Chapter51Milly’sFallFromGrace2
Thedayoftheauditionarrivedswiftly.
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SchoolleadersandrepresentativesgatheredintheauditoriumtoapanyMr.Hawkinsincastingroles,demonstratingtheirhighregardfortheevent.
Millydonnedasophisticatedballetdress,exudingadelicateandelegantaura.Herfaiplexionbinedwiththepristinewhitedanceattire,gavehertheappearanceofacelestialbeinggracingtheearth..
Despiteherenchantingappearance,shestillsportedoversizedssesandthickbangsthatpartiallyobscuredherfeatures,almostas<b>a</b>shield.
WilliamandMniesurroundedher,showeringherwitpliments..
“Boss,youlookstunning.Iwasnningtohelpyoufindaballetcostume,<b>but</b>Jordanbeatmetoit.”
“Boss,youarealiving<b>fairy</b>today!”
“Doyouhaveanyculture?That’swhatyoucacelestialbeingdescendingtoearth.”
“Aren’tcelestialbeingsandfairythesamething?Itseemslikeyou’retheonckingculture.”
Youtwo.
Observingtheirimpendingargument,Millyswiftlyintervened,“Enough,youtwo.Aren’tyousupposedtobeheadingto<b>ss</b>soon?Goon.I’llreturntothessroomaftertheaudition.”
Mniegrinnedandremainedseated,exining,“Boss,thenextssisself–study.Webroughtthepaperstheteacher assignedus,sowe’llstayhereandsupportyoter!”
Williamchimedin,“That’sright.”
Noticingtheirdetermination,Millysighed.“Fine,butbothofyouneedtokeepalowprofileandavoidtrouble,gotit?”
Thesetwoarebothhot–tempered.Shefearedthatifshefailed<b>the</b>audition,theymightconfrontn.Soit’sbettertoinstructthembeforehandtofeelreassured.
MnieandWilliammadean“OK”gesture,signifyingtheirunderstanding.
Theyknewtheyhadtobehavewell.
Meanwhile,inasecludedcornerbackstage,Stephaniewassurroundedby admirers<b>,</b>allgazingenviouslyatherdazzlingdiamond–embroideredoutfit.
“Stephanie,thisdesigneroutfitistrulyexquisite,justlikethoseinmagazines.Iheardevencelebrities<b>.</b>struggletoborrowit.”
“Stephanie,youlookabsolutelystunningtoday.You’resuretooutshine everyone.”
“Stephanie,Ienvyyouforhavingsuch<b>an</b>amazingbrother.”
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<b>on</b>thisdressareallreal andpriceless.”
Thegirlsaroundherrecoiledinfear,retractingtheir<b>hands</b>thatwereabouttotouchthedress.
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Suddenly,aslendergirlspottedsomethingandpointed.“Stephanie,look.Isn’tthatyoursister,Milly?She’sauditioning.
Followinghergaze,StephaniespottedMillysurroundedbyMnieandWilliam.ItwasevidentthatMillywasdinatop–tierdesignerballetdress.Thoughnotasextravagantashers,itwasstillfromarenowneddesignerandnotinexpensive.
ThatdressmusthavebeenagiftfromJordan<b>!</b>
EversinceJordanlearnedofheraudition,hehadn’tinquiredifsheneededaballetdressbuthadsecretlyarrangedoneforMilly.WasitbecauseheexpectedhertoseekassistancefromMatthew?OrdidJordansimplydisregardherentirely?
Thesethoughtsignitedajealousysointenseitfeltsuffocating.Clutchingtheskirtofherdancedress<b>.</b>tightly,shefeltslightdifortasthetinydiamondsdugintoherpalm,groundinghermomentarily.
“Have<b>you</b>takencareofwhatIaskedyoutodo?”
Theslendergirlnodded.“Yes,we’veaddedtheink,but…
Stephaniefurrowedherbrow.“Butwhat?”
“Buttheprincipalissittingdownstairs.Iftheyfindout,we’lldefinitelybepunished.We’reabouttograduate.Gettingpunishedatthistimewilldefinitely affectourchancesofgettingintoagooduniversity.”
Hervoicewasfilled<b>with</b>fear<b>and</b>anxiety,clearlyshowingregret.
Stephanieletoutacolughandscolded,“There’snosurveincebackstage,sotheycan’t<b>catch</b>us.Besides,it’sMillywho’sembarrassingherself,andit’sMillywho’starnishingtheschool’sreputation.Wewon’tbetheonesfacingpunishment.”
“Butwhatif…
Stephaniewasfuriouswhenshesawherlikethis.“Whatif,whatifIfyouaresoafraid,thendon’tdoit.GivemebackthedesignerbagandjewelleryIgaveyoubefore!”
No,no.Thegirlsawhergettingangryandquicklywavedherhandstoexin.“Stephanie,don’tbeangry.Ijustsaidit.Iamstillonyourside.”
“Hmph!”Stephanie’sexpressionsoftenedslightlyas<b>she</b><b>saw</b>thegirl’sapologetic demeanour.Moneycouldmakepeopledoanything.Givethemalittlebenefit,andthey’dshamelesslydoherbidding.
Eveniftheprincipal<b>was</b><b>angry</b>andwantedtoinvestigatethoroughly,whatcouldhedo?After<b>all</b>,itwasn’therwhodidit.Hecouldn’tfindanyevidenceagainsther.
Milly,thistime,you’refinished!
Asfatewouldhaveit,StephanieandMillydrewnumberedcards 44and45.Onesecondtst,theotherwasthst.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.
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BeforeStephaniewentonstage,shehappenedtobumpintoMilly,whowaspreparinginthewaitingarea.
WhethershewasconfidentintheauditionorshesawthattherewerenoButsmembersaround<b>and</b>exposedhertruenature,anyway,shewasnolongertheweakandpitifulpersonsheusedtobe,lookingarrogant.“Milly,Ididn’texpectyoutodaretefortheaudition.”
Millyraisedaneyebrowpletelyignoringhersarcasm,“Youwenttosuchlengthstosignmeup.Wouldn’t<b>it</b>beimmatureofmenotte?”
Stephanierefusedtobackdown.“Toobad,thisspotismineforthetaking.”
Millycasuallyreplied,“Oh,whatacoincidence,soismine.
Thetwopeoplewhometona<b>narrow</b>pathrefusedtobackdown,<b>and</b>sparksflewastheireyesmet.
Theatmospherebecametenseforamoment.
Justthen,theannounceroutside called,“Next,pleaseweecontestantnumber44toperformtheballet
pieceSwanLake,andcontestantnumber45,pleasebe readyinthewings.”
Stephaniesnortedcoldlyandthenwalkedontothestage.
Soon,abeautifulmelodyfilledtheair,andthebrightstagelightsgentlyilluminatedherassheelegantlyturned,leapt,andspun.
Itmustbeadmittedthatherprofound<b>and</b>skilfulballettechniquewasevident,andsheperformedadmirably.
Meanwhile,backstage,Millywatchedtheentirebeautifulballetperformancewithherarmscrossed,<b>unable</b>toresistapuding.Theperformancewasperfect,andevenshecouldn’tfindanyfaults,especiallythefinalewhereStephaniemanagedtodo40turns,showingherprofessionalism.
Likeinthenovel,Stephanie’sperformanceamazedMr.Hawkinsintheaudience.Henoddedinapprovndturnedtothescreenwriterbesidehim,lookingquitesatisfied.
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