"You."
"You."
"You."
"And you. The rest, thank you for coming and for trying out, it was a very tough decision."
Mumbles were heard as people began to disperse; some happy and some not-so-happy. Girls went into the women's locker room and the guys into the men's locker room to get changed and cleaned up.
It was the last day of tryouts for a new tour being choreographed by Fatima Robinson. Many of the woman in the locker room were not happy, but a couple were.
Natalia Scorpio sat on one of the benches, her bag at her feet. She sat, staring at the floor beneath her, ignoring all the sounds around her.
A hand on her shoulder startled her and she jumped and turned to see a girl, about her age, with bright red hair. "Hey, you're Natalia, right?"
"Uh huh, yeah, that's me."
"Hi, I'm Michelle. Are you okay?"
Natalia looked between the floor and Michelle before smiling slightly, "Yeah...yeah, I'm good. Just...shocked."
"You made it though, right?"
Natalia nodded, "Yeah.."
"You're shocked?"
"Yeah..it's my first tour."
"Really? That's surprising..you were really good out there."
She blushed slightly, "Oh..thanks...you made it too, right?"
Michelle nodded, "Yeah..but it's my third tour, I've toured with Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears before this."
"Wow..that's..awesome."
Michelle smiled, "Yeah, it was alot of fun. Umm..me and some of the others are going out tonight, you wanna join us?"
Natalia stood up, bringing her bag to her shoulder, "Oh no, thanks though, I've gotta catch a flight home tonight and tell my dad about all this...he's not gonna be too happy. But, maybe when we get to rehearsals, we can?"
Michelle nodded, "Sure, that's cool. Have a good flight and I guess I'll see you whenever."
She smiled, "Thanks, have fun tonight!"
Soon, everyone was gone from the locker room and Natalia was left alone. No one else had said a word to her, just a small smile here or there.
She looked around once more at her little area, making sure she didn't forget anything, before walking out. Fatima poked her head from her office, "Hey, I was hoping to catch you. I need to give you your packet with all your stuff in it for next week."
Natalia stepped into the doorway, "Rehearsals start that soon?"
Fatima nodded, rummaging around in her desk, "Yep, we'll be in Orlando for about a week and a half learning all the dances till they're perfect. Then, the next week, the guys come in and we'll all work together."
Natalia nodded, "Ok."
"That time okay for you?"
"Yeah...yeah..I'm just..I've gotta fly home in about two hours anyways but I can be in Orlando next week, it should be no problem."
Fatima smiled, "Good, here's your packet. That contains all the passes you'll need for clearance. Any questions?"
"Who am I dancing for?"
"I thought you knew."
Natalia shook her head with a slight nervous smile, "No...this was my first big tryout..I was too nervous to worry about who I was dancing for..until now."
Fatima smiled and reached back into her desk, "That's okay, I understand. Here, take this and listen to it. Don't be nervous, or scared, you're a great dancer and I'm just glad I found you first."
"Thanks Fatima."
"You're welcome, I'll see you next week."
"Ok!"
Natalia stopped by the hotel she had been staying in for the week to grab the small things she had packed and then headed for the airport.
As she sat on her flight back to New York, she wondered how her family was really going to take the news of her actually becoming a dancer for a famous group.
She reached into her carry-on and found the cd Fatima had given her. 'Hmmm..the Backstreet Boys..I know I've heard of them...I'll have to get on the computer when I get home and find some stuff on these people I'm going to be with for the year or so...very, very interesting.'
Twenty year old Natalia Scorpio lived with her father and her two older brothers on the Upper East Side of New York City. Her mother had died when she was about 7 or so. Natalia had been dancing for about as long as she could remember, pictures peppered the house of her in tu-tus and bright outfits at her recitals. Her father had thought the dancing bug would end when Natalia reached puberty, but it actually just got worse. She loved to dance more than anything; she went to classes six days a week and would go more if there were anymore to be taken. She saw the ad that had changed her life in a matter of days in a newspaper she was reading on the subway. Somehow sensing this was it, she sent a tape to the address and soon heard back and was called for an audition in downtown NYC near the MTV Studios. After that came another call-back, this time out in L.A. She couldn't believe she was actually on a tour. A part of her wanted to jump up and down and scream but she didn't.
She thought of Michelle suddenly; the girl was nice but a little too....perky for Natalia's taste. She had never gotten along too, too well with girls. Girls never seemed to like her for some odd reason. She tried but most of the time, they ignored her. She didn't have many friends, if any at all.
Her flight landed after what seemed like a five minute journey. She carried her carry-on down the ramp and walked towards the baggage claim to get her things. Expecting to have to hail a cab, she started for the main entrance when a familar face caught her eye. She stopped and turned to see her oldest brother, Michael, standing off to her left looking a little lost. "Michael?"
His long form turned and he smiled when he saw his little sister, "Hey, I was hoping I'd catch you."
He leaned down and hugged her, for Natalia it was a welcome hug. "I missed you Mike."
"I missed you too Nat. So..how'd it go?," He asked as he took her bags from her.
She began to walk with him towards the main entrance. "I got it Michael, I actually made it onto a real tour!"
"Really? That's great!"
"I know! I can't believe it! I mean, out of all these really talented, pretty girls, this woman chose ME!"
Michael opened the trunk to his sleek black car and put her things in the trunk before opening the passenger door for her. He then got into the driver's side and started the car. "Natalia, you're talented and very pretty."
"Whatever.."
"Don't 'whatever' me. I know what I'm talking about...I have to watch your back when we go out."
"Umm..anyways."
Michael smiled as he pulled out of the airport parking lot. "So..you got it?"
"Yep."
"That's great Nat..."
"Yeah..I can't wait. I have to be in Orlando next week for rehearsals."
"That soon?"
"Yeah...we've got a tight schedule."
"Sounds like it."
"I'll come home whenever I can Michael, you know that."
"I know that and Chris'll know that when you tell him but you've still gotta explain all this to dad. He wasn't exactly excited when you went to L.A."
"I know, I know..I'll tell him the truth..I really will."
"I know you will. But whatever happens, you know me and Chris will be behind you every step of the way. No matter what."
Natalia sighed and relaxed a bit, "Thanks Michael, that means alot..."
She had known her brothers would support her in whatever life-changing decision she made...but her father's reaction was making her nervous.
'Oh well..it's now...or it's....well..now.' She thought as the car pulled up into their long, winding driveway.
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