Spectra

Chapter 40

MJ

Just when I thought school was starting to calm down, I met Alex. If a wet sock was a person it'd be her. Let me explain, you step in a puddle but you don't change your sock, and you try to ignore it. You think it'll stop annoying you until you wear that sock around all day and it never seems to dry. Yup, that's Alex. Oh and did I mention she's only a jerk to me and the few people who are even a little bit better than her at something? She's perfectly nice to the kid who is terrible at math, and the girl who never gets solos in chorus. But me? Yeah I can sing, and she hates that. So I should just let her have the part of Belle in the musical, right? Nope, you'll learn pretty quick that that's not really how I do things.

On the day of my audition, I woke up deciding that in order to win I couldn't let Alex get to my head. But of course after meeting up with Ivy before homeroom, Alex found us.

"You'll totally get the part, she doesn't stand a chance." Ivy shined her usual pure and almost angelic smile. When I first met Ivy I thought I would hate her. She seemed too happy at first. She didn't care who my dad was when she sat down next to me at lunch. All she saw how lonely I looked and she wanted to make me feel better. I've never seen her get mad or annoyed. Except of course when she's around Alex, so of course I knew she was coming when the smile faded.

"Good luck today, Shaw." Alex rolled her eyes. "You'll need it." Instead of, I don't know, crying or whatever she expected, I burst out laughing. I knew I was better than her and was definitely going to get the part. I wondered why she even tried anymore, I obviously wasn't bothered. Alex walked away as I continued laughing.

Ivy and I sat up against the lockers, there was still a few minutes until homeroom. We talked about the audition until somebody stood in front of us.

"Hey MJ, good luck today. You deserve the part." Tyler smiled. I faked a smile until he left and I groaned. Ivy looked slightly confused.

"Why do you hate him so much?" She asked, watching as he walked away.

"I don't but he's really annoying. Like dude, I don't know you and I don't need your help." I explained. Ivy just didn't get why I wouldn't let him help me.

"I think he wants to be your friend." She said softly. "Maybe you should give him a chance." Of course Ivy didn't want to upset me, but she just wanted to help.

"I just don't think we'd get along." The bell rang as we stood up.

"Good luck!" She smiled. "Crush her dreams!" The same innocent smile was on her face as she spoke. I laughed as this was the most aggressive thing I'd heard her say and yet she still managed to look cheerful.

I got to skip first period for the audition so I practically ran to the chorus room. I walked in to find Alex warming up in a chair. It was just the two of us so far but the people auditioning for the other parts would be here soon. I saw Tyler walk in and take a seat, he made eye contact and smiled. I looked away and continued warming up as more people arrived.

"Alright who's auditioning for Belle?" Miss. Patterson asked. Alex and I stood up as the room quieted down. "Who wants to go first?" Before I could say anything, Alex's hand shot up in the air. She walked to the center of the room as Miss. Patterson wrote on a piece of paper and nodded for her to begin. We both had to sing a part of Something There from Beauty and the Beast. We listened, she was doing good but, some of her pitches were wrong so I still had high hopes for myself. She finished and we clapped. Alex took a seat, a smug look on her face like she thought she won. I took her place and Miss. Patterson told me to start.

I made sure all of my notes were the right pitch and everything sounded pretty. I also put in a little emotion which Alex's was missing. Miss. Patterson smiled as I finished. I sat back down.