Casting and Coffee

First Show Back

Jasmine's POV

I couldn't lie, I still loved Anthony and there was a tiny bit of hope in the back of my mind that maybe he was telling the truth but I definitely needed a break from him for a while. Unfortunately for me, we worked together and we had to go to rehearsals for Broadway today. Lin had changed some of the songs and we had to re-learn some of them. I had already done that so I was only going to have to learn the choreography but what was hard was seeing Anthony for the first time since I walked out on him. I probably should've called him or something by now but I just couldn't bring myself to incase he rejected me after what I said.

Anthony's POV

I heard my phone alarm go off from my hotel room. I wondered why it was going off on a Sunday until I realised that I must've slept through Sunday and it was Monday. I reached over to silence it and got up to take a shower. After I had gotten dressed, I took the train straight to the theatre and skipped going to Starbucks to avoid confrontation with Jasmine. As far as I was aware, none of the cart knew about our fight and I didn't want them to know.

When I arrived at the theatre, my stomach dropped. I was really dreading Helpless as we had to dance with each other and normally that was my favourite song but just the thought of it made me feel nervous to point that I was weak at the knees. I tried to block out the thought and walked to my dressing room. I didn't odd anyone on my way there as far as I know. I just kept my head down and speed walked around the corner so no one would initiate conversation with me.

As I opened the door, I saw Oak's bag on his desk but he didn't appear to be there. I was fine with that for now and I threw my bag down in the corner of the room. I tried to get changed as quickly as I could so I could go and stand somewhere random and no one would talk to me. As soon as I was in my Act 1 costume, I rushed out the door and ran around the corner where Lin and Jonathon's dressing room was. I heard Oak shout something down the corridor just as I managed to hide around he corner and I thanked that I wasn't there in time to pass him. I quickly passed by Lin and Jonathon's dressing room and ran up the stairs towards Leslie and Chris' dressing room. I heard Chris talking from behind the door so I sneaked past as quietly as possible. As soon as I reached the stairs that lead up to the top floor that no one used, I ran up. The lights were out so I switched them on and got a cup of water from the water cooler that was placed up there.

I leaned against the cooler for a few minutes until I heard someone shout my name from downstairs. "Anthony? Where are you?" I didn't really want to answer them. It sounded like Leslie but I wasn't too sure. "You reckon he's up there?" I heard Lin say. "Maybe but I don't see why" The person, Who was Maybe Leslie, responded. I quickly threw my cup on the ground, switched off the lights and hid behind a big tall plant that was in the dressing room closest to me. No one used the upstairs and I doubted either men would look in the ones up here but I had to be sure. I felt like a secret agent or something, sneaking through the building and hiding from my co-workers. Actually it sounds like a stupid child's game when it's put like that.

I heard the light switch on from behind me and I knew they were up here. "Anthony? Are you up here?" Lin called again. "Leslie, are you sure he said he was coming in today?" "Yeah of course I'm sure. Look, here's the text" Leslie responded. I heard mumbled conversation for the next few minutes before the dressing room door opened and the light flicked on. I was really anxious. What would I say if one of them found m- "Anthony? What the hell?". My thoughts were interrupted by Lin looking over at me and pointing. "Um... haha... you found me" I said awkwardly. "Anthony? What the fuck are you doing here?" Leslie responded. "Erm I was... playing hide and seek?" I said. "Dude, are you ok?" Lin asked. "Yup I'm fine dude. 110% fine here" I said forcing a smile. Leslie looked really creeped out and confused at the same time. "I'm gonna go tell everyone we found him. You two just... carry on" Leslie said backing out the door and down the stairs.

"Anthony really, what are you doing up here? There's nothing you can't tell me" Lin said. "I'm just not feeling too great today and I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone" I said and Lin and I started to walk back downstairs. "Huh. That's weird. You must've passed something onto Jasmine then. She's not feeling great either" Lin said. I fake laughed. "Possibly" I said. "Dude, are you sure you're ok? You don't usually say stuff like that" Lin said as we arrived at my dressing room. "Yeah I swear. I'm fine" I said and walked in before he could question me any more.

At the rehearsal, everything went well. Jasmine didn't make eye contact with me and I didn't make eye contact with her. That is until Helpless came along. We met up at the back of the stage and I didn't know what to say. I scratched my head and focused on what Pippa was doing. "Stop! Stop!" Lin shouted from the wings. "Anthony what are you doing? Talk to Jasmine and stop looking at Phillipa". "Sorry" I said back. "Right start it again" Lin shouted and the song started up again. This time when we met, I looked Jasmine in the eye. "Look, I'm sorry Jasmine. Please I don't want this to be awkward especially since we're going on to broadway soon. It has to be professional" I said. Jasmine finally made eye contact with me. "Look, it's taking everything in me not to just forget anything happened and go back to the way things were but I just don't know how you expect me to believe you" Jasmine replied. "I understand" I said and my smile dropped. It was time for us to do the ballroom dance part and we acted normal but as soon as we ran off, I broke down. "Hey are you ok?" Sydney asked. "No, no I'm not" I said and I continued crying on the floor of the wings. Soon it was time for me to go on for the wedding scene. It took all my strength to get up and go on, but I did it. I linked arms with Jasmine and walked down the middle. We walked out to the side and my arm dropped from hers for the transition into Satisfied. Jas stepped forward to join Renee for her rosy bit and I stepped forward for my opening line. "Alright, alright, that's what I'm talking about" I said as my voice cracked. "Now everyone give it up for the-" I said before I couldn't carry on without crying and sniffed my tears back instead. "CUT!" Lin screamed. "Anthony what was that?" He asked as the music ceased. I let out a squeal and I couldn't answer him as I was using what little strength I had to hold back my tears. "Dude do you maybe want to leave and get a drink? Come back when you're ready" Lin said and I nodded. I bowed my head and stumbled off the stage. I tilted my head to look at Jas on my way off and if did look like she was sad from the look in her eyes. But what did I know about emotions? Apparently my emotions don't even know what to do to the fact that one minute I'm crying on a bathroom floor, the next I'm punching a wall and the next I'm fine and able to walk to a train station. I needed to get a grip and either get back with Jasmine or just move on and find someone else even though it would pain me, I had to.

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Jeez. What do y'all think? Will Anthony get back with Jasmine or will he just move on? Oh wait who am I asking? The tumbleweed and ghosts that are on my page? Idk but no ones reading this 😂

-CJJ