"Are you out of your minds?" my tone was more than incredulous it was exacerbated, "Why would I do that?"
"As Zac mentioned before," Marcus put on a rather patronising tone that I didn't appreciate at all, "You're going to audition because we said you are."
"Yeah, and when have I, in the extremely short time I've known you have I ever listened?" I rose a brow subconsciously widening my stance, it was always fight or flight with me. I never did know when to quit.
"It's not a matter of listening it's a matter of whether you want this year to go smoothly or not," Zac drawled with a bored expression but even the impassive nature of his sharp features couldn't quell the storm in his eyes. A hurricane of green fastened in the deepest parts of nature, where mystical creatures went to die, cold, lonely deaths.
"And what benefit does it give you for Amina to audition for the lead?" Cheery's voice cut through the conversation a stern look in her eye as she glared at them, Felix in particular.
He scoffed at her, "No one asked you Dwarf, mind your damn business,"
A bitter laugh vaulted out of her mouth, strung together with sharp words, "You messing with my friend is my damn business, Rodriguez,"
He shoved himself forward so he was standing off Cheery, she didn't waver just stared up at him with a scowl as his chest heaved, but she didn't give in, she didn't break like he wanted her to.
"Huh," he let the soft sound escape his lips, and Cheery just gave him a withering faux smile.
"I thought so," she gave him snarky look as he stepped back.
"If you must know," Marcus, always the most level-headed of the three, "We want her to audition so we can keep an eye on her. One of us will get the lead, and that will mean we will spend a lot of time with Midget over her. A necessary thing, if we are going to keep the balance of the school. She's not just rocking the boat," and for a moment I could have sworn I saw a flash of respect in his eyes, "She's a whole tidal wave."
"Yeah, and my parents will be thrilled if I'm playing a female lead and spending a tonne of time with boys I barely know," the sarcasm dripped from my mouth and flooded the room, in an echoey sort of way, though it seemed to still be confined to our-group alone.
"I forgot you had backward views," Felix laughed at me like it was obvious. But no one laughed with him, not even his friends.
"It's a shame you are so ignorant, Rodriguez, if you actually had a brain under all that God Awful hair gel, maybe people would tolerate you more arsehole."
A flareup was imminent, but luckily for Cheery and me, Ms. Thatcher called the whole class to the front, instructing us to file out of the room and make our way to the hall where the auditions would take place.
"Anyone eager to go first?" She announced as soon as we made it into the room.
There was a clamour, quickly enough enthusiastic students, started to vie for different roles. A breath of relief passed my lips, there would be so many auditions it was unlikely for to every get any role, that was even remotely big.
But I had severely underestimated the lengths these guys would go to make my life a living hell.
"Ms Thatcher," Felix called her over with a dazzling smile. He pointed at me, "Amina would really love to audition and seeing as she's new-" he turned to Zac who with a sly smile added, "She should go first."
I scowled, but quickly masked my expression as soon as the hush fell, and Ms Thatcher smiled brightly.
"I guess we could show some Rosewood camraderie by letting our newest student go first. It would be lovely, to see what you've got Amina," her smile was infectious, even as mine verged on aching.
There was a hum of agreement, mostly put down to the glare Zac was giving the hall. No one would interupt the Golden Boy, no one would save me from this.
I could throw the audition, but the anxiety sparked in me, to throw an audition in front of everyone, there was a thought that welded itself into my mind. What if they thought I wasn't good enough?
If I didn't try who would I have to blame other than myself.
"And what part would you like to audition for Amina?" she handed me a script as my eyes grazed over the characters, I tried to search for one of the smallest parts, a fairy of Oberon's court perhaps.
"She wants to audition for Hermia, I heard she loved acting in her old school," the floor swayed for a moment as I turned abruptly, to see that grin of Zac's, the sort that was dipped in charisma, the one that would be accepted by anyone.
He was just a boy trying to help out the newest student.
Not a mastermind with a plan to make sure I didn't ruin whatever he believed to have built in this school.
"Is that what you want Amina?" Ms Thatcher seemed to beleive Zac but there was a softness in her voice, a chance for me to say no.
I stared back at them, and I felt my hand shake slightly. My tongue dried, and my words were swallowed too quickly for me to even comprehend as my head nodded of its own accord. The need to do what was expected of me thundered in my heart, disappointment is all I could imagine in the kind eyes of the teacher.
What would she think of me if I said no? What would I do, that familiar feeling of inadequacy rushed through me.
So I said in the lowest voice possible, "Yes."