Pirouettes and Playbills-Ben Cook X OC

Chapter 32

This was goodbye. 

Tonight was the finale. 

To Newsies, To Scarlett, to this wonderful dream of mine that I had lived for these amazing years. This bittersweet month of October came quicker than I wanted. After two years,  seven hundred and sixty-one shows, and seventy cities, I gained another family, amazing memories, and the most amazing thing to ever happen to me in my lifetime. 

I took a breath before running out alongside Daniel. I took a second, looking out into the crowd of applauding people before me. I waved out. Another breath. Then I took my final bow. 

As I came back up, a tear escaped my eye. I wiped it away, forcing myself to hold it together as I shook. I pressed my hands to my mouth, then my chest. It was so hard to not burst into tears. I gestured to Daniel and he took his bow. We ran back up the stairs.

"AY, Indi!" Josh hugged me as I came to their level. 

Tears now freely fell. "Joshy! I love you," 

"I love you too," 

"India!" Sky shouted. 

"Sky!" I hugged him. 

"Love you," 

"Love you too." 

We all cheered as Joey came out, throwing our caps down. I steadily wiped rolling tears away. We all cheered as we took our final bows again. 

Then, the lights went out and the curtain fell. That's when tears flooded down my cheeks. 

"I'm gonna miss this so much." 

Josh and Sky put their arms around me. "We are too."

We all made our way backstage and stood around, hugging each other and wiping away tears. 

"Ay, ay, everyone quiet down!" Joey yelled. Silence came. "CARRYING THE BANNER!" 

"CARRYING THE BANNER!" 

I shouted, "Newsies forever!" 

"NEWSIES FOREVER!" 

"Whoo!" 

"Yeah!" 

"Second to none!" 

"One for all and all for one!" the harmony of all different voices filled the backstage area. 

"Okay, okay, everyone settle down!" Mr. C yelled. Everyone quickly got quiet. "Newsies, I am so proud of each and every one of you! We've been touring for two years now, had friends leave us for other positions, but as you all just shouted, it's true; you're a Newsie forever! I cannot wait to see how well and how far you all make it in life! Carry the banner!" 

"CARRYING THE BANNER!" 

I ran to my dressing room after we all stood around for a second longer together. I had to undress and put my everyday clothes on to get to stage door. I came to my room and opened my door, nearly screaming as I looked inside. I dropped to the ground, crying.

It was Ben, lounging on my couch.

"Oh my gosh!" I screamed. "Ben," I sobbed as he picked me off of the ground, pulling me into an embrace.

"You were wonderful, beautiful! Although I have to say I wasn't thrilled seeing you and Daniel kissing." He laughed. "I've missed you so much,"

"I've missed you too. I can't believe you came," my voice came out watery.

I finally stopped crying and I looked up at him. We kissed, really kissed for the first time in nearly seven months since I had gone and seen him at Tuck. I had missed him so much.

"I called Jeff a few weeks before Tuck closed and asked him for a favor. This was it. He even bought me a ticket and I flew out here. He let me backstage since I was a cast member and I was trustworthy," he chuckled. He wiped away tears that slid down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry about Tuck. I am glad I got to see you perform, though." I smiled.

"It's alright. Now, I just get more time with my girl. Have you thought about where you're going to go now?"

"I think I'm going to take my parents up on their offer of moving to New York. Or at least, since I am a legal adult now. They've been offering for years. I hope it's still okay with them."

He smiled. "Josh and I are going to get an apartment together once we get things settled. Maybe you and your parents could get one next door to us."

"That would be perfect. Oh, gosh, does anyone else know you're here?!"

He laughed. "No. Not even Josh. My family is here too. I snuck back here after curtain call. One of the ushers found me and took me here."

"Oh, they're going to be so excited to see you! I can't wait to see your family again, it's been ages! Oh, come on, let's go! No, I want a picture still in costume with you."

We pulled our phones out and took pictures. "Okay, I have to get to stage door so I need to change. Get out,"

We both laughed and he left my room. I grabbed my phone out one more time and took a picture of myself in costume. As I changed, I stared at the pieces. I was going to miss wearing it so badly. I was going to miss this show so badly.

Right as I got out of my costume I opened the door and Ben still stood outside.

"Okay, you stay in here. I'm going and once we get back I'll take you to everyone." I said.

"Sounds like a plan." He walked in and stood by me. I leaned my head on his shoulder and his arm came around me. He kissed my head before I left.

Stage door passed quickly and by the time it was over, tears started to accumulate again. That was my last stage door with my Newsies family.

I came back to my room and grabbed Ben, taking off to the other rooms. We came to the main changing room for the guys and I knocked.

"Decent?" I asked.

"Yeah!"

I opened the door and found all of the guys making sure they had all of their things. "Hey, fellas, I have some weirdo following me again. Do you recognize him?"

I signaled Ben to come on and he smiled. "Hey, guys, I'm the weirdo."

The room erupted into chaos. The fellas that had stayed on for the whole tour and those who had met Ben right before he left were going crazy.

"Ben! Holy crap, man!"

"Oh my gosh, we've missed you, dude!"

"Benjamin!"

"How are you here?"

I laughed as the words coming from them all mashed together into mumbo-jumbo. Hugs were exchanged, yells, pats on the back, and maybe even a few tears were shed if I was seeing things right.

Sky and Josh nearly tackled Ben when they saw him. Our little group was back together.

We all got into a huddle and hugged each other.

"You guys did amazing! I'm so proud of you all," Ben said as we all parted from our group hug.

"This is bittersweet, but I'm glad I got to spend this with you guys. I'm so thankful I met you three." I sniffed. 

"I am too. You guys are the best friends I've ever had." Sky said. He rubbed his eye. 

"Sky, are you crying??"

"No, I have chalk in my eye." 

"Chalk?"

"I lied, it's dirt." 

We all laughed. In silence, we all looked at each other. We were savoring what was happening now. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we had all been so lucky to live through.