- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
FEEDBACK!!
Chapter 4

‘We got the beat, we got the beat…!’ the song on the radio blasted. I glanced at my clock, 7:30am. Hopping out of bed I sped around to get dressed and get everything in order to leave with. Finishing around 7:40 I ran to wake up Sam. One of the great things about little kids is that they take about two minutes to get ready. By 7:45 we were walking out the door and Sam was still in a daze from being up so early. The studio was only about two blocks away, thank God! Luckily we’d made it there by 7:55am; I’d never seen a bigger line in my life! I went to the last person in line and asked, “What do we do if we have a lot of dance experience? Can we just go in?” She looked at me and replied, “Yeah! We’re just extras incase they need more”, the girl gestured sarcastically. I shook my head and looked at Sam who was about to start drooling from being so tired. Obviously he was not an early riser either, something else him and I had in common. But my adrenaline had been pumping all night so I was ready to go. When we got the front of the building there were these rotating doors that make you go around in circles at the entrance. ‘Man, so tempting. Focus Syd’, I told myself. The lobby was huge and it echoed when you walked. Every thing you said rung through the building, even the tiniest whisper could sound like a normal conversation.

We made our way up to the front desk where a guy with slick hair and a cheesy French looking mustache stood. “Can I help you?” he said with a snobby accent. I looked at Sam who wanted to laugh at his face. “Yeah, dance auditions?” I replied as nicely as I could. He cleared his throat, “Do you have proof of experience? Because if you don’t you’ll have to wait with the others.” He drew every word out like a snail and gave off an ‘I’m better than you, you’re bothering me’ aura. I handed him my diploma and some recommendations from my professors I’d found wrapped along with my diploma. He scanned through them, “Mmm, okay you may go on”; he stuck his nose up and sniffed. Instead of stairs I chose the elevator. As the doors closed I said, “Snobby bastard.” Sam jerked his head up and I looked at him, “Sorry!” he just giggled. The doors opened and we walked into a large hallway. “Which way would you pick”, I said speaking to Sam while looking one way and him looking the other. “Mmmm, this way!” Sam pulled me to the right. “I hope you know where you’re going” I said unsure about this. Oddly enough we then stopped right at a door that read, ‘Dance Room’ and under that read ‘Michael Jackson tryouts’. I looked at Sam shocked and he just smiled. As we walked in I thought, ‘Wow amazing kid’.

Sam stopped and I stopped there were so many people and this room was huge. I’d only ever used the room downstairs that was like a fourth of this, if that! Dancer after dancer after dancer I saw as I scanned the room. Suddenly my eyes were transfixed on a table that four people sat behind. There was an African woman, a really skinny guy, a man whom I recognized as John Landis, and Michael Jackson. ‘Wait! What?’ I thought. I shook Sam’s arm excitedly. I bent down, “Sam! Sam! That’s Michael Jackson! Tell me you see him so I know it’s real!” I whispered and let out a quiet squeal of excitement. “I know Syd, you can stop now.” he replied. “Oh, sorry”, I said coming back to reality. I guess our entrance was noticed by the skinny guy because he gestured to us to come over there. Sam was the first to walk and yanked me along with him.
Clearly he didn’t grasp what was happening, but I was glad I brought him. When we reached the table John handed me some papers and was saying something, but I didn’t focus. I was in my own little world and every few seconds I’d glance at Michael when he wasn’t looking at me. “He’s adorable. Is he your kid?” the girl asked. I had no idea how to answer, “You could say that”; I said laughing a little on the inside. Then she rose to shake my hand, and then the skinny man, then John did the same. After John came Michael, he rose up and reached his hand out to gesture I should shake it. My eyes got wide and I couldn’t move until Sam nudged me. “Ohh excuse me, I’m sorry”, I said nervously. We embraced our hands and shook them. “No problem, good luck”, Michael said while giggling. “Okayy”, I whispered in a daze of what just happened. Sam and I walked over to the mirrored wall so I could stretch. I sat down my bags, “Ugh I’m such a numb skull” I groaned slightly hitting my forehead as well. “No you‘re not, don’t worry about it. He didn’t notice”, Sam assured me. I look worriedly at him, “How do you know?” I begged.

He rolled his eyes as I began stretching. He continued, “Because unlike you I wasn’t all ‘goo goo gaa gaa, star in eyes’ freaking out.” He said so sure of himself. I gave a weird look, “Wait a minute, last night you’d barely talk. Where’d you get this mouth, little boy?” I said half jokingly. Sam simply smiled and said, “Easy, it was the cartoons.” I was confused, “yeah the cartoons, you’re an adult who watches cartoon marathons. That’s awesome!” he said enthusiastically. “Oh I get it; it all leads back to cartoons! Wow I’m dumb, of course! How oblivious am I?” I replied sarcastically but still joking. As soon as I was done stretching we were called over to listen to John. I turned quickly, “Sit here and please don’t move kay?” I said. Sam shook his head as a yes. I gave thumbs up and rushed my way over so I wouldn’t miss a thing. He was handing some papers to everyone, “First things first. These papers are your resumes, you will fill them out the best you can. Obviously you’re here because you have experience, but we just want to know a little more about you. Have these filled out and turned in by the next tryout tomorrow. Well, Michael you wanna take it away?” John asked as he finished his informing us. The skinny man and Michael rose up together and I lost my breath for a second. They both looked at each other like ‘what are you doing?’, and then laughed. ‘His laughter sounds like Angels wings flying through a golden sky. Okay, that may have been a bit much. Scratch that, he’s got an adorable laugh. Not so psycho’, I thought.

As they were laughing still confused John said, “Not you smelly”. Michael just gave him a look and chuckled to himself, “Oh funny John, you and Quincy are real funny”, and he told him. I smiled like crazy, ‘this was great, nothing could get more perfect or go wrong’, I said to myself. “Try outs begin now”, John said. ‘Except maybe that‘. Everyone froze as Michael (Not Jackson) walked over in front of us. “Hello, for those who don’t know me I’m Michael Peters. I’ve worked with Michael”, he gestured toward the one at the table, “on the ‘Beat It’ choreography and today we will be dancing so I hope you’re ready” Michael informed us.
Yes, I was nervous as hell, but I was also excited. “You will be spilt up into three teams. Since there are quite a good bit of you the teams will be rather large”, he said. Michael (Peters) started counting all of us, “ we need eighteen backup zombies and four pop lock dancers and there’s about sixty of you. So that means twenty per team.” Counting us off us was assigned our teams. Splitting to each side of the room we listened to Michael tell us what to do. I looked at the specific spot I told Sam to stay at, he was gone. Stepping forward in front of everyone I scanned the room worriedly. When I finally saw him what I saw was almost something you could faint over. Not only did he get up and move, but he was standing next to him whispering a conversation back and forth! And by ‘him’ I mean Michael Jackson in the flesh! They were laughing, smiling and I almost shrieked at the sight of this, who knew what they were talking about? What was he doing? I had to slap my self back into reality and pay attention. “Each team will be assigned one song from ‘Thriller’ in which they will incorporate their best Michael Jackson moves.

Whenever your team is next one person step up, it doesn’t matter who”, Michael informed. Pointing to each group he gave a number and a song. “Your team is number three and your song is ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somthin’”, he said talking to my group, “let’s make it happin captin.” The music came on and group one was up. Their song was ‘Billie Jean’ and some of these dancers were pretty good, but I already knew I was better. I mean I’m not trying to sound cocky. Group two, ‘Beat It’. One dancer after dancer after dancer walked up. Then about an hour later, no joke, I was up.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks!
You must login (register) to review.