I stood in front of the towering building of Elegance Elite models, my heart thudding against my chest. I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves. My hands were clammy with sweat and I rubbed them off on my pants before walking through the glass door of the building.
I went straight to the reception. "Good morning," I greeted the lady at the desk with a smile.
The lady looked at me with a straight face, her bright red lips pressing into a thin line. "How may I help you?" She asked.
"I'm here for the audition…wait a minute," I told her and ransacked my bag for my phone. I then searched for the email invitation to show to her but instead, she asked for my name without looking at me, her fingers deftly moving across the keyboard.
"Olivia Richardson," I told her and once she had logged in my details, she tossed an audition number tag at me. I was number ninety-two.
"Take the elevator to the third floor," she said without looking up at me.
I nodded gently and muttered an awkward thank you before heading to the third floor.
The elevator opened and I gasped at the crowd that filled the entire third floor. Were all these people here for the same reason I was?
They were all tall and skinny with distinctive features. They were perfect and I couldn't help but feel intimidated.
I had coke at a later time and some contestants had already made acquaintances and formed cliques, whereas I was all alone. It didn't matter though.
I stood awkwardly by the side, my back resting on a wall. A few minutes later, a lady with a slicked back bun, and a sharp pencil skirt, came out from the audition hall with a clipboard in her hands.
"Good morning contestants," she addressed us. "The audition is ready to commence. Contestants number one to ten should come with me."
The mentioned contestant numbers rallied themselves and followed the lady into the audition hall.
The minutes felt like hours and I could feel pee building up from all the nervousness. Just then three girls walked up to me and stood before me.
"Hey you," one of them with red hair called out to me rudely.
"How can I help you?" I asked politely but the bitchy look the girls had on their faces told me being nice wasn't going to get me out of this situation.
"You think you'd pass the audition?" Another girl said sassily, twisting her hair and wig her finger.
"What are you getting at?" I asked squaring my shoulders. I was the confrontational type but I didn't want them to think they could just step all over me.
"We'll be watching you." The redhead girl, who seemed to be the leader sneered before she waltzed away with her lackeys following closely behind her.
I released the breath I didn't know I was holding when the girls left. What was that? I decided not to think about it and focus solely on the audition. I needed to pass for so many reasons and couldn't afford to jeopardize this opportunity.
The first batch of contestants came and out and while few had smiles on their faces, the rest were a crying mess.
Each batch was a set of then and I was going to be in the ninth batch. By the third batch, I was sweat dripping from my back. My bladder became fuller and fuller each time the contestants came out with their face filled with tears.
After the fifth batch, I couldn't hold it anymore. The nervousness caught up to me and I felt like I would pee on my pants any second from now.
With the thought that there was still plenty of time to not miss my batch, I headed to the restroom.
The restroom was easy to navigate because of the signs put up. I rushed into one of the stalls once I got to the restroom and felt instant relief.
After I was done, I went to the sink to wash my hands when the three girls from before entered the restroom.
They all looked at me with a smirk and had this weird mischievous look on their face but I ignored them and their tactics.
I shook my hands dry and headed for the exit when I pulled my hair back, the force propelling me to the floor.
"Oops…sorry," the red-haired girl said, and her lackeys burst out into laughter.
I took in a deep breath and told myself this wouldn't escalate if I just ignored them. I got up from the floor and made to leave again but the same thing happened again, the force used this time made me fall harder to the floor. The pain made me so sure I had sprained my tailbone.
"Good riddance," the redhead scoffed, she then turned around and left with her minions.
"Ahh," I groaned as I found it hard to stand up. I cursed my fortune that of all the contestants present, those girls chose me to bully.
I walked to the restroom door and tried to leave but the door wouldn't open. I shook it multiple times thinking it was stuck but it still didn't budge. That's when it clicked— Those girls had locked me in here.
I yelled and banged at the door when I realized what was happening. "Let me out!!" I screamed but no one heard.
I banged and yelled until I could no more.
Minutes went by and no one came. Hours went by, and no one still came. I was sure my batch was done. I sat on the floor and buried my head in my knees, tears streaming down my face and staining my pants.
Just then, a janitor unlocked the room and rushed to my side. "Oh no my dear…" she rushed to my side and lifted me.
"Is the audition still ongoing?" I immediately asked the one thing on my mind.
"I think-" I dashed out of the restroom before she could complete her words.
I had no plan but I knew I couldn't let these girls win like this.