Audition (Part 5)

In Nicole's hand, the once beautiful rose crumbled to bits.

From her hand, a small trail of red slowly slid down startling the judges as one almost sprung out of his seat.

Nicole hadn't just crushed the flower, she had also broken the stem, and like all roses, this one had thorns; as beautiful as it was dangerous. It was just like the love it represented.

The girl before her had shown the love befitting her crown beautiful and sweet; a princess and a prince under love's spell.

But when it was her turn could she portray that kind of love? NO!

The answer was she could never again. Though she thought she had prepared herself, when Anderson walked in, she couldn't control herself.

She couldn't act!

All kinds of emotions sprung up from within; sadness, betrayal, loss but above all she was confused. Unlike her sister's, she couldn't feel anything negative from Anderson's gaze, it was even a little warm and had hints of caring and doting.

She couldn't understand, how could someone who look at her with such a gaze, be capable of betraying her?

When he handed her the rose, he even lightly caressed her hand as comfort when he saw her stiffen up.

The concern in his eyes at that moment couldn't be fake, so what had happened?

She hated him but couldn't understand him. She couldn't do anything but suppress all the emotions, all the questions, everything, deep inside her.

She hid everything behind a mask and accepted the rose.

She wouldn't reveal any emotion. She had to prevent them from all flooding out, out of her control. Even if it hurt her chances in the audition she didn't care. She had to protect herself.

Still as an actress she knew she was performing poorly.

During their performance, the actress must always be in character, for her to act like this, if it was during filming the director would have already given her an NG (Not Good).

She could only get away with it this long because it was an audition and since there was no script the judges were more lenient.

Normally, someone would panic after such a blunder but Nicole though her career ended prematurely was still a seasoned veteran. Still, she he had to do something to catch their attention to make up for that blunder or she would be out.

An actor's job was to convince and she just had to convince the judges that this was part of the audition.

Nicole was an actress, and she was going to show everyone present today, just what that meant.

Nicole slowly raised her hand, the look in her eyes still dull but now an aura of bleakness surrounded her, anyone who looked at her would feel heartbroken. Her eyes were dull and lost as if missing a part of her soul.

The thin drop of blood slid off her hand and lightly landed on the floor with a *drip*.

In the quiet room that sound became all the more apparent. As if startled awake by it, Nicole's eyes shook for an instant before she slowly opened her clenched hand. Out of it, petals dropped to the ground scattering around her leaving only two lone petals.

As if a pair made for each other they sat together quietly on her palm but as it was not meant to be one of the petals was swept off her palm.

Nicole moved forward to grab it but missed it slightly and could only watch as it tumbled to the ground.

It was lost in the other petals.

Nicole stared at where it landed lost before finally bringing her gaze back to the lone petal on her hand.

Another *drip* sounded but this time it wasn't from her hand but landed on her hand. A tear had landed on the petal.

Nicole looked up slightly alarmed. She raised a trembling hand towards her face in disbelief and sadness.

Her face now looked breath-taking. A beauty in tears was always a moving sight and even more so for Nicole. The lost and hurt expression on her face would cause even the hardest heart to feel pain for this beauty.

Nicole's had chosen another kind of love to portray for this audition. One not sweet but bitter.

As they watched this some of the contestant's eyes were red moved by Nicole's acting. Veronica saw all of this and hatred and envy became more pronounced in her eyes as she watched her sister.

Why? Why? Why?!

Why is Nicole good at everything?

How is she not as good as her sister?

Why does her sister always get everything good?