CHAPTER FOUR ~ The Real Auditions Begin
"OK, guys. Practices and rehearsals start this afternoon. We're giving you all some extra time to get settled in and hopefully get over the jet lag you may be suffering from the long flights you all had," Mark said as he dropped them off at the house. "I'll be back at exactly 12:30 to pick y'all up, so be ready. Oh, and just a word of warning, you may want to have lunch kind of early. You don't want to have a whole lot of heavy stuff in your stomach when you start dance rehearsals," he warned as he drove off.
"So, what are we gonna do until he gets back?" Paul asked as Ikaika made a bee-line for the phone so he could call his girlfriend, Malia.
"I for one am going to try to get a nap. I'm still tired since I couldn't sleep with all the snoring that I was hearing," Bryan answered, as he had it the worst of any of them, since he actually shared a room with Ikaika.
"What about the suggestion that we have an early lunch so it's not sitting with us when we start our dance rehearsals later?" Ashley asked.
"According to what Rachel was telling me while we were waiting for the rest of you guys to get ready, our dance rehearsals don't start until around 3:00, so, just wake me up by 11:00 and I'll be alright. I don't eat very much at lunch anyway," Bryan answered as he went into the room he was put in for the ten weeks they would be spending in Orlando before the final cuts were made.
The other guys, got ready and went for a morning swim, coming back in by 11:00 to wake up Bryan and have their lunch so they would all be ready for their rehearsals that afternoon. As they were eating the sandwhiches they had all made, Mike looked around noticing one of them wasn't there. "Has anyone seen Ikaika since we came back?"
"Last time I saw him, he was on the phone with his girlfriend," Jacob answered. "I haven't seen him since we came back in from the pool though."
"Well, I suppose that he'll be around when Mark gets here to pick us up," Paul answered.
Back at the Trans-Con studios, Lou was in a meeting with Rachel, Mark, Tyjuan-the choreographer, and Mark Goff-the vocal coach. "What do you guys think so far?" Lou asked Rachel and Mark since they had actually spent some time with the guys.
"I think that there are a couple of guys that could really easily be weak links in the group," Rachel said seriuosly, thinking about the actions the previous day when they had all arrived at the house.
"What do you mean, Rachel?"
"Well, you know I've been a fan of alot of vocal harmony groups," Rachel said, knowing that no one really liked the term boy-band. "Well, there are a couple that don't really want to be part of the group I think. They just don't seem to have the group mentality."
"Well, we'll see if that mentality changes after they work together for a while," Lou said. "So, M.G. (Mark Goff), what do you have planned for today?"
"I'm just gonna start with seeing where I see them fitting in the group vocally. We'll start learning All For Love later this week," he answered.
"And Tyjuan, what are they going to be doing in dance rehearsals?"
"I've got the demo tape for a couple of songs, and they are gonna work on the choreography for those, eventually breaking into groups of four to perform it...and see how they work together with a group."
"Alright. Well, keep me informed on their progress. Otherwise, they are yours to work with as you see fit. Just plan their schedules accordingly," Lou said before dismissing them all from the meeting.
At 12:30, Rachel and Mark both pulled up in front of the house that Lou had provided for the hopefuls to use, hoping that there wouldn't be any problems getting them back to the studio on time for their first session with M.G. When they went into the house, seven of the hopefuls were sitting in the living room waiting for their ride. "Where's Ikaika?" Mark asked.
"We don't know. He came in and called his girl back home, while we all went swimming,and we haven't seen him since we got back in," Jacob answered.
"Have any of you looked for him?" Rachel asked, knowing that it would be her job to find him and get his butt to the practices if he didn't show up soon.
"No," all the guys said.
"Well. Get in the van with Mark. I'll find him somewhere and bring him over to Trans-Con," Rachel said, upset because she had wanted to drive over with Erik and Trevor. After everyone left Rachel went through the house and down to the beach, thinking that maybe Ikaika had gone there to feel somewhat closer to his home in Hawaii. She had guessed right, as she saw him sitting on the beach, just staring at the water. "Ikaika, come on, you're gonna be late," she yelled as she walked towards him.
"Huh? It isn't time for us to leave yet," he answered her.
"Yes. It is. You're late...and your vocal coach won't be pleased with that. Get a move on it," Rachel yelled.
As they got to the front of the house, Ikaika noticed that the rest of the guys weren't there, so he said, "Looks like I'm not the only one who's gonna be late."
"Yes, hun, you are. They all left with Mark a good fifteen minutes ago. Get in the car, NOW!" Rachel said as she climbed into the driver's seat and took off for Trans-Con, a good 20 minute drive, hoping for Ikaika's sake she could make it in only ten. Unfortunately, traffic wasn't on her side, and it took her forty-five minutes to make the drive. After parking the car, she walked Ikaika towards the room that they were using for the vocal lessons. "Uh...Mark, sorry to interrupt, but I managed to find Ikaika. Sorry he's so late, but traffic was a bear," Rachel said trying to smooth things over for the boy from Hawaii with Mark, as she knew he hated any kind of tardiness.
"It's about time. Well, you're going to have to do some work while the others are on a break, I guess," Mark said. "Alright, the rest of you, ten minute break. Remember...only juice or water...no sodas right now. The carbonation isn't good for you vocally." Mark then went through the process he had already endured with the other seven candidates for the band called O-Town, trying to find the perfect place, vocally, for Ikaika in the band. The ten minute break ended, and as the others came back in the room, they all wondered what was going to happen to this member they saw as not being dedicated enough to the project. "Alright. You've all got the lyrics, lets start. For now, we've got a couple of people singing the same vocal parts, but lets just give it a run through anyway. When we start tomorrow, I'll break you into smaller groups so you can do the song with individual solos," Mark said. After they sang the song through twice, he noticed the time and dismissed them to go to the dance studio where they would be working with Tyjuan. "Remember, don't be late. You waste my time, and I'll waste your time later," Mark said as they filed from the room and followed Rachel towards the dance hall.
"How did it go, guys?"
"He's a real task master," Erik said.
"Yeah, well he knows where y'all want to end up, and he knows that that's what it takes to get there," Rachel said wondering if she had misread Erik in the beginning and instead of being a hard worker he was actually a lazy do-nothing.
"Oh, I understand that," Erik answered, realizing what Rachel was thinking about him, and wanting to improve his image in her eyes. "I know it takes a lot of work to get to the top. I've never worked so hard vocally in my life...and I know it's what I need if I'm going to succeed in this business."
"Alright, well, here we are. Either Mark or I will be back to take ya home after your dance work. Don't leave this area, or we'll leave without ya," Rachel warned as she turned the guys over to the dancing instruction of Tyjuan. Two hours later, Rachel and Mark were both waiting outside the dance studio. "Are you sure they'll all fit in the van? I seriously could take a couple home with me in my car," Rachel said to Mark.
"Well, it might be kinda a tight fit, but they will all fit," Mark answered as the door to the dance studio opened.
"Let's just see if the guys wanna be sardines or have some room," Rachel suggested as she noticed the guys standing in the door. "Do you all want to get squished into the one van, or would a couple of you like to ride back to your house with me?"
"I'll go with you," Erik quickly answered, before blushing because he had answered so quickly.
"Alright, anyone else wanna get outta the sardine mobile that Mark drives?" Rachel asked.
"Sure, if it's alright with you that is," Ashley answered.
"OK, Mark, you get the rest of the guys; I'm taking Ashley and Erik home with me," Rach said as she motioned for the two of them to follow her. "OH, and Mark, I'll take these two down to the dinner we're having too. I'm gonna swing by my place first and get changed."
"Alright...but if Lou misses the two of them, it's all your fault."
"Yeah...you know it. See the rest of you at the club at Disney; come on you two," Rachel said as they just stood there.
When they got to Rachel's house, they were all surprised by the size of it. "Wow. You and your roommates must sure have it good," Ashley commented.
"Actually, I do have it good. I have worked since I was sixteen, and I've invested every penny that I've made. That along with what Lou's paying me, are covering the costs of living here."
"You mean you live here alone?" Ashley asked again, surprised to find this out.
"Yeah. Listen, I know you two probably want to call home and touch base with your families. Go right ahead. I've got two different phone lines, so help your self to them while I get ready."
"Thanks," they both said as they found the phone by her computer and the other one in the living room. They checked to make sure that they weren't the same line before they both dialed their home phone numbers.
"Hello, Angel residence," Ashley heard his step-father say after answering the phone.
"Dad," Ashley said hesitantly.
"I'll get your mother," his step-dad said, not even truely acknowledging Ashley.
"Ashley," he heard his mom say after a few minutes.
"Hi mom. I miss you and Nic so much," Ashley said, tears forming in his eyes.
"Oh, honey. We miss you too, but we know this is where you need to be to achieve your dreams."
"Mom, how is Nic holding up? I mean, do you think it might help if she came out here to visit me?"
"Sweetheart, she needs to find her way in life without you here. You are going to be seperated for quite awhile now, what with this ten week audition for the group...and then, you're going to have to move to Orlando for the group after that."
"If I make the cut, mom. But I meant, well, I know how dad can get...and I don't want him taking anything out on Nikki because I'm following my dreams," Ashley tried explaining.
"Well, why don't you talk to her about it? Here she is," his mom said before handing the phone off to Nicole.
"ASHLEY!!!!!!!" Nicole screamed when she took the phone from her mother. "Tell me everything."
"Well, we met with Lou this morning, and he said that we could have visitors here, and well, I was wondering if you wanted to come and see me."
"Ummmmmmm....Hello, Ashley, you're talking to me...of course I want to come and visit you. I'll be ready to leave tommorrow," Nicole answered.
"Whoa...slow down, sis. I was thinking, you stay home for another week, give me time to get to know the other guys a bit better before you come out here to spend a week with me."
"Ashley, " Nicole said, pouting.
"Quit pouting! I want what's best for you, and I think that I need to know these seven guys better before I introduce you to them," Ashley said as Rachel came into the room. "Look, I gotta get going. We're all going out for dinner tonight, and my ride is ready. I'll call you again tomorrow, and we can talk some more about it, alright?"
"Yeah, I suppose," Nicole said, still pouting.
"Hey, quit pouting or I will resind the invitation," Ashley threatened, knowing full well that he would never tell his sister and best friend that she couldn't come and see him. "Tell mom and dad I love them both. Talk to you tomorrow, and have mom arrange for you to get your school work for the time you're gonna be gone," he said before hanging up the phone.
"You could have kept talking. I was just checking on you. I'm sure your girlfriend won't like being cut off like that."
"Girlfriend? That wasn't Shelli. That was my sister, Nicole. My twin sister actually. This is the first time we've ever been seperated, and it's really hard on her," Ashley said, explaining his phone conversation.
"Oh, alright," Rachel said before something else Ashley had said hit her. "Oh no. We don't have anyone lined up to take care of your school work...or any time set aside for your classes," Rachel said. "I totally forgot that you were only a senior in high school even though you were 18. Why didn't you say anything?"
"Well, I've never been a big fan of school, so I was kinda hoping to avoid it," Ashley admitted. "Besides, I'm gonna be the only one taking the classes, and I don't want to be different than the others."
"Yeah, well, unfortunately, if we don't set up a tutor for you, you won't be able to do any of this...it's a requirement, unless you're gonna drop out of school," Rachel said.
"No, an education is important to me, just in case this music thing doesn't work out."
"Well, I'll set it up in the morning. Stop by my office when you guys get your lunch break tomorrow and I'll let you know the details," Rachel said as the three of them headed out the door and back to her car. "Do you guys need to change before we go?"
"No, I think I'm fine," Ashley answered.
"I don't know. I don't know what this place we're going to is like at all," Erik said, trying to find a way to impress Rachel.
"You both look just fine. We're going to the club that they opened at Disney for dinner...and you can all have some fun dancing too," Rachel said. "But if you'd rather change first, just say so, you're place is on the way over there."
Erik looked at Ashley who was sitting in the front seat with Rachel wondering if he would decide that he wanted to change. When he didn't say anything, Erik said, "I'm fine, so it's up to Ashley."
"I'm fine too. Let's just go. I wanna go dancing," Ashley answered perking up, but still hurt by his step-father's refusal to talk to him.