Demon

by Laura DeLuca

  “Luckily, Miss Hope, your voice is lighter than you are on your feet,” Professor Carter said gruffly, and again, Rebecca felt her cheeks flush. “Still, it was well done—for freshmen.”

  Rebecca thanked him and stepped down from the stage, returning to her spot between Justyn and Megan. She supposed it could have been worse. At least her voice didn’t crack.

  “You were amazing.” Justyn kissed her cheek. “Absolutely stunning. Not that it surprises me.”

  Rebecca rolled her eyes. “I don’t think the professor agrees.”

  Megan waved her hand in dismissal. “He’s like that with everyone. Don’t take it personally. You did fantastic. Really.”

  Megan was actually the next hopeful called up to the stage. She was paired with the dashingly handsome sophomore named Quinn Martin, whose stunning good looks were only rivaled by his gentle tenor. The pair looked like a living version of Ken and Barbie with their blond hair, blue eyes, and sun-kissed skin. It wasn’t quite the look that was needed to land the lead roles, but they certainly made a great pair. Their voices complimented each other well, and the chemistry between them did not go unnoticed by the director. He nodded almost enthusiastically as he watched them.

  “Johanna and Anthony,” Justyn predicted.

  Rebecca nodded in agreement. Johanna was Sweeney’s Todd’s captive daughter, who was being raised by the same judge who drives his wife to madness. Anthony was a sailor who falls in love with Johanna and tries to save her from the clutches of the ruthless judge, even when he hides her away in a Victorian lunatic asylum. Johanna was a heroine who was alternately forlorn and hyperactive. Anthony was the stereotypical savior of the damsel in distress. The two actors on the stage seemed to be made for those roles, especially Megan with her dazzling beauty and speed talking abilities.

  When they finished, a few more couples were selected. Chad and Scott each took their turn, but the girls they were paired with weren’t the equal of their abilities. No matter how much she disliked them, Rebecca had to admit they were both amazing singers and accomplished dancers. Scott moved with practiced grace despite his bulky frame. Really, all of the auditions went well, if not great. But there were not many speaking roles in the play, and only three of them would go to the girls. Rebecca grew nervous again. She started to bite her fingernails. She had a feeling she would get stuck in the chorus. Well, at least this play had very little dancing, and she wouldn’t have to worry about trying to perform in graceful, synchronized motions with the other actors. Rebecca didn’t do graceful with any degree of accuracy.

  “Justyn Patko and Livinia Clairoux.”

  Justyn winked at her as he stood to take his turn, but Rebecca couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated. Of all the girls to pair Justyn with, did Professor Carter have to pick her? It was obvious to everyone Livy had her sights set on Justyn as more than just a dance partner. Yet, it was easy to understand why the director had made the call. Even before they reached the stage, she heard approving exclamations in the audience.

  “They look awesome together.”

  “Wow, they don’t even need costumes.”

  Justyn’s dark hair and wardrobe and his somewhat disturbing ability to make his face alternately expressionless and wicked made him the obvious choice to receive the lead role of Sweeney Todd. Not to mention the fact that none of the other guys were half so graceful or their voices nearly as melodious. Of course, she was biased, but Rebecca could tell by the wide eyes on the faces around her most of the students agreed. Even Chad’s envious scowl was just more evidence that Justyn stole the show. She wished he didn’t look so perfect next to Livy. They were like a matched set, both draped in black and darkly dramatic, though she preferred lace over fishnet and jingling bracelets over facial piercings. The duo spun around the stage in perfect time, as though they had been dance partners for decades. No one looked more the part of the demon barber and his cannibalistic mistress than Justyn and Livy did at that moment. Rebecca suddenly knew what it felt like to be upstaged. Still, when Justyn came back to his seat, Rebecca refused to be selfish and ruin his moment, no matter how depressed she felt.

  “Justyn, wow! That was just … wow!” she gushed. “You never cease to amaze me.”

  “So awesome!” Megan agreed. “You’ve got the lead for sure.”

  Justyn’s face glowed with pride, and he had every right. “Thanks. I definitely think it went well.”

  “Better than well, Lord Justyn.” Rebecca squeezed his hand. “You were spectacular.”

  Justyn and Livy were the last to audition, almost as though they had planned the glorious grand finale. Already, the other students were gathering their gear. Everyone assumed Professor Carter would want to draw out the torture as long as possible and keep them waiting before he announced his casting decisions. So Rebecca was surprised when again he returned to the stage and ordered the crowd to silence.

  “I see no reason to waste time that could be spent rehearsing when the casting choices are obvious. So instead of wasting my time typing and posting the results tomorrow, I am going to announce my decisions today. Then you can all get to work memorizing your lines.”

  “Oh my gosh, he’s announcing now!” Megan exclaimed. Her face went a little pale, and Rebecca was glad to see she wasn’t the only one who was worried.

  “We’ll start with the gentlemen … if underclassmen are worthy of that title.” He looked like he was struggling to hold back a yawn. “The roles will be cast as follows: Toby will be played by Francis Wade. Judge Turpin by Chad Benson. Beadle, Scott Carr. Anthony, Quinn Martin. And of course, the title role of Sweeney Todd goes to the only possible candidate, Justyn Patko.” He paused to give Justyn an approving nod. “Congratulations, Mr. Patko. I do believe this role was created for you, for all that it was written well before your birth.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Justyn was all smiles, and his excitement was contagious. Rebecca gave him a congratulatory hug. She was so proud of him and happy that she at least had the honor of being the girlfriend of the star, if nothing else. Around them, others were shaking hands or congratulating each other, but Rebecca noticed the look on the professor’s face was a cross between boredom and annoyance.

  “If it’s all right with all of you, I would like to announce the female leads now.” His voice bounced off the high ceilings before, once again, the large room was swallowed by silence. Rebecca swore she could hear her own heart hammering with anticipation. “It wasn’t an easy choice with only three female parts to cast and such a wide range of mediocre talent to pick from. But again, the choices were almost painfully obvious.” He cleared his throat, took a long sip of his coffee, and then had the nerve to have a ten-minute coughing fit before he finally continued, “The role of Johanna shall be played by Megan Rice and Mrs. Lovatt will be portrayed by Livinia Clairoux.”

  “Woo hooo!” Livy practically flew across the room in her haste to wrap Rebecca’s startled boyfriend in a mildly inappropriate embrace. “‘Oh, Mr. Todd, you feel so warm against me skin’,” she teased, quoting the play.

  Justyn gave her a half smile, but he still seemed uncomfortable. He twisted out of her grip and shook her hand. “Congratulations, Livy. Well earned.”

  “Once again, I need to remind you that I am not finished,” Professor Carter bellowed. He moved past annoyed to plain disgusted. “I still have one role left to cast, and then the rest of you will be in the chorus.” He paused for dramatic effect, and Rebecca held her breath. “Rebecca Hope, I am working against my better judgment here, but I’ve decided to give you a chance to prove yourself to me. You will be playing the role of Lucy—the beggar woman.”

  Beside her, Livy snickered. “Well, look at that. It seems that you’re going to be one miserable woman. You poor little thing.”

  Although it was just another quote from the play, Rebecca couldn’t mistake the malice she heard in Livy’s voice. The look in her deep-set eyes made it clear she was declaring war. And Justyn would
be the spoils.

  Chapter Six

  “It’s really not that bad, Becca,” Justyn told her. “At least you got a part.”

  They were just heading back to their table at the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Rebecca could hardly believe how high Justyn had managed to stack his plate with vegetables and noodles. What he didn’t eat in meat, he definitely made up for in carbs. She often wondered how he managed to stay so thin and fit. She had only taken a small portion of vegetable stir-fry and she already felt her hips expanding. If she ate like Justyn, she’d be as big as a house. It was just one more thing for her to be envious of. Of course she was proud of Justyn for getting the lead role. He certainly deserved it. At the same time, she found her own part to be somewhat depressing. Yet, as much as she hated to admit it, Livy was perfect for the role of Mrs. Lovatt. Rebecca wouldn’t even be surprised if she really did eat human flesh.

  “How can you say it isn’t that bad?” Rebecca demanded. “I’m playing an insane old lady who makes sexual innuendos to every man she sees.”

  “Hey, it can be fun to play a crazy person. Sweeney Todd isn’t what you would call sane either.” Justyn shrugged nonchalantly. “At least you’re my wife.”

  “Yeah, the wife who you don’t even recognize and whose throat you slash. Gee, how romantic!”

  Justyn rolled his eyes as Rebecca sat back against the booth and continued to pout. But when Megan, Quinn, and Frankie slid into the opposite end of the booth, she at least attempted to put on a cheerful face. She didn’t want them to think she was a sore loser. She noticed the guys’ plates were piled just as high as Justyn’s, though they had added pork rolls and ribs to their orders. Even Megan, for all she was about a size two, had a hearty serving of chicken with fried rice and scallion pancakes.

  “Well, Becca, feel free to make sexual innuendos to me anytime you like,” Quinn teased as he dug into his food. “I don’t mind at all.”

  Megan gave him a playful punch in the arm. “Hey, that’s my mom you’re talking to.”

  Rebecca blushed, embarrassed that they had overheard her complaining. But it was quickly forgotten as they became more and more immersed in getting to know one another. Rebecca was sort of amazed at how quickly Megan and Quinn had taken to each other. They had only just officially met a few hours ago, and there wasn’t even any talk about dating. Yet the casual observer would have thought they’d been a couple for years. In fact, the whole group had become fast friends.

  The five of them found themselves heading in the same direction after tryouts, and since none of them had any more classes for a few hours, they decided to grab some dinner. Quinn, a sophomore who already knew all the best hangouts, directed them to the little Chinese spot called The Dragon House. They had beautiful Asian décor, reasonable pricing, and even vegetarian options for Justyn—the only one at the table able to eat with chopsticks. It was their first official outing with other college students, and Rebecca felt like they were really bonding. She was also relieved that Livy and her crew had other plans and hadn’t invited themselves along.

  “So,” Quinn said between mouthfuls of noodles, “Frankie, I’m sorry, but I just have to ask—are you really old enough for college?”

  Frankie snorted good-naturedly. “I think you’re the tenth person to ask me that today,” he said, only half joking. “Actually, I’m seventeen. I skipped a grade in junior high, which earned me the nickname of Frank Skip-A-Grade-Wade.” He laughed and shrugged. “But I know I look even younger than that.”

  “Are you like the Doogie Houser of acting?” Megan teased.

  “Actually, I was almost wound up just like good old Doogie. I had a full scholarship to medical school, but that was my parents’ dream. Not mine. At the last minute, I decided to come here instead, even though my dad just about blew a gasket. I’ve really never acted before, but I guess I play the piano okay, so they offered me a scholarship for that.”

  Rebecca’s eyes widened. Who would have thought so much talent was in one tiny package? And it wasn’t like he was bragging. Frankie seemed almost embarrassed to talk about his achievements. Nevertheless, Rebecca knew he had to be more than “okay” to get a full ride for his musical abilities. It explained why he was in the beginner’s acting class with her though. At least she wasn’t the only rookie in the cast.

  “Did you know that the same guy who played Doogie Houser also played Toby on stage?” Justyn asked them. “We were just watching the DVD last night.”

  “Really? That’s pretty cool. I always knew I would get the part of Toby,” Frankie continued. “Really, it was the only option with his baby face. I wouldn’t have even fit in well in the chorus since all the other guys would have been towering over me.”

  In the play, Toby was a little boy from the work house that comes to help Mrs. Lovatt at the shop after his former boss mysteriously disappears with a little help from Mr. Todd. The boy grows attached to Mrs. Lovatt and thinks of her as a mother, never suspecting she’s part of the murders. At the end of the show, after Sweeney finally learns Mrs. Lovatt lied about his wife and he kills her, Toby comes back to avenge her death. He was sort of the hero in a twisted, perverted kind of way. In any event, Frankie was definitely perfect for the role. He was the only guy in the cast who didn’t need to shave yet.

  “All joking aside,” Quinn stated, “and no offense, Becca, but I think Professor Carter’s casting was pretty darn perfect. Especially Chad and Scott’s roles. Chad is every bit as much of an ass as Judge Turpin, and Scott is up his butt twenty-four seven, just like Beadle.”

  “They just better stay away from me,” Justyn said, his eyes getting shadowed. “They have done nothing but harass us since we got here, and I’m getting a little sick of it.”

  “See that,” Megan joked, trying to lighten the mood, “just like the play, you’re already enemies. And really, Justyn, when you have that angry look on your face, you are just as creepy as the real Sweeney.” When Justyn raised an eyebrow, she quickly added, “Of course, I mean that in the nicest way possible.”

  “His bark is worse than his bite,” Rebecca assured them. “But seriously, what is the deal with Livy and those two guys? It’s like they’re permanently joined at the hip.”

  Quinn shrugged. “Well, Livy and Chad had a little fling last year. It didn’t last long though. Livy wasn’t happy about his habit.”

  “The habit of being obnoxious?” Rebecca asked.

  Quinn laughed. “Well, I’m sure that doesn’t help. But I was referring to his love affair with the white lady.”

  Rebecca was still confused, but Justyn caught on right away. “Didn’t you notice the way Chad and Scott are always sniffing? They’re using coke.”

  “And not the carbonated beverage,” Frankie added.

  “Oh.” Rebecca suddenly felt stupid and naïve. “I thought they had allergies.”

  Quinn didn’t seem to notice her lack of life experience. He went right on with the conversation. “Anyway, I don’t think Chad ever really got over Livy, but she doesn’t give him the time of day outside of drama club. Even then, she’s using him to enhance her own performance. And Scott … well, I’d say it’s the classic man crush. Wherever Chad goes, Scott goes. He’s a lackey, just like Beadle. And Livy is just as nasty as Mrs. Lovatt. I wouldn’t doubt for a moment that she’d off her competition and stick them in a pie if it meant her stealing the lead.”

  “Oh my gosh!” Megan exclaimed, leaping from her seat so fast she spilled a cup of soy sauce.

  “It’s okay, Megan,” Frankie teased. “Livy got the role she was after, so no meat pies for you.”

  “No, it’s not that.” Megan laughed, but she still looked slightly frazzled as she glanced down at her watch. “I completely lost track of time. I’ve got to be in class in half an hour!”

  Quinn was quick to jump up beside her. “Why don’t I walk with you? You shouldn’t walk alone at night, you know. Especially not after what happened last night…”

  That got Justyn�
�s attention. He stopped spinning his noodles on his chopsticks long enough to glance up. “What happened last night?”

  “You didn’t hear? That’s all the kids have been talking about in the dorms. They even mentioned it on the local news,” Frankie told them.

  “We live off campus,” Rebecca explained. “And we haven’t watched anything but Sweeney Todd movies since Justyn’s Internet auctions arrived.”

  “What happened?” Justyn repeated. He didn’t even acknowledge Rebecca’s teasing him about the movies.

  “There was an attack on the campus last night,” Quinn said. “A girl was raped. Just like last year.”

  Rebecca’s heart hammered a little as she remembered the flyer and the strange dream Justyn had after seeing it. It was a nightmare that had plagued him more than once over the last few nights. He really didn’t like to talk about it, but judging by the serious look on his face and the fact that he had been glued to her side the last few days, she knew it was still on his mind.

  “How come they can’t catch this guy?” Megan asked with a small shudder. “How does he keep getting away with it?”

  “The college campus is huge,” Frankie replied. “With more than twenty acres of woods surrounding it. There’s no way to know when or where he’ll strike, and the campus police can’t be everywhere at once. The best they can do is tell the girls to use the buddy system.”

  Megan rolled her eyes. “That’s not so easy for a freshman who doesn’t know anyone yet.”

  “Well, you know me now. I can’t have anything happening to my new co-star.” Quinn smiled at her, and Megan just glowed. “Becca, I know you have Justyn, but rumor has it this guy only targets blondes. So unless he changes his modus operandi, you should be okay.”