Cold water met my face and I snapped awake yelling, "Oh holy mother of cheese!"

You must be asking why I yelled 'cheese'. The reason behind this was a dream in a land of cheese. Don't ask for details or it'll get cheesy.

I was drenched in ice cold water with a sound of drums ringing in my ears. When I looked at the person who did it, I glared at her.

"Why did you pour that on me?!"

She looked at me sternly and checked her watch, "You are fifteen minutes late."

The lady wore a regular t-shirt and ordinary pants but her stern expression made her look like a business woman.

I looked at the clock and scrunched my eyebrows, "It's 7:45!"

She crossed her arms, "And our call time is 7:30."

"What?!"

She took my arms and dragged me to the restroom where the tub was filled with water. She swung me inside the tub with such strength that I would've thought she was a man.

"I'll give you ten minutes to prepare. If you're not prepared by then," she stopped talking and slowly drew a line on her neck with her thumb.

I gulped and started washing myself. The woman was really scary yesterday. I was glad I didn't wake up late. She tortured me.

I think she resented me because I was another addition to her group. Meaning, they would record the song again to include me, they would alter the steps to include me, they would make new posters that would include me, they needed to promote me. I was incredibly guilty yesterday. The woman made sure that I felt that way.

She kept on glaring at me when she thought I wasn't looking, she pressured me to get the steps right, she kept pushing me to hit the highest note of the lyrics I added to the song—which Heather wasn't happy about but I could tell she liked that part—and made my voice strained. Psyche helped me through it all. She provided me this juice that she said would help with my voice, she taught me the steps to the dance—I was really alienated with the dance. It was too hip-hop-y for my liking—but I managed the steps. Psyche told me I had sass when I danced. I replied to her that maybe it was because I knew how to tango. To make matters worse, the woman—our manager, Miss Delilah—learned that I was flexible. She added steps that included me doing splits. I hated those parts. What I liked of the things she added to the dance was the grand jete I had to do when it was the part of the instrumental. There was also an original part of the instrumental where they dance a ballroom dance—which was for amateurs. I'm not boasting.

I really loved the song. It held so much emotion. I could relate to it somehow. Whenever I hear the song, I would be reminded of the days where I observed Tony dating the other selected while ignoring me. This memory was an inspiration to the bridge I added to the song.

And when I see you there with her
Holding her hand like lovers
It makes me always wonder
If your promises would be gone forever

Psyche wiped a fake tear when she heard the lyrics I made. I was also assigned to take on one part of Maxine since they said she had a lot of parts already.

I also liked that part.

Together forever?
You said it yourself
Now I think it's never
I have no one else

In the chorus, I just ask as a second voice to Psyche and Penelope. I really liked Fiona's rap. Even if the song is mellow, she could fit the rap in like it was meant to be there.

I finish up quickly. I got random jogging pants and a gray hoodie. I slipped on some sneakers and ran to the practice room. Miss Delilah was already there, arms crossed as she observed my teammates as they danced to the song. I didn't bother stretching and warming up—although I know I'd regret it later—I ran to my place and followed them dancing.

Thankfully, they just started the song. It was just the second verse of the first part—Fiona's rap.

"In this island far away. Lives a petty girl who's me. Then you came along and said 'Hey you look perfect for me'. And the pitiful who's me, believed the words so easily," she started and walked around while we formed a semi-circle around her and danced, "You're playing with me then threw me away so easily."

Then we leaned towards the inside of the newly formed circle. Fiona turned her back in front and leaned towards the center to. Nichola quickly went to the middle just before her part came up. When it was her part, we faced the outside of the circle so she was the center of the attention.

"Oh how can I not ignore, the you who's so pretty. With a smile that can light up my world so perfectly," she sang with a perfect high note.

Alyssa stopped crouching and stood up. She walked to Nichola while singing, "But like the others who came here, just can't stay and live with me."

From behind the two of them, the crouching Psyche stood up and walked in between the two girls, successfully taking the spotlight. As Psyche moved forward, the rest of us who were crouched down rose and followed her lead, forming a pyramid with Psyche in front.

"I'm stuck in Ogygia and nobody remembers me," Psyche sang. This was the part where the chorus starts after her line.

Psyche was at the front with Alyssa and Nichola at her back on her left and right respectively. Behind Alyssa was Heather and I. Beside Heather was Penelope—who was behind Psyche—and Fiona. Beside me was Maxine—also in the middle—and Nina.

Then we bowed low except for Penelope who sings, "You were just a guest, but nothing like the rest. You stood out of everyone I ever met."

Then we rose again and danced while Psyche sang, "And I thought I was wrong, about you being gone. But I soon found out that I was right all along."

Then we separated from the pyramid and made way for Maxine to take the spotlight.

"And you said that you'd be here for me. Whenever I would get gloomy," She sang. "But now I'm pouring rains of tears and you're nowhere here beside of me."

The chorus was done and we were dancing a little instrumental before the second part of the song. I braced myself and told myself to calm down. I was the second to sing in this part and the glare Delilah was giving me made nervous.

I focused on the lyrics I was going to sing and waited for Heather's part to end. Involuntarily, my body danced the steps without noticing.

When her part ended, we were in two lines from opposite sides of the room. Beside me, the girls kneeled while I stay standing. They made the elaborate hand movements while I sang.

"Together forever?" I said and put a hand on my heart for effect, "You said it yourself." This part was really solemn and accentuated my supposedly 'angelic' voice—Nina's words not mine. I approached the middle and knelt slowly, "Now I think it's never, I have no one else." I lowered my head.

The eight of them stood up from both sides and pointed a finger gun at me.

Nina sang, "Oh how can I not ignore, the you who's so pretty."

"With a smile that can light up my world so perfectly," sang Penelope.

"But like the others who came here, just can't stay and live with me," Heather sang.

"I'm stuck in Ogygia and nobody remembers me," Maxine sang in front.

"You were just a guest, but nothing like the rest. You stood out of everyone I ever met," Alyssa sang.

Maxine sang again, "And I thought I was wrong, about you being gone. But I soon found out that I was right all along."

Psyche made her way in front with Penelope while singing, "And you said that you'd be here for me. Whenever I would get gloomy."

Then Penelope followed her, "But now I'm pouring rains of tears and you're nowhere here beside of me."

I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for the high note, "And when I see you there with her. Holding her hand like lovers," the others scattered put of the middle and prepared themselves at the sides for the instrumental. "It makes me always wonder." I breathed deeply for the coming note, "If your promises would be—"

The door slammed open. I stopped singing mid-way into the highest note.

Well that was frustrating.

"Is that a new part of the song?" A male's voice asked from the door. The boy had blonde hair and warm green eyes that twinkled happily. His lips formed a smile in greeting.

Psyche and the other girls smiled—except for Heather, her face turned red but she covered it with her hair—at the newcomer.

"Hudson!" Maxine exclaimed and raised her hand for a high-five.

The said boy smiled widely and walked inside the room to high-five the girl. Three other boys stood outside the door—one of them was Tony. I was fighting the urge to smile. It felt so long since I last saw him. Our eyes met and I couldn't restrain the smile anymore. The boy in front of him with red hair who looked extremely bad-ass raised an eyebrow. I turned to him and raised an eyebrow at him too while putting one hand on my hip and tilting my head to the side.

"What?" I asked him.

He rolled his eyes and walked inside the room, joining the 'Hudson' dude. The two other members came inside the room.

Miss Delilah sighed and crossed her arms, "Why are you boys disturbing my girls?"

Hudson smiled and slung his arm around our manager's shoulders, "Oh come on, Delilah! You don't want to see your little brother?"

Little brother?

Delilah shrugged his arm off and patted her arms as if to remove 'boy germs', "No, and please state your purpose and get the hell out of here."

I chuckled at Delilah's ferocious personality. The same red haired boy looked back to me and raises his eyebrow again. I raised my eyebrow too.

What's his deal?

"Well . . . The boss told us about the new member of your team. So we thought," Hudson clapped his hand, "Hey! How about we do a little meet and greet?"

The third unnamed member—the light pink colored hair one—nodded, "Yeah. We got a new member too," he said and shoved Tony to the front.

Psyche made her way beside me while Nina took my other side. Tong scratched his nape awkwardly and offered a small wave as he said, "A pleasure to meet you all."

Psyche whistled, "Well that . . . Is one hot man."

I smiled but didn't say anything. Nina nodded, "Yeah, but I like Derek better."

Maxine already made her way to Tony and shook his hand, "Hey, I'm Maxine."

Tony gave her a smile as he said, "I'm Haris."

Psyche already left my side as she approached my fiancé. She pushed Maxine sideways and smiled radiantly, "I'm Psyche."

Tony nodded and shook her outstretched hand, "Nice meeting you, Lady Psyche."

I restrained myself from palming my face. Psyche squealed in delight and slapped his arm jokingly, "Oh stop it!"

Alyssa went in front next with Fiona. Then Heather, and Nina. When Penelope and the others were about to go, Hudson went in front of Tony and spread his arms.

"Hold up," he said, "let me make this clear. Just because he's handsome means that he's better than me. I don't like seeing you girls showering your affection to him only."

The red-haired guy rolled his eyes and leaned on the wall, "Insecurity means that you don't trust that you have the skills and looks."

Hudson glared at him, "Shut up, Derek."

Derek ignored it and plugged his earphones on and went far away from the world.

The third member approached me and took my hand, "Aren't you introducing yourself too?" He asked as he pulled me beside Tony.

Even if I said no, you already pulled me to the front without leaving me much of a choice.

Instead of telling him that, I smiled sweetly and said, "Of course."

The red-haired guy—Derek, I remembered—snickered, "You should know that sweetness doesn't fit you."

I restrained myself from rolling my eyes. I saw Tony itching for a smile. I snuck him a glare but that only made him smile more.

"My name is Sophie Reese and I'm a new trainee fir the Muses," I said and did a curtsy—out of habit, nothing else.

"False politeness doesn't suit you as well," Derek added.

Finally not bearing his comments, I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him, "Who are you to tell me which fits me and which doesn't? You don't even know me!"

He smirked and inched closer to me. He walked across the room with his hands in his pockets and a sinister smile on his face. Not backing down, I stood my ground and faced him off.

He went closer and closer until we were inches apart. He leaned down slowly, his smile gone.

His lips close to my ear, he whispered, "Because I own you, Iole Haidee Eudora."

———————————

The song does not exist!! I just made up the lyrics so if you thought of some sort of tune, then congrats! We just made a song together! I already have a tune in mind but you're free to think of something yourself.