Chapter 15 #2
The table goes quiet, but not in a supportive, “wow, go chase your dreams!” way.
It’s the other kind.
The blink-blink-oh-she’s-serious kind of way.
Lana tilts her head and studies me. “All right,” she says, her voice clearly holding back amusement. I’d know. She’s not that good an actress.
Curtis gives a single sharp laugh, the kind that sounds like he didn’t mean for it to escape. He covers it with a sip of his drink, but the damage is done.
Jo smiles a little too brightly for it to be normal. “That’s… cool, Laura,” she says. “Really cool. You should go for it.”
“I will.”
“It makes sense,” Jo says to the table. “What else is she going to do while we’re all rehearsing anyway?”
I swallow down the humiliation, unable to think of a fancy retort. That’s the problem with me. I feel like I never have the right words when it counts.
Pushing back out of my chair, I clear my throat and say, “Is that the time? Gotta get back to work. See you guys in class.”
I walk away from them without looking back. I don’t want to. My cheeks heat, and the only other time I’ve felt more worthless is when the hockey team watched me serenade Scotty against my will.
Ugh. Why did I have to think about that again?
I smile at Mike when I round the bar to finish my shift, and he looks surprised. Yeah, I have ten minutes of my break left, but I’m not going to sit around and listen to those snobs lowkey diss me for the rest of it.
Besides, I have other things to think about…like how I’m going to improve my ice-skating skills enough for the judges to hear my voice.
By the time my shift ends, I’m sitting in my car, staring at my sister’s face. I could spring this on her when she gets here, but then she might not carve out enough time for me.
I blow out a breath, knowing that if I want to get this audition and prove everyone wrong, I’m going to need her on board.
I click the call button and wait for her to appear on my screen.
“Hey, sis!” she answers brightly. “I was just about to text you the flight details for next week, but you beat me to it.”
“Noelle,” I say, cutting straight to the point. “I can’t wait to see you next week! It’s been too long, but I have a huge favor to ask you while you’re here.”
She lets out a low grumble and watches me. “You’re not going to get me involved in any of those stupid pranks you do with the football team, are you? Because I have enough issues with the St. Michael’s Storm here. Namely Nick, Chase, and Jensen. They are so infuriating at times.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Nothing to do with any athletes.” Thank goodness.
Although, I think we’re close to losing our next roommate, Reign, due to Aiden’s antics.
Last week, he tossed a giant water balloon at her using a catapult bigger than him.
The poor girl was drenched through. Aiden didn’t care at all.
“I need you to teach me to skate,” I say quickly, figuring it’s a little like a Band-Aid. Ripping it off is the only way to go.
Noelle pauses for a second.
“Skate? As in ice skate?” She sounds dubious. Can’t say I’m surprised. I’ve shown no interest in the sport for a decade now.
“Yeah.”
“Am I missing something? You gave up skating for acting ten years ago. Why on earth do you want to start up now?”
Noelle can see me, and as good an actress as I think I am, she knows me better than anyone.
I sigh. “I need help for an audition.”
“Laura, I love you, which is why I’m going to be honest and say if you are going anywhere near an audition that involves ice skating, you need to run.
” I open my mouth to say something, but she stops me.
“It’s not that I don’t think you’re extremely talented and can do anything you put your mind to.
You can, but if you already need to know how to skate, I can’t teach you that in an hour. ”
I take in a sharp breath because all that hope I had is slowly starting to deflate. “I know, but it’s for Evermore on Ice. They’ll have a Princess Blanca role.”
“Oh. Well, that changes everything. You were born to sing her songs, sis.”
“I know, right? I already know her inside and out from all those princess parties. I have the voice. I just need to learn enough skating basics to get through the audition.”
“When are they?”
“In a month. I'm not aiming to be Olympic level,” I assure her. “Just good enough not to fall on my face during the audition. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to dazzle them with my singing and charisma.”
She snorts. “Your singing, maybe. Your charisma could use some work.”
Flat-lipped, I glare at her. “So could yours.”
She shrugs. “Difference is, I don’t need to schmooze people in my line of work. I get to body check them.”
Yeah, that probably is the better role for the Conners sisters.
“Okay,” she finally says. “I'll help you, but be warned, I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're my sister.
“I wouldn't expect anything less,” I say with a laugh, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders.
“And you’re still going to be terrible by the time I leave. That’s not something I can fix, but maybe I can speak to the rink and get you a teacher.”
“Thank you, Noelle. Seriously.”
“What are twins for?” She smiles. “Besides, it'll be fun to finally have you in my world for once. Love you, sis.”
“Love you, too.”
After we hang up, I smile.
This is definitely a sign, and there’s a spark of something in my chest. It’s small, but impossible to ignore.
Hope.
With Noelle’s help, this might be the role I was meant to play, and I’m not going to let anyone stand in my way of getting it.