Confessions of a Teenage Broadway Star

22 » ❝Astonishing❞

"I may be small, but I've got giant plans to shine as brightly as the sun!"
- Astonishing, Little Women

CONFESSION NUMBER TWENTY-TWO: Scarlett's done a lot of things this year that she's been afraid of for longer than she could remember. She's sung in front of the entire school. She's learned to dance better than she ever dreamed she could. She's auditioned for the lead role in the school musical - and got the part. She's even made it all the way to New York. She's bounded into the city with the same determination she used before to help her face her fears, and everything's come up roses for her so far.

        So why can't she walk through the doors to NYU?

        Scarlett's not quite sure how she ended up standing before the Tisch School of the Arts' door at New York University, blocking purple sweater-clad students on the sidewalk as she attempts to gather enough courage to walk through the doors. New York has proven itself to be a lot harder to navigate than she thought, and Scarlett got lost about a dozen times before finally stumbling upon the school with the purple flag above its door.

        Unfortunately for her, she hasn't been able to move from that spot for a good fifteen minutes now, and if she doesn't go inside soon, she's going to miss her tour.

        Scarlett's red jacket twirls around her knees as it gets caught in the crisp New York wind. She's been standing in the same place ever since she got here, and she can't quite put her finger on why she's so scared to walk inside. She should be able to do this. It's just a school tour, what's so scary about that?

        For one, the fact that this is the school she's been dreaming of attending since the second grade. Also the fact that Mrs. Levine has invited the admissions board of said school to attend Scarlett's opening night in her first leading role ever, to determine whether or not she's talented enough to go to the same school as Idina Menzel. But, you know, it's no big deal.

        Oh, and not to mention Parker's elaborate plan for the future, which involves everyone she loves packing up and going to school in California.

        Which, as it turns out, is on the opposite side of the country.

        And Scarlett wants to follow Parker's plan - she really does. But as she watches the students hurry through the doors - wearing purple school sweaters and excited smiles as they do silly vocal warm-ups in the front lobby and prepare for their classes - she can't help but feel like that's where she belongs. That's where she wants to be. And with Mrs. Levine's news of the admissions board coming to see their production of Wicked, it's all been driving Scarlett to wonder if maybe, just maybe...

        Maybe she actually has a chance at getting accepted.

        Parker's going to kill her.

         Scarlett clutches the purple flyer Rachel gave her in her hand, catching a glimpse of her charm bracelet dangling from her wrist. A little black witch hat charm pokes out from where it's been hiding in her coat sleeve, and Scarlett remembers what Parker had said to her as he fastened it around her wrist. "You're going to make an amazing Elphaba, Scarlett. And when we grow up, you're going to be amazing at all of these other roles too." She eyes the charm thoughtfully, thinking of her friends back in the apartment, without even the slightest knowledge of where Scarlett truly is. She thinks of how they'd feel if they knew that she was planning on ditching them after they graduate and jetting off to New York City instead without even telling them.

        But she's not, is she? She's just going to a school tour. That's all. She hasn't even auditioned, let alone been accepted. Anyway, she'd never be able to afford the tuition along with moving all the way to the city - especially all by herself. She's not going to NYU. She has to be realistic.