Chapter 180: Theatrical Performance

“....And what exactly are you going to do if I keep talking to ‘yu sister,” Sabrina said, adding the last part with a mocking, exaggerated accent that mimicked Leitana and Marita’s speech.

Marita’s lips lifted into a sharp smirk. She stepped forward without hesitation, coming toe-to-toe with Sabrina. They were almost the same height, but Sabrina took a small, subtle step backward at the intensity in Marita’s eyes. Their chests were nearly touching.

“Mi no like beating people,” Marita said, voice low and steady, “but mi go gladly beat sense into that empty head of yours if you keep talking to my sister like she is nothing. Try me.”

Theo, standing just behind them, let out a stunned “Woah…” with a wide, impressed smile on his lips. His eyes were glued to Marita, completely enamoured by her fire.

Sabrina’s eyes flickered to the group, especially Theo’s obvious reaction, but she refused to back down. Her lips curled into a sneer. “You think you’re tough because you came from some tiny island? Please. You and your charity-case sister are both the same desperate little gold-diggers who lucked into a rich freak.”

Marita’s fists clenched. She leaned in even closer. “Gold-digger? Yu mouth dey run like tap water but yu no get brain. Leitana is worth ten of you. Touch her again with your dirty words and mi go introduce my hand to your face.”

Leitana stepped forward quickly, grabbing Marita’s arm. “Marita, that’s enough.”

Sabrina laughed coldly. “Yes, that’s enough, Marittta. Listen to your little whore. At least she knows her place.”

Marita lunged forward with a growl, but Leitana yanked her back hard, wrapping both arms around her. “Stop! No fighting. She’s not worth it.”

Sabrina smirked, flipping her hair. “You don’t know who my dad is. If your hand had even touched me, I’d make sure your whole family gets deported back to whatever hut you crawled out of. Count yourself lucky today.”

Lila crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Get out of here, boo boo kitty. Nobody has time for your drama.”

Sabrina glared at Lila, her cheeks flushing with anger. She shot one last venomous look at Leitana and Marita, then spun on her heel. “Let’s go, girls. Some people clearly don’t belong here.”

Her clique followed her, heels clicking sharply as they walked away.

Leitana let out a long breath and turned to Marita, still holding her arm. “You should not go around about to hit people, Marita. We no solve problem like that.”

Marita huffed, still glaring in the direction Sabrina had gone. “She’s talking bad about you. Mi no like am. Nobody go disrespect my sister while mi dey here.”

Leitana sighed, a small, tired smile tugging at her lips. “What am I going to do with you?”

Theo suddenly threw an arm around Marita’s neck in a playful, dramatic hug, pulling her close with a big grin. “Damnnnnn, you’re fire! That was the best clapback I’ve heard in weeks. Where have you been hiding, queen?”

Theo leaned in a little closer, still grinning. “So… you got a boyfriend?”

Marita’s cheeks turned bright red. She blinked up at him, completely caught off guard. “B… boy friend?” she stuttered, the words tumbling out in confusion.

Theo laughed, still holding her in the loose arm-around-neck hug. “Yeah… So do you have a boyfriend?”

Mikey rolled her eyes and elbowed Theo in the side. “You’re not wasting time, bro. Chillax, you just saw her five minutes ago.”

Theo winked at Mikey without letting go of Marita. “I can’t waste time. Life’s too short. When you see perfection, you go for it.”

Mia cleared her throat, her voice cutting through the playful chaos. “Guys, we need to go to class now. Professor Markov is probably already waiting.”

The group started moving again, the light-hearted energy returning as they walked toward the building. Leitana stayed close to Marita, gently guiding her.

When they reached the classroom, Leitana leaned in and whispered, "You can just sit at the other side of the class, near the window. It’s comfortable there. Mi will be at the piano most of the time.”

Marita nodded, still a little flushed from Theo’s attention, but she gave Leitana a quick hug before finding a seat.

Professor Markov walked in a few minutes later, her usual warm smile lighting up the room. She was a tall, elegant woman in her fifties, always dressed in soft colors with a scarf tied neatly around her neck. She set her bag down and clapped her hands once to get everyone’s attention.

“Good morning, everyone. I have some exciting news today,” she said, her voice carrying that calm, professional tone Juilliard Extension teachers were known for. “We’ve been invited to collaborate with the drama and theater students for a special student showcase next week. It’s a mix of piano performance and short theatrical scenes, live music accompanying original one-act plays written by the theater class. We’re looking for pianists who can play while the actors perform on stage. It’s not just background music. The piano becomes part of the storytelling.”

She paused, letting the words sink in.

“This is open to all levels. Even if you’re new or still building your technique, we want to see what you can bring. The audition will be simple: you’ll prepare a short piece, something emotional, something that can support a scene and we’ll pair you with a theater student for a short test run. It’s a wonderful chance to grow and perform in front of a real audience.”

Leitana sat up a little straighter. Her heart beat faster. Even though she was still very new and not as strong as the others, the idea of playing while someone acted out a story felt exciting. It wasn’t just technical piano. It was feeling the music and helping tell a bigger tale.

Professor Markov smiled at the class. “Auditions are this Friday after regular class. I hope to see many of you there. Any questions?”

The room buzzed with quiet excitement. Theo was already whispering something to Mikey about “dramatic piano moments,” while Ethan glanced at Leitana with an encouraging nod.

Leitana looked over at Marita, who was watching everything with wide, curious eyes.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, that dark figure from the hallway still lingered.

And she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still watching.