Martin nodded, relieved but still watching me with that same suspicion. Did I look like I was on drugs? Was my nervousness coming across as coke-addled? God, I was so sheltered I didn’t even know what coke did to you—was it one of those ones that left you wired or tired? I doubted it would help in an audition, but I also doubted that line of reasoning would save me.
“Okay, thank you Nadine. Sorry about this.”
As he left, the door swung wide enough that I caught an expectant face arching to see through. Lewis Stamper. And then, just as I was about to convince myself I was overreacting,Martin went straight to him and I heard “We didn’t—” before the door fell shut.
He’d reported it. Perhaps even planted it.
But it was very clear who set this up.
I stumbled into my audition still dazed.
“Nadine,” Clive smiled, gesturing to the center of the stage. “Auditioning forBlood Wedding, I believe. The Mother?”
I couldn’t do this. I felt too thrown.
Worse, I felt too innocent, like I could not even conceive of how low some people would crawl to win a part. I felt naive for not protecting myself better, for leaving my bag right there. And I felt raw, like it had been a physical close scrape, like I had drained all the luck the world might ever owe me in the single act of that timing.
“No,” I said. “I’m auditioning for the Bride.”
If I felt vulnerable and scared, I might as well use it. And I knew every single part of that play to its finest detail.
Harper’s audition was that afternoon. I had her time memorized.
Which meant she’d be in the gym this morning. Not that I had her schedule down too, some routines just stuck, and the campus gym unnerved me with its familiarity—I’d worked in a leisure center back home, the same flimsy lockers, the same easy tricks.
So yes, alright. You want the truth of the rivalry? I sank to her level.
I stole her fucking necklace.
And I hadn’t even started on the boyfriend yet.
———
Harper’s distress was delicious. She was frantic, begging Martin to move her audition.
“No, I’ve had quite a day, Miss Moore. In the future, you will miss opportunities if you miss auditions. Let that lesson begin today.”
I turned the page ofDo You Hear Me, Adeline?—I’d caved and asked Ivan if I could have it back the moment the audition ended and made him promise to take it again as soon as the roles were cast.
I liked the part a lot. She was a fascinating character—and there was plenty to unpack. But for once, something was more interesting, so I wasn’t really paying much attention.
———
I guess Harper tanked the audition, because when casting lists went up, she only had a bit part. Still, the Wilfred Allen Award had been bestowed upon plenty of actors in minor roles before. I couldn’t count her out.
I was the Bride. Zoe was probably just as livid as Harper, and it did feel a bit like we were indeed doingA Midsummer Night’s Dreambecause we were all swapping roles (except for Flora, who had been excluded entirely and cast inThe Crucibleinstead).
But this is what it meant: I was supposed to be marryingEric Mwangi’s Bridegroom but instead ran off with Leonardo, played by Lewis Stamper. And Harper played Leonardo’s jilted wife.
I slipped the straw of my smoothie between my lips and took a sip before smiling up at Lewis. “Well, this should be fun.”
Lewis smiled back. “History proves we bring out a good performance in each other.”
It was, actually, rather lackluster. But I was relieved I’d made a good impression. I was a good actress, at least.
“Well,” I took another quick sip, aware of Harper glowering from beside the board and watching my every move. She probably saw my attempts at flirting as amateurish in comparison to her own finely honed performances. But that’s fine, I’d get better with practice. “Let me know if you ever want to get method.”
———
