Break A Leg

Would she be able to get along with anyone when half of the new recruits knew her as someone who would insult them, whilst the other half recognized her as the crazy lady who trespassed a private room?

Yes, it turned out that all of them were present that day. And they got to watch such an interesting show. Like how Evelina was prideful and a down right wretched person.

Bad views of her in mind, whatever relationship West advised her to try to build with her possible peers was thrown out of the window.

Apparently, the first step for beginners was to introduce themselves in the circle. They made them choose between the most creative way of introduction, which is acting, or a completely boring way- the usual one. Having received negative feedback on her acting skills because she was 'too stiff' and she 'wasn't convincing anyone that she's happy about the line', Evelina chose the latter. So did the two humans beside her.

It was two against three. Defeated, the two new witches settled in their favor.

"Hi, I'm Patrick," his voice was snobby, his head held high. He proceeded to tell them how he was from another troupe in Eldham and that all of them there were witches, too. "I decided to join another when I saw the performance in town. It was bewitching, something more than what my former group can do. And I've been there my whole life, so I decided that maybe it's time to take a step forward in this art."

Evelina quickly got tired of listening to his chatter of how he was once the star performer even at such a young age of eighteen. She had no issue with it, though. That is until, "But what is she doing here?"

Oh, help her.

It was clearly directed at Evelina, and she couldn't help but grimace.

Hellen smiled forcefuly, leading the conversation away from the question. "Is that all? If it is, shall we proceed to-?"

"Freeda. I love almost everything," and the lady told the circle how anything literally makes her happy. Be it acting, singing, dancing, writing, and costume designing. Especially costume designing. It felt a bit impossible to classify her as a witch (but she is), and Evelina would have considered her blood too pure for this world if the girl did not dare ask about her. "Aren't you the lady who threw a tantrum?"

"She also trashed the inn's counter."

"Oh."

The safe space of the circle was supposed to do its thing. To make her feel safe. But the embarrassment she was feeling kept on growing when almost everyone who had their turn talking kept on asking about her.

Curse the safe space!

Evelina was next as she was sitting beside the cheerful girl.

She looked around the room. Five pairs of eyes stared back at her, waiting for her to say something. Maybe answer their questions. But what did she have to tell them? Should she introduce herself first or tell them that she was sorry about the other day? And what if she was not? What would the point be?

"I'm Evelina," and I'm a vampire, she thought. But she did not feel comfortable enough to tell them what she was.

They waited for more but she was already silent, ignoring their longing gazes. Knowing that she would say no more, Hellen coughed to get everyone's attention back to her. She then gave Sybil, who was far beside Evelina, an encouraging nod.

Sybil muttered her name through her quiet voice. Her face was red and she wasn't meeting anybody's eyes when she told them how she was not aware that they were witches. This made Evelina hide a grin as she was proven right with her judgement. It was the child who took offense with what she said, she did not make her cry.

Her brother, Royce, shot Evelina a daggering glare. The vampiress raised an eyebrow in return.

Whatever that human might think, he does not scare her.

"Now that we're done with the introductions, it's time for our next activity!" Hellen said as cheerfully as she could. She passed a basket, the same evergreen-made basket from before, towards Royce. "Written in a piece of parchment that you may get will be the roles assigned to you. Royce, what did you get?"

"A...bench?"

Hellen grinned. "Great! Then you'll have to act like one."

What?

The basket was passed to Evelina and she picked up the last piece of parchment inside.

'Tree'

Confused, she raised a hand. "This is ridiculous. How do we act as inanimate objects?"

Hellen clicked her tongue. "A very good question. Of course, we'll figure that out once we get to the stage."

Our stage? They definitely do not have a stage there inside the room. The only stage she remembered them using is...

Hellen called for the other members. Four people entered the room, three of them held familiar faces.

One was Giles who smiled at the recruits, the charm from being the male lead radiating. Nelle was not as naggy as she was then when Evelina first encountered her. In fact, she was avoiding the vampiress' gaze while still managing to look confident on her feet. There was another woman there, probably older than Nelle. But she was beautiful. Her brown eyes held seduction in them like it was more natural to her than Evelina's. Laughing beside her was West.

When the man caught sight of her, he quickly made his way toward her.

"So how was it?"

Evelina shrugged. "I'm either bored or irritated. Take your pick."

"Well, things are bound to get exciting from here!"

West's voice bears a promise. And while he seemed giddy about it, it made Evelina a bit tense.

Soon, the five members were paired with their assigned recruits. Nelle with Patrick, Giles with Royce, Hellen with Sybil, Leila- the pretty lady- with Freeda; and of course, Evelina with West. How very expected of them.

"Our activity would consist of the new recruits improvising a drama with their given roles." Hellen announced. Panicked looks were shared across the room but were ignored by the girl. "There will be two levels. The first one being with your pair. Find a spot in Eldham where you act out your roles. If the member with you becomes satisfied with your performance, then you will proceed to the next level."

Blast the bats, Evelina refused to perform in public!

"The second level," Hellen continued. "would be on the stage, with your peers. Build an improvised story with your roles. This time, we'll be inviting townspeople to watch you perform."

West leaned in to whisper, "Don't worry, you lot will be wearing masks so you wouldn't be recognized by anyone."

Would the mask take away the shame that she was about to receive both from herself and from the people? What difference would it make from the one she felt a few days ago, when she was rejected? No, she didn't like the idea at all.

"That's it! Break a leg, everyone!"