Spotlight on the Mirror

Chapter Nine

The following week after the Halloween Party at the opening of the new Superdome Stadium, Holliday walked into CC's and immediately felt like something was going on. There was nervous energy in the air and everyone looked frantic. Before she could even stop and ask, Madison approached her with a bored expression on her face.

"What's going on bestie? Everyone looks crazy," Holliday questioned.

"Oh, the roles for Giselle is being posted at noon so everyone is freaking out," Madison replied with zero excitement in her tone.

Holliday instantly looked at the wall clock and it read 7:43am. She couldn't believe that in less than five hours, her dreams would come true. She knew that she would be dancing a lead character and just couldn't stop herself from smiling. Madison just looked annoyed with the whole process and Holliday couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that her best friend wasn't excited about this performance. This was after all, their last performance together.

They didn't have a lot time to discuss much else since it was time to start the morning dance classes. Holliday tried her best to stay focus in class but it was clear that everyone was distracted and kept looking at the wall clocks. Surprisedly, Ms. Dee didn't get upset at all. Guess she understood the process. Natasha looked like Madison and appeared to care less. Everyone knew she was dancing the role of Giselle and it was starting to make Holliday feel some type of way about her lack of care. Holliday would've killed someone's kitten if that meant that she could dance that role. She just didn't understand why Natasha seemed so indifferent about her amazing opportunities.

As if the earth tortured her soul by slowing down the time, it was finally noon and every student ran straight into the practice performance hall with Holliday in the crowd as well. She couldn't contain her excitement and literally felt euphoria running throughout her body straight to her fingers and toes. Her heart was beating rapidly and she felt feverishly warm but Holliday didn't care. All she wanted was to see her name on that lead character list.

Ms. Cylla finally came out and told everyone to quiet down. She held everyone's future on three separate white sheets. She started a speech about some shit but Holliday wasn't listening. All she could focus on was those thin sheets of paper. Her whole entire life would change in a matter of seconds and her body could barely sit still. Her nerves were bad and she kept shaking her leg. Finally, Ms. Cylla thanked everyone and posted the lists on three separate walls behind her. She asked if everyone could give her a moment to exit before they approached the stage. The second her foot left that stage, all the students ran forward including Holliday.

Everyone knew that the list on the middle wall were for the lead characters. A few students were already reading it when Holliday arrived but she paid no attention to their either happy and sad expressions. She slowly took one last breath and walked up to the list and scanned for her name. She knew her eyes were playing tricks on her when she didn't see her name at all so she scanned again but slowly this time. After not seeing her name on the list again and again, it finally hit her.

Holliday immediately felt like a wrecking ball had crashed into her stomach which caused her chest to also feel heavy. Other students were pushing her out of the way to get to the list but Holliday was starting to lose her sense of feeling and hearing. Her whole entire body begin to shake but before her legs could give out, she ran out of the practice performance hall.

Before Holliday knew it, she was forcibly opening the doors to the alley behind CC's. As soon as she was outside, she fell to her knees and cried as her heart broke. She felt lost, confused, and a overwhelming sense of sadness. She cradled her body and rocked back and forth but found no comfort. She had failed and that realization destroyed her passion for dance. Holliday wasn't sure how long she spent outside but when her tears finally stopped, she stood up feeling empty on the inside. She turned around to see Natasha smoking a cigarette on the other side of the building. She appeared to be in her own world and didn't even notice Holliday until they were in each other's presence.