The Guardians by Katie Ashley

at this as I am!”
    Rafe dropped his slice of pizza and made a T with his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” He leaned in on his elbows and lowered his voice. “JayJay’s right, Cass. You can’t go around with this epic chip on your shoulder all the time about the job you’re doing. The two of you have been placed with me for a reason, and you have to trust me when I give you advice. Okay?”
    I pinched the ends of my sandwich. Deep down, I knew Rafe and Elijah were right. I just hated admitting it. I also hated having to be such a clueless newbie all the time. I glanced up and found them both looking expectantly at me. Forcing a smile to my face, I said, “Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll remember to listen to you guys.”
    Rafe grinned. “That’s my girl,” he said through a mouthful of cheesy pizza.
    I didn’t look in Zach’s direction for the rest of lunch. His mood was elevated, and I could feel that all the way across the cafeteria. Besides my newbie status, something weighed even heavier on my mind. Auditions for West Side Story were that afternoon, and I was determined to get a part. After Zach had been revealed to me, I had hesitated about even trying out, but at the same time, the more kids I interacted with, the more good I could do during my stay in Oakdale. Not to mention the more guardian experience I could gain.
    When the bell rang at the end of the day, Elijah met me outside my math class. “Nervous?” he asked, his face filled with concern.
    “Are you kidding me? I’ve been waiting for this all day!”
    His dark eyebrows arched in surprise. “Really? Well, that’s good to hear.”
    “Yeah, the only thing that stinks is I’m one of the last ones to audition, so I’ll just have to wait around all afternoon feeling like I’m going to explode.”
    Elijah smiled. “Why don’t I wait with you?”
    “You’d do that?”
    “Of course I would.”
    “Thanks Elijah.”
    True to his word, he stayed by my side as I watched other girls wring their hands and pace nervously backstage. Before I could brace myself, their emotions overwhelmed me. One girl brushed up against me sending anxiety ricocheting from my head to my toes. All the confidence I’d possessed deflated like a popped balloon. When I finally heard my name called, I’d been so drained by emotion that Elijah had to push me through the curtain.
    I stepped onto the stage and saw the auditorium packed with students, and I froze. Literally, the word ‘stage fright’ flashed like a neon sign in my mind. Sitting four rows from the front was Zach. He was slouched in his usual position with one of his arms draped around the dark haired girl, whose name I’d learned was Lauren Sinclair. She was the one he was sitting with at lunch and the one who he’d stayed with the night before.
    Lauren’s audition had been flawless earlier in the afternoon, and I only assumed she had stayed in the auditorium to scout out the rest of the competition. Before my emotion sucking episode, I’d surmised she was my only competition for the role of Maria. Now I wasn’t so sure.
    Zach had an expression of absolute boredom etched on his face. I realized sitting the entire afternoon through auditions wasn’t his idea of a good time. But I suppose he owed her since she’d let him stay the other night. Zach twirled his guitar pick between his fingers as if it were the one thing keeping his sanity in check. He glanced at me, and his expression changed from boredom to anticipation.
    “Cassie Christenson?”
    My gaze snapped to the drama teacher, Mr. Conley, who was standing at the edge of the stage. “Yes?” I squeaked.
    “Are you ready?” Mr. Conley asked, his voice drained of patience.
    I wanted to say, “Well, I wish you could’ve asked me that question about thirty minutes ago. I’m not feeling it so much at the moment!” But instead, I replied, “Yes sir.”
    With trembling knees, I stumbled over to the pianist and thrust the music into her hands. Then I