Chapter 38
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Lizzie's POV
I got out on the stage like I had practiced with the original cast and did the same things I had done with them. I felt so confident about everything in the script and though I had one of the longest parts, I had it all memorized thanks to Pippa and her tricks. I could feel Robbie's eyes on me as I sang Helpless and kissed Will but there wasn't that jealousy in his eyes anymore. That made me feel a lot better about my role.
I imagined everyone as the original cast from Hamilton and looked out at the empty audience chairs, imagining Pippa and Nadine watching and helping me.
After we finished the final song, I went backstage to where my things were and checked my phone. Pippa had texted me.
I changed into my street clothes and waved our cast goodbye before heading to math class.
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Sam's POV
I had to go to work this afternoon. It wasn't the most exciting thing ever but at least I got to see Amber and I was getting a bit closer to getting her, I guess. I was immersed in my thoughts on how to approach Amber when y/n said goodbye. She was off to take care of Ava and her wound. I hope she gets better soon.
I said bye too and took my car to get to the headquarters and then head to our classroom and to choose my seat there. Amber wasn't there yet so I had to try luck and sit close to the center to be as close to Amber as possible since we could choose our seats for the day. People started coming in and when Amber finally came, she shot a glance to the empty seat next to me and then met my eyes. I was practically begging her to sit with me with the look I was giving her but she evilly smiled and sat in the back row, three tables to the left from me.
The speaker came in and I took my notes out. It's funny how this is almost like my second school. Except here I learn how to sell drugs disguised as medicine... He started handing us some pamphlets.
"If you can get these country doctors to individualize the dose, you get the positive side effect of individualizing your bonus" he finished handing the papers out and got to his stand.
"All right" he said "Purdue also just conducted an osteoarthritis study" he handed the first row some folders "pass those out for me. And it says that if a patient is on 60 milligrams a day or less, they can stop cold turkey without withdrawals" he smiled at the success of the drug slash medicine.
"Now, make sure you show that to your doctors" he chuckled "this drug is just amazing"
I took some notes to go talk to doctor Finnix later and shot a little glance at Amber, who was also taking notes. Her hair perfectly framed her face and some gracefully fell before it when she leaned down to write some stuff in her notepad. And her brown caramel eyes... her gorgeous, beautiful, evil filled eyes were fixed on where her pen touched the paper, tracing letters. Then they focused on the speaker again.
She treats me like shit. Why do I like her anyway? I guess I like girls that are hard or impossible to get. My eyes traced every perfect curve of her body, igniting me inside before I turned to the speaker again too.
"All right, now, for a little bit of fun news" the speaker spoke again "management knows how hard you all have been working. And, you know, we wanna do a little something to say thank you, so I am pleased to announce that Purdue is starting a sales competition called The Topper's Contest. The sales rep that earns more money in the short time of a week selling only Oxycontin is gonna get an all-expense-paid trip to... Bermuda!" he clicked a button and the slideshow changed to a picture of a nice beach and a luxurious hotel in Bermuda. It looked like a nice place to go and I could really use a nice coastal vacation.
Amber's eyes shone when she saw the picture on the slideshow. Maybe I could help her win to get her attention. Everyone applauded and cheered in thanks for that opportunity, including me.
"All right, so everybody, get out there, you keep selling, and someone in this room is gonna end up with one hell of a tan" the speaker said, laughing and making the cheers grow wild again. I looked at where Amber was and her smile widened but she didn't even bother to look at me. Her eyes were fixed on the picture on the slideshow.
When the session was over Amber didn't complain or tell me off when I started to walk outside by her side but we didn't speak until she broke the silence when we were outside.
"Don't be offended when I tell you, I would jam a knife into your carotid artery to win that trip" she looked at me through her dark sunglasses and smiled innocently.
I laughed.
"Okay. Well, how about this?" I asked "We double our dose and we partner up. So if I win, you're my plus-one. And if you win, you take me"
"Or" she started without even looking at me, just straight ahead "I'll go with you if you win. And if I win, I'll go with someone else. How about that?" she looked at me just for a second to then walk towards her fancy car, just a few meters away.
"Yea, I mean, that's not really what I was going for" I looked away.
"Oh Sam, I think you're a riot, but I only fuck really hot guys and really rich guys. And you are neither hot nor rich, but you are fun" she walked around the car to get to the driver's door "Sort of sweet when you're not being a fucking douche, so let's just be friends, okay?" she leaned on the driver's side, towards me and I took a step closer to the passenger door "'Cause this one-sided sexual tension is getting tired"
I scoffed.
"I mean... can we be friends who fuck on the trip to Bermuda if I win the contest?" I dared to ask.
She tilted her head in thought.
"Well, I'll consider it"
She unlocked her car and then looked at my car, which was conveniently parked next to hers.
"Maybe it's time for an upgrade from that piece of shit" she said, pointing at my car before climbing into her own and driving away. I shrugged it off and drove away in my own car. Off to see Doctor Finnix and get him to sell more with the new info. I needed to win that contest so badly now.
We started talking and ended up talking a bit about me, just for him to feel a bit more comfortable around me.
"Do you have a girlfriend or what?" he went straight to the point, whoa man.
"No, no" I said, taking a bite of the hamburger I ordered in the restaurant we were in.
"No?" he asked.
"No" I confirmed "Well" I thought about it and decided to share "there's this sales rep, actually, who's hot as hell. Loves to torture me"
"She like you?"
"Definitely not, no" I chuckled and he did too.
"But she flirts with me just enough to keep me going, you know?" I looked up at him.
"Yeah. Well, here's an idea" he said, drawing my attention from my fries back to him "Maybe you could find a girl who actually likes you"
I shook my head.
"That sounds awful" I said, making him laugh again.
Well, the doctor for sure trusts me now. Now my sales can just go up and I'll win the Topper's Contest to finally do something with Amber. I didn't care about the destination anymore. Just her and her extremely hot self.
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Nadine's POV
I finally got off the plane and I was gonna rush to where the baggage from my flight would be dropped off but someone was already waiting for me outside the plane with all of my stuff.
"Harper!" I flung my arms around her but she kept her composure as Lieutenant, stiffening a bit at my touch. I pulled away to take a good look at her face and I saw red rimmed eyes with black circles under them, pale skin, cheekbones popping out more than usual and a much more marked collarbone.
"Harper, when was the last time you slept? The last time you ate?" I asked, full of worry.
"That information is irrelevant. Follow me" she led me to a black car outside the airport, where she gave instructions to the driver and opened the passenger seat. I stopped her.
"Sit with me in the back" it was more of an order than just asking and she obeyed, closing the passenger door and sitting next to me while the car engine started.
"The Countess is still so weak. She refuses to eat or sleep. She just sits by the window waiting for someone that will never come and her feeling of sadness that comes after the whole night has passed and no one has appeared is making her health, both physical and mental, go to worse" Lieutenant Li explained.
"And how are you?" I put a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"Well, she has gotten a little bit of sleep" she completely ignored my question "but when she does, she is tormented by nightmares and screams her life out of her"
"No, Harper, I meant you. How are you feeling?" I got a bit closer to her.
"I'm okay. My station requires me to be so. I stand guard at the Countess' bedroom at night and everytime she screams at her nightmares I have to go in and tell her that nothing happened. Her husband should be by her side, consoling her and calming her down at night but he left her after what happened with her lover but to be fair, he was sending letters full of promises to a lot of other women" she gave me little information about how she was but I knew that I wouldn't be able to get any more information about her from her so I stayed quiet.
When we got to the palace, butlers took my stuff up to my room and I rushed to Natasha's. I burst the door open and found Natasha in a thin white nightgown, sitting on the window and staring absently at the snowy outside. I carefully and slowly approached her but she didn't even realize. I took one of her very cold hands.
"Natasha..." I called.
Then she seemed to come back. Like if physical contact was the only thing that grounded her. I tucked some of the loose strands that had fallen out of her braid behind her ear and finally her eyes met mine.
"Nadine" she called in a weak voice. She raised a hand to my face as if checking if I was real.
"Yes, I'm here. I'm here to help you. Tell me everything while I rebraid your hair. Your braids were always a disaster" I made an attempt to make her laugh but the corners of her lips stayed tilted downwards.
I took her hand and led her to her cushioned seat in front of the vanity mirror. I grabbed a bristle brush and took off her braid, letting her soft black curls fall free. I patiently started combing her hair, waiting for her to start speaking.
"Go on" I encouraged her.
"I-it all started when I was thirteen. I was in love with the son of one of Mother's most powerful friends, Boris, we even secretly kissed in the garden. We never minded the fact that he was some years older than me. We loved each other and he promised me that when I was sixteen and royal marriage was allowed, he would propose to me and marry me" silent tears run through her face but I just kept on brushing her shiny dark locks.
"My family, the Rostovs, had to move here to Moscow from the countryside where I met him. We grew apart and suddenly the letters stopped coming. We got too busy to maintain communication with each other. I don't know what he got so busy with but I really got into dancing and I took various classes with one of the most prestigious dancers in the world. I was still taking classes when I was sixteen and my professor proposed to me" a tiny sight that could have been a soft laugh escaped her lips and I took that as a win while I separated her hair into three strands, ready to braid it.
"I, of course, refused him and then went to the ball where I met both Prince Bolkonsky, my husband or ex-husband now and Anatole Kuragin, my beloved" she sobbed at the mention of the second name "I danced all night. I had learnt so many amazing classic dances and I had a couple dances with both of them. The prince took me away for a moment to propose to me and my godmother forced me to accept but then during the Ecossaise by Beethoven, Anatole spoke to me as we danced. Confessing his love for me" she whimpered.
"Right after I got engaged!" She closed her fists tight until her knuckles turned even whiter than they already were "I avoided him for the longest time until a month ago, when I found him at the opera. Oh Nadine, he aroused such terrible feelings in me" she cried while I finished her braid "He made me feel closer to him than I had ever been with anyone before. Not even Boris... Then we were together at another ball and that's when he made a move and... kissed me. He knew that I was married but his kiss spoke louder than words and he convinced me. With just a kiss that his undying love was all for me" she had a little smile while I tied her braid with a thin red ribbon.
"We had been together for the whole month. We were going to elope and flee to Poland together but after my godmother discovered him, he had to go to Poland alone. He was exiled from Russia and I was confined in this little area of Moscow. I sit at the window, hoping to see someone, Boris, Anatole, the Prince or someone else. Anyone, coming for me..." she looked out the window and I sat next to her on the soft carpeted floor.
"Harper told me that you're not sleeping well" I commented, wanting to make her keep talking to keep her grounded, here with me, in the real world.
"I have these nightmares... Oh, they are so awful! You are in a few of them too... I just... destroy everything I touch. I ruin everything and that becomes literal in my dreams. If I don't push people away, they will get hurt and when I do, I go crazy in solitude" she buried her face in her hands and wept.
"Okay, enough talking for now. Let's get you fed, I know you're not even bothering to eat" I said, passing an arm around her shoulder and helping her get up on her feet. I just then realized how light she was now. She had lost so much weight since the last time I saw her and that was barely a week ago. That alone made me worry even more. I have to take good care of her and make sure she doesn't attempt to kill herself again.
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I forced her to eat some soup and fed her some white rice with a few herbs for dinner.
"I'll let you skip dessert tonight but just this once because I'm super jet-lagged and tired" I said, to her content.
I walked her to her room since she could barely walk without help and I had forced Harper to take a day off so she could sleep and we the Countess and I ended up alone in her bedroom.
I tucked her in and gave her a soft kiss goodnight on her forehead.
"Goodnight, Nat"
I was going to leave but her weak voice calling me stopped me.
"Nadine..."
"Yes?" I turned to her again.
"Could you... sleep with me tonight? It's nothing weird, I promise. I just feel like a presence would be nice to have sweet dreams. I've told Harper before, she's my closest friend in this whole palace but she always keeps it professional and just stands in front of the door. I need a human presence by my side now that I don't have a husband to keep the other side of the bed warm" she said with glassy eyes.
I smiled.
"Of course" I laid down with her and she covered me with her blanket too before placing her head on my chest and getting closer to me, looking for warmth.
"But don't do anything weird at night you know I have a girlfriend now, you weirdo" I said, causing her to let out a low chuckle. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head as I felt her stiff body relax and become a bit warmer than the freezing temperature from before.
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Lizzie's POV
Screw everything. The time zones were so confusing and I didn't even know if it was a good time to call Nadine. I was pacing around my apartment and I had to force myself to sit down to avoid deforming the hardwood floor from all the pacing. My body was here but I felt like my mind had exited it, going into something like a second plane. I was just watching the body that didn't even feel like mine from the darkness.
⚠️TW: Drugs
Yeah, screw everything. I took two 160 milligram pills and did my usual process until they were just dust. I licked the tip of my finger and pressed it to the little white mountain of dust to then take the substance into my mouth. I snorted half of it and orally ingested the other half, keeping the drug flowing through my system as I felt my eyelids getting heavier, I was about to black out.
I weakly reached to the bag and took another pill, which I painfully swallowed whole before everything turned dark.
⚠️End of TW
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Timeskip to Friday cuz why not
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I adjusted the strap of my purse on my shoulder as I walked through the busy streets of New York. I reached the theatre, which was closed for rehearsal and followed the instructions Pippa texted me to get in through the back door. I knocked three times on her dressing room door and she opened the door.
"I told my understudy that I couldn't go on today and it's a rehearsal anyways. It doesn't matter if I miss one" she said, taking her stuff.
She hooked my arm through hers and led me outside to a nice looking store.
"Now, I don't want anything too fancy. Those dresses are awfully uncomfortable and maybe it would be good if it were blue to represent my character" she pondered, looking around at different dresses and outfits "What do you want?" she caught me off guard.
"Umm... I don't know. I guess you can choose for me. My friends say that I don't have a taste for dresses" I said, recalling that time y/n and Kate chose my dress for the party with a smile.
"Okay!" she excitedly accepted and started looking through another section.
It was fun to see her so excited and happy. I wonder how she stays happy for so long. No one can possibly be as happy as Pippa is all the time.
"This one looks nice" Pippa held out a dress with very light blue, black and teal patterns that reached just above her knee. It was thin and wide and flowy "I'm sure it will be the most comfortable dress anyone will be wearing to the event" she joked "I'll get this one. Now let's look for yours" she looked me up and down and brushed some strands over my ears to then put them back, probably picturing different looks.
She mumbled stuff to herself as she went through all the sections of the store until she let out a loud gasp. I rushed over to her.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She waved a long white dress in my face.
"This dress is perfect for you!"
It was a long and soft tight white dress with an exposed back. Pippa pushed me in front of a mirror and made me hold the dress in front of me to see how it would look on me and started putting my hair in different ways. She opted for a side swept style that showed a bit of the darker roots in my blonde hair.
"It's perfect!" she said, putting a hand over her mouth "I have some earrings I can lend you to go with it" she added.
We paid for the dresses and I happily made my way back home. Pippa was right about the dress. It looked so amazing and it suited me right. My smile widened at the thought that I was going to an award show and I took a peek at the dress that was neatly folded in the bag, my smile growing even wider.
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Timeskip to Saturday cuz I feel like it and it's good for the story :)
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Your POV
Today was performance day and Amy still hadn't shown up. Ms H was genuinely worried now because Will hadn't shown up today either and we didn't have an understudy for an understudy.
"Wait" I said as an idea popped into my head "I know someone who can take the role" I told Ms H.
"Tell me, I'm desperate" she begged.
After getting her approval I took my phone and called the person in question.
"Yes?" she asked, from the other line.
"Ava, you need to come to the high school's theatre right now. It's an emergency" I hung up and she appeared in the doorway a few minutes later.
"You need me to what?!" she started breathing a bit heavily.
"Just to take up the main role. Nothing much. You do know all the lines" I tried to relax her.
"Nothing much?!"
I led her to an audience seat and gently rubbed the tension off her shoulders.
"I wouldn't ask you to if I didn't think you could do it. You are the most talented person I know and I'll be right by your side in act two. Or I can just mouth you the lines from the stage wings. I know pretty much the whole script" I comforted her.
"Y/n... I'm hurt. Could we just- switch roles or something? I can't get through almost three hours of singing with this" she put a hand over her stomach.
"Actually, you just made me realize I'm stupid. Yes, thanks for the idea. We'll change roles. Sorry for pressuring you like that" I looked at her sweet brown eyes.
"It's okay love" she held my hand and smiled brightly at me.
I got into Amy's costume and got ready for the first song. We had a dress rehearsal before and my costume was a bit too big for me. Lizzie was standing next to me backstage, waiting for our turn to come out and she noticed me pulling my sleeves up a bit and holding my pants a bit higher.
"Stand still" she ordered before crouching in front of me.
"Oh, um. Okay"
She took a needle and string from a hidden pocket in her dress.
"To get even more into character" she smiled, holding the items up.
I smiled back and she lifted my shirt a bit to shorten the waist of the pants, sewing the extra fabric together and shortening my sleeves, finishing just a second before my cue to come out and sing.
"Thanks" I mouthed to her as I walked out.
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Lizzie's POV
I had taken a little wooden horse toy and needle and string in my pocket to get into character and symbolize Eliza's role in the family to me since I wouldn't take the items out.
Throughout the performance I sometimes slightly pinched my finger with the needle to get out of the little trances the remaining drug in my blood caused. I had taken way too much and I still felt some of the effects but I was better today. In my little moment offstage I went to the bathroom and drank the much needed water that the drug had made me forget to bring. I looked at myself in the mirror and put some more makeup on to hide the dark circles under my red rimmed eyes.
I looked at my tired face in the mirror one last time and left to perform the next song. It was quiet backstage and students were scattered around, carrying props, set pieces, etc.
I leaned against a wall on the stage wing, waiting for my turn and took a little peek at the public. I heard footsteps from the audience but I couldn't see the source of the sound from my angle so I just guessed that someone was a bit late but they arrived. That's good, I guess...
Winter's ball ended and I ran to the centre, like I'm supposed to before singing Helpless.
"Oooh, I do, I do, I do, I do!"
Then I saw them. I almost gasped but managed to stay in character, singing the song. It was the original Hamilton cast, smiling at me. They were at my school?! Why? How?
I pinched myself with the needle to focus again, careful about pinching too much. I didn't want blood on the costume. I would ask questions to the cast later.
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Your POV
Act one ended and we had the intermission before going back onstage and Ava should be getting ready now. I went to her dressing room to help her. I gently tied her red corset a bit loose so it didn't hurt her wound and we put a little thin cushion on it so it wouldn't make friction and hurt. I helped her get her red dress on and I curled her hair with patience.
"Five minutes to places!" a student called.
"Beca will tell you when to go on if you don't know. Just remember our practices at home. The roles will be reversed but that's all" I calmly explained. Ava focused on my words and her breathing, relaxing herself.
"You're gonna do great. I know it" I encouraged her with a kiss.
"Break a leg" she smiled when I pulled away.
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"Take a break and get away" Lizzie sang.
"Run away with us for the summer" Kate joined.
"Let's go upstate" they harmonized.
"Where we can stay" Lizzie extended the last note, following the rhythm of the music.
"We can all go stay with our father" Kate insisted, trying to convince my character to take a break from work and go upstate with their characters for the summer.
"Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now" Lizzie practically pleaded. Maybe she should go to Juilliard instead of NYU. Acting seemed to be like what she would do best as a career. I almost didn't zone back in when they sang the last line of the song, I had missed almost half of it from staring at the floor.
"Take a break..."
Luckily, I said my line right and at the right time.
"I have to get my plan through Congress, I can't stop 'till I get my plan through Congress" I said, walking away. Lizzie and Kate frowned and walked offstage together as I sat at the prop desk "writing". It was Ava's turn to come out.
(A/N: I put the song that goes now above if you want to listen to it. It doesn't have good quality but at least you see where the characters are and what they do and stuff I guess)
"There's nothing like summer in the city" Jack sung "Someone under stress meets someone looking pretty"
I caught a glimpse of Ava coming onstage and tried to keep from smiling while I wrote random things on the papers at the desk.
"There's trouble in the air, you can smell it" Jack continued "and Alexander's by himself, I'll let him tell it" he walked offstage. It was my turn now.
"I hadn't slept in a week, I was weak, I was awake
You've never seen a bastard orphan more in need of a break
Longing for Angelica, missing my wife
That's when Miss Mariah Reynolds walked into my life" Ava turned to the audience and then to me before she started singing her part.
"I know you are a man of honor
I'm so sorry to bother you at home
But I don't know where to go, and I came here all alone"
The rest of the song went smoothly and the ensemble sang "No"s and "Go"s as my character's conscience as Ava kissed me and the crowd went "No!"
I was cracking up inside. We were an actual couple in real life and a whole audience was saying "No" to any romantic move made by Ava. It was hilarious and I could see the laughter inside Ava's eyes as she stayed in character, like me.
We finished the scene and she walked offstage. I had to be there for the next one but as soon as the next song started, which didn't include me, I went to Ava's dressing room to congratulate her on her performance.
"You did so well!" I said, pulling her into a bear hug but being careful with her cut.
"You did amazing as well" she held my cheeks and gave me a peck.
"You can just relax now. We're done with your character. I'll be back at the end of the play" I smiled and she smiled back.
"I have another scene in the next song. I better go. See you soon" I gave her a kiss goodbye and I went to my position for the next scene.
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Amélie's POV
Colette had volunteered to drive me to the airport but I thought it might be better if I went alone. I called a cab and started my way to see Nino again. I had missed him so much but he might have changed... Maybe he's not the man I fell in love with anymore...
I looked out the window in silence, immersed in my thoughts and when we arrived, I paid the cab driver and just stood there. I didn't know if I was ready to see Nino again. I knew he wanted to start a relationship with me again and I wanted him to but...
"Are you okay ma'am?" someone passing by asked me.
"Oh, yes. Sorry" I wiped a tear that had escaped my eye and started walking into the airport.
I went to the part where usually family members wait for someone to return and waited for Nino. What would he do first when he saw me? Would he make it awkward and shake hands? No. I don't think so. A hug? Maybe. Two kisses, one on each cheek? That makes sense since he's French.
I was staring into the void, thinking about different probabilities when a glimpse of Nino's green jacket brought me back to reality.
"Nino!" I smiled, holding my arms wide for him.
"Amélie!" He dragged his suitcase behind him and dropped it all at his feet when he reached me to wrap his arms around my neck and kiss my lips.
I held onto his shoulders, returning the kiss. It had been ages since we last had actual physical contact. And I felt so warm and safe in his arms. We pulled away and I fit my head underneath his chin, leaning onto his chest. He was a head taller than me and that made him a very comfy pillow for me.
He cupped my cheeks to look into my eyes and wiped my tears away with his thumbs. I had missed his touch more than I could ever admit. His brown eyes met mine and our lips linked once more, my hands gripping his shirt, afraid that he would leave again.
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Lizzie's POV
"Who lives, who dies, who tells your story..." the ensemble ended the song and I got to do the last gasp, looking at the members of the audience and a tear escaping my eye. I locked eyes with a proud-looking Pippa and smiled as we all got to a line to do the bows. The crowd showered us with applause and we bowed individually before doing a final bow all together.
I quickly changed into my street clothes and ran back to the main theater area to find the Hamilton cast chatting amongst them. The whole audience area was empty now except for them. Renée opened her arms wide at me and I accepted her hug.
"You were amazing up there!" she said. The rest nodded in approval.
"Thank you" I slightly blushed "How did you know this was my school? And how did you get in? Ms H would freak out if she saw you and she was in theater door duty"
"We just came in mid-show. Just early enough for your amazing performance. Also, there might be a little bird called Nadine chirping info into our ears" Jasmine explained with a wide smile.
"You've been to so many of our shows so we figured that we could come to yours and surprise you" Pippa matched Jasmine's smile and I hugged them both.
"I love you all. Thank you so much for this"
"And there's also a little surprise for you" Lin said.
"Oh?"
They got a bit apart and revealed another person that had been quietly sitting beside them. I recognized him at once and my jaw dropped. It was Thomas Kail. The director of Hamilton and a bunch of other amazing projects.
"Tom and I have been talking" Lin explained "and when we saw you perform on our stage we knew you were good but here you just convinced us even more of your brilliance"
"So, we're giving you an opportunity to be part of our next production" Thomas Kail SMILED at me as he recited the most pleasing phrase I had ever heard.
"I-I... I would love to"
"Okay, just pass me your number and I'll send you the details when we have them all ready. It's just a rough draft for now" he handed me his phone and with shaky fingers, I typed my number in. I gave him his phone back and Pippa tapped my shoulder.
"Do you have a dressing room for everyone in the production here?" she asked, eyes shining with curiosity as she looked around.
"Yeah. Let me give you a tour" we said bye to the rest of the cast as they had to leave and I started showing her the doors with pieces of papers that read our names glued to them.
"This is y/n's. She was going to be Mariah Reynolds but the girl who was going to play Alex has been absent lately and she didn't come today either" I explained, guiding her down the dressing room hallway.
"And this is mine" I said, before opening the door "It's not as nice as yours but it's something and I like it"
"It's amazing, Lizzie. I thought you would have much smaller and fewer dressing rooms here but it's amazing how everything is almost the same size as in our theatre" Pippa answered.
"I need your help with something though" she added.
"I'm here, what do you need?" I tilted my head with a smile.
She took a couple papers from her purse.
"I had to write an acceptance speech for tonight, you know, in case I win. But I don't know if it's good so if you could just listen and give approval or suggest changes?"
"Of course!" I sat down on the little blue couch of the dressing room, facing her.
She practiced her speech with me and it was perfect.
"I still can't believe that I might have won an award for doing what I like" she dreamily sighed.
"I think you won. We're gonna be there, they'll say your name and you'll get up on the stage and give your acceptance speech" I encouraged her.
She looked down at the floor, slightly blushing.
"I- I've been nominated for this award before for my previous musical, The Great Comet. But I didn't win so there's still a big chance that I won't win"
I put my hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me
"You'll win it. I know. Besides, second time's the charm right?" I joked.
She let out a chuckle and her face brightened up again.
"You're right. Second time's the charm. But let's stop talking about probability and get a drink to celebrate your success. My treat" she hooked my arm and took me out of the dressing room to get a drink.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
Nadine's POV
I had been with the Countess for half a week now and she was getting a bit better. I followed her like a shadow and made sure she ate and slept. She was more grounded now and didn't zone out at random moments so I decided to have a good talk with her.
"Nat, I can't take care of you forever... Eventually, I'll have to get back home and to work. But for you to stay well when I'm not here, I need you to abandon the idea of this elopement at once. You've been waiting for him. I know. You steal glances at the window, and impatiently tap your foot. You have to know that he won't come. He's in Poland now and your cousin told me that he would probably move to France to marry some landowner's daughter. He's starting a new life without you and you should do the same" I said, holding her hand to warm it for her. She was warmer than when I arrived but still cold.
Her face fell, like every time I tried to ask or talk about the man she almost eloped with.
"But..."
"No buts" I interrupted her "He is moving on and so should you"
"I guess you're right..." she mumbled.
"Come on, I'll take you to the Opera" I put an arm around her waist and helped her walk out. She was okay but still a bit weak.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
We were at the Rostov's opera booth, watching the stage from the highest part of the great hall. The only family members at the Rostov's booth were Natasha's cousin Sonya and Natasha's godmother, who kept an eye on Natasha at all times. She probably didn't want what happened at the last opera she came to watch to happen again and I didn't either. I looked at all the faces in the audience for the blonde head of the man that broke Natasha's heart. I smiled when I didn't see him and proceeded to enjoy the opera.
Natasha had leant me a royal looking dress for the afterparty, where only people with a certain status were allowed and I needed to look the part.
The performers were good. I didn't even know where to look. All I saw was painted cardboard, queerly dressed actors moving and singing so strangely in the lights. It was false and unnatural. It was embarrassing but at the same time it amused me to see such a special way of performing. It was my first time in a Russian opera and it was grotesque and amazing.
In the second act there were tombstones, the moon over the footlights... Horns and contrabass played in the background as black cloaked figures holding daggers in their hands advanced on the stage. The tsar (that's what the emperor of Russia was called before 1917) wailed a mournful tune, sitting in his crimson throne and I leaned further onto Natasha, who had her whole undivided attention on the actors on the stage.
Tenors jumped around in tinsel jackets and young girls and old men cried "bravo!" from their seats when they finished their song. The piano playing in the background changed the melody to chromatic scales and diminished sevenths, reaching the climax of the play and when it was over, with rapturous faces, everyone, including me, screamed and shouted.
"Bravo!"
We clapped until our hands hurt and the actors bowed onstage to then disappear in the wings.
Natasha's face had brightened. I knew she loved the Opera. We went to the place of the afterparty and I got some drinks for us, the finest vodka ever, of course. We were in Russia. I gulped my shot down and noticed the countess's gaze lingering on someone.
"Who's that gentleman?" I asked her, pointing my empty glass at the ginger haired man.
"Oh- um" the color returned to her face when she blushed "He's Count Pierre Bezukhov. I've known him all my life but we grew apart over the years" she looked away.
Some people moved towards the dancefloor, falling into a graceful dance at the rhythm of the soft orchestra playing in the background.
"Ask him to dance" I suggested.
"Oh, no. Tradition says that only men can choose who they dance with. I can't possibly- oh- Hi" she turned to the Count, who had approached her without her noticing.
"Would you give me the honor of having this dance with you, Countess Rostova?" he politely asked, extending his hand and bowing.
"I would love to" Natasha gave him her hand and they both walked away to the dancefloor. Finally, I had found someone that could take care of her. With some luck, maybe I could leave to go back home tomorrow. A servant carrying several vodka glasses on a silver tray passed by and I took one with a smile.
_________________________________
I'm baaackkk! It's Avamax_blackstar :)
Exam week is over and I have one exam on Tuesday before I'm free for the holidays. I'll be able to update a bit more, I think.
I'm going to spend Christmas at a friend's house in Germany so I don't know if I'll be able to update much from there but I'll try ;)
This chapter is so much longer than usual to thank you for your patience and for bearing with me while I complain about my life lmao.
Votes are appreciated but comments are the best :)
Stay happy and healthy!
I love you all so much <3