flipped | lippa

Intermission

By the afternoon, Pippa had collected herself. She still didn't know what to do or what to tell Steve, but she would sort it out later- she had a matinee show today. After the night before, it was awkward seeing Lin. They performed the first act, and all Pippa could think about was Steven.

It was intermission, and Pippa sat limply on her couch, feeling motivationless and empty. Her eyes gazed over to a photo on the table of her and Steven on their wedding day. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she couldn't stop crying.

All of the sudden, the door rattled open. It was Lin. Fuck.

"Pips, hey, do you know if-" Lin stopped when he saw Pippa's tear filled face. "What happened?" Lin ran to the couch and sat down beside her, careful not to get to close after what had happened at the bar the day before.

"Nothing." Pippa told him, just as she had to Steven earlier that day. "I didn't have a great sleep."

"I don't believe you." Lin said, arms crossed in denial. He was close enough to Pippa that he could tell when she was lying. "What's really up?"

"I can't tell you Lin." She responded, sniffling.

"Why can't you?"

"Lin it's fine it's not a big deal."

"Pips, just tell me what's going on I-"

"Steve cheated on me."

Lin's face of concern turned to one of shock. He and Steven were good friends, and he never would have predicted anything of the sort.

"Phillipa I'm so sorry I didn't know."

Pippa wiped her tears and got up to hold the door open for Lin to leave. "Well now you do. You happy?" Lin stood up and slowly walked over to her. But instead of exiting out the door she was holding, he hugged her. A real hug. Not like the one she had received earlier.

Pippa started bawling, and Lin patted her back.

"Five minutes until Act II" , the two heard on a speaker. Pippa wasn't dressed yet, and now her makeup had been smeared. Lin got the memo and headed out the door, glancing at her one last time before she left.

After the show, Pippa was packing her bag and heard a beep from her phone. She picked it up and wanted to die.

Steven: Got a work lunch. See you in a bit.❤️

Pippa's heart dropped. Suddenly she thought of a brilliant idea. But was it also a stupid one at the same time? "Screw it," she thought to herself, grabbing her coat and heading out the door. "You only live once."