Read Online Round N Around We Go (Has Cupid Gone Mad?) by Belinda Elkaim - Free Book Online Page B

tamed and
less assertive.
************
    After two trying days of
auditions, Amber and Conrad
found six potential candidates
to replace Neyo. Watching the
final chorus line on stage, they
carefully
evaluate
each
candidate but opinions are not
unanimous. Each of the dancers
has their unique strength but
none can adequately compare with
Neyo.
    “Amber,” Conrad suggests, “we
have to stop comparing them to
someone who is no longer with
us. I think Sylvester is our
best bet, he can be the next
‘Turbulent.’ But do not, and I
repeat, do not sleep with him.”
Amber is silenced.
    “Thank you everyone.” Conrad
shouts at the stage, “Sylvester,
I need you to stay on and do a
duet with Amber. Act six, scene
four. You have fifteen minutes
to prepare.”
    Conrad softens and looks at
Amber, “Let’s put your stage
chemistry to the test. Why don’t
you take a few minutes to warm
up and we’ll wait for you.”
Amber turns and mesmerizes
Conrad with her charming smile,
“Sure boss, from now on I’ll be
a good girl and listen to you.”
Unexpectedly, she leans over and
kisses Conrad on the lips for
the first time in fourteen years
of their friendship. “I think
it’s time that we put ‘us’ to a
test as well, or will that be
too risky?” She teases him,
picks up her black toe shoes and
heads off the stage.
    Stunned
speechless,
Conrad
freezes and is unable to react
to her spontaneous shower of
affection. Having waited around
for her for his entire life, he
realizes that his moment has
finally arrived and that he must
seize it before someone else
sweeps her away again. He
watches her walk onto the stage
and feels aroused by
simply
watching her.
    Maintaining
composure
and
controlling
the
exceedingly
immense joy that is brewing
inside of him, he fixates his
focus on the act and plans to
serenade her over a romantic
dinner. Casa Tua comes across
his mind and he deems it the
perfect setting to wrap up a
beautiful evening. Hoping to
make this the first day of the
rest of their lives together, he
logs onto his cell phone and
makes an online reservation
while waiting for her to warm
up.
    Sylvester’s stage presence isn’t
quite as powerful as Neyo but
Conrad detects a star in the
making. He is assured that after
a one week intensive training,
he can help unleash his dormant
potential. Stage chemistry is
present and Conrad sees that
Amber is willing to connect.
Relieved of the huge burden, he
is content to have found
Sylvester at the last given
moment. The show will go on and
he is convinced that the second
season will be equally if not
more successful than
their
first.
    The audition concludes on a
positive note and their new lead
man is found. Gentlemanly,
Conrad suggests that Amber waits
by the entrance while he fetches
the car and blissfully she
agrees.
Sylvester
insists
politely to accompany her until
Conrad
arrives
and
while
engaging in an interesting
conversation, she fails to
notice that she is being
watched.
    Across the street and adjacent
in the background, Neyo sits
irately in a black sedan and
watches her every move. He is
award of the audition and knows
instinctively that Sylvester is
his replacement. Angrily
and
restlessly, he reaches into his
pocket and brings out the very
same
brown
bottle
of
prescription, dishes out two
small tablets and swallows it.
He watches her silky locks flow
with the wind and tosses the
bottle onto the passenger seat.
    The
label
reads
LATUDA,
prescribed to treat his severe
bipolar symptoms. Attempting to
control the boiling rage and the
jealousy lurking within him, he
narrows his eyes and murmurs
spitefully as if speaking to
her. “I’m not done with you yet
Amber. We’re not done, do you
understand?”
************
    Hungrily devouring her favorite
flat noodles from a take out box
from Gigi’s in midtown, Karina
finds an unexpected guest at her
door.
    Karina