61The sixteen girls moved with precision. Their timing was almost perfect now. They had been practicing the dance for almost a month, and now they were ready to perform.
A group of guys stood on the sidelines, whistling at the girls and cheering until the instructor chased them away.
"Who do ya think's the best?" asked Mark.
"Best looking or best dancer?"
"Umm...both."
"Jamie's the best looking," Lucas decided.
"Naw, it's Kim."
"You guys are both crazy, it's Audrey. She's the best looking AND the best dancer."
"A little louder Pete, I don't think Chase heard you."
The group fell silent as Chase Marsden approached. However, he walked right by them. He was only interested in one person in the room.
Once he was out of earshot, the conversation continued. "Word on the street is that Marsden's losing it." Mark whispered.
"Whaddya mean?" Lucas asked.
"Well, I heard from Jim Green that's he's been drinking a lot, once even on school property. And my girlfriend said him and Audrey have been fighting a lot lately. I guess that drove our boy to drink." Mark smiled. Chase was his biggest competitor for the Best Actor award; he hoped the rumors were true.
"Idiot. That's an automatic expulsion," mumbled Pete under his breath. The Manhattan Young Stage Performer's Academy had a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. Any student found to be under the influence of, or possessing either drugs or alcohol, was immediately expelled. It was a very stiff policy, but everybody knew that this was the best high school in New York for aspiring Broadway actors. This was a school only for those who were very serious about their dream to become stage actors, which was why its policies were so stringent.
That was why Pete was so surprised at Chase's rumored behavior. If he was kicked out of the Academy, his acting career would be over before it had even begun. A student getting kicked out was so rare that it would probably be in the newspapers. In fact, Pete couldn't remember the last time anyone was kicked out.
"Chase is such a moron. He's gonna throw away his career, and for what? A few drinks?! Idiot!" Pete realized that all the guys had stopped talking and were staring at him.
"Calm down, calm down, Pete. Audrey'll be back up for grabs after he gets booted," Mark said cheerfully. Just the thought of Chase Marsden being expelled made his spirits rise. I can see that Best Actor award already, he thought.
- -
Audrey prayed that someone would mess up. She even considered messing up herself, so that they would have to rehearse the dance again. But no, they were the 16 best dancers in the whole junior class, and they had been practicing for a month now. No one was going to mess up.
Finally, the moment Audrey was dreading came. The music drew to a close. "Good job girls! I think we'll be ready in plenty of time for the showcase." Tina, their instructor, encouraged them. The girls divided up, most of them heading for the showers.
I guess there's no point in putting it off, Audrey thought. I have to talk to him at some point. But this time, I'm not giving in. Not unless he meets me halfway.
Chase had headed towards her as soon as the dance was over. Now he was by her side, and a smile almost involuntarily came to her face. She had been dating Chase for more than two years now, and she loved him, despite the fact that she was supposed to be mad at him. Audrey, what's wrong with you? she thought. You're supposed to be mad at him, not smiling like he just won Boyfriend of the Year!
"Why didn't you call me?"
"It's nice to see you too, Chase."
"I'm sorry, Audrey, I was just worried cause I called your house five times and you didn't call back so I thought-"
"Could we talk about this later?" Audrey noticed that several of her classmates who had been headed for the showers were now casually hanging around the dance studio, and she didn't want to make a spectacle of herself.
"I really need to talk to you," Chase said, his eyes pleading.
Audrey sighed. She wished she had a switch that could turn off her feelings; but she didn't, and she was still madly in love with Chase.
" I don't want to put on a show," she said, gesturing towards their lingering classmates.
"Let's go outside," Chase suggested, grabbing Audrey's arm and pulling her towards the door. Audrey heard the other girls sighing. They wouldn't have any hard evidence, so they would have to invent their own gossip.
They walked outside, and stood on the sidewalk in front of the school. "So why are you ignoring me all of a sudden?" He asked.
Audrey sighed. "Chase, I just- I don't know what's going on with you lately. When we first started dating, you took this all seriously, but now...you got kicked out of the play because you didn't show up for practice, and you're about to fail Dramatic Acting, so you might not even graduate on time! What happened to the guy I started dating?"
"Oh, so you're mad because I'm not a good actor anymore?"
"No, I'm worried because I know you're a good actor, but you're not giving it your all. What's going on?"
"Look, Audrey, I've just been going through a lot of stuff lately. I know I haven't been doing as well in my classes but-"
"Tell me what's going on."
"Don't worry about it; I can deal with it."
Audrey looked at Chase for a long time. "That's not what being in a relationship is about. We're supposed to help each other with our problems, not hide from each other. But that's all you've been doing. I know something is wrong, but you won't let me help you!"
"I'm sorry, baby-" Chase moved forward to close the gap between them.
Audrey put up her hand and backed away. "No. I never wanted our relationship to be this way, hiding everything from each other-"
"I'm not hiding everything from you!"
"No, but you're hiding the important things. Something's bothering you enough to make you mess up you're entire senior year, and you won't tell me what. I want to help you, but you're shutting me out of a huge portion of your life." Audrey bowed her head for a moment. God, this was hard. She didn't want to say this, but knew she had to. "I can't help you, and I don't want to get in the way of someone else helping you. I think maybe we should spend some time apart-"
Chase's eyes widened in shock. "Are you breaking up with me?" he asked, panicked.
"No, but right now this relationship isn't what either of us needs. We could just take a couple months, and maybe after that decide if we still want to be together."
"But Audrey, it's what I need. I need you. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Well for the past few weeks it's been like we haven't even been in a relationship. You ignore me, yell at me, and then all of a sudden you decide you want to be a boyfriend again?"
"I'm sorry; I'm sorry about all that, Audrey. I've just been really stressed-"
"And what happens the next time you're stressed? You won't talk to me, so we'll just be doing this same thing all over again!"
"No we won't; things will be different, I promise."
Audrey sighed wearily. "No they won't. You still- you don't trust me. After two years of dating, you still won't confide in me. I just can't be in a relationship like that." Audrey began to walk away.
"No! Audrey, wait." Chase said. He just wanted her to stop, so he could try and talk her out of this. She was the only good thing he had left; he couldn't lose her.
But unfortunately, he didn't know what to say. He had been completely blindsided by her speech, and hadn't had time to prepare a defense for himself. When Audrey realized he wasn't going to say anything, she continued walking.
He ran after her and grabbed her arms, stopping her. "Audrey please don't leave. I love you, and I can't- I can't do this without you. I'm sorry I can't tell you what's wrong, but you have to trust me."
"Remember that night after we all went on the boat trip?" Chase nodded. He knew what she was about to say. "Remember what you promised me that night?" He nodded, but she continued anyway. "That we would always trust each other, always talk to each other about our problems. I really thought you meant that, but I see that I was wrong." she tried to walk away, but he was still holding her arms.
Chase was frantic. He wouldn't, couldn't tell her what the problem really was. He knew she would break up with him for sure if she found out. She had once told him that it was one thing she would absolutely not tolerate. He couldn't tell her that! He had to get her back, somehow, without telling her the truth.
"Audrey, please! You know I love you, and that I wouldn't keep anything away from you if I could help it. But, I can't tell you this; you just have to trust me on this one, okay?"
She was silent for a moment. He could tell she was undecided. "Audrey, please. I love you. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you as my girlfriend. I need you, Audrey. Please don't leave."
Audrey could feel her resolve crumbling. She had been determined this morning that she was going to take some timew away from him, but that was before she had stood in front of him, seen the hurt look in his eyes. She loved Chase, and she didn't want to break up with him. Maybe things will be different, she thought. Maybe he'll handle this on his own, and then we'll be okay again. He can tell me when he's ready.
Don't give up this easily! a voice in her head said. He's dealing with something huge, and what kind of relationship will you have if he's hiding something like that from you? But I love him! she argued with herself.
Chase could see the battle that was going on inside her. He had to win her over; he absolutely could not let her leave him. He needed her!
He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head. "I love you, Audrey," he said, hoping, praying that she would respond.
She was silent for a moment, then she said, "I love you too, Chase."