The Audition Day

The next day began with an apparent sense of normalcy, but it didn't take long for me to realize that Olivia wasn't going to let a single second pass without reminding us about the arranged engagement between Lindsay and me. It was as if she had found her new life mission: making sure absolutely everyone knew about it.

We were on campus, walking toward our next class, when we ran into Megan, a close friend of all three of us. Megan had been Lindsay's roommate at Stanford's residence for a few months before we decided to move in together. Megan is always outgoing and always up-to-date on the latest university gossip. As soon as she saw us, she approached with a mischievous smile.

"Sack! Lindsay!" Megan exclaimed, pretending to be surprised. "So… when's the wedding? Olivia told me EVERYTHING. Literally, she even described the diamond-encrusted dress and the castle in Scotland."

Lindsay immediately turned red, while Olivia grinned widely, proud of herself.

"Did you really mention a castle?" I asked Olivia, incredulous.

"Of course," she replied, shrugging. "I can't help it if I have brilliant ideas."

Megan burst out laughing.

"Olivia also told me you're arriving by helicopter. Is that true?"

"Absolutely!" Olivia chimed in with total confidence. "It's going to be epic. Plus, I've already hired the drone photographer. We can't have anyone miss this historic moment."

Lindsay sighed deeply, trying to maintain her composure.

"Megan, please ignore everything Olivia says. This isn't something we've decided on."

"Oh, come on, Lindsay," Megan said, playfully nudging her. "You should be excited. It's like a romantic telenovela, but with millionaire families involved. Who could ask for more drama?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile.

"I just hope this doesn't become the main topic of every conversation we have."

"Too late for that," Megan joked before saying goodbye with a wink.

Once we were alone, Lindsay looked at me with a mix of frustration and resignation.

"You know this is only going to get worse, right? Olivia isn't going to stop."

"I know," I replied, taking her hand. "But at least we can laugh about it. Besides, I'd rather deal with Olivia's jokes than the pressure from our families."

Lindsay nodded, though her expression remained worried.

Days passed, and finally, the long-awaited moment arrived: Olivia's audition for America's Got Talent . She had been practicing for weeks, and her energy was contagious. She was convinced this was her big break, and we were all excited for her.

The audition was taking place at a theater near Stanford, so we decided to go in my car. Although the venue wasn't far, we knew traffic could be unpredictable, especially since it was a major event.

"Alright, team!" Olivia announced as we got into the car. "Today is the day the world discovers my incredible talent. Get ready to say, 'I knew Olivia when.'"

Lindsay and I exchanged an amused glance from the back seat.

"Don't forget we're here to support you," I reminded her, smiling.

"Of course you're here to support me," Olivia responded with complete confidence. "But you're also here to witness my imminent glory."

The drive started smoothly, but a few minutes after leaving campus, something unexpected happened. While driving down a side street, I noticed a police car following us closely. At first, I thought maybe I had unknowingly exceeded the speed limit, but then I saw the flashing lights.

"What's going on?" Lindsay asked, leaning forward.

"I think they're pulling us over," I replied, frowning.

Olivia let out a dramatic groan.

"It can't be! Today is MY day! How dare the police ruin it?"

I pulled over to the side of the road and rolled down the window. The officer approached, looking serious.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Are you aware that you have an outstanding parking ticket on campus?"

I glanced back and remembered that I had received a ticket a few weeks ago for parking in a restricted zone. It was strange since the vehicle had recently passed a full inspection.

"I had no idea, officer," I replied sincerely. "Thank you for letting me know."

The officer nodded.

"I'll give you a warning this time, but make sure to resolve it soon. We don't want it to cause any legal issues."

"Thank you, officer. I'll take care of it immediately," I responded, grateful for his understanding.

Once the officer drove away, Olivia exploded.

"An outstanding ticket?! Of all the things that could have happened today, it had to be this! Now we're going to be late for my audition. My AUDITION!"

"Calm down, Olivia," I said, trying to soothe her. "We're not that far. We'll make it on time."

"But what if we don't?!" she insisted, clearly upset. "This is MY moment. If I lose this opportunity because of a stupid ticket, I'll never forgive you, Sack."

Lindsay intervened, placing a hand on Olivia's shoulder.

"Olivia, breathe. We'll make it. And if we don't, we'll find a solution. No one is going to stop your dream."

Despite her reassuring words, Olivia kept muttering about "fate conspiring against her." We hurried to continue the journey, praying there wouldn't be any more setbacks.

Finally, we arrived at the theater just in time. Olivia bolted out of the car, ready to face her destiny. Lindsay and I followed, relieved that we had managed to arrive on time.

"Thanks for bringing me," Olivia said, giving us a quick hug before heading inside. "Even though you almost ruined my big day."

"Almost," I joked. "But here you are, ready to shine."

Before Olivia went backstage as a participant, Lindsay and I gave her one last hug and wished her luck.

"Break a leg, Olivia," Lindsay said with a warm smile.

"And remember: we're here for you, always," I added, giving her a light tap on the shoulder.

Olivia nodded, her eyes shining with determination.

"You won't be disappointed. Expect an epic performance."

After Olivia left, Lindsay and I entered the theater as part of the audience. Once seated, I pulled out two signs I had secretly prepared without Olivia knowing. One read: "You're our star, Olivia!" and the other: "Destroy the piano, musical genius!"

Lindsay smiled when she saw them.

"I can't believe you did this without her knowing."

"I wanted her to know we're here to support her fully," I replied, holding up the signs proudly.

When Olivia appeared on stage, we enthusiastically waved the signs. She spotted us immediately and smiled, though she tried to maintain her professional composure in front of the judges.