The thought of the exams made Stacey's stomach twist into knots and unable to sit or lie still. She wasn't too concerned about the acting or individual artist exams. Nor the High School Certificate exam. Her grasp of Tadpole had improved a lot and she was sure that while she might not pass with flying colours, she should at least scrape over the passing marks expected of her so that she wouldn't be punished.
It was the stunts and dance exams that were the most worrisome for her. While she had improved a lot, she also struggled with the physicality. She could only practise the moves so many times before the people around her would force her to stop. Staff kept an eye on her at all times, so that she wouldn't practice to the point of fainting or injury. When she wasn't allowed to do any physical activity, she could only study or practice her singing.
The medical staff always kept a close eye on her during massed physical training. Even when she was studying and just sitting still, or working on her singing techniques, there'd be someone there monitoring her, so that the moment she started to look pale or strained, she'd be stopped. It wore on her nerves. So too did the thought of being punished on stage.
The thought of being paddled or spanked in public made Stacey feel extremely uncomfortable. To the point of vomiting. They would be filming her failures and subsequent punishments as a form of entertainment. The whole nation would be watching. Thieren himself would be the one administering the punishment. If that wasn't awkward and humiliating, Stacey didn't know what was.
As far as she knew, they wouldn't be baring her backside for the whole world to see. Thank goodness. From her brief peeks at other filmed corporal punishments, people were usually bent over a table or on a wooden bench. Some of them were slaps on the hands for girls with a ruler.
Hopefully, hers would just be a slap on the palm with a ruler. It was less degrading than any of the other punishments. But she had heard a staff member mention once that the public would be voting what type of punishments would befall her. Stacey really didn't like the sound of that.
When she'd asked for more detail or tried to ask anyone else, they had refused to tell her. Last Prose, her manager, had informed her that everyone involved in the program had been banned from discussing it or telling her anything. The uncertainty didn't help her nerves.
"Don't worry about it," Last Prose had told her. "What will be will be. Big Boss is keeping on top of it. He won't let anyone take it too far. You're his wife. He'll keep you safe."
"Safe from the jaws of the public?" Stacey twitched her nose and pressed one corner of her lips together in disbelief. "If anything, he's probably fanning their imagination and enjoying teasing me. The messages he sends me sometimes make me want to throw the phone out the window. Yesterday, he informed me that some viewers had made some detailed sexual suggestions and asked if I'd like to try it in private, since it'd be inappropriate in public."
"Ugh," Last Prose rubbed his chin. "Too much information there, dear."
"Exactly!" Stacey stomped her feet.
"I don't need the details of what you two discuss in private unless it's pertinent to work," Last Prose sidled away with an awkward expression. "Excuse me, Stacey. I have some stuff to get done. I'll talk to you another time."
Stacey's new mobile chimed and she looked at the new message that made her face burn red.
What? She didn't need his company or comfort.
Stacey lifted her eyes to the ceiling and threw her phone at Ning to look after, not wanting to see the thing anymore.
Sitting in the corner of a practice room, surrounded by a pile of books and notebooks, Stacey threw down the last book. She was ready for her written HSC exams. Or so she hoped. It was probably as good as it was going to get.
As for the dance and stunts exam, Stacey lifted her eyes to the ceiling and let her head rest against the wall. If only she had more time. She was learning fast but with these types of things, some of it only came with practice. At least she still had a few more days to practice for those.
Aaron poked his head around the door.
"Stacey," he beckoned, "It's time for your written exams. Are you ready? Did you get enough sleep last night?"
"Don't ask," Stacey rubbed her face. "Please. I just want to get it all over and done with."
"I'm quite impressed," Aaron tried to encourage her. "I don't think I've ever seen someone cram more than three year's worth of studies into a week before. You learn very fast."
"I have an incentive to do well," Stacey gave a crooked smile. "I don't want to be paddled in front of the whole nation. The only subject I wish I'd had a lot more time on is Tadpole. I don't feel ready for that exam."
"You've done pretty well from what I can understand," Aaron said. "You've gone from knowing nothing to being able to read and write better than my niece who is taking her High School Certificate exams this year. And she's been learning Tadpole since she could talk. You've only had a month and a half and most of that time was spent being sick or in rehab. Whatever your results, Stacey, I want you to know that we in the production crew are all extremely proud of you."
"For what it's worth," Stacey rubbed her cheeks. "Thank you."