Rereading my sister's texts was thus far was not helping my nerves about auditions. I started to type something to her but quickly deleted it. I could do this. Clutching my phone like a life vest, I walked into the theater, trying to ignore the roller-coaster drop in my stomach.

The theater itself was pretty quiet. Chase sat at the top of the boat rigging with a script across his lap as his legs dangled precariously. Lucas and Maddox sat on the edge of the stage, trading off lines from one of Ferdinand's love monologues in hushed tones. Raisa sat on the front row glaring at Riley, who was helping Cynthia with her makeup.

I spotted Bradley pacing back and forth up one of the side aisles. Lexi and Emma Kate were nowhere in sight, which I found slightly odd.

Taking a seat at the back of the theater, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Lexi hadn't really explained the audition process. She just asked me to show up at nine-thirty like normal.

I did notice when Lorne and Jude carried in a folding table and set it up in front of the front row of the audience showing Raisa away from her seat. Kayleigh carried several papers and set them at the table.

The trio then went to sit expectantly two rows back, directly behind the table. Lorne said something that made Kayleigh laugh, and the sound echoed through the theater.

Dr. Tunstelle walked into the theater beside a short woman with a beaky nose and close-cropped dark hair dressed in a fine plum pantsuit. Emma Kate followed them. The three o them walked to sit behind the table, and the woman in pantsuit looked at the papers Kayleigh had set out.

"Good morning," Dr. Tunstelle said. "We're honored to have Dean Arlene Ryder with us today to help us with casting."

"Good morning, students," Dean Ryder said. "I've met most of you, but if I haven't, I look forward to your production. As you know, this is a mostly student-led production, but so you don't blame favoritism, Dr. Tunstelle and I will be finalizing the cast list. You'll sit in the audience until I call your name. The first three rows please in the center section, please. Return to your seat when you finish. Please applaud after each person. All of your classmates have worked exceedingly hard, and we shall reward them for their merits."

"We will begin in five minutes," Dr. Tunstelle said.

Immediately everyone on stage started to make their way down to the audience. Chase climbed down from the ship rigging like a monkey and dropped the last three feet to the ground.

I found a seat on the second row, slightly to the right of the table, and the three judges. Bradley slipped into the seat beside me.

"Have you seen Lexi?" He asked. "It's not like her to be late."

"Not since I dropped her off at work yesterday," I said.

Bradley groaned. "I saw her after she got home from work. I was over to hang out with Emma Kate. She got in after around midnight, which is pretty normal for her."

"Did you ask Emma Kate?" I asked.

"I texted her earlier," Bradley said. "She doesn't have a clue where Lexi is."

Bradley twiddled with something near his ear and ran a hand through his hair. He looked down at his phone and showed me four texts to Lexi.

"Do you think she's in trouble or something?" I frowned.

"She has a lot going on in her life," Bradley said. "I hope she just lost track of time. I'd hate to think..."

Dean Ryder stood up facing us and clapped her hands. The room instantly went silent. She smiled out at us.

"Let's begin," she consulted the list in her hand. "First up, Parker Christian-Porter."

My stomach rolled. Parker prodded me in the arm, and I got up and approached the stage. I left my page with the printed monologue on my seat. According to what I had heard from Lexi, I could use it, but I needed to prove I wasn't just a football player. That meant proving I could memorize lines.

I walked up the stairs and took to the middle of the stage. I looked out at the audience and tried to ignore Lorne's sneer and the professor's scrutiny. I took a deep breath and let go.

"Now my charms are all o'erthrown,

And what strength I have's mine own,

Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,

I must be here confined by you,

Or sent to Naples. Let me not,

Since I have my dukedom got

And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell

In this bare island by your spell;

But release me from my bands

With the help of your good hands:

Gentle breath of yours my sails

Must fill, or else my project fails,

Which was to please...."

My mind went blank, and I quickly moved through the song in my head to try to keep going. After a moment, I took another deep breath and continued.

"...Now I want

Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,

And my ending is despair,

Unless I be relieved by prayer,

Which pierces so that it assaults

Mercy itself and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardon'd be,

Let your indulgence set me free."

When the last line parted from my lips, the applause from the students. Dr. Tunstelle nodded while Dean Ryder was taking notes on a tablet with a keyboard.

I walked off the stage and found my seat again. Maddox winked at me as I went past, and Bradley gave me a pat on the back.

The rest of the monologues went quickly. One by one, each student walked on stage and recited a monologue. Kayleigh's was prim and proper. Jude and Maddox were well polished and in character. Chase had a few hiccups but recovered. Raisa was overly dramatic, in my opinion, and Bradley was downright jolly Ariel.

Lorne was in the middle of a monologue where Prospero was declaring he'd give up his magic when the door to the theater opened. Lorne stopped his monologue mid-sentence. I turned to see Lexi in the doorway dressed in sweats, her forehead glistening, and her red curls pulled into a puff at the back of her head.

"Miss Thaxton," Dean Ryder said. "How lovely of you to join us. Take a seat. Lorne, you can begin again when you feel ready."

Lexi slipped into the aisle seat beside Bradley. Maddox handed her a tissue from his pocket, and she wiped her brow.

"I... was... running... as fast... as... I could..." Lexi panted.

"Tell one of us next time," Maddox said. "We'll come and drive you."

Lexi ducked her head in shame. Her face was as red as her hair. I could see a polo shirt collar that looked suspiciously like a Cheesy Fatted Café uniform sticking out from her university track hoodie.

Bradley passed Lexi an unopened water bottle. She took a long swig and swallowed as she took a deep breath.

Lorne glared at us and started his monologue again. When he finished, he gave an embellished bow, and I clapped purely because Lorne was talented.

"Lexi Thaxton," Dean Ryder called.

Lexi passed the water bottle back to Bradley and made her way to the front without another word. She took center stage, and despite the sweat, messy hair, and sweats, she stared down the judges with a smile.

Her monologue was flawless. Lorne gave her a venomous look for doing the same monologue as him, but I clapped harder than I had for anyone else as she left the stage and came back to her seat.

"Nicely done," Lucas turned around and whispered.

"Thanks," Lexi said.

Only Cynthia, Lucas, and Riley remained. Each did their monologue, and since it was only ten-thirty, I thought we might get out early. Once Riley walked off the stage, Dean Ryder stood and faced us.

"Turn your scripts to the first scene of Act I," she said. "Ms. Jennings, Mr. Ryder, Ms. Sami, Ms. Iden, Mr. Christian-Porter, Mr. Michaels, and Ms. Thaxton, you'll be performing the scene on stage. Line up in a row, and each pull a part from my hat. We'll be doing the scene three times, with each of you playing three different parts. Then we'll have Ms. Becker, Mr. Maddox, Mr. Lazer, Mr. Manuel, Mr. Collins, Ms. Alvarez, and Ms. Jennings do a round."

"You didn't mention another readthrough," I said to Lexi as a sinking feeling filled my stomach.

I didn't have my copy of the Tempest with me. It was sitting on my nightstand beside my dinosaur-themed bed. I hadn't thought I would need it.

"You'll do fine," Lexi said pulling her Tempest book out of her purse.

"I don't have a script with me," I said.

Lexi nodded in realization. "Lucas, can Parker borrow your travel copy of The Tempest?"

Lucas rummaged around his bag, pushing aside a volume of Tolstoy and Kierkegaard to pull out a thin copy of The Tempest.

"Thanks, dude," I said.

"Why does everyone always assume I have extra copies of the texts because I'm an English major?" Lucas asked.

"Because you always do," Lexi said.

"And that's why we like you," Bradley grinned. "That and you actually can decipher what's going on in the text cause you're so smart."

"Gee, thanks," Lucas smiled.

"Let's move along," Dr. Tunstelle said.

I walked on stage with the others turning to the correct page of Lucas's travel copy of the script to the correct page. It was filled with highlighted passages and notes scribbled in the margins. This must have been the copy he used to study the text for a class, not the one he used to perform with.

I pulled Gonzalo out of the hat. Lexi got Antonio. The others pulled their parts, and we moved to take places for the scene and complete our auditions. 

Hey everyone!!!  Thanks for reading as always. Auditions are always filled with surprises. Hopefully, Parker will be prepared for more to come. I'm excited to keep working on this story. Let me know what you think and vote if you liked it.

--Eliana