young, scrappy and hungry | a hamilton story | √

Chapter 9

Kasey swiftly opened the door to the loft to see all the lights on and Carleigh sitting on the couch on her laptop. She stood up when Kasey entered.

"How was your dinner?" Carleigh asked.

"It was fine. What did Lin say about me?" Kasey asked, slinging her stuff down on the floor.

"He just wanted to talk. He didn't seem angry," Carleigh said. Kasey plopped down on the couch and Carleigh followed suit. "I don't think you're going to get fired."

"I hope not, because I probably wouldn't find another job if I got fired for destroying property," Kasey said bitterly.

"How were your parents?" Carleigh asked gently.

"They were fine, they asked me if they could adopt," Kasey said. She didn't even bother telling Carleigh that they were her foster parents. Carleigh raised her eyebrows.

"That's exciting. What did you tell them? Please say you told them that they could," Carleigh said, perking up interestedly.

"Of course I did," Kasey laughed. "Paul and Wendy are so nice, and I've always wanted to have a younger sibling."

"That doesn't... weird you out or anything, does it?" Carleigh asked, examining Kasey closely. Kasey shook her head. "That they're adopting?"

"No, not at all."

Carleigh smiled and grabbed her laptop again. Kasey absentmindedly opened her phone and then paused.

Her contacts were still open, and Jace's phone number stared at her accusingly from inside the screen. She frowned. Carleigh happened to look up.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Kasey said. "It's nothing."

Carleigh gave her that 'look'. She grabbed Kasey's phone before Kasey could even think and took one glance at the screen.

"Jace Reynolds?" Carleigh exclaimed.

"He's just some guy I met on the street. He bumped into me and thought I was someone else, and then he just gave me his number," Kasey explained. "It's so weird. I might just delete it."

"Don't delete it! Kasey, he's Flynn Rider in Tangled on Broadway!" Carleigh exclaimed. "They've been on Broadway for maybe a year now."

"I didn't know Tangled Broadway was a thing," Kasey said. "Why haven't I heard about it before?"

"Probably because we've been living in a Hamilton bubble for the past year. You have to text him! He could be your soulmate!" Carleigh said, excitedly hitting Kasey's arm.

"Okay, fine, I won't delete it!" Kasey said, rolling her eyes.

"Promise me you'll text him," Carleigh begged, giving Kasey puppy dog eyes. Kasey groaned. Carleigh clapped happily. "This makes me so excited."

"You get more joy out of me having his number than I get out of having his number," Kasey teased her.

"But you deserve a guy, Kasey!" Carleigh said.

Kasey just sighed exasperatedly.

~~~~

The next day, Kasey approached Lin's dressing room, her heart pounding in her chest. Was this it? Was her Broadway career over before it barely started? Had Megan just ruined Kasey's life forever?

She knocked on the door.

"Come in," Lin's voice said. Kasey took a deep breath and stepped in the door, holding her chin up high.

"Ah, Kasey," Lin said, turning from the mirror. "How was your dinner with your foster parents?"

"It went well, thank you," Kasey said earnestly. Lin sighed.

"Kasey, the prop vandalism is no laughing matter. It's expensive to replace, and all the evidence points to you, I'm afraid. Despite this, I've decided to look into it further. I'm usually a good judge of character and I cannot ever see you doing something as destructive as what happened yesterday," Lin said, pacing in front of Kasey. "I will continue to let authorities investigate this. In the meantime, if you do anything that would compromise this show or the health and safety of the cast, crew, or pit, I will have no choice but to fire you."

Kasey let out a huge breath and almost felt like crying.

"I'm taking a huge risk right now, trusting you," Lin continued seriously. "Realize that you are in charge of your own destiny now. If you do anything that suggests anything but pure intentions toward this show, you will lose your job. Am I clear?"

"Thank you so much, Lin," Kasey said feverently. Lin gave her a tight nod.

"You can leave," Lin said. Kasey turned and headed out the door. Once she reached the outside of the theatre, she took her first true sigh of relief. She wasn't fired. Megan hadn't ruined her life. So far, she was still an actor in Hamilton. Hopefully it stayed that way. Kasey planned on fighting for every scrap of Lin's trust to regain his faith in her.

It was their first day off since opening night, and Kasey had decided to do some clothes shopping and then go to visit some friends in some other Broadway shows. She was heading past the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre when she heard someone call her name.

"Kasey!"

She turned around. There was Jace.

"Jace," she said. "Fancy catching you here."

Jace laughed. "Actually, I'm performing in this theatre," Jace explained. "This is Tangled's theatre." He motioned to the large posters that declared 'DISNEY'S TANGLED ON BROADWAY'.

"I've never been inside the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre," Kasey commented. "What does it look like?"

Jace grinned. "You've never been inside?" he asked. "Come, I'll show you."

"Are you sure we're allowed?" Kasey asked as he pulled her into the theatre, nodding at the doorman before leading her into the huge lobby.

"Yeah, of course! They don't mind. Besides, it's not like you're going to trash the place. And you're with me," Jace said confidently. He pushed open the huge double doors that led into the theatre itself. Kasey inhaled sharply.

It was smaller than Hamilton's theatre, but it was impossible to compare the two. The Richard Rodgers had a majestic beauty, with its sweeping balconies and lush red seats. The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was beautiful in a rich, darker, more intimate way. It was smaller.The seats were a dark blue color, and it somehow made the theatre seem so much more stately.

"It's wonderful," Kasey said.

"I know, right? I love performing here," Jace said, gazing out at all the seats. "It's unbelievable sometimes, to be on Broadway."

"That's how I feel with Hamilton all the time," Kasey agreed. They stood there for a while, and then Kasey snapped back to reality.

"I don't want to keep you," she said quickly. Jace stopped her. "I'll just-"

"I don't have anything to do today. It's our day off, too. We could get coffee, hang out, or something," Jace interrupted.

Kasey hesitated. "Um, I barely know you."

"That's the point. Coffee is a get-to-know-you thing," Jace told her. "Come on, I know a great coffee place."

Kasey couldn't really have said no, and even if she could have, she wasn't sure if she even would have rejected Jace.