༉‧₊˚ ࿐
❪ CHAPTER THREE ! ❫
-ˏˋ BIG TIME AUDITION ˊˎ-

KENDALL WAS THE ONE to push the door open. Just as they hoped, the security guards were not there—them blocking the main auditorium entrance instead.

The four of them crouched down and tried their best to not make a sound. They silently tip-toed towards the stage, not noticing Mrs. Magikowski trailing behind them. There was a microphone placed downstage in the center. In front of the microphone, off of the stage, was a table that Gustavo Rocque himself was sitting behind, Kelly at his side. The table was filled with coffee cups on Gustavo's side, and multiple papers on Kelly's end.

James walked onto the stage as his friends and Mrs. Magikowski continued to tip-toe towards the front. Aurora heard small footsteps behind her and turned around to see the nice lady following her. She let out a soft yell, and the boys shushed her before looking at the older lady in confusion.

"How did you get here?" Aurora whispered, still crouched down.

The lady blinked. "I walked." She stated the obvious.

Aurora shrugged and continued to walk with the rest of the boys. Kendall stopped once he got up the sixth row of seats. He turned around quietly and whispered, "Ladies first."

Mrs. Magikowski and Aurora smiled. The three boys made space for them to walk, and Aurora let the lady go before her. Aurora followed her into the isle, then Logan, Carlos, and lastly Kendall. The group crouched down beneath the chairs in front of them and peaked towards the stage. James was now standing in front of the microphone, his gaze on the stage floor.

Gustavo turned to Kelly. He remarked, "Well, he's not hideous."

James grabbed the microphone and brushed his hair out of his face. He took a deep breath of air before he started to sing.

"People say I'm the life of the party, because I tell a joke or two..."

James sang softly.

Mrs. Magikowski gave an impressed smile. She commented, "Not bad."

Gustavo leaned forward in his chair as James began to sing louder, feeling more confident.

"Although I might be laughin' loud and hearty,"

James looked at Kelly as he sang, and she was giving him a satisfied smile. His confidence began to fade once he noticed Gustavo's intensive stare.

"Deep inside, I know—"

James' voice cracked and he coughed, becoming nervous once again. His friends grimaced. Logan bit his lip, anxious about what was going to come next.

"Stop, stop." Gustavo said in a calm tone, pointing a finger up towards James.

James cleared his throat and spoke swiftly, "I'm sorry, I got a little...a little nervous there." He furrowed his brows. "Can I start over?"

"Oh, yeah." Gustavo responded in a higher pitched voice, almost in a mocking tone. Kelly smiled at James as Gustavo continued, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Start over."

Kelly frowned as soon as she realized where the situation was going.

James and his friends were relieved. James picked up the microphone from its original place on its stand. He flipped his hair out of his face.

"Why don't you, uh, go outside," Gustavo began, "...and then just don't come back in. Okay? Next!"

James' lips separated and a line formed on his forehead. He froze in his place.

His friends all frowned and gave the back of Gustavo head harsh stares. Anger began to rush through their veins, and if the security guards were not in the room with them they would have jumped out of their hiding spots and gave Gustavo a piece of their minds.

Kendall turned to his friends in disbelief. Logan lifted up his fingers to his head, making devil horns. He mouthed an inaudible, "Satan!"

Aurora shook her head. "Suddenly, I don't feel like auditioning anymore."

James repeatedly blinked and held out his hand in shock. "But, I'm good." He protested.

Gustavo leaned forward. "I don't need...'good.'" He asserted. He raised his voice, "I need 'The Fire,'"

Gustavo wiggled his fingers in front of his face, similar to something James used to do quite a lot. "Okay? I need someone to knock me out of my seat, and as you can tell, I'm still in it..."

Aurora and Kendall's jaw locked.

"...because you have no talent!"

Gustavo's last few words made Kendall's blood boil. He suddenly did not care about the guards dressed in yellow a few yards away. He shot up from his spot, making himself visible. James' gaze moved from Gustavo to his friend.

"No talent?!" Kendall yelled, walking up towards the stage. His friends tried to protest, but Kendall paid them no mind.

"No talent?! You're the one with no talent." Kendall barked. He made his way to the front of the table Gustavo and Kelly were sitting at. He stood directly in front of it, glaring at the man who insulted his friend. "You haven't had a hit in ten years!"

Gustavo pointed at Kendall, too offended to question where he came from. "Hey, Girl to My Heart by Boyquake was a hit nine years ago." He assured.

"Oh, Girl to My Heart," Kendall retorted with sarcasm. He rested his thumb and index finger on his chin, as if he was thinking. "Let me see if I can remember that rock classic."

Aurora did not know whether to laugh or try to stop her friend before he did anything he would later regret. She turned to Logan and Carlos to see that they both had anxious expressions written across their faces.

Kendall pointed to his eyes. "Girl, my eyes, and, girl, my mind..." He placed his hands on top of his head and spun it around, his blond hair flying around.

Aurora cringed when Kendall jumped on top of the table.

"Oh, no." Logan gulped.

"It never stops after it starts," Kendall stomped his foot on the table and held his hand out towards Gustavo's face. Gustavo's eyebrows were raised, as if he was amused. Kendall jumped up once again and spun around on top of the table, sending a few things to the floor.

Kendall's friends, including James, all started at him in awe. No matter how silly and exaggerated his movements were, he looked good.

Kendall continued, "Cause you're a girl, a girl, a girl to my heart, heart, heart!"

The teenagers automatically cringed again once Kendall kneeled down and did three heart pumps with his hands in Gustavo's direction. Gustavo flew backwards out of his chair and Kelly's eyes bulged. She immediately leaned over to try to help Gustavo.

Gustavo said nothing. He continued to watch Kendall in amusement as Kelly announced, "Whoa! Whoa! Security!"

The two guards in yellow began to make there way towards Kendall. Carlos, Logan and Aurora looked at each other in fear.

"Hey, here's a new hit for you." Kendall announced loudly, not caring. He began to sing, "Oh, you're such a turd! Oh, yeah, a giant turd!"

Kendall kicked the empty bottles on coffee into Gustavo's direction. "And you look like a turd, and you smell like a turd!"He sang. The two guards grabbed Kendall off of the table and brought him to the floor, holding onto his arms with two firm and tight grips.

"Hey, get off me!" Kendall struggled to break free. "Come on, get off me!"

Aurora debated on whether or not she should do something. She pondered for a brief moment before standing up and squeezing behind Logan and Carlos, who were still crouched behind the seats.

Logan and Carlos' eyes widened. "Aurora, wait!" Logan protested, but she kept going.

Kendall continued to try to fight off the guards.

"Hey!" Aurora rushed over to the three of them. She grabbed onto one of the guards arms in attempt to pull him off of her friend. Through gritted teeth, she spoke, "Let him go!"

The guard did exactly what Aurora told him to do, but kept his grip onto Aurora instead. She tried to kick and punch her way out, but it was no use.

Carlos and Logan panicked. Carlos turned to Logan in one swift motion. "Quick," He began. "What's the worst that could happen if I try and break them free?"

"Uh," Logan muttered. He thought for a second before stuttering, "J-juvenile, one prior for mooning. 20 hours community service." He assured.

Carlos inclined his head quickly. "I can live with that."

Carlos ran away and headed towards the chaos, jumping on the back of the guard that Aurora was currently fighting. Logan sucked his teeth, not wanting the situation to get any worse.

Still on the stage, James looked angry. He considered jumping off of the stage and clawing at Gustavo since the guards were already too busy, but he instead flung himself onto the other guard that was holding strongly onto Kendall.

Logan grimaced as he watched his friends struggle. He knew that this was most definitely not going to end well. He turned to look at Mrs. Magikowski. She gave him an expressionless look.

Logan sighed and took in a deep breath. "I gotta get new friends."

He ran out of the row of seats and headed towards the guards and his friends, pulling onto one of the guard's arms. Mrs. Magikowski slowly got up and trailed over to the group. She lifted up her cane and began to hit the nearest guard's back.

This was by far an evening the five teenagers and Mrs. Magikowski would never forget.

✧∘ଂ ࿐ ཾ

AURORA, HER FRIENDS AND MRS. MAGIKOWSKI were escorted towards the door of the Knight's house. One of the security guards told Logan to ring the door bell since he was the closest to it, and he did as told. The group of friends all had worried expressions on their faces, nervous for what Kendall's mother was going to say to them.

"How are you going to talk your way out of this one, Kendall?" Aurora questioned.

Kendall turned to her and replied, "By pulling the 'remember that time' card, and the 'I love you' card."

Logan scoffed. "Those better be some cards."

The white door opened, revealing Mrs. Knight. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw her son with his best friends and neighbor standing in front of two security guards, blue and red lights flashing from a police car behind them.

"Mom!" Kendall said with a load of enthusiasm. He waved at her with some hope that she would not be too upset at the scene in front of her. James, Carlos and Aurora flashed her their biggest smiles that they could pull off. Logan did not bother trying to smile, since he knew how Mrs. Knight would react.

"Remember that time I saved you from choking?" Kendall brought up. "Wow, that was close."

Kendall continued to smile and pointed to his mother. "And I love you."

Mrs. Knight opened her mouth in shock and crossed her arms. She narrowed her eyes at the kids before looking at Mrs. Magikowski.

The older woman smiled. She spoke, "I feel so alive."

Mrs. Knight shook her head. "Inside, now." She spoke firmly and stepped aside from the doorway. The group frowned and sagged their heads downwards, dragging themselves inside the house. Mrs. Knight thanked the guards and told them to bring Mrs. Magikowski right across the street to her house. She closed the door and headed towards the living room.

The five teenagers stood in front of the fireplace in the living room, waiting for Mrs. Knight. They had already hung up their jackets and other belongings on the coat rack near the door.

Carlos leaned over to Kendall. "Dude," He whispered, "How did you know those songs?"

Kendall turned to face him. He explained, "They play Boyquake on the nineties channel all day at work..." Kendall smiled to himself with pride, "And I made up The Giant Turd song."

Logan chuckled. "It was catchy."

Logan and Kendall's smiles faded once Mrs. Knight entered the room. Katie followed behind her, her arms folded and a devious grin plastered on her face.

Mrs. Knight rested her hand on her hip. "What happened?" She questioned with a stern voice. "The truth. Now."

Logan began their explanation, "Mrs. Magikowski helped us try to make James famous."

Mrs. Knight inclined her head, knowing that Logan would not lie to her. She looked at the rest of the group to see who would be the next to speak.

Carlos spoke up and added, "But this producer guy was super mean to everyone."

Kendall shrugged, "So I sang him The Giant Turd song."

"And we had a...tiny fight with the security guards," Aurora sugarcoated. Before Mrs. Knight could comment, she held her hands up in defense. "But, nobody got hurt!"

Mrs. Knight turned to look at James, who had no spoken yet. He had a lowering head and his gaze was pointed at the floor. He sighed before finally saying, "And now I'm really sad."

"Okay." Mrs. Knight replied.

Katie's grin fell.

"Who want's a sandwich?" Mrs. Knight rubbed her hands together and asked.

The teenagers' faces lit up, knowing one of Mrs. Knight's famous sandwiches would make them feel better after their long day. "Ooh, yes." Logan chimed.

"That'd be great." James spoke.

Mrs. Knight grinned at the group before heading in the direction of the kitchen. The group of five followed behind her as Katie stood frozen in place.

After a few seconds, she turned around. "Wait."

Mrs. Knight and the five best friends turned on their heels to face the younger girl. Katie began with disappointment, "That's it? That's your interrogation?"

She continued, "You didn't put the screws to 'em or slap 'em with the hard cheese!"

Kendall and Aurora chuckled as the rest of the group gave Katie a confused look. Mrs. Knight spoke, "I don't know what you're talking about, but you are not allowed to watch Fox anymore."

Carlos let out a chuckle as the rest of the group smiled. Mrs. Knight continued her path to the kitchen. Before the teenagers could trail behind her, Katie spoke up once again.

She threw her arms up in frustration. "Well, can I least hear The Giant Turd song?"

The group of kids all looked at each other. Kendall shrugged before starting to sing, "Oh, you're such a turd."

The other smiled and joined in, "Oh, yeah, a giant turd,"

Katie bopped her head to the singing and a grin grew on her face. The group began to dance along to their singing as they headed to the kitchen once again. "And you look like a turd, and you smell like a turd."

The doorbell rang, and the group headed for the door instead as they continued their song. "Oh, you're such a turd. Oh, yeah, a giant turd, and you look like a turd—"

The group immediately stopped singing and let out a scream after Kendall had opened the door. Gustavo and Kelly stood in front of them. Gustavo gave them an angry look, even though he still waved. Kelly had a soft smile across her face.

After a few seconds, James thought he put the pieces together. He celebrated, "Yes!"

James rushed down the two steps in front of the door and flung his arms around Gustavo into an excited hug. "I knew you'd come back for me." He closed his eyes and grinned in relief.

Gustavo glared at the boy and shoved him off and away from him. "I'm not here for you." He disclosed. James frowned, a look of confusion on his face.

Gustavo turned towards the door and made direct eye contact with Kendall. He pointed at him and explained, "I'm here for him."

"What?" James questioned in disbelief.

The four other friends scrunched up their faces and repeated, "What?"

Mrs. Knight heard the commotion from the Kitchen. She shouted, "I'll make some tea!"

✧∘ଂ ࿐ ཾ

STARTED WRITING: May 14, 2019
PUBLISHED: July 11, 2019
WORD COUNT: 2648