Chapter 1.9: Dreams Come True

The rest of the dance practice was exhausting as the heat became unbearable the longer they stayed in the room. The only reason they were given a break was because one girl had to shout that she needed her inhaler. This sent Teacher Song into action and she took the sweating girl out of the room, yelling back to head out for lunch. Fern felt sick seeing this, but she buried the icky feeling into the back of her mind so she could deal with her group. They all lived in different dorms, so she couldn’t practice with them at night. So, she suggested that after they ate and had a break for the day, they should meet up. While the girls didn’t look enthusiastic to give up their free time, they eventually agreed to her offer before heading out.

Panting, Fern walked out of the room and was about to go change into fresh clothes when one of their trainers called out for her. She turned around to see a trio of trainers staring at her. Unsure of what to do, the teenager walked over and bowed her head, her mind going baffling with worry.

“Fern we assigned you team leader yesterday and we need to discuss what that means with you privately. You have a lot to learn and agree to before heading to practice again.” One trainer, a stone-faced woman, stated with her arms crossed over her chest. Her tone was like a strict teacher’s.

The teenager knew this was coming but still no amount of mental preparation could have stopped her anxiety. She nodded her head and followed them into an empty room. She recognized it as the room that she had been brought to on her first day. The door slammed shut, making the teenager jump out of her skin to her utter embarrassment. The smell of her sweaty hair filled her nose as she stood there waiting for what was either a scolding or simple instructions. She felt so tiny now, and while the trainers weren’t much bigger than her their personalities made up for it. They just made her feel small and useless. Fern hated this, but she knew it was necessary to get the best results.

The woman put her hand on a desk, leaning on it as she looked the girl up and down. “I commend you for stepping in with Kimmie. We may have gone too far with her. However, don’t take this position as a gift for your bravery. It’s a test.”

“I'm sorry,” Fern muttered, in a mixture of shock and genuine regret. Ariya was right. They were going to throw one action in her face until they believed she learned her lesson. These people could make her trainee life a living hell if they wanted to and they wouldn’t be in the wrongdoing.

An arm reached out, and the woman brought Fern’s face up to look her in the eyes. Her colored contacts were jarring. “It’s not a gift, but as I was saying, it’s not a punishment either. I would like to see if you have what it takes to succeed under an increased amount of pressure. If you crack, then I guess you aren’t fit for this world. But, if you are the woman I think you are and succeed, the spot of the main vocal is yours in the group.”

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Fern flinched, uncomfortable with the unwelcome touch. “Just being a team leader will let me debut? But what about my classes? The other girls who are so much better than me?” The teenager was lost in what to say. This was her way in, her way to achieve her dream, but it felt so scummy.

The two men behind the woman looked at each other as she removed her hold and waved her hand in the air. Her long, curled hair swayed with her body as she spoke with an air to her that screamed an aura of confidence Fern could only dream of achieving. “That all matters. But, impressing me will give you someone to speak up for you when decisions on who to cut are made. Who knows, a girl might drop out and we might add someone to take her place. That could be you.”

The teenager was at a loss for words. Here, she was being offered an upper hand she could use against the other girls without them even knowing. If she had one of the company staff on her side, they could protect her. She could be kept as a soloist even if she’s unable to get the main vocalist position being promised. People would adore her and her family would be so proud of her for making it. But she felt disgusted and pained. Because this woman was saying she’d take a girl out of the group who earned it for Fern to succeed. No one just ‘dropped out’ of a lineup. They briefly postponed debuts when a girl needed more time. Something awful had to happen to them for that to be possible. Like someone who had a lot of power and industry pull, suddenly hating their image and thinking they didn’t fit the rest of the girls. Forcing the poor girl out and stealing her future.

Fern didn’t know if she could live with herself if she did that to someone. She shook her head and started to walk backward, her heart thundering erratically in her chest. “I don’t want to steal someone else’s spot. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your offer.”

The woman sighed and rubbed at her forehead. She clicked her tongue rather aggressively before responding to the teenager’s rejection. “You wouldn’t be stealing anyone’s position, but I respect your resolve. I’m still going to keep my eye on you despite this, Fern. If you ever want to accept my offer when things become more cutthroat, just ask to see me after class.” Her eyes bore into the teenager as they grew wider like she was truly looking at something Fern couldn’t see within herself.

Which weirded her out. “Why do you think I deserve to be in the group? I haven’t shown off my vocal skills before you or anyone yet. I’m sure there are other girls here and in the group who can sing way better than me.”

The woman agreed, nodding along with the teen’s assessment of her skills. She shrugged and began a long speech that made Fern feel even smaller. “Of course, there are others who can sing better than you. I can name five girls right now who could out-sing you without breaking a sweat. But, you have a vocal style that we’ve seen on the rise within the industry. A voice that isn’t something you can train into someone. No, they are born sounding like it. I watched your audition tape and I believe while you’re pretty average skill-wise, you could become a star.”