7 The Audition

Wow ang haba ng pila sa audition na ito. Pumasok kami sa room at nakita sila. May mga lalaki nanakaupo sa carpeted floor ng room sa isang sid, mga dancers pala nila yun. Kinakabahan ako kasi madaming manonood at baka mapahiya ako. "Hi Stella, welcome sa audition" bati sa akin ni Yeong. Nakipagkamayan siya sa akin at bumalik sa side nila. Sasama na sana ako papunta sa side kaso pinigilan ako ni Dylan at sabi niya magstay lang daw ako dito sa harap. "Okay" nagtatakang sabi tapos binigyan. "Please state your name and age" sabi sa akin ni Yeong na may hawak na microphone. Napansin ko rin na lahat sila ay may hawak na mic sa side nila Dylan at nandoon din si Vinny katabi niya si Damien na parehos na nagchecheer ng tahimik para sa akin. "Hello my name is Stella Star Aquaria and I am 19 years old" bigkas ko sa mic. "What will you do for us today?" tanong ni Makoto. "I will be singing a song that I wrote called the SeaSide" Inilabas ko yung lyrics at ang mga chords. Binigay sa akin ang guitar na nasa gilid. Di nako nagdala ng guitara kasi alam ko na isang malaking studio room ang pupuntahan ko. Sinumulan ko na mag-strum ng guitara. Sa una palang ito ay mabagal tapos pabilis ito ng pabilis...

(opening instrumental)

"I open my eyes,

To see the shore;

And you're standing there"

"I walked up to you ,

And kissed your cheek;

We walked hand in hand"

"Come run with me

And feel the ocean breeze;

I'll sail with you

And we'll rock the sea;"

"We'll dive together

And share all the treasure;

I'll get the pearl to show

How much I love you"

"Sea Side" (x4)

(instrumental)

Napatingin ako kay Dylan ng kinakanta ko yung chorus. Nakita ko siyang naka nga-nga at nakita ito ni Makoto then he lift his jaw back up again. Finally Dylan noticed me looking at him and he gave me an adorable smile that caused me to smile back while strumming. Then I continued to my second verse and repeated the chorus then end my audition. I received a lot of applause. The whole SailorZ group along with the main officers of the group with my friend Vinny except for Juliette, stand and clapped for my performance. I really can't believe that they liked my song. Then everyone settled down all eyes are at the panel of officers. "What's the answer mateys?" Yeong shouted. I became nervous what they're going to say. "Aye Aye Yezzerie!" all together they shouted except for Juliette. Yeong announced "Welcome to the SailorZ, Stella" Yeong, Damien, Dylan, Vander and Makoto said it in unison. I thanked them for welcoming me to another group. They invited me to sit with them in the panel I sat in between of my best friends Vinny and Damien. "You're so lucky to get the spot" Damien whispered. "Why is that?" I asked. "Ehh tatlong slots ang pinagauaudition ng mga girls, you're too lucky to get the first one" bigla na lang ako napaisip. "Bias judgement ba ito Damien?" Napatanong ko tuloy yun. "Huh? no, it's not bias don't worry" sabay akbay sa akin ng mahigpit at bumitaw din siya't bumalik sa dati niyang posisyon ng pagupo niya. "May standards kami dito so alam namin kung sino ang worthy para sa slot nila sa group" itatanong ko sana kung ano iyon pero pinigilan niya ko magsalita at sinabi niya na malalaman ko mamaya, kailangan daw kasi kasama na daw ang dalawang girls na nakakuha ng slot. Naaawa ako noong pinapanood ko yung audition malalaman kasi pag hindi siya pinili for the slot. Sasabihin nila 'We will contact you or just see the results of the audition that will be posted' binibigyan nila ng false hope ang mga girls... baka may dahilan ang pag ayaw nila, madami kasing magagaling din eh pero eks ang nakuha. Maya-maya nakahanap na sila ng babae na fit para sa slot. Siya ay si Debbie magaling siya kumanta at magsulat ng lyrics kaya siya napili at hindi siya yung katulad ng iba na kitang kita ang saya sa pagpunta ng audition dahil nakikita nila ang idol nila. "Alam mo na siguro kung bakit andami naming tinatanggihan" sabi sa akin ni Damien na parang binabasa ang isip ko. Napatango na lang ako at pinanood ko ang babae nakakapasok lang para magaudition. Ang ganda niya... Kasing-ganda ng mga sirena na makikita mo sa mga pelikula. Magaling din siya kumanta, magsulat at sumayaw. Parang nahiya ako na ito lang ang kaya ko para sa slot na ito. Ang pangalan ng babae ay Zaya at siya ang babae na nakakuha ng huling slot. Nang ipinakilala na kami ng maayos sa lahat ng members. Kinuha ni Vander ang microphone at nagtanong "Stella at Debbie marunong ba kayong sumayaw?"napatingin silang lahat sa aming dalawa na nasa gitna pati si Zaya napatingin sa amin. "Kaya ko naman sumayaw" sabi ni Debbie. Di ko alam ang sasabihin ko kaya wala akong masabi . Kinuha ni Dylan yung microphone "Stella can you dance?" he gives me that pleading look, eyes are filled with hope without hesitation I said yes.

"Let's put on the music then!!!" Heather shouted proudly, the audience roars and she plays the song Follow The Leader by Jeniffer Lopez. "Let's give it up for Z-Z-Z-Z-ZAYA!!!!!" Heather announces through the microphone. Then she starts to dance. She looks like she owns the floor when she dances, very sexy and energetic... Totally impossible for me to be like her. She gets applause when she did her bow. "Let's give it up for D-D-D-D-D-DEBBIE!!!!" the music is called Conga by Gloria Estefan, she dances too but not all out like Zaya. Damn I might be the worst dancer ever... She gets an applause too and bows while laughing totally embarrassed of dancing in front of them. "And our last dancer for today let's give it up for S-S-S-S-STELLA!!!!" Zaya pushed and encouraged me that I can do it. Then I hear the music that is playing. The music that it is playing is called Chichiquitta by Jessica Jay. I remembered that when I was small that music is played and my MaLa was young she taught me a dance, a mermaid dance, it's a dance for girls who call the oceans and bodies of waters for help and guidance. So I danced.

................................................................

She dances so graceful, so flexible, so cute, so sexy- "Eyy Dylan, like how she dances?" Vander teases me. "Shut up Vander someone might hear you and make it a big deal" I sound annoyed but still awed on how she dances. Her dance is so familiar but I can't recall what this is called. But I do know that it is related to bodies of water like the sea. The music ends then she bows. She got an applause too but I see there are guys in an audience that are full of dancers, some are looking at her like snack. I'm getting interrupted again by Vander "Hey Dylan, Zaya is hot right? I mean look at her" I saw rubbing his hands like a maniac. "Dude you gotta stop that joke about rubbing your hands it looks so inappropriate" he looked at me "Really?" he said. "Yeah I think that's why you're still single lol" he scoffed and replied "Whatever dude". Yeong dismisses everyone except for me, Damien, Stella, Zaya and Debbie because we need to discuss to them what are the standards and how will this work. Speaking of Stella I wonder who she is... She really makes me feel butterflies in my stomach. I must push the feelings away first, I need to talk to her.

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I went home with a smile on my face and checked on MaLa if she's asleep. Yeah she is asleep. I grabbed snacks from the kitchen and run up again upstairs to go to my room to relax. When I reached my bedroom, I placed the snacks on the table and I suddenly looked at my bed to see a necklace that has a big seashell too. It smells fresh. I wonder where it came from. I wore it then I became dizzy...