Stress levels were high as the performances approached.
At that point, volunteers weren't needed to help set up the play. Cassie and Harley were no longer needed to go to rehearsals and help out around the play.
They showed up regardless to be there to support Zoey and calm her down if and when she begins to freak out over the approaching performances.
Today, Maya came to see parts of the play.
"So you guys built all that?" Maya asked.
"Yeah, we did," Harley smiled, proudly.
"Impressive," Maya said.
Cassie noticed Harley's face turning red as she turned around.
"I'm going to see if there's anything we can do," Cassie informed them.
"Do we have to?" Maya whined.
"I mean, we're here, so might as well help," Cassie heard Harley tell Maya as she walked away.
She walked over to Mrs. Bennet and asked if there's anything she can do to help.
"Um," Mrs. Bennet scanned the theater to see if there's anything Cassie to do, "there... isn't anything."
She looked back at Cassie.
"If anything comes up, I'll let you know, but you don't have it," Mrs. Bennet said.
Cassie nodded.
She turned around to see Harley and Maya laughing.
She would rejoin them, but she thought it would be best to leave them be and find Zoey.
Cassie went backstage and asked one of the cast. members if Zoey is here and where she is. The little boy said that she was in a dressing room.
"Zoey!" Cassie called.
"In here!" she heard Zoey's voice near the back.
She walked to the back and a door cracked open.
"Come in," Zoey said.
Cassie came in.
"Have you been talking to Farkle?" Zoey asked.
"Not that often," Cassie admitted. "Not since he saw me at the coffee shop with Randy."
"Does he still think it's a date?"
"I don't know," Cassie said.
"Was it a date?" Zoey wondered.
"I don't know," Cassie repeated. "When Randy asked to hang out, he never mentioned it being a date."
"Do you think it was?"
"No," Cassie said.
"Do you like him?"
"I don't know," Cassie said. "He's such a nice guy, I don't..."
"Let me guess, you want to like him, but don't feel anything?"
"Yes! Exactly! I want to like him, but I don't feel anything."
"Farkle texted me earlier saying he's coming to help out today," Zoey told Cassie.
"Really?"
"Uh - huh. You can open your eyes."
"Okay."
Cassie opened her eyes.
"What are you going to do?" Zoey asked.
"I have no idea," Cassie said. "I can't avoid talking to him forever."
"No, you can't," Zoey agreed. "Where are Harley and Maya?"
"Uh, the last I saw them was in the back of the theater, by the doors," Cassie said.
Zoey nodded.
They left the changing room and walked onto the stage.
Cassie got off of the stage and went to sit down.
Harley and Maya joined her.
"Did you see Farkle?" Maya asked.
"No, I haven't," Cassie said. "I know he's supposed to be here, but..."
"I swear he was with us a sec ago but he said he was going to the bathroom," Harley said, turning around in his seat, looking for Farkle.
"I hope he's okay," Cassie said.
"He was acting fine when he came here," Harley said.
"As soon as we mentioned you he started acting weird," Maya added.
"Oh."
"Alright!" Mrs. Bennet said, getting everyone's attention. "Everyone in the first scene, on stage! Volunteers," she turned around to look at the Cassie, Maya, Harley and everyone who is volunteering to help, "as of today, there isn't anything you need to do, but if anything I will let you know. Where is Farkle?"
"He said he's going to the bathroom," Harley informed her.
She nodded.
Everyone who was in the first scene came on stage to perform the scene.
At every rehearsal, the cast would perform the play as if they were performing in front of the audience. From time to time, they would start at a different scene and go from there. It is all based on the notes that Mrs. Bennett made and wants the cast to focus on. Sometimes, they would focus on specific scenes.
Five minutes after the cast started rehearsing, Farkle reappeared.
"Where the hell have you been?" Harley asked Farkle quietly.
"I just - I went to the bathroom," Farkle said.
"Bathroom?" Maya asked. "Didn't realize boys took this long."
Farkle rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to refill my water bottle," Cassie said, getting up.
She had left her backpack backstage in the dressing room that Zoey was changing in. She unzipped her backpack and took out her water bottle.
"Hey," Farkle said.
She looked up.
"Hi."
"You haven't... are you okay?" Farkle asked.
"I guess," Cassie shrugged as she stood up.
She adjusted her flannel as she stood up.
"Oh. Okay. Um, are you and Randy dating?"
"No," Cassie said.
"How was your date?"
"It wasn't a date," Cassie corrected.
"But Harley said -"
"Harley misspoke," Cassie interrupted. "Randy and I are just friends. Don't take this the wrong way, but why do you care?"
"Well, um," Farkle said, nervously. "We're friends and I don't want to get hurt."
"Most friends don't act like that," Cassie pointed out.
"I'm sorry," Farkle apologized. "I didn't mean to ruin whatever is going on with you and Randy. It's just... I didn't..."
Cassie raised her eyebrows.
"Farkle, are you okay?" Cassie asked.
"I... I don't..."
"Do you need a hug?" she offered.
Farkle bit his lip and nodded.
Cassie opened her arms and hugged Farkle.
He rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Huh," Farkle said.
"What?" Cassie asked as Farkle let her go.
"You're taller than me," he said.
"You're realizing this now?" Cassie said with an amused smiled.
"I didn't realize it until now," Farkle said. "I mean - I knew you were tall, but... how tall are you?"
"I'm 5'9," she said.
"5'9?" Farkle repeated, shocked.
His mouth hung open.
"Yeah," she laughed. "How tall are you?"
"You're taller than me!" Farkle exclaimed. "I'm 5'7."
Cassie licked her lip.
"Dang," he said.
Cassie glanced down the hall.
"I, uh, I have to fill up my water bottle," Cassie said, gesturing to her water bottle.
Farkle nodded.
They left backstage and Farkle rejoined Harley and Maya as Cassie went to refill her water bottle.
As she filled up her bottle, her mom called.
"Hi, Mom," Cassie greeted her mother.
"Hi, Cassie," Robin said. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, all good," Cassie said.
"Zoey's mom called me."
"What did she say?"
"I'm picking you two up from rehearsals. Monica can't pick you two up."
"Oh, okay," Cassie said. "I'll tell Zoey."
"Okay, great. What about Harley and Maya? Do they need a ride?"
"I'll ask them now," Cassie said. "Just give me a sec."
"Okay."
Robin stayed on the phone as Cassie closed her water bottle cap and rejoined her friends.
"Maya, Harley," Cassie said in a quiet voice, "do you guys need a ride?"
"Yeah, actually, I do," Harley said.
"Same here," Maya said.
Cassie nodded.
"Mom?" Cassie held her phone back up to her ear. "They said they needed a ride."
"Okay. Great. Isn't Farkle there?"
"Yeah, hold on."
Cassie turned her attention to Farkle.
"Do you need a ride?" Cassie asked Farkle.
He shook his head no.
"He said, no," Cassie told her mother.
"Okay. I'll see you in an hour and a half."
"Okay. Bye, Mom."
"Bye, Cassie. I love you."
"I love you too."
Cassie hung up the phone.