WAR

The Cinderella audition results were apparently posted in the middle of fourth period today – when I was in Biology with Meg and Mia was falling asleep in Algebra. The moment we catch wind that the cast list is up when we enter the cafeteria, Mia wastes no time in dragging Meg and I by our ears to the main rotunda where the Drama Club bulletin board is.

As if we would have said no if she asked us nicely.

Mia is about ready to bite her hands off with anxiety as she approaches the board, shaking. A few people are standing about, pointing out names and talking, but I don’t think Mia hears any of them. One of her hands is squeezing the circulation out of my arm, and other is squeezing the circulation out of Meg’s. We don’t complain though – this is Mia’s big moment, the moment she’s been obsessing about since she auditioned.

“It’s going to be fine, Mimi,” Meg assures her as Mia looks for the main cast list. “You’re an amazing actress no matter what happens, all right?”

Mia says nothing. Her jaw is locked in place, her spectacularly emotional chocolate eyes blazing with determination that won’t go away until she finds the conclusion Ms. Lewis reached. I don’t bother attempting to soothe her, because I know it won’t work.

Finally, Mia finds the top of the cast list hidden under a flyer for the final performance in November.

The first name we see is Cinderella’s, but next to it is not Mia’s name. It is Jessica Landers.

Mia releases a feral growl – one I’ve never heard from her before that completely startles me – as she quickly checks the rest of the list. I peek over her head so I can see too; but neither of us can see Mia’s name. She didn’t even make understudy. Ms. Lewis didn’t cast her in the play.

We are silent as we stare at the bulletin board, a plethora of emotion passing across Mia’s usually sunny face as Meg and I exchange glances, wondering what to do about this. What can we do? Mia is going to take this badly, and once Mia’s stuck on a course of action, Meg and I have had a hard time changing her opinion.

“I’m so sorry, Mimi,” Meg says softly, rubbing Mia’s now-limp hand with her fingers.

“It’ll be fine, Mimi, there are other plays this year you can try out for,” I volunteer, trying my best to be upbeat for my friend. “I mean, there’s Aladdin later on this year too, you would be a beautiful Jasmine –”

But Mia’s not listening to me. Her face hasn’t changed since she saw Jess’s name where her name should have been, and she doesn’t want to hear our sympathies.

So she cuts me off as she abruptly storms down the hallway, Meg and I running after her as bewildered as anything, as she says in a cold voice you don’t normally associate with Mia, “This. Means. War.”

I find myself shuddering as Mia bursts back into the cafeteria with the forceful presence of Cruella de Vil, hungry for more than our crappy school lunches.

If Mia uses that warrior tone, then I’d say Jess Landers – Popularite or not – should really watch her back from now on.