As they called our name I heard some footsteps behind me. Crossing my fingers I turned around. And a victorious smile spread on my face when I saw him dressed in a tuxedo. His hair gelled back and a little stubble decorated his visage.

I nodded with a smile and as the curtains flew down we took our place. He fixed the mic on the radio and the sound technician helped us with the mic. We placed a mini table near the wall and covered it with a red carpet that rolled to the other end of large stage. This could work as an aisle. We placed the aisle so that it was at the centre of the stage.

Covering my head with the veil I picked up the black rose and stepped on the aisle with Karthik. We stood facing each other as the recorded music started playing. The room got darker followed by some hooting. Then the light fell on us, just the two of us.

***

Then the raspy voice of a priest echoed silencing the audience.

"Do you Rosalinda Marie Hope take Valentin as your lawfully headed husband?"

Rosalinda sniffed in the mic and nodded.

"Yes, I do"

The audience cheered as if it was a real marriage ceremony.

"Do you Valentin take Rosalinda Marie Hope as your lawfully wedded wife?" The voice quietened the audience as gentle music started playing from the speakers. The leaves started flying as Valentin remained silent. He was stubbornly looking at the ground not answering the priest.

On queue Rosalinda stepped forward and softly caressed his clenched knuckles. He flinched back and looked up making his bang move away from his eyes. She gasped in the mic when she saw his red eyes. They were glowing red as he turned towards the audience with a sinister grin. He walked down the aisle the spotlight moving with him. Rosalinda stood in the dark spot like a statue as he walked to the end of the stage.

She started humming from her position as Valentin smirked showing his canine teeth to the audience.

The recorded violin and piano tune started playing from the speakers as she started singing.

Vampires suck you dry,

Human don't care you cry,

This is no tragedy,

This is reality...

Then as if he remembered Rosalinda was left behind Valentin turned around, the spotlight moving with him. His footsteps loud as the light fell on Rosalinda who looked at him with a frightened eyes. She started backing away moving her hands so that the vampire could run away. The bouquet of black roses fell on the ground in this process. Valentin placed his hands around her shoulders and she stopped struggling. Her eyes became hazy and Valentin smirked as he flicked his finger infront of her face. She didn't respond. He started singing in the microphone in a husky voice. The music went to a dark note.

Oh baby (run, run, run)

He is a freak,

He calls me crazy,

He calls me a whore,

But you know what,

I don't care anymore

The hypnotised Rosalinda stepped away from him and frowned as if trying to get her control back. She picked up the bouquet from the ground and smelled it. Her eyes fluttered behind the veil and then as if in a trance she started singing.

Because this is me,

And that's you,

I run by me,

You run by society,

You label human,

You call them names,

Slut, whore, gay and what not,

But baby I am beyond all this,

Cause I still love you,

I still stick with you even though you call my passion a waste,

Valentin stepped towards the frowning Rosalinda and took her chin  in his hand. Smiling with his teeth he bent to the other side of her neck as if biting her. But he was removing the skin coloured bandage that showed two fang marks with blood flowing down. With his fingers he applied the fake blood on his fangs as she shook in his arms as if in pain. With a smirk he stepped back and stood like a gentleman as the light focused on Rosalinda's bleeding neck.

"Do you Valentin take Rosalinda Marie Hope as your lawfully wedded wife?" The priests voice repeated.

"Yes, I do" Valentin replied in a beat.

"Congratulations. I announce you as husband and wife, you may kiss the bride"

With a cocky smile, Valentin lifted her veil which was now a little red. Her eyes were red under the veil and she smiled at him with her canines. Their smiles mirrored each other as Rosalinda started singing in a soft voice.

I am not perfect,

I know I am not perfect,

I am the pink that doesn't blends with your blue,

I am the colour which borders your coldness,

I am the vessel that holds you back,

But sometimes I wish to be me again,

I wish to be pink again...

With that Rosalinda threw away her bouquet in the audience after turning her back towards the audience.

***

The audience cheered and we both started clearing up the stage as the host entered. He praised us and the curtains dropped.

I entered the props room with Karthik and smiled at him excitedly, adrenaline rushing through me

"Do you think we will be selected?" I asked in a worried voice. He shrugged removing his lens from his eyes.

"These things were painful gosh", He complained blinking away the tears that fell from his eyes. I laughed and helped him with the eyes drops. Contestants started filling in the prop room in an hour. Our nerves were high, eyes waiting for the host to announce the result and throats clenched. Karthik was walking in circles talking to himself. He looked funny as he worriedly walked around the room looking like an emotionless vampire. I bit my lips and checked the time every minute.

'I hope we get selected if it's the best for us'

***

If you were the judge in this fest what score will you give to both the performances *BE HONEST*?
(I have already rated both of them in my brain so if you guys can guess my rating then I will update three extra chapters)

Well this is chapter 33. I hope you all love it❤️