"The way you delivered your lines was amazing!" Kim said excitedly, walking beside Juliet as they stepped out of the class.
"A young leader isn't defined by age, but by the quiet consistency of showing up, speaking the truth, and standing firm—even when underestimated.
Leadership isn't about leading the loudest crowd; it's about making the right choice when no one's watching.
We don't need young rulers. We need young minds bold enough to change the rules."
"That line! I love it the most—and the way you said it just made it hit harder," Kim gushed. Juliet smiled.
"But that wasn't just a line—that was practically the whole debate!" Juliet chuckled.
"Do you think they'll pick me?" she asked, not because she lacked confidence, but because she genuinely wanted Kim's opinion—someone who had been through it.
"I didn't even do half that much when they accepted me back in 10th grade," Kim said. "After lunch, we'll go together. I'm sure you'll make it."
They entered the cafeteria.
****
The cafeteria which was as busy as ever. Some people always ate together, while others barely showed up at all. But unusually, our table was full—especially with girls. I had to place Matt's drawing pad on the chair next to mine to save a seat for Juliet. She was late. Nancy was also sitting with us.
"Thanks for letting me sit here!" an overly excited girl chirped as she sat down.
We didn't chase anybody away, you just don't come, I thought.
"Do you remember me? I'm Mercy—we're in the same class," one girl said.
"You're so handsome and nice," another added excitedly after Julius complimented her name—Claudius.
That name sounds ancient, I thought,
Ancient? Really. Rose and Ivy are messing with my brain.
but hey, Claudius and Julius... kinda has a ring to it.
I ended up laughing out loud at the thought, earning a couple of weird looks. I flashed a full-toothed smile.
"Hi... sorry," I said awkwardly.
The table was filled with introductions, compliments, and chatter—mostly directed at Julius. But Matt and I got some too. I guess if someone wants to befriend someone, they try to get close to their friends too. Makes sense, kind of.
"This whole fan club thing…" Matt whispered to me. "I think it's real."
"It's only going to get worse... or better, depending on how you see it," I whispered back.
"You mean…?" He looked confused.
"I mean brace for impact. Your dorm might not be your dorm for long," I whispered, smirking. "Speaking from experience."
"Oh." He mouthed.
Juliet entered with Kim. After greeting us, she went to Edmond, Emily, and some others at their table.
Juliiet gave me a knowing look, like she wasn't surprised our table was crowded, and sat beside me.
"You're late," I said.
"Kim and I were confirming something with a teacher," she replied.
"You made new friends. Good for you," I teased.
"Not really, but at least I don't make enemies," she shot back.
I gasped dramatically, catching the attention of half the table. Matt, listening in, burst out laughing.
"She just burned you," he said.
"I keep saying it—I need new friends. Vacancy, anyone?" I said a little louder.
"Where would you leave us?" Juliud joined in.
"Somewhere far away from me," I said with a mock-serious look.
"She's learning this from you," he added. So he'd been listening all along, just not talking. Good to know.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'll do. I should go now—I don't want to be late for my tryouts because of you," I said, eyeing him and Juliet as I finished my food.
"But it's after lunch," Julius pointed out.
"I want to be early," I replied.
"What tryout?" one girl asked.
"The Diamond Dancers," Julius answered.
"She can dance?" another asked.
"You'll have to see for yourself," he winked—and she practically melted.
I rolled my eyes. Great. He just invited his fan club to my tryout.
I stood up, and Matt joined me. We dropped our trays off, and I smiled at the cafeteria servers who smiled back warmly. Then we left.
Juliet wasn't done eating and still had to check in with the debate team. Julius would come after the lunch break. Matt tagged along with me because he didn't want to be stuck with the swarm of fangirls crowding Julius.
The tryouts for the dance group were always held in the small hall. Students interested in joining—or just watching—could attend. Rehearsals, however, were done privately in the dance room.
I had already changed into black joggers, a slightly oversized red shirt, and red-and-white sneakers. Matt saw me and said, "You look like you're about to perform for real."
"This is a performance," I replied. I'd worn this outfit before at Starry, it's like my armor.
Those of us trying out sat at the front with the current dancers, while the rest of the students filled the back rows and corners of the hall. Music played in the background, but nothing had started yet.
Laura and her friends also came. One of them—Blue, I think—is a part of the dance team.
I was looking toward the door, waiting to see if my friends had arrived. Julius walked in, followed by the girls. He teased me about being nervous.
"Nervous?" I denied quickly. Maybe a little, because I had been tapping my leg to the rhythm of the song playing—and to calm my nerves. He knew. I always do that before any performance.
The tryout started, and Diamond's dance auditions felt more like a full-blown show—with sections, chants, and crowd energy.
The Social Prefect, Klara Jon, jumped on stage to hype the crowd. She must be a dancer too.
"Are you ready?" she shouted.
The audience erupted in cheers.
"We move like the wind, We shine like the stars!" she chanted.
"We move like the wind, We shine like the stars," the crowd replied.
"And you can't get enough, You come right back!"
"And we can't get enough, We come right back!" they chanted back, some girls saying it with so much excitement like they'd been doing this for years.
"Diamond…" she pointed the mic to the audience. "We shine like the stars!"
"Dancers…" "We move like the wind!"
She was a performer through and through. I liked her energy as she bounced around the stage.
I looked back toward the door. Juliet flashed me a smile and gave me a thumbs up as she headed over to Julius and Matt.
Still, I kept glancing at the door—though I wasn't sure who I was expecting.
Then Raymond walked in, handsome as always. Coincidentally, our outfits matched. His white trousers, black shoes, and red shirt mirrored my red shirt, black pants, and red-and-white sneakers. Basically, we were both wearing red, black, and white.
I don't like this, his usual annoying-but-charming smile that he's flashing at me right now.
More students poured in. Edmond was already seated. So was Kim. Emily was part of the dancers, and Nancy was screaming excitedly with her friends near Juliet and Julius.
Why was I still looking at the door? It's not like anyone else I knew was going to walk through it.
I turned my attention back to the stage as the Diamond dancers began.
They were phenomenal.
Dance. Jumps. Stunts.
They flew through the air, rolled on the floor, slid and dived across the stage.
Lights flashing. Chants. Screams. Cheers.
Blue, Emily, and that guy who always stood front-center were killing it. His energy was unreal.
As the music faded out, the audience began chanting again:
"Moving like the wind, Shining like the stars!"
They clapped in rhythm. A few dancers gave solo moves as the crowd continued cheering.
When it ended, the audience exploded in applause. I jumped to my feet to clap. They were amazing.
Then the instructors came on stage to announce it was time for the tryouts.
My heart pounded—not from fear, but from excitement. This is the kind of team I want to be part of.
I looked at my friends. They smiled at me. Then I noticed Edmond walking outside.
Those of us trying out stood as the current dancers returned to sit among us. Some were new students like me, others were from Diamond already.
Blue turned to me and said, "I've heard about your little quest with Desmond. It's kinda loud. Let's see if you can do that on stage too, scholarship girl."
What's with this obsession with 'scholarship girl' and 'boy' in this school?
"I don't need to shout," I said calmly. "The audience will."
"We'll see." She smirked.
She had no idea how I even got into Diamond. But that's fine. I'd show her.
The tryouts began. One by one, people were called to the stage. Some got loud cheers. Others were met with silence. It felt like crowd reaction was part of the evaluation.
I started humming a Starry High favorite in my head—one that always got us hyped during rehearsals.
"I'm dancing with the galaxy, Spiraling through the Milky Way…"
I imagined Lily bouncing with excitement, cheering me on. They were my family. They believed in me.
"Juliana, that was crazy!" "Juliana, that's brilliant!" "Juliana, it's this way—not that way!" "Juliana Johnson, ten push-ups!"
"Juliana…" a girl tapped my shoulder.
I snapped out of my thoughts.
"Aren't you Juliana Johnson?" she asked. "They're calling you."
I jumped up, raising my hand. "Hi! I'm sorry!" I shouted as I rushed to the stage. The crowd laughed.
"She got cold feet," someone commented.
I stood on stage, waiting for the DJ—but the music didn't start. I saw Blue standing with him, stalling on purpose. Silence stretched, and the audience started staring.
I looked to my friends. Juliet gave a thumbs up. Julius turned his thumb down playfully, making me laugh and calming my nerves.
Then I looked toward the back again—and Desmond walked in, right behind Edmond.
Red shirt. Black pants. Black shoes. And his usual black jacket.
Does he always wear black?
He stood at the door, arms crossed, that cold expression on his face again.
Suddenly, the music dropped.
I didn't move right away. I let the beat sink in.
It was a fast, pulsing rhythm that pulled the audience in immediately.
"Come on! Hey! Hey! Hey!" the song shouted—and the crowd echoed it.
Then the track switched.
"Drop Dead."
I smirked. Bad move, Blue. This was my kind of track.
I had choreographed to it at Starry High—even at 2x speed.
I jumped right into the rhythm, changing my movement with precision. The audience roared.
I dropped low and slid to the side, landing perfectly on beat.
I rose slowly, waving my arms with a simple, fluid motion. It was a common move—and the audience followed.
When the rhythm came back in, everyone was clapping, chanting with me.
Another beat drop.
I leapt into the air, kicking one leg forward.
I imagined my old crew—guys leaping, girls sliding underneath—just like we used to do. And then I just flowed.
The chant began.
"Juliana dancing with the stars! Juliana dancing with the stars!"
I didn't know who started it. Maybe Juliet. Maybe Julius. But it spread like wildfire.
My heart swelled.
I kept dancing, channeling every emotion I had. The room lit up.
At the end, I bowed.
The place erupted—cheers, whistles, claps—even the current dancers were standing and clapping.
Juliet smiled proudly. Julius whistled. Matt gave me a thumbs up.
Then I looked at the door again.
Desmond just stared, emotionless. Our eyes met.
He scoffed.
And walked away.
Really?
Still… something about him felt familiar.
The black jacket. The way he stood at the door. That cold expression.
Have I seen that before?
I pushed the thought aside and returned to my seat, where girls greeted me with excited squeals.
Two more dancers auditioned, and then we were done.
The instructors brought us together, and the dance team joined in for a final instruction.
The blonde guy from earlier—handsome, always in front—walked up to me.
"Hey. I'm Jake, 12th grade," he said, offering a handshake.
"Juliana, 11th." I took his hand and looked up. His blue eyes were… wow.
"I know," he smiled. "See you around. We'll talk more when you join us in the dance room."
"What if I'm not chosen?" I asked.
"You will be,and you know it" he said, still holding my hand. "You're being humble."
I wasn't complaining, but his gaze was… distracting.
"Yeah. Thanks," I said, pulling my hand away.
"Bye then." He walked off.
Blue shot me a look, then turned away without a word.
I didn't care.
My friends ran to me. Julius lifted me and spun me around.
"Juliana, sparkles, sparkles, sparkles—you're shining!" he shouted.
"I did what I had to do."
"You know what they say about raising the bar?" Matt added. "She destroyed the bar and launched it into space."
"The bar's floating in zero gravity," Juliet chimed in. "And with another move she did it goes up and up."
"She turned her tryout into a full-on show," Julius added.
That reminded me—"Who started the chant?"
"I did," Juliet grinned.
"I backed her up," Julius said proudly.
"Julius fan club took it from there." Matt added.
"You blew everyone away," Juliet said, hugging me. "It just happened. You were dancing with the stars."
"Thank you," I whispered, suddenly emotional.
"Are you about to cry?" Julius teased.
"No."
"Please do. I'll ask Matt to sketch it."
"I'm ready," Matt said, raising his pencil.
"Get out!" I laughed as they burst into laughter.
Juliet also got into the debate club.
Who needs anything else when you have friends like this?
Crazy. Supportive. And most of all—loving.
Once again… we were the talk of the school.
---