Lies

I looked down, confused at what I was seeing, then suddenly, I was falling. The ground had seemed so close from the top of the building, but now, it was farther away then I could have ever thought possible. Let it be over soon, let it be over soon, I chanted in my head. The ground was getting closer, I closed my eyes and-1

“Melissa. Melissa, it’s morning. Rise and shine. Melissa,” the voice said as something shook me awake. I groaned and rolled over. “Melissa, it’s time to get up.”2

“Go away,” I groaned and put a pillow over my head. “Let me go back to sleep.”3

“Melissa, today’s a big day! The auditions for Peter Pan are today after school. Have you decided what you’re going to try out for?” the voice asked. Now I recognised it as my mother’s. She always woke me up in the morning, forbidding me to get an alarm clock. She said she hated alarm clocks, and that they were too loud and annoying. When I protested and said I couldn’t wake up in the morning, she simply told me she would wake me up herself.4

“Yes, I’m going to try out for Wendy,” I said, slightly muffled by my pillow. Sighing, I came out from under my pillow, and looked my mom. People always said me and my mom looked alike. We both had long, curly blond hair, we were both very tall- my mom was 6’, and I was 5’10- and we both had oval shaped faces. One of the only differences in features me and my mom had was I had big, hazel eyes, where my mom had blue eyes not quite as large as mine. “But do I have to try out?” I had been pestering my mom for weeks to let me not try out, but so far no luck. ‘You need the experience!’ was what she always replied. I tried to ask her as if this was just a one time thing, but really, I didn’t want to try out for any more plays. Ever.5

“It’s really important that you try out for this Mel. If you want to be an actress when you get older, you need to be in as many plays as possible! Besides, I heard there might be a talent scout at the auditions! If you’re good, maybe they’ll ask you to be in a movie!” I didn’t answer. I couldn’t! If I did, I might let it slip that I don’t want to be an actress! Or even worse, that I hated acting! When my mom first convinced me to audition for Beauty and the Beast, acting didn’t sound so bad. The first few months of rehearsals went without problem, but then you had to know all your lines and actions, then you had to make sure your costume fit, then this, then that. I found all this very stressful, but when I told my mom, she told me this was all part of “showbiz”.6

So I didn’t tell her I didn’t like acting ever again. I stifled a sigh. “Fine. I’m going to get ready for school now.” My mom told me not to worry, and that I was a great actress, then left me to get changed. I pulled on some random jeans, and threw on a t-shirt, then went downstairs to have breakfast. 7

*   * *8

“Hey Mel! Oh my gosh! Guess what?!” Hailey exclaimed. Hailey was very energetic, and always had something exciting to tell you. Whether it was the latest celebrity gossip, or something in her own life, or a rumour about someone else, you never knew with Hailey.9

“I have no idea, how about you tell me Hailey?” I put on a fake smile. I did like Hailey, most of the time, but I didn’t like the way she gossiped.10

“Amiee is going out with Zach! I mean, I love Amiee, but Zach? What was she thinking!”11

“I don’t know, maybe she wasn’t thinking?” I didn’t like adding to Hailey’s gossip, but sometimes it was the only way to get rid of her.12

“Maybe! I have to go tell Chloe! Bye Mel!” Hailey called as she turned to find Chloe. Chloe would appreciate this piece of information, she didn’t like Aimee, and would probably use it to do something to Aimee. I liked Aimee, she was nicer than the other girls in my “group”, she didn’t gossip as much, and she almost never made fun of anyone. Zach was what Hailey and the others would call a “geek”. He had braces, curly brown hair, and was really nice. He didn’t play any sports, so that was a definite turn-off for most girls in our group. I wonder who asked out who. I’ll have to ask Aimee next time I see her.13

The bell went off for first period to start. Everyone started to head to their classes. I waited so the hall wouldn’t be as crowded when I walked to biology.14

“Sorry, sorry!” a girls voice said from behind me as something bumped me gently. I turned to see a girl with short brown hair, and brown eyes. She was about the same height as me, and was carrying a shoulder bag. She said sorry again, then started hurrying to her class. I started walking to biology.15

* * *16

“Would everyone trying out for Peter Pan please come up to the front, and get your scripts!” Christy Winters said, the director of most of the plays I’ve been in. I walked to the front of the room, and grabbed a script. I looked at the lines Wendy played, familiar from reading Peter Pan over and over again at my mother request. I looked up to see who else was trying out, and I noticed the girl who bumped me today was here. She was looking at her script intently, and I wondered who she was trying out for. Maybe she’s trying out for Wendy too! Maybe she’ll get the part, and I won’t have to be in this play! If she does, I’m going to tell mom I don’t want to try out for plays anymore. I promised myself. “Once you get your scripts, find a partner, and practice with them!” Christy called.17

I wondered if I should find someone to practice with, or wait for someone to ask me. Before I could ponder for too long, someone came up to me and said, “Do you want to practice with me?” It was the girl who bumped me again. I nodded, and we found a place to practice our lines.
“So who are you trying out for?” I asked.18

“Mary Darling, what about you?” she replied.19

“Wendy. We could practice this part,” I said, pointed a scene on the table of contents. She agreed, and we started practicing. She was really good, soon after we started practicing. She said all her lines with emotion, and clarity. She was a much better actress than me. “You’re so good at acting! Why are you only trying out for Mary?” I said after we had finished the scene.20

“I don’t know, I like Mary’s character. I thought she was a good mom,” she shrugged.21

“But you’re so good! Why don’t you try out for Wendy or something?” I insisted.22

“I don’t know, I guess I didn’t want to be the main character.” I still didn’t understand why she didn’t try out for Wendy if she had so much talent, but I let it go for the moment. 23

After everyone was done practicing, the auditions started. Many girls were there to try out for Wendy, but I didn’t think many of them were any good. Too bad, now I have a chance at being Wendy. I couldn’t do bad purposely, because my mom was watching and she’d be disappointed if I purposely did bad. So when it was my turn, I gave it my all. I didn’t know what the people watching me thought, but I hoped it was that I was bad. 24

After me was the girl who bumped me, I finally found out her name, which was Sidney. As she said her lines, I was blown away by how awesome she was at acting. She made me believe she was Mary, not some pretending to be her. When she was done, the room was quiet for a second, then everyone burst into applause. She smiled, did a slight bow, and went back to her seat. 25

Sidney was the last person to audition, and we were dismissed after Christy told us we would be contacted by Thursday at the latest. I ran to catch up to Sidney, so I could congratulate her. 26

“Wait!” I called when I was close enough for her to hear. “Sidney!” I called again when she paused. “Great job! Everyone loved you! I’m sure your going to get the part!”27

“Thanks! I was really nervous. You were great too! I’m sure you’ll get the part!”28

“I hope I do!” I said in my fake cheery voice. She smiled, waved good-bye, and walked away. I turned and walked to my mom, where she was waiting by her car.29

“You were great! I’m sure you’re going to get the part!” I didn’t comment, and stepped into the car.30

* * *31

That night, while laying in my bed, I thought about how my life was before I tried out for Beauty and Beast. That was 5 years ago, when I was 10. Before Beauty and Beast, I almost never lied to anyone. Now I lied on a daily basis. Before Beauty and the Beast, I was friends with who I wanted to be with, not a bunch of girls who my mom think are a “good influence”. Too bad she doesn’t know what they’re really like. Before Beauty and the Beast, I was myself. Now I’m who everyone else wants me to be. I miss my life before Beauty and the Beast, I miss being me. "My life was beautiful once", what a great quote, and it's so true. I sighed and turned to go to sleep.