Read Online Dream Chaser by Angie Stanton - Free Book Online

didn’t you audition the first time around?” he asked.
    “Oh, I was already on the cheerleading squad.”
    “Ah, that’s right,” he nodded. “Now, let’s have Ms. Fuller run you through some warm-up scales.”
    My nerves flared again, but not as bad as before. Ms. Fuller played the chord and gave me the beat with a nod of her head. I opened my mouth and sang low, moving up the scale and back down with each note. Each set started a note higher, and I sang my way up the scale and down. Each scale sounded stronger, and I felt better even though my legs shook. Then my voice broke on a high note. I cringed and stopped.
    “Let’s hear that song now,” Tyson said.
    I opened the music again, my nerves only a tiny bit calmer.
    Ms. Fuller played the intro again. This time I came in on time, but I sounded breathy and quiet. When I got to the high note, my voice cracked, and one of the kids snorted.
    Eli was right, crash and burn. My hopes were going up in flames. The director wandered the carpeted area in front of the stage as he listened; his face a blank mask, making it impossible to read his thoughts. When I finished, he walked to the piano and spoke privately to Ms. Fuller.
    Unsure what to do, I closed the music and held it behind my back. I shifted from leg to leg and tried to pretend they weren’t talking about me, or that Eli and the others weren’t still staring.
    “Thank you, Willow,” Tyson said.
    I swallowed, embarrassed and ready to go home and hide in my room with Twinkie. With the music limp in my hand, I waited to be excused.
    Tyson turned to the peanut gallery. “Okay, you’ve been idle long enough. Let’s get Chloe and McKenna on stage with Willow.”
    Chloe and McKenna’s heads snapped up. They were as surprised by the request as I was. They took the steps on stage and looked at Tyson.
    “I’d like to see the three of you do the dream number. Just the first segment,” he said to Chloe and McKenna. “Willow, that’s the sequence Eli taught you earlier.”
    I wracked my brain to pull the sequence forward. I’d just barely learned it twenty minutes ago, and now I had to be compared to Chloe and McKenna. I stepped to the side to allow them space on stage. Chloe, a super tall blonde with a pointy nose, stood center stage and ignored me; I knew her from dance with Ms. Ginny. Chloe had been Jessica’s understudy before the pot brownie incident. That meant that she was now the lead. I had no idea what role McKenna played.
    The music played, and we ran the number. Thankfully, my nerves hadn’t wiped away my memory of the steps. Tyson watched, deep in thought. He sat and mulled for a minute and then asked to see it again. Now that I was dancing again and not singing, I embraced the situation and flowed through the lyrical steps, forgetting about the girls who danced at my side.
    “McKenna, you may take a seat,” Tyson paced and rubbed his chin. He turned and focused on Eli, who slunk low in his seat. “Eli, hop up on stage with them too.”
    Eli eased out of his seat with his head low and lumbered forward. He leapt onto the stage and took up McKenna’s former position.
    “Stand between them, please,” Tyson directed.
    Eli moved center stage. At least now the scrutiny was on the others too! We stood like specimens under a microscope. It was nice not to be the only one up here, but what was going on? Did he want to see if we could work together as dancers?
    “Let’s see that sequence again.”
    Eli groaned.
    At least I wasn’t the only one tired of this process.
    “Last time, I promise.” Tyson clicked on the music, and the three of us danced again. I became one with the music and the graceful flow of the moves. I loved the dance and wished I knew more. After performing the dance so many times, I knew I’d delivered my absolute best.
    We waited, out of breath, as Tyson looked us over. I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking. Either I was good enough to make the show or not. I’d been