Don't Stop Believing Pt. 1

The Glee Club director, Mrs. Pike called my name from inside the audition room. I got up from the gang of singers practicing their songs in the waiting room and went inside. The lights were dim and it took a minute to adjust to the light. But there on the other side of the room was Mrs. Pike, sitting there in an orange and green striped shirt with a polka dotted vest. I liked Mrs. Pike a lot, she was funky and free-going. Plus she had an AH-MAZ-ING voice.

"What will you be singing today, Sonali?" Mrs. Pike said softly.
"Don't....Don't Stop Believing." I was surprised I even managed to get the words out of my mouth in her presence.
"What a beautiful song! Go right ahead, take your time." She shuffled her papers, preparing to jot notes about my singing.
I squirmed. I fidgeted. And I fumbled around in my brain to find the words to the song. "Oh, um..." I mumbled. How did the song start again?!
But I was still figuring it out when the piano man started to play the intro. OH GOD, I thought.
"Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world..." The words coming out of my mouth sounded feeble. I readied myself. I had to impress Mrs. Pike.

"The smell of wine and cheap perfume! For a smile they can share the night, it goes on and on and on and on.. strangers, waiting! Up and down the boulevard! Shadows searching in the ni-ight...."

I kept on singing until the end. By the time the song was over, I was breathless. Mrs. Pike raised one eyebrow and said, "That was beautiful, Sonali Beth. Please come back tomorrow at 4:30."

So the day after, I arrived at the auditorium thinking I had made the Glee Club. Nooooot exaaactlyyy. 20 boys and 20 girls were lined up against the stage. I joined the group of girls, all giggling nervously. They had no idea who I was.

A girl came up to me and smiled. "Hi, I'm Bridgette." She had caramel hair and eyes the color of heather. I smiled back. "I'm Sonali." I said.
"Is this your first time auditioning?" I asked Bridgette.
"No, I've been in the Glee Club for a year now, Mrs. Pike usually -"

But Bridgette was cut off as Mrs. Pike explained that she wanted us to work together to sing Give Up The Funk, all the boys AND all the girls. During the song I was pushed and shoved along by the others as I tried to do the choreography. Some of the others sounded WAAY better than me, and I spotted Bridgette singing beautifully. I faltered on the last note.
"Beautiful, everyone. I will have the results up tomorrow." And with that, Mrs. Pike fluttered out of the auditorium, leaving us all there standing like morons.