Mena shuffled onto the stage in her elegant dress. It was much too big for her and she still had the tendency to trip over it. As she managed to get on stage without a stumble, Stellaris and Electra watched from the pews. Stellaris looked relatively friendly, but Electra, who still hadn't a chance to refill on her slowtox, looked like an extremely grumpy tongue lizard in makeup. Unfortunately for her, May and Janus were nowhere to be found. Mena's heart sank. Where in the world are my broom buddies, she asked herself. She then thought to herself, I know, I'll stall!

Before Stellaris or Electra could ask her to do anything, Mena broke into a sheepish, brace-faced grin. "So...what's the deal with Broomline food?"

Mena began to pace the stage in her clicky-clacky heels. "The mushrooms are so moldy that there is fungus growing on them! And all that bubble, toil and trouble can really cause you some trouble after dinner! And the eye of newt, isn't even an eye of newt at all!"

Both Stellaris and Electra raised their eyebrows.

"Speaking of which," Mena said, still with a smirk on her face. "Or of witches. Why is the pilot always cackling? Does everything have to be a pun?!"

"Mena, honey," Stellaris said, looking concerned.

Mena ignored her and spoke in an even daffier voice. "The only thing I'm FAMILIAR with is the lousy ticket prices!"

Stellaris gave Mena a really stern look. "Are you okay, Mena? I really hope you aren't possessed by the phantom."

"More like the ghost of comedy," Electra lisped. "Thith isn't even good stand up, more like sit down."

Mena sighed. "I guess I major pumpkin spice bombed...Alright headmistresses. What do you want me to do?"

Stellaris breathed out. "The same audition as everyone who wants to be Julianna. Her most climatic set of lines when she professes her love to Romulus."

"Can't you give me an easier audition?" Mena asked, batting her eyelashes. "Especially since the Bourgebeasts want me in the play?"

Stellaris and especially Electra shook their head. "No Mena…" Stellaris said. "Not only did you cheat to get the part initially, but you also won't get preferable treatment to any other student who wants to be Julianna. We have many talented female students…"

"Yoo hoo!" Doogey said, parading down the aisle in a dress matching Mena's.

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"And one talented male student," Stellaris said. "Who are equally deserving of the part."

Doogey sat down next to the teachers.

"Yeth," Electra said, patting Doogey on the back. "When you screw up, Doogey will take your role and you can be tree number three!"

Mena nodded in submission. "Yes headmistresses. My bad."

She gulped as Doogey glared daggers at her with his legs crossed. He pulled out a red lip gloss and spread it across his lips. "Strawberryfire," Doogey said, "Prince Tal's favorite."

Mena's heart thundered. How did Doogey know her boyfriend's favorite fire fruit? Mena removed her dainty gloves, her eyes practically erupting in flames. "Thith means war!" she hissed, spit congealing in her braces.

"Romulus…" she bellowed, her hand to her head. "Wherefore art thou Romulus!"

All three spectators did a triple take over Mena's sudden outburst of emotion. Mena froze, struck by her own voice. "What are the words," she said frantically searching through her mind.

She paused for five more seconds before noticing a martini glass in Electra hand. "What's in a drink?" she said with fervor as she imagined Tal in her head.

Her heart fluttered and she sighed. "A wine by any other name is just as intoxicating. So if Romulus Merlot wasn't Romulus Merlot, he would still retain his sparkling perfection."

Mena pretended to inhale Tal's sweet aroma like fine merlot. "Romulus," she said, giving into her inhabitions. "Lose your name and drink all of me!"

Mena was out of breath from her over the top performance. But when she opened her eyes, she wasn't the only one.

Electra, Stellaris and even Doogey's jaws dropped open. "Not bad…" Doogey remarked. "For my rival in love."

"That was…" Stellaris said, "Surprisingly close to the first time."

Electra crossed her arms. "The only reason my jaw is open is because I'm all out of slowtox. She must've cheated again."

Stellaris shook her head. "I specifically anti hexed the dressing room. It would alert me if Mena chanted anything. Mena, I can't believe I'm saying this but…"

But Stellaris' words faded away. For some reason, the spectator seats were being pulled far away from Mena. It was like the room was made of rubber. She looked up and the raised ceilings were growing higher too. Immediately, a throbbing sound echoed from the walls and ceiling like a four chambered heart..

Mena gasped in horror. There was a strange being hanging from ceiling with sickle like arms and a white mask strapped over its eyes and stringy dark hair. Ghoulish eyes peered with hostility through slits in the mask, and when they made contact with Mena, the being spread rows of sharp teeth before swinging back into the ceiling.

"Mena…Mena…" Stellaris hollared. "Are you ok?"

Electra snapped her fingers and there was a loud broom.

Mena came to and the room returned to normal.

"Mena, did you hear me?" Stellaris demanded.

Mena shook her head.

"You're in…" Stellaris said, having no idea of what just happened.

But Mena almost didn't care, she had just witnessed the foul visage of the Phantom of the Performing Arts Center for herself.