Together, Never (Sanders Sides Highschool AU)

Chapter 16: Hair despair and audio repair

*Virgil POV*

I wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and pack my bag for school. No one's home this morning. On my way out the door, I check my phone. I see my reflection on the screen and something looks off. I go to the camera and see, to my horror, my hair is bright red. Not a natural red, but bright, neon red. Who did this? My hair dye- Mom didn't specify what friends left my stuff. I can only assume this was Jan and Remus. Only they would do something so petty and annoying. 

I grab my black beanie that covers most of my hair and I walk out of the apartment, locking the door behind me. I go out to my car, and see the windows covered in a layer of snow. I grab a brush thing from inside and wipe it all off. I get in my car and start it, hoping that this time my heater works.

It doesn't. I am freezing even though I have my winter coat on. I miss my sweatshirt. I manage to get to school without getting hypothermia, and silently wonder why Mom and Dad ever decided to live in the frozen wasteland we call Wisconsin.

I pull my beanie down further as I walk through the halls. Thankfully, no one gives me a second glance, and I make it to my locker safely. Logan is at his and greets me when I arrive. 

"Salutations, Virgil. Why didn't you meet up last night? Did something happen?" He asks.

"No, I just um- forgot," I say, biting my lip.

Logan eyes me suspiciously.

"Did you really? Virgil, you don't have to be uncomfortable telling me something. I'm sure I can try to understand." He says.

"I really just forgot, ok?" I say.

I didn't forget and Logan knows it. Before he can say something, I race off to homeroom.

Logan doesn't try to push it for the rest of the day. There's still a girl sitting next to him at lunch, who I now recognize as the girl he kissed yesterday. I can hardly stand to look at her. I don't know why. Logan and I are just friends, not even close ones at that. He does sit next to me during study hall, which is nice. Once the bell rings he doesn't go to his locker, saying something about working the audio for theater rehearsals.

*Logan POV*

Every year since Freshman year, I have run the sound booth for the school play. The play will take place the weekend before the break, and then once we come back we start our next show. Roman has starred in almost every show. Today there is a rehearsal I'm needed at, so once study hall ends, I go to the theater.

I greet the theater director and she tells me what songs and audio we will need for today. We are rehearsing a few scenes in act 2 of Hamilton today, and I need to get a few songs that haven't been cooperating to work.

I step into the sound booth and sigh a happy sigh. This place is very familiar to me, and I know how everything works here. I get to work immediately, setting up and doing a few audio tests. Everything seems to be in order.

Rehearsal has almost concluded when one of the songs stops working. I see Roman up on stage, doing the scene. Everything looks fine until the music cuts off. He pauses and looks around, confused. I step outside the booth and call,

"I'm working on it! Where's Joan, they might know what to do!" 

"Joan's on vacation, you're running the sound booth for the next rehearsals and the show!" Ms. Smith shouts back.

I nod and walk back into the booth. I have never run this all alone; I usually have at least one other person with me. This year will be a challenge, but I am confident I can manage. I start looking through the system, trying to troubleshoot to figure out what went wrong. Eventually, I find that the audio itself had a glitch and that the song on it would cut off, no matter what was playing it.

I leave the booth to explain the problem.

"So what happened?" Ms. Smith asks.

"Ms. Smith, its the audio, not the booth. The song cuts off at a certain point, so we need to either fix the disk or get a new one." I say.

She nods and takes the disk containing the audio from me.

"I guess we'll just leave it here for today. We're only five minutes away from our normal end time." She says, "Alright everyone, wrap it up! Roman, good job today. Patton, I need you to finish the set paint by next Friday, ok?" 

She starts giving instructions to some other students and I grab my bad and leave.

---

Roman, Patton, and I are out in the parking lot, discussing rehearsal.

"I heard Joan's on vacation. Are you gonna be able to manage the sound booth all by yourself, Lo?" Patton asks.

"I'm sure I will be able to handle it. Although another person would be helpful." I say.

"I can ask around, see if anyone else can." Roman offers.

"That would be preferable. Thank you, Roman." I say.

We get to my car and I unlock it. I wave to both Patton and Roman at their individual stops, then start my route home.

*Roman POV*

This is a perfect opportunity to get Amy and Logan together. I can tell Amy likes Logan, and that she's better for him then that emo. Amy assures me she has everything under control, and that Logan will fall for her soon. I believe her on this one, as I've seen some major improvements in Logan's mood the past few days.

Hey Amy, I text

Yeah? She replies

There's an opening to work with Lo in the sound booth for the next week or two. You in?

Sure, what times?

All rehearsals and the two shows

kk

I turn off my phone and set my backpack down in my room. I lay on my bed, humming one of the songs I was singing today. I hear a knock on the door. No one else is home, so I go to answer it.

"Hello? Can I help you with something?" I ask, opening the door.

There on the porch is someone vaguely familiar. He wears a bowler hat, a yellow shirt with matching gloves, and a sort of black trenchcoat. One side of his face has some scale tattoos.

"Uh, who are you?" I ask.

"Dee. A friend of Remus. A pleasure to meet you." He says, holding out his hand for me to shake.

I ignore his and just ask,

"What do you want?" 

"To ensure Virgil doesn't enjoy his last year of high school." He says.

"Virgil- oh you mean the emo freak. Yeah now that my brother wants him to suffer, I'll stop. Goodbye." I say, slamming the door.

I refuse to have anything other than parents in common with my brother. So I'll ease up on Virgil. A little. But if he hurts Logan again I will be having a talk with this 'Dee'.

Finally, I finished the chapter. Wow, that took longer than normal. This time I have an excuse that isn't writer's block, I was being social (and socially distant). Well, hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter, and we are nearing some bigger plot points, so be ready. Any thoughts, feedback, and theories on my work are welcome and have a fantastic day/night you magnificent peep!