This Heart Still Feels

"Very good," the director said to the performers onstage, "You can have a seat,"

You clutched your arm as tightly as you could. You were at the auditions, as nervous as hell, yet anxious to get onstage. People were being called up for both acting, improvising, and singing auditions. You held the script you were given and ran through your lines once again as the performers took their seat.

"Hey," the girl next to you whispered as the next few people were called up, "Are you nervous?"

You looked to your right. You saw that she was a tall girl, dirty blonde, straight hair, and blue eyes with fair skin.

"Is it that obvious?" you winced

"Well, your hands are shaking noticebly,"

You looked down and saw that your vigorous shaking was indeed shaking noticebly, "Yeah," you slammed them down on your lap, "I guess I am,"

"You must be new at this," she smiled,

"At the performing, no," you paused, "but for a real broadway show, yeah,"

The girl giggled, "I'm Jane,"

"Deana," you smiled, "So is this your first time?"

"No, there have been more auditions before this,"

"And what happened?"

"They turned me down,"

"Oh," you replied, "I'm sorry,"

She smiled, "It's nothing. Rejection is a part of the broadway business. I keep trying anyway,"

You sighed as you looked up at the stage. The people up there were almost done, "I'm just happy I got a chance to audition. Which part do you want?"

"Maureen," Jane answered, "What about you?"

"I never say," you refused, "It's bad luck for me,"

"Thank you!" the one of the judges called. He looked to his clipboard. "Up next is Jane Williams and Deana Vazquez."

You felt your heart pumping through your chest as you followed Jane up too the stage. You lined yourselves up like the people before did and made your introductions. The judges wrote down a few things and talked among themselves before telling you to start with your dialogue scene.

"Your very first party ever?!" Jane exclaimed in a preppy, high pitched voice, "Your very first party! Oh I know! Let's tell each other something we've never told anyone... I'll go first: Fiyero and I are going to be married!" she squealed.

You widened your eyes in excitement, "Really? He's asked you already?"

Janes smile faded,"Well, no, he doesn't know yet..." she grabbed your arm, "Now, you tell me a secret."

"Like what?"

Jane reached behind you as if she was grabbing something, "Like... Why do you always sleep with this funny, little, green bottle under your pillow?"

"Give that back!" you shouted

"C'mon, tell me." she begged, "Tell me tell me!"

"It was my mother's!" your face grew sad, "That's all..."

There was a dramatic pause

Jane handed you the imaginary bottle, "It's not fair," she pouted, "I told you a really good one,"

You made another pause, until, "My father hates me,"

Janes gasped

"That's not the secret," you told her, then dropped your arms to your side, "It's my fault..."

"What is?"

You hesitated, "... that my sister is the way she is..."You gulped, "You see, when my mother was carrying Nessa, my father was worried that the new baby might come out..."

"Green," you both said

"So," you continued, "he made my mother chew milk flowers, day and night. But that made Nessa come too soon, with her little legs all tangled. And my mother..." you pused once more and pretended you were about to cry, "she never woke up. None of which ever would have happened if not for me,"

"But that was the milkflowers fault, not yours." the audience laughed. Jane took your arm, "That may be your secret, Elphaba, but that doesn't make it true." She looked to the other side and gasped in amazement, "Oh look, it's tomorrow! Elphie... do you mind if I call you Elphie?"

You made a weird face gesture, "Well, it's a little perky,"

"And you can call me... Galinda," more laughed, "So... Elphie... now that we're friends, I've decided to make you my new project!"

"You really don't have to do that,"

"I know," Jane hugged you, "but that's what makes me so nice,"

"Good," one judge said. They all looked down and wrote some more stuff down, "Now we would like you to do an improvisation. Here's the scene: Deana, you are Dorothy and Jane you are Glinda. Glinda, you are telling Dorothy how to get home, and start from there."

You cleared your throat, "Oh Glinda," you said, "Can you take me home?"

"You don't need my help to get home, Dorothy," she put a hand on your shoulder, "You could have gone home anytime you wanted,"

Your face grew angry, "Say what now?"

"You had the power to go home all along,"

"And you tell me this now?" you said angrly

"Well, yes," Jane said nervously,

"So why did you wait until after I had to skip down the road with three dudes, fight off evil witches and keep myself protected from rapist just to find out I could have gotten home just as soon as I had gotten here?" The audience laughed,

"Because you needed to learn your lesson," Jane answered sweetly, "I wanted to help you."

"What lesson was I supposed to learn?" you screamed, "Never go inside a house when there's a twister? I learned that lesson as soon as I landed in Midgetland." You grabbed her by the collar, "Now you better tell me how to get home, and it better be hard after all the shit you made me go through!"

Jane backed away, "Oh, yes, it is very complicated. First, you must click your heels three times,"

You did so.

"And then you must say," She started waving her imaginary wand, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

You gave her a death glare, "And then what?"

Jane smiled, "And then you'll be home in no later than three seconds."

"I COULD HAVE BEEN HOME THREE SECONDS AFTER I GOT HERE?!"

"Yeah," she said in a ditzy tone,

"You fucking bitch!" you screamed, "You wait until after I nearly get killed by a witch to give me two simple steps on how to get home!!"

"Well, I could have told you sooner," Jane said, "But I wanted to dye my hair," she twisted a piece of her hair around her finger, "and I had to get my nails done, and a facial, and a-"

"And that couldn't have waited until after I got home?" you snapped

"No, duh!"

"You psycopathic fucker!"

"Very good," the judge chuckled along with the others.

You smiled, 'At least I got them in a good mood.'

"And now, let's go to the singing,"

You gulped, for this was the part you feared the most. You flopped your packet to the song given, which was Seasons of Love. They asked Jane to sing first, which she did beautifully. They wrote down a few comments and finally you were up.

525,600 minutes,
525,000 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes
how do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets,
in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles,
in laughter, in strife.

In 525,600 minutes
how do you measure a year in the life?

"Thank you," he said, "You may take your seats, ladies,"

You sighed with relief as you walked off the stage. Jane walked behind you and patted you on the back,

"Good job," she whispered,

"Thanks," you whispered back, "You were great,"

You and Jane sat back down in your seats and talk some more, occasionally watching the other performers audition. Finally the judges released you and told you that you would be getting a call saying what part you got (I don't know how they really do let you know, but this is how Im doing it)

"Well that was nerv wracking," you joked as you grabbed your bag,

"Bullshit," Jane said, "You did awesome,"

"You were the awesome one," you complimented,

"We were both awesome. How about we say that?"

You shrugged, "Works for me,"

Jane smiled, "Well, I will hopefully see you next week at practice,"

"Keep our fingers crossed," you said holding up your hand to show you fingers being crossed,

Jane returned the sign, "Bye, Deana,"