"Bart, are you ready?" Pria asked giddily. She had smooth, cocoa skin, and a musical voice embellished with a Hindi accent. Her black hair tied behind her in a long braid swayed as she grabbed Bart's hands and jumped up and down excitedly. "You're palms are all sweaty," Pria laughed as she dropped his hands and wiped her own on her jeans.

"I'm nervous. And excited. This is going to be so crash," Bart beamed as they stood outside the auditorium doors. Emily was already backstage, pawing through props needed for the scenes.

"Let's go!"

Pria and Bart sat next to each other in the vast, dark, theatre. There were maybe 60 kids in there with them, only maybe 10 of them boys. And the director of course.

Groups of kids gathered on stage for their auditions, cold-reading the script. Some of the kids were really nervous and quiet, and Bart couldn't help but feel bad for them. They might have been really talented if they hadn't had such bad stage fright.

Other kids were great actors, but had trouble with the singing, especially the girls who attempted "Defying Gravity." It was not an easy song.

The next couple groups had some really great performers, which of course, only added to Bart's anxiety. How was he supposed to compete with these young, born-to-be starlets? Pria went next and she really blew it out of the water; there was no doubt she'd get a part.

She had decided to sing "Popular" instead of committing suicide with the high F sharp in Defying Gravity, and she sang it like an angel with the charisma of Charisma Carpenter.

There were some who decided to sing songs from other musicals, like footloose and Disney songs, and they too did remarkably better, but the director wasn't as infatuated with them.

Katie Newman seemed to be in the lead for the lead at the moment. She had performed Defying Gravity and hit every note. The director ate her up. And then there was her boyfriend Danny, who also tried out. He was very classically hansom and had decent pitch too.

"Bartholomew Allen," the director called into the dark sea that was the theater house.

Bart inhaled deeply and walked onto the stage clutching his script. Once he got on there, it wasn't so bad. The lights were really bright so he couldn't really see anyone except the others who were on stage. None of the other guys had stood out as amazing singers except Danny, so this would be Bart's chance. He'd practiced with Emily and Pria thousands of times.

Bart delivered his lines perfectly. He didn't know how he did it, he just could remember the words spilling out of him. Every line he heard triggered the memory of the dialog he was meant to say. He didn't have to think about it, so he could focus on projecting and acting. Now all he had to do was ace the singing part.

"What will you be singing for us today, Mr. Allen?"

'You've Got a Friend in Me,' Bart's head screamed. It was an easy song, he could reach all the notes, and it was the one he'd practiced.

"I-I'd like to sing 'Dancing Through Life' please," Bart blurted. If he concentrated his vision, he could see Pria and Emily, who had gone back into the house to see Bart's performance, with their jaws dropped looking like they'd seen a ghost.

"Interesting choice. Miss Newman, would you be up to singing the duet part with Mr. Allen?"

Katie looked bored and ready to watch Bart fail miserably.

"Yes, Mrs. McDougal. I'd love to," Katie replied overly sweetly as she joined Bart on stage and the music started.

Oh frak, oh frak, oh frak, oh frak, oh frak! Bart's mind screeched as the intro began. Emily held her phone up while covering her eyes to record the event. Bart had promised Iris and Barry that he'd get his audition on tape. What a stupid error.

"The trouble with schools is, they always try to teach the wrong lessons," Bart threw his arms forward. He didn't have to really hold out any long notes yet, so he had some time to get his footing. "Believe me, I've been kicked out of enough of them to kno-ow," he sang. He fumbled that last note because he was trying too hard. Katie smirked.

"They want you to become less callow, less shallow," Bart reined in his confidence again, but he could tell he didn't have the director's attention. "But I say: why invite stress in?" Not quite there. "Stop studying strife," Not quite there. "And learn to live 'the unexamined liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife.'" And there, he had it. His vocal chords relaxed and he flowed with the song.

"Dancing through life, skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smoo-ooth," Bart smiled through his words and swayed to the music. "Life's more painless, for the brainless. Why think too hard? When it's so soothing, dancing through life, no need to tough it, when you can sluff it off as I doooo." Bart felt his diaphragm forcing the notes out of his mouth and to the very back of the auditorium. Katie wasn't smirking anymore.

"Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters, it's just life, so keep dancing throoooooough…." Bart treaded across the stage.

"Woes are fleeting, blows are glancing, when you're danciiiing, through liiiiiiiiiiiiiiife…...So, what's the most swankified place in town?" Bart shot his attention to Katie. She looked like a deer in the headlights.

"T-that would be the Ozdust Ballroom," she replied recovering from her initial shock and putting on her best "Glinda" voice.

"Sounds perfect!" Bart exclaimed as he through his arms up. Bart looked very Danny Zucco-esk as he marched lower on his knees towards Katie singing his line. "Let's go down to the Ozdust Ballroom. We'll meet there later tonight! We can dance till it lights….," Bart looked out into the house before taking Katie's hand and twirling her. "Find the prettiest girl… give her a whii-iiii-irl. Right. On. Down. The Ozdust Ballroom. Come on follow meee…you'll be happy to be theeere…"

After they finished the next verse, the director stopped them and said she had seen enough. Parts would be announced tomorrow morning on the drama center wall.

Bart dropped Katie's hand and shuffled away towards Emily and Pria as they left the theatre. Emily was quick to throw her arms around him.

"Did I blow my chances entirely?" Bart asked uncomfortably. Pria and Emily gaped.

"Bart, you were amazing!" Pria gushed.

"I can't believe you did it! I have it all on tape!" Emily exclaimed.

"Aww thanks guys," Bart hugged his two friends. "But I don't think Mrs. McDougal enjoyed it nearly as much as you guys did."

"Well then she's crazy, because you were amazing. Come on, let's get ice cream to celebrate!" Pria suggested.

"Yeah, I could go for an ice cream, or maybe 10," Bart laughed. Emily was used to Bart's eating habits by now, but Pria still found it amusing.

"How can you fit so much food into such a tiny body? Seriously, they say your stomach is as big as your fist, and I've seen you eat things bigger than your head!"

"Fast metabolism," Bart shrugged.

So...it's been, what? Many...many months? Erm...I don't have a lot of excuses. I mean, sure lots of shit has happened but it's come, it's gone, I've just been bad at following up with updates. I'm sorry. I'm right in the middle of a big move, and I just broke up with my boyfriend, so I can't promise when the next update will be. But I'm not giving up on this story, so go ahead and follow it.

Also, review. Reviews make me deliriously happy and they encourage me to post more frequently. I cannot express to you how much I appreciate them. And if you're wondering, the 'house' is the seating area of an auditorium, and you should go see Wicked or listen to 'Dancing Through Life.' :3

Love you all! Keep crashing the mode! Also, when I started this fic gay marriage wasn't legal in all 50 states, or the state Bart lives in. That was going to be a point of contention in the story. But haha, now it's legal in all 50 states, which is awesome. We did it! I might have to work in a bit about the supreme court ruling in the story. Bart would be super happy to know that when he grows up and finds the one, he doesn't have to worry about marriage legality. So congrats all!