Page 42 of Natasha
"Get down here!Now!" Ashley exclaimed. The other woman covered the phone with her hand and barked an order at someone before she came back on the line. "Natasha, the auditions! They're today, Nat!"
"I know, but…" Natasha bit her lip and slowed her steps. "I don't know."
"Natasha, the last ballerina who was here stunk to high heaven. Even on your worst day, you'd clean the floor with these amateurs. I'm about five seconds away from putting back on my shoesanddoing the costume design. It's that bad."
Natasha shook her head. "I'm not sure, Ash."
"Please. Just come audition? If you decide the production isn't for you or if the director is an ass, then leave. No harm, no foul, right?" Ashley asked. "But right now, this production is yours for the taking. I swear it, babe."
Ashley was right. If she got out on stage and decided to leave, then she still could. What harm could a tryout do? The memory of the high she'd experienced dancing for Silas had her agreeing. "Okay, I'll be there in half an hour."
"Oh, thank God!" Ashley let out a whoop. "I'll see you soon!"
"See you," Natasha said, but Ashley had already hung up.
"What's going on?" Silas asked, taking in Natasha's apprehensive expression.
"I need you t-to, ah, take me to an audition," she said, already looking through her bag to make sure she had what she needed to tryout. She was still wearing the clothes she had taught in, which were perfect for an impromptu audition. And her shoes were in the perfect condition for a casting, so she yanked her hair back into a ponytail and gave Silas directions until they were pulling up in front of a nondescript building on the edge of SoHo.
"Swanky," Silas commented, eyeing the building.
"Swanky? You live across from Central Park," Natasha reminded him with a chuckle.
"So, I do." Silas laughed and leaned across her to open her door. "I'll be right here when you get out."
"But I don't kn—"
"Doesn't matter. Take your time. I'll be here when you get out, baby girl." Silas kissed her quickly. "That's for good luck. Now get in there and give 'em hell."
Natasha gave him a mock salute and bounded out of the car. She took a fortifying breath and approached the door with slow and steady steps. Pulling it open, she blinked at the dimness in the hall. Ahead of her, Natasha could see a stage illuminated by lights and a long table with a few people sitting behind it. All around her, the beginnings of a production were well underway. Scenery and props were being carted and crafted here and there, and a line of dancers stood by, stretching and going through their positions to stay warm while they waited to be called.
Natasha bit her lip. She'd forgotten about this. The waiting, and the fight to catch a director's eye. What was she going to do, showing up unannounced? Just as she was about to walk back out, Ashley was suddenly there, with a warm smile and a gentle hand on her elbow.
"Come on, this way. I told them you were coming, and I think the director shit herself."
Natasha nodded and tried to keep up with Ashley, who dragged her past the other dancers and toward the table in front of the stage. She didn't miss the glares and pointed looks from the other dancers, but she rolled her eyes at them. If they thought a few whispers were going to intimidate her, then they didn't know one thing about what it meant to be an Ochenko. With a straight back and perfect poise, Natasha matched her stride to Ashley's and returned the dancers' looks with a frosty one of her own that had a few of them turning away.
"She's here!" Ashley announced to the director with a flourish of her hand. The director was a small woman with salt-and-pepper hair. She wore red glasses that were perched on the edge of her nose and a crooked smile.
"Natasha Ochenko. It is truly an honor," the woman said, taking her hand. Natasha decided that she liked her immediately from that genuine greeting.
"I wish I could say I knew your name but...I'm so sorry, Ashley brought me here." Natasha blushed, but the woman waved a hand at her.
"I'm Jane Lory. Call me Jane. We are so grateful to Ashley for getting you here on such short notice." The other two people at the table had moved to join them with eager looks on their faces.
A middle-aged man with a goatee and whiskey brown eyes winked at her with a friendly nod of his head. "Enchanté."
Natasha returned his greeting with a small nod.
The other person, a woman with jet black hair, rolled her eyes at the man. "Back off, Tony. This could be our principal. We don't need you mucking it up."
Tony rolled his eyes at her. "Of course, Camilla."
Jane raised an eyebrow at the two behind her but didn't turn around. "Children. Stop." She shook her head and smiled at Natasha. "Please excuse my younger counterparts. They get excited."
That brought a smirk to Natasha's lips, but she said nothing and listened as Jane spoke to her about what they were looking for. "We would love to see anything you know fromLa Bayadère. Anything at all. You choose and let us know which movement you'd like for us to play over the system."
Natasha nodded and glanced toward the front of the hall, where an empty orchestra pit sat. As if reading her mind, Jane spoke. "There will, of course, be a full orchestra during key practices and all performances."
