The Dream Stars

2: Rehearsal Jitters

Talia cringed for her. The guys of the dance crew Bane Game were just barely leaving the stage. They all had matching jumpsuits, which got a snort out of Talia, and were talking amongst themselves as everyone half-heartedly watched them.

"Do you remember what Maddi and Lexi look like?" Talia scanned the groups of people. Not all of them could have been performers, maybe parents and entourage? "Actually, I think I found them." After a moment of scanning, Talia realized the majority of people in this room were men, if not a couple older women. Maddi and Lexi had to be the only two younger girls sitting at the front chairs nearest to the stage. The three boys they were conversing with shot out of their seats when a disembodied voice said, "WeAreThem to the stage. WeAreThem to the stage. Thank you." Colette and Talia stood back and watched the boys go onstage. They all bickered with each other about something, throwing each other dramatic gestures. They were pissed.

"Are you ready to meet them?" Talia hadn't realized they were just standing there until now, "Lexi and Maddi?"

Colette seemed to snap back to reality as well. "Oh... yeah. We should probably go do that." She waited for Talia to walk down the rows of chairs first, then followed behind her. Once they got close enough to be heard, Maddi and Lexi both swirled their pretty heads around to look at them.

"Oh! My! Gosh!" Lexi got up first and bounced toward Colette and Talia, bringing them both in for hugs before saying anything else. "I could recognize the both of you from a mile away, you're both so beautiful!" She was one to talk. Her eyelashes were natural, but also looked like she could sweep floors with them. She had sparkling eyes and a pretty blonde color to her hair that matched her tanned skin. Her smile was all white and perfect, and there wasn't a trace of make up on her face. Some people be blessed, Talia thought beneath her forced smile.

"You're beautiful!" Colette smiled, taking the complement and throwing it right back like a champ. "I'm Colette, and this is Talia."

All Talia could think was, Wow, that's already four impossible things, including doing this integrated rehearsal and introducing us before I could. "We're your dancers! And we're hella ready, too."

Maddi squealed in excitement as Lexi came up from behind her to take her turn hugging Colette and Talia. "Hi guys! I'm Lexi and that's Maddi, if you didn't already know. We're both so excited to have you guys joining us for this performance!" Lexi had the curliest, cutest hair that she let hang around her shoulders. Her dark skin was smooth and flawless and she smelled divine as she pulled each girl in. They were both gorgeous; Talia was suddenly glad her and Colette were just back-up dancers, emphasis on the back. Not that they were ugly, but definitely lacking performance beauty.

"I think we're more excited!" Talia spoke up, "You don't know how grateful we are for you guys letting us have this opportunity."

"No, we're the ones who are grateful for you! Our friend Ava showed us what the two of you can do, and we have to say, you're a lot better than our other two that flaked out on us last minute." Lexi let out some sass, thank God, Talia was hoping she didn't have to overdo her own super sweet and nice act.

"That's terrible." Colette responded, "But we're seriously so glad to help."

"You guys have everything practiced and memorized so far?"

"Yep! Just need to get placement done, and we should be set after a couple rounds of rehearsal." Talia put her hands on her hips, causing Maddi to come back at them.

"Come, sit! WeAreThem is going to start their rehearsal now, if they ever get all their mates organized." Maddi steered Colette and Talia to some seats beside her and Lexi, where the three boys from WeAreThem had been sitting just moments before. They sat in a small clutter instead of a row and looked up at the boys, who were still arguing amongst themselves. "I swear, something always has to be off with them."