Show Me What You Can Get Away With

“I want you to focus solely on your vibrato. I’m sure you know quite a lot about vibrato after this week’s lesson. And now we will put it into action. Essentially what you want to obtain is this very subtle oscillation between pitches. Think of some of your favorite singers. Almost try to imitate their vibrato.” My vocal coach instructed. I was already pretty damn good at vibrato, but a little extra help never hurt. I’d been staying after school a little bit everyday with my music and dance teachers to learn a bit more on our subjects. Olivia would wait for me in the drama and dance suite and even she’d been convinced to stay after and work with her instructors. Which is pretty insane considering she could pull off any role flawlessly. The girl’s acting was amazing. It almost scared me a bit.

“Thanks again Mr. M.”

“Not a problem Audriana. There are so many students these days in the singing department who think they’re too good to ask for help or gain extra practice. I’m glad you’ve decided to use this opportunity. I see much potential in you.” Mr. M said with his heavy French accent.

“Really? Wow, thank you!” I blushed. “Well, I’ve got to go. See you tomorrow Mr. M!” I left the classroom, heading upstairs to the second suite. I walked passed the stairwell, and then back around, deciding to take it instead of the elevator. I had never used it before. To my surprise there were actually kids in the stairwell. I would have never guessed anyone actually used it. Some were using the stair well for it’s purpose… and as I continued up the stairs what I saw completely shocked me.

Others, well others were using the stairwell for things like smoke breaks, and making out. I couldn’t really keep to myself after that. All I could do was stare. After a while a girl that had her hands down some guy’s pants pushed him away to look up at me.

“Can I fucking help you?”

I shook my head from confusion. I tried to speak but all that came out was a sort of squeaky whisper. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to.”

“Aw? Are you the new girl?” She smirked. “I almost made the new girl cry you guys! She’s like fucking Dorothy. Well I could find a few ways to get you back home.” A few of the kids standing around her, as well as the boy she was making out with began to laugh at her “joke.”

“Yeah. I am new. And I don’t recall the part in the student hand book where they warn me about whore’s like you.” I say back, wittingly. I was actually quite proud of myself for coming up with such a snappy come back. The girl and the kids standing around her went quiet. Her face changed from that of a complete bitch to almost as if she were about to burst into tears.

“Hey. Who the hell are you to talk about my girlfriend that way?” A voice spoke behind me. I snapped around to find the guy from Parker- I think his name was Jason, and another guy who I didn’t know.

“Kieran!” The girl in front of me said, almost knocking me over to get to him. I laughed, so this was Kieran Reigner, funny, I thought he’d be much more intimidating. They start making out but I interject.

“Your girlfriend? Funny, because this chick just had her hands down another guy’s pants. That guy,” I point to the kid who had since began to talk to someone else when Kieran showed up. “to be exact. But hey, if that’s what you guys are into. Hey Jason.” I say, turning around and continuing on my way up the stairs. Just as I turn around I see Kieran pull away from the girl and there’s a bit of arguing between the two.

“Hey Audri! Wait up!” Jason says, catching up to me and putting an arm around my shoulder. I shrug it off but he doesn’t take the hint and keeps walking beside me anyway. “You have a lot of balls talking to Kirsten like that. And ratting her out to Kieran? Man, prepare yourself for an all out war. It was pretty damn hot though.” Jason says. I pretend I didn’t hear the last part.

“War? What is she going to do?” I say, opening the door to the second suite once we reach the top of the stairs. Olivia is standing in the hallway waiting impatiently.

“Took you long enough!” She says, her face dropping a bit when she sees Jason tailing behind me. “H-hi Jason. What were you guys up to?”

“Olivia we d-”

“Oh man Olivia, you should’ve seen it, Audri and Kirsten, it wasn’t pretty. Anyway I gotta go. Kieran will be looking for me. I’ll talk to you guys later. And Audri, good luck.” Jason says before disappearing back behind the door that we came out of.

“Okay, explain to me exactly what just happened.” Olivia says as we head to the elevator this time.

“Um, well, I decided to take the stairway for the first time today. Huge mistake. So there’s this girl named Kirsten and- hey, why did you tell me Kieran was single last week?” I say, completely changing the subject.

“Well he was, at the time. Kieran and Kirsten always go back and forth in their relationship. They break up like every other week. Go on.”

“Oh, well yeah I ran into that Kirsten girl in the stairwell as she was like, giving some random guy a hand job and she tried to pick a fight with me. When I finally told her off Kieran and Jason showed up and Kieran tried to stick up for her when I called her a whore. Then I let him know exactly what she was doing in the stairwell before he showed up and walked away. Jason just kind of tagged along behind me. Sorry if that seemed a little misleading.” We reached the bottom floor and were on our way to our dorm.

“Holy shit man, holyshitholyshitholyshit. This isn’t good.”

“Why do you guys keep saying that? What’s she go-” Olivia interjected, slamming me into a nearby wall by the shoulders. “Ouch! What the hell Olivia!”

“You don’t understand Audri. Kirsten is like fucking Hades. Who knows what she’s going to try now. You probably just like ruined her whole relationship with Kieran. I mean they break up all the time because she’s a lying slut that’s constantly cheating on him but he’s never actually caught her, just heard stories. I’m pretty sure that was the closest he’d ever got to catching her.”

“But why would he believe someone like me? He doesn’t even know me.”

“I don’t know… everyone kind of knows you ever since last weekend.” I didn’t want to believe it, but Olivia was telling the truth. Everyone did know who I was. Random people who I’d never met would come up to me in the hallways and know my name, telling me how great I was at Parker last weekend. It was almost like being a celebrity. I could lie and say I wasn’t used to the attention but it was the same way in Arizona when someone saw me dance. I didn’t want all the attention but it just came.

I sigh, “Well what am I going to do? She probably wants my head.”

“I don’t know. I’ll help as much as I can but, I’m sorry to say, you’re fucked.”