After Newsies

Opening Night

Jordyn POV:

I sat in my dressing room and smudged dirt on my face as I heard the music of the show. It's time.

"Nervous?" Sabrina asked.

"More excited than nervous!" I smiled. "I've dreamed of this my whole life.

"You are gonna kill it!" She smiled.

"You too!" I said. We did our secret handshake and she went to go get her wig fixed. You can do this Jordyn, don't be afraid. I was looking in the mirror when I heard a small knock on my door. I turned to see Melina standing in the doorway. "Hey cutie, how's it going?" I asked.

"I'm terrified." She said with tears in her eyes. Avery and Melina switch every night who is playing Cosette and who is playing Eponine. And tonight it was Melina.

"Come here sweets." I said and she ran and sat down in my lap. "Now, you have nothing to be scared of. You were Matilda in Matilda, Annie in Annie....why are you scared?" I asked.

"Because, for the first time ever my mom isn't here to watch me." She cried.

"Hey, hey now! We don't need to cry. Hey, look at me." I said setting her down so she was facing me. I wiped away a tear that was on her cheek and smiled at her. "You are one of the most talented people I know Melina. I am going to be right there, stage right, watching you the whole time. I promise." I said wiping away another one of her teas.

"And I'll be there too." Ben said as he appeared in the doorway. "Right there backstage watching you. And don't think that will ever change." Ben said walking over and kneeling down in front of her. He grabbed both of her small hands in his hand and looked her right in the eyes. "What is it you always said in Matilda?"

"I'm a girl?" Melina laughed.

"No the other thing. Even if you're little you can do a lot." Ben said. "You may be small, but you have such amazing talent and you are going to shine so bright on the stage tonight." Ben smiled.

"Hey, I need Melina for her cue." Melissa said popping in. Melina smiled at Ben and grabbed him in a hug. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then ran to follow Melissa.

"You ready?" Ben asked.

"Yeah one second." I said and grabbed my phone to see if I had any updates from my dad. Nothing.

"He's going to be fine Jordyn, I promise." Ben said.

"I know." I whispered.

"You wanna go watch now?" Ben asked.

"Yeah." I said and set my phone back down. Ben reached his hand out and I grabbed his hand in mine and we headed out. We sat down stage right where we had a perfect view of Melina. The lights went up and Melina was standing on the stage sweeping. She looked stage right, right at us and we gave her a thumbs us.

"There is a castle on a cloud. I like to go there in my sleep. Aren't any floors for me to sweep! Not in my castle on a cloud." Melina sang. She sounds like a little angel. She finished her song and I could not have been more proud of that little girl. Ben grabbed my hand and pulled me back to his dressing room he shared with Cody.

"Y'all have nothing in your mini fridge." I said checking it out.

"It's our first day here!" Ben protested.

"Yeah and we already have ours stocked." I laughed.

"Hey your dad called me." Ben said looking at his phone.

"When?" I asked running over and grabbing the phone out of his hand.

"Well how I would I know, you took my phone." Ben said. 15 minutes ago. I quickly called him back.