Chapter 35: Cut My Hand Off!

Chapter 35: Cut My Hand Off!

At that moment, the boy next to Emma stared at her face, which had haunted his nightmares for days, his eyes filled with despair.

If he had known, he would have preferred last place over second.

Emma sympathetically patted Aiden, "Cheer up, boy. Life is long. This setback is nothing!"

Aiden took a deep breath, suppressing his rage, "Shut up!"

Emma finally stopped teasing him, laying on the desk to catch up on sleep. The previous nights had exhausted her.

After everyone settled, Lisa Liang spoke, "The exams are over, but there's an important matter. The school is holding a performance for the visiting school leaders, and every class must present a program.

Last class meeting, we decided our class would perform 'Snow White.' Aiden is playing the prince, but we haven't chosen the female lead, Snow White."

Hearing about the performance, the girls' eyes lit up.

The girls had been fighting over the lead role for a while.

The female lead hadn't been decided because the girls fought so hard over it.

Many students had influential backgrounds, leading to fierce battles, even buying votes and threatening classmates. Lisa Liang was overwhelmed, so she postponed the decision until after exams.

She decided the fairest way was to draw lots.

"To be fair and give everyone a chance, I've decided to draw lots for the female lead. No objections to the result!" Lisa announced.

"Teacher, I agree!"

"I agree too, let's draw lots!"

Most students supported the decision, happy for a fair chance.

Only the girls who had better chances were unhappy, especially the class beauty, Carol Chen, who was often paired with Aiden.

Lisa breathed a sigh of relief, having the class president write all the girls' names on slips of paper and put them in a box.

"Aiden, you draw," Lisa said.

This way, the girls couldn't complain about bias.

The girls nodded eagerly.

Wow! The heartthrob himself drawing! If I get chosen...

The class president held the box out to Aiden.

Aiden, sulking, reluctantly drew a slip and handed it over without looking.

The class president took the slip, feeling the girls' intense stares.

"Aiden drew..." the class president opened the slip.

Suddenly, he froze, staring at the slip in shock.

Noticing his expression, Aiden frowned.

The class president's look gave him a bad feeling...

The class president dared not look at Aiden or the girls, swallowing nervously, "The female lead is... Emma... Emma Roberts..."

"What did you say?" Aiden snatched the slip.

There it was, "Emma Roberts" clearly written.

Emma, woken by the noise, wiped drool from her mouth, sleepily looking at her deskmate, "What's going on..."

Aiden stared at her horrifying face, "..."

I want to cut my hand off!

---

The classroom buzzed with shock and disbelief. The girls who had been vying for the role of Snow White were visibly upset, and a murmur of discontent spread through the room.

Carol Chen, unable to contain her frustration, stood up. "This must be a mistake! Emma Roberts as Snow White? That's ridiculous!"

Lisa Liang raised a hand to calm the class. "The drawing was fair and witnessed by everyone. Emma Roberts will be our Snow White. We must respect the results."

Emma, still half-asleep, blinked in confusion. "Snow White? Me?"

Aiden, his face a mix of horror and resignation, looked at her and muttered, "Yes, you."

Realizing what had happened, Emma's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, I'm playing Snow White?"

The room fell silent as everyone awaited her reaction. Emma's initial surprise turned into a bemused smile. "Well, I guess this will be interesting."

Aiden groaned inwardly, unable to believe his bad luck. "Interesting? This is going to be a disaster."

Ignoring the tension, Lisa clapped her hands. "Alright, everyone. Rehearsals start tomorrow. I expect full participation and cooperation from everyone. Let's make this performance a success."

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. As the students packed up their things, Emma glanced at Aiden. "Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together."

Aiden sighed. "Yeah, lucky me."

---

The next day, the rehearsals began. The classroom was transformed into a makeshift stage, with props and costumes scattered around. Emma and Aiden stood at the center, surrounded by their classmates.

Lisa Liang took charge, assigning roles and giving instructions. "Alright, let's start with the first scene. Aiden, as the prince, you will find Snow White lying in the glass coffin. Emma, you will be Snow White, of course."

Emma stepped forward, taking her place in the mock coffin. Aiden approached hesitantly, trying to suppress his irritation.

As the rehearsal progressed, it became clear that Emma had a natural talent for acting. Despite her initial reluctance, she threw herself into the role with surprising enthusiasm. Her portrayal of Snow White was both charming and convincing, leaving her classmates impressed.

Aiden, however, struggled to hide his discomfort. Playing the prince meant he had to interact closely with Emma, and their past animosity made it difficult.

During a break, Samantha Green approached Emma with a grin. "You're doing great, Emma! Who knew you had such acting chops?"

Emma laughed. "Thanks, Sam. I never thought I'd be playing Snow White, but I'm starting to enjoy it."

Samantha winked. "And it doesn't hurt that you get to annoy Aiden in the process."

Emma glanced at Aiden, who was sitting alone, looking frustrated. "Yeah, that's a bonus."

---

As the days went by, Emma and Aiden's dynamic began to shift. The more they rehearsed together, the more they learned to tolerate each other. Their initial hostility gave way to a begrudging respect, and they found themselves working well as a team.

One afternoon, after a particularly good rehearsal, Aiden approached Emma. "You know, you're not as terrible as I thought."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Is that your way of saying I'm doing a good job?"

Aiden smirked. "Don't push it. But yeah, you're not bad."

Emma smiled. "Thanks, Aiden. And don't worry, I won't go easy on you. I plan to stay at the top."

Aiden smirked, "Good. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Their friendly competition continued, driving both of them to excel. Emma's journey had taken a dramatic turn, and she knew there were more challenges ahead. But with each step, she grew stronger, more confident, and more determined to succeed.

Emma Roberts was no longer the girl at the bottom of the class. She had proven her worth and earned her place at the top. And she was ready to face whatever came next, knowing she had the strength and resilience to overcome any obstacle.

---

The night of the dress rehearsal finally arrived. The classroom had been transformed into a small stage, complete with props and costumes. The students were excited, their energy palpable.

Emma stood backstage, her heart pounding. She peeked through the curtain and saw Logan Black sitting in the front row. Her breath caught in her throat. He was here to watch the rehearsal.

Aiden noticed her anxiety and nudged her. "Hey, you okay?"

Emma nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, just nervous."

Aiden gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll do great. Just remember, it's just a rehearsal."

Emma nodded again, trying to calm her nerves. She knew she had to focus and give her best performance, not just for herself, but to prove to Logan that she could handle this.

The rehearsal began, and Emma threw herself into her role as Snow White. She and Aiden performed flawlessly, their chemistry undeniable. The other students watched in awe, impressed by their dedication and talent.

As the rehearsal came to an end, the students erupted into applause. Emma felt a wave of relief and pride wash over her. She had done it. She had proven herself once again.

Logan approached her after the rehearsal, his expression unreadable. "You were amazing, Emma."

Emma smiled, her heart swelling with pride. "Thank you, Logan."

Logan's eyes softened, and he pulled her into a hug. "I'm proud of you."

Emma hugged him back, feeling a sense of accomplishment and joy. She had faced her fears and emerged victorious. She knew there were more challenges ahead, but she was ready to face them with Logan by her side.