To Color Your Life

"Ahaha, what do you mean, a dragon?!" Another girl with fiery red hair entered the hall. "You look more like Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony now!"

"You are a pony!" Emily grumbled and stomped between the rows towards the stage. "Today we had a lecture on the history of Chinese literature. I realized that if I were a mythical creature, I would be a dragon!" She climbed onto the stage, threw her hands up. "Remember, Smaug in The Hobbit growled: I am Smaug, I am fire, I am death! Muhahahaha!"

Justin burst into a fist so as not to laugh in the audience. The girl on the stage growled and jumped, portraying an evil dragon. But her movements evoked laughter instead of horror. Well, now if he watches The Hobbit, he will remember her.

"Do you know where the switches are? We won't work in the dark, will we?" The redhead fumbled at the entrance to the hall, checking the wall.

"Kelly, leave it like that! On the contrary, it will turn out as if we are having a concert!" shouted Emily.

Justin sat silently in his dark corner and watched her actions. She lowered the case from her shoulder and took out the violin. Then she ran her bow along the strings.

Evans was not a fan of stringed instruments, but now he really wanted to hear how Emily can play.

He slid down the seat to be as inconspicuous as possible. But the girls on the stage were so busy with their own affairs and conversations that they did not notice a stranger in the hall.

"How long do we have access to the audience?" the redhead asked. Her name was Kelly, wasn't it?

Justin looked closer and remembered seeing her on Caleb's list. So this is what Kelly Ohara looked like, the lady who his friends drew their attention to. He surveyed her figure with an appraising glance. Skinny jeans and a top accentuated the right spots. Yes, Caleb was right, she was quite a hottie.

But her purple-haired friend piqued more interest in Evans.

"I got permission to use the room until the end of this week, so we can rehearse here every day at this time," Emily replied with undisguised pride in this success. "By the way, Kel, can you stay with me today?"

"I thought your parents were coming back today."

Emily shook her head, "No, the organizer decided to extend their tour. Mom called in the morning. They will perform in several cities in Turkey. Two or three large buses will be allocated for their orchestra and will be drive them from city to city. So they won't be arriving until next week."

Kelly smiled and patted her friend on the shoulder, "Why are you so sad then? A week is not a month. They had longer trips before."

Emily shrugged. "Do not know. It seems to be nothing special, this often happens in their schedule. But this time, for some reason, I feel upset. Or maybe I just miss them so much. I really want to see them, as if I haven't seen them for a year already." The girl sighed.

"Keep your chin up, dragon! The week will fly by quickly," Kelly winked at her, "And since you invited me, don't complain later that I didn't let you sleep."

"Okay, I won't. If you promise to cook something delicious."

"I knew it! You don't need me, you just need my culinary skills! Well, no, I'm going to be a guest, so you cook. I'll survive one evening with pizza." Ohara grinned.

Emily pouted her lips. "Are you kidding me? Do you really think that I can't cook? And this is my best friend? Oh, okay! I have a few pieces of grandma's pie left. Peter said he didn't eat bakery products. He said it's unhealthy."

Ohara, who at this time sat down at the piano and prepared to hit the keys, froze, and then laughed out loud. "Oh my God, he's worse than I thought! It's unhealthy! He's a snob! Emy, honey, are you sure you should date him?"

Justin tensed and listened. What did this redhead just say? Date? Does Emily Hayes have a boyfriend?

Evans frowned. Not that it was impossible, but for some reason he thought that the girl was single.

"Kelly, don't say that!" Emily exclaimed with resentment in her voice. "Peter is a wonderful and well-mannered young man. Do you know how smart he is? We also have common interests. I showed him my essay. He believes that my ideas can be realized. He even agreed to help with this and included them in the work for the competition in which he participates."

Kelly immediately stopped laughing and looked at the girl with a serious look. "Essay? Did you show him your essay that you had been preparing for Pharaoh for three weeks?"

Emily hesitated, shifted from foot to foot. "Well, yes. But, Kel, in his work my proposals will bring more benefit than in the competition for the Pharaoh. You saw how many people apply for this internship! I have no chance. And Peter, on the contrary, has a great chance of winning the competition. He will receive a good scholarship and will be able to start his scientific career. This is his dream. And-"

"Emily, are you a complete fool?!" Kelly jumped out of her chair and slammed the piano lid shut. The loud "bang" echoed through the hall.

"Emily Hayes, what did you think?! Ha, she has no chance! You have been dreaming of working in this stupid publishing house since childhood! You yourself know that getting there is almost impossible! And you gave Miller your final competition essay?! How could he have had the conscience to do that!"

"Peter has nothing to do with it. This is my decision!"

Kelly rolled her eyes. Her friend was so blind in her naive love for Prince Miller-Charming that she could not think soberly. And the guy is very much on the ball - to use other people's ideas on his behalf.

"Em, I only agreed to participate in the competition from Pharaoh because of you," Ohara sighed and flopped back onto the chair in front of the piano. "And what have you sent? The deadline was two days ago."

Emily smiled. She didn't look upset. "I wrote another essay. I hope the commission will appreciate it too. And in general, are we going to rehearse or what?" She waved her violin bow at Kelly and nodded for her to turn back to the piano and start playing.

Ohara scanned Hayes for an attempt to hide something, but Emily beamed with joy, like a dragon rested for a hundred years in its treasure chest of gold.

Kelly waved her hand at her. "You know, I have lost the desire to rehearse. Let's go get something sweet!" She lifted the violin case off the floor and handed it to Emily.

"What do you mean you don't want to rehearse? You know, I spent two hours trying to persuade the professor to give us this audience!" Hayes was indignant, but began to put her things suspiciously quickly. Between a sweet snack and a rehearsal, the former had the advantage.

Ohara had already left the stage and headed for the exit from the hall. "We'll come tomorrow!"

On the way, the girls began to discuss some other news which only they knew about, and left the room as quickly as they burst into it.

There was silence in the hall.

Justin sat still for a few more minutes. He looked at the folder that lay next to him. Peter Miller, then. An up-and-coming student. And the ideal boy, as it turns out, smells like shit.

And the girls mentioned the internship at Pharaoh just in time.

The first thing to do will be to clarify with his grandfather how the selection is going on this year and who are the candidates for the future position in their publishing house.

Evans' lips curved into a look of anticipation.

A week without races can get quite interesting.

The guy picked up the folders with documents and, whistling a cheerful melody, left the hall.