The Script [JADE WEST]

8

The following week, after Sikowitz had approved of the script, the group of friends had spent every possible minute with Jade, helping her set up everything that was needed for the play. Andre and Tori were composing the music, while Robbie (alongside Rex) and Cat were helping with the costumes that needed to be planned before being sewn based on measurements.

Beck and Jade were managing everything else - from auditions to the stage lights and the decor. It was more difficult than it sounded. Jade wanted everything to look in a certain way - it was her play, after all.

As soon as they were finished, they had to hold auditions the following week. They had decided to open them not only for their classmates but for acting troupes in Los Angeles. Who knew? Perhaps agents would come to watch the play and discover a big talent? The social media website "TheSlap" was helpful in that case - not only information about the play and the auditions could be spread, but somebody could always record the play on the premiere day and share it there.

If the group of friends had thought that the auditions would be much easier, they were wrong. No one seemed to be good enough for the lead role. No one could grasp the character of Emerald Waldon.

After a series of failed auditions, one of which was Trina Vega, the group had decided to take a small break, having begun their work early in the morning. 

Casting everybody was supposed to be the easiest part - Andre, Cat, Robbie and Beck were going to portray the characters that were based on them. Alas, no one had been found for the role of the main one yet. No one seemed good enough in Jade's eyes. Except for one person.

Secretly, Jade wanted to cast Tori - not only Jade owed her for the many years of a so-called friendship, but Tori had improved as an actress and had involuntarily seen a side of the bright-eyed girl.

"I wanna give up!", Cat sighed as she plopped on a chair in the Blackbox Theatre, where the auditions were being held, "It's too hard!"

Andre exclaimed in shock: "No one's giving up! It might be difficult now, but we're here to help Jade, remember?"

"Why can't Jade play the role of Emerald?", Robbie called. Indeed, his idea made sense. Emerald was the prototype of Jade - no one understood the character better than the person were they based on.

"Absolutely not!", Jade, crossing her arms over her chest. If she played that specific role, then it would be even more obvious that the play was indeed based on her life. She was terrified about how the play itself was going to be perceived. She didn't think she could handle performing the role of a character she had written herself. "In fact," she turned to face Tori, "I was thinking about you playing the role."

The Latina girl's warm brown eyes widened, her mouth half-opened but nothing could come out of it. Jade wasn't serious, was she?

"Jade," Beck stepped closer to his girlfriend and stroked her bare shoulder, wanting to soothe her. He didn't think she was emotionally okay to handle the overall situation she was in, "You might want to rethink about this."

"Tori is going to play the role of Emerald and that's final!", Jade insisted, a hint of anger in her voice, feeling misunderstood by her friends. Part of her wanted to storm out of the room to scare everyone into agreeing with her. Another part reminded her that she was too old to pull stunts and she had to be a professional. After all, if she behaved child-like in the world of Entertainment, no one would want to work with her and she would be left with nothing but shattered dreams all because of her.