like the one in charge was about to speak but I interrupted. "Are the two of you siblings," I asked the other two ladies seated next to each other. "By the bewildered looks on your face, I guess not. Which is good because no parent is supposed to have more than one good looking child. Am the better looking sibling though everyone says my brother is. You know they only do that to make sure I don't get too proud or my brother sinks into depression. Also..." I was cut off by laughter. The panel of four judges were laughing unheeded as if they just heard the joke of their life. I shrugged my shoulders, walked to the chair off on the side of the stage and sat down. Who am I to interrupt their fun?

"Hey, Soni you're hilarious. I am Emelda, John told me to look out for you but I thought he was just being biased," Boss lady said. "This is Obed, while these are Lucy and Tasha. I think I know just the part for you," she went on not a hint of a joke on her face. I couldn't believe my ears. Nobody ever got picked on their first try, right? Wrong. 'I just got picked! I just got picked!' My mind screamed and I could barely stop myself from going all wild. I knew that although I may have impressed them it didn't mean they would appreciate if ruined their hearing with my squealing.

As calmly as I could I left the theatre towards the parking lot where my dad and brother were still waiting. I put on a sad face and got in the backseat. My father and Kiama both looked worried and I could see they were trying not to ask how it had gone. Wordlessly, my dad started the car and drove off back home.

I sat there for a good ten minutes looking grave until I couldn't hold it back anymore. "I got in!" I squealed startling the both of them which made father swerve off the road and come to an abrupt stop. Kiama looked like he was ready to be responsible for my demise while my father looked torn in between wanting to hug the breath out of me and wanting to throttle me. All this while I just sat there giving them my brightest grin and waited for their temper to cool down. A couple of minutes later I got rewarded. Kiama broke into a smile, walked out of the car and opened the back door. Before I could register, he picked me up and out of the car and twirled me around in the air until I was dizzy and laughing like a maniac. He then embraced me so tightly I couldn't breath but I totally didn't mind. When he pulled away I was surprised to see his eyes moist. I was tempted to tease him but decided to keep that for later. My father came over and congratulated me before giving me another rib shattering hug. We then piled back into the car to drive home with cheerful smiles and endless chatter.