text: “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” mocked Mandy with a tone of dominance in her proud voice. “We’ll see about that, considering my bestie has true talent unlike you.” Samara said, defending Chloe. “Oh really ... ha ha ha! All the worst to you.” Mandy muttered as she walked away with her snobby friends. “Aaaaah. I hate her.” low-screamed Chloe as she threw dirty looks at Mandy. “I can’t let her take my role this time.” “It’s fine, I know you can do it.” said Samara encouragingly. “Oh my goodness, only half an hour left, I’m so freaking out for this audition!” exclaimed Chloe. “Is my hair alright? What about my makeup? Is it perfect? Wait, how’s my costume?” “You seriously need to stop worrying too much Chloe. This is not the most important thing, it’s just a play and I’m sure you’ll get the role” said Samara, seeing her friend get overdramatic. “Just a play huh? That’s how you term a determined fight against Mandy, the worst beauty-queen ever! It’s my firm decision to beat Mandy and get the role of Princess Eliza and I so very hope she, a.k.a Mandy gets the role of the pauper girl, but yet again, that too would be a huge disgrace for me letting her act in the play I’ll be starring. Well, since I’m known to be super-sweet, I might as well give her the role-” started blabbering Chloe non-stop. “You know what, ju-just keep worrying. But never open your mouth again.” sighed Samara as she said this. “Fine.” sulked Chloe and started rehearsing again. “Miss Hilton, your audition starts in a couple of minutes, head to the backstage.” announced Professor Daniel in his usual French accent. “Chloe, you have to go now, everything is perfect. Good luck!” said Samara. “Merci.” said Chloe gracefully, “That’s how I’ll end my lines.” Samara replied “Great!”. “Oh no, it’s alright.” panted Chloe, her heart beating fast every step she took towards the stage. “You may begin your audition, Miss Hilton.” said Professor Daniel. “Laissez-la passer les portes ... échangeons des vies ... la vie est vraiment dure ici ...” she was doing the audition great. Samara was proud of her friend. She quickly glanced around to check whether Mandy was enjoying this too. There she was, at the far end of the auditorium, with fierce jealousy in her eyes. Samara couldn’t resist a chuckle. A minute later, Mandy wasn’t there. “Odd.” thought Samara. But there was something more than ‘odd’ going on. She roamed the whole auditorium trying to spot Mandy, probably planning something to ruin the perfect audition. Even though this feared Samara, she was overjoyed to see Chloe concluding her audition gracefully as she’d commenced, “La pauvreté doit être bannie du pays ... merci.” Chloe bowed elegantly and walked down the stage with her cheeks flushing with color as Samara flung her arms around her and hugged her. “You rocked Chloe. I distinctively saw Professor Daniel pleased with your performance.” said Samara, smiling. “I think so too. Seeing Mandy so furious gave me the spirit.” confessed Chloe. “Speaking of Mandy, where is she anyway?” asked Chloe looking around. “Dunno. Saw her, and then after a minute or so she disappeared. I was worried she’d ruin your audition.” explained Samara. “Well, she can’t be gone for long ‘cause her audition starts right after mine.” said Chloe thoughtfully. “Wanna go get some ice cream?” suggested Samara. “D’love to.” said Chloe with a grin as they went towards the lifts. “Chloe, you were spectacular on the stage.” complimented Harry, their close friend, who’d been waiting for the lift to arrive. “Thank you!” blushed Chloe as she said this, “Are you coming with us to get some ice cream?”. “I’m ‘fraid I can’t, I’ve got soccer practice.” “Oh right. We too are in a hurry. We wanna see how Mandy performs.” replied Samara. “Oh, she?” asked Harry. “Yup.” said Chloe “She.” The lift arrived and the three got in, fully aware only the school staff were permitted to use them. They reached the ground floor and parted ways. “See you later girls!” Harry said as he ruffled his untidy, black hair. Samara and Chloe waved and were soon found walking back to the lifts with their almost-finished ice cream cones. They were astonished to see, not even a single soul was in the auditorium except the janitor. “Hey, where is everybody ?” asked Chloe as she scanned the place for Professor Daniel. Samara, followed by Chloe, walked up to the janitor and asked, “Excuse me ma’am, but do you know where everyone is?” “Some purposeful accident there-” started saying the janitor pointing towards the nearest lobby, but abruptly stopped when she noticed the name ‘Chloe’ on Chloe’s identity card. “You Chloe?” asked the janitor with a clearly not-so-pleased expression. “People are waiting for you there ...” saying this, she continued to mop the floor. “Oh me?” replied Chloe wondering what on earth the janitor was talking about. Both of them sprinted towards the lobby to see a huge crowd gathered around a girl who was now, made to sit on a chair. Her frantically bleeding head and badly bruised arms were being bandaged insecurely by one of her snobby friends. Samara was astounded to identify the girl on the chair. She nudged Chloe as she gasped in horror recognizing the familiar black eyes and blonde hair. “MANDY!” she shrieked. “Ah, here comes our innocent assailant.” they heard Professor Daniel say, eyeing Chloe accusingly. “Professor me? B..but I-” started Chloe but was interrupted by Professor Daniel’s words, “Now, now. Don’t try to cover up Miss Hilton. It’s very best if you confess your wrongdoing, er ... right now and right here.” “But she has done nothing wrong to confess Professor.” said Samara fiercely. “Oh, are you her accomplice then, Miss Rodrigues?” interrogated Professor Daniel in his usual French accent. “Professor, we truly do not know what you’re talking about.” said Samara, this time even more confidently. Professor Daniel got up from his armchair and asked loudly yet patiently, “Then who else should I be blaming for this young girl’s tragedy of being pushed down from the stairs.” “Stairs?” asked Samara unsure. Professor Daniel turned his head towards Mandy and spoke “Dear, let’s have it all explained one more time so that these innocent-acting girls become fully guilty of their own deeds.” “Very well Professor.” said Mandy with colorless, clear liquid filled in her eyes. “I was rehearsing my play when I suddenly remembered that I had left one of my props in my classroom which was on the second floor. I was walking briskly to the stairs when I saw Chloe following me. I asked her if her audition was over and she said it just got over ... and, and the next thing I knew was kneeling on the stairs with blood all over my head and hands.” sobbed Mandy. “You liarrrrr!” screamed Chloe with utmost hatred towards Mandy. “Is there anything you girls have to say now?” asked Professor Daniel. Moments of awkward silence filled the atmosphere and Professor Daniel begins to speak again “Well, since you-”. His words were cut off by Samara’s, “Yes, Professor, I certainly have a few things to say.” Professor Daniel looked confused and so did Chloe, Mandy and the others who were around. Chloe nudged Samara but she just nodded as though meaning to say, ‘I know what I’m doing’. Samara was in a dilemma. She had to help her friend out of this fake accusation. But that would mean admitting one of their flaws. Anyway, she decided to go for it. “You see Professor,” began Samara with fierce confidence in her voice, “as soon as Chloe’s audition got over, we went down to the school cafeteria, through the el....elevators.”. She paused to analyze the professor’s reaction; she was merely surprised to see him nodding eagerly to know what happened next. “Er..yeah as I was saying, we went down to the cafeteria and in the same way came up to the auditorium through the elevators to find no one but the janitor here.” She finished the sentence quickly as though not to highlight ‘elevators’. “And what makes you think I would believe these events, Miss Rodrigues?” asked Professor Daniel questioningly in his usual French accent. “A witness.” came the quick-witted reply. It was now Chloe realized what her friend was actually doing. She glanced at Mandy to see her slightly taken aback with this news. “Who is the witness?” demanded Professor Daniel. “If you would accompany me to the school ground, I might as well be able to justify myself.” Samara answered relentlessly. “Well, take me there.” said the professor. “Er ... professor, may I come too?” asked Mandy clumsily. “No dear, I think it’s high time you should rest.” said the confused professor. Chloe and Samara led the professor to the school ground where the soccer team was practicing. Once they got there, Samara yelled “HARRY” and a figure with ruffled, untidy black hair froze on the ground and came running towards them,“Hi Samara. Hey Chloe. Good morning Professor Daniel.” “Well, I have a few things to clear so would you mind telling me a little bit of truth ...” said Professor Daniel. “Er...truth... yeah.. I won’t mind at all” replied Harry perplexed. “Good.” muttered the professor. “Now, is it true that these girls came down to the cafeteria through the elevators at around twenty minutes ago?” questioned Professor Daniel in his usual French accent. “Tell the truth Harry.” whispered Chloe. “We’re sorry professor, it is true we three, came down through the elevators and it was only because we were in a hurry. Professor, we are extremely sorry. See professor, I had soccer practice and well I decided to use the lift and met Samara and Chloe. Chloe had just finished her audition and needless to say, it was amazing ...and we apologize great ...” he did not seem to end his apologies. “Well, I’m sorry I doubted you girls.” said Professor Daniel smiling, “I still do wonder, how Mandy, would’ve got blood over her-” “Hahahahaahha ... Professor, I’m sorry to interfere but I saw her taking red liquid from her bag.” said Harry smirking. “Well, I surely need to get my spectacles changes, don’t I girls?” They all burst into a fit of laughter as they walked back to the auditorium deciding what punishment Mandy deserved. “I think you ought to give her detention professor.” suggested Samara. “Or maybe give Chloe the role of Princess Eliza sir.” Chloe blushed and Professor Daniel said “Maybe.” in his usual French accent, this time with a warm smile.