Transcript for Chapter 9A
Jade walks past a stairwell and Justice is coming down. He looks annoyed. Jade looks innocent.
Jade: Oh, there you are.
Justice: Don't give me that. You took the elevator without me.
Jade: Are you coming to hear the results, too?
Justice: I'll be in the back. Harrison likes to keep me behind the cameras, not in front of them. But I'll see you after.
She goes into the main auditorium and looks around. Convention center employees are wheeling away carts.
Jade: [Boo, I missed the food.]
She looks around for Amber and finds her near a few girls.
Jade: [There's Amber. Leave it to her to make a thousand friends wherever she goes.]
Jade approaches Amber. She's adjusting her jacket like a tough guy trying to pretend he's not bothered by something.
Jade: [Okay, just be cool. This is no big deal. She's going to be so distracted by the auditions that she shouldn't notice anything strange.]
Jade: Hey, Amber.
Amber: Oh, there you are. I was starting to wonder if you'd gotten bored and gone back to the hotel.
Jade: I got very bored. But I wouldn't do that to you.
Amber: Thanks.
Jade: [Here's the part where Amber would usually take on the delicate task of trying to introduce her weird sister to all her friends. Luckily, she seems too preoccupied to bother with it.]
Amber: Won't be long, now. Won't be long until they tell us.
Jade: You're right. It's almost seven.
Amber: I can't do this, Jade.
Jade: Do what?
Amber: I thought I could handle the stress, but I can't. Even if I made it into Bouquet, the idol life would probably kill me.
Jade: This is not the idol life. This is some BS television show hoop you have to jump through to get there. Look at it this way; pass a couple more rounds and everything after it will look really simple.
Amber: If I can pass.
Jade: You're going to pass this one, at least.
Amber: How do you know?
Jade: Oh! Because you're the second-prettiest girl in this room, and I'm too crazy for 'em.
Jade thinks this is funny, but Amber's just staring at her seriously.
Jade: What is it?
Amber: You did something. To your hair. It's brown.
Jade: Oh, yeah. I thought I'd change it up a bit.
Amber: And what's up with your outfit?
Amber: Are you wearing tights? And heels?
Jade: Don't worry about it too much.
Amber: But-
Jade: Look, Amber. You're going to be on television. Maybe it's a good thing that you won't have a punk in every single shot with you.
Amber: Maybe I'd rather stand next to a punk.
Jade stares at her, confused by the uncharacteristic bitterness. Before she can respond, though, a lady gets up on stage.
Amy: Hey, it's starting.