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"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory." -J.R.R. Tolkien
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For Carolyn, the school week couldn't go by any slower. Although she tried her best to put forth her usual amount of effort and focus, her mind had decided to direct its full attention to worrying about Robin.
What if Althea couldn't heal him? Carolyn could barely stomach the thought. She had become accustomed to looking into his captivating green eyes as a way to escape her own pain and worry, yet when she needed them most was when they were far more than a few steps away.
As she tried to pay attention and keep up with the rest of the dancers, the memory of dripping water echoed in her ear.
Drip...drip...drip...
Carolyn tried to ignore it, yet the more she tried, the louder it became. She felt a shiver run its way down her spine, sending flashes of damp dungeon cell walls and rattling chains to the forefront of her mind.
Drip...drip...drip...
Carolyn wasn't the only one who experienced the same phenomenon, as Aura stumbled over her lyrics and missed multiple counts of choreography as she lightly touched her ear.
"STOP!" Madame Snyder yelled, halting all movement on the stage and in the orchestra pit. "I hope everyone is aware that next week is the start of tech week and opening weekend, yes?" The cast and crew mumbled in agreement. Madame shot a pointed look in Aura's direction. "Then Miss Addams please tell me why you are messing up something that you learned at the very beginning of production?"
"I-I'm sorry...I thought I heard something," Aura stammered out, wanting to curl into a ball to escape her director's gaze.
"You heard something?" Madame echoed, one eyebrow perking up as she looked over her spectacles.
Jake cleared his throat and stepped forward, noticing Aura's discomfort. "I did too, sounds like it was coming from backstage, in the–uh, rafters." He pointed upwards at nothing in particular.
Aura mouthed a "thank you" in his direction, knotting her fingers together behind her back.
Madame pinched the bridge of her nose. "I guess I'll go investigate this mystery noise. Everyone take five."
Aura massaged her temples as the echo of dripping water slowly dissipated. She hopped down from the stage, her character heels making a dull thud against the auditorium's rough carpet. She took a sip from her water bottle, debating whether or not to douse the cool liquid onto her face to make sure she was awake. When she turned around, Casey stood in front of her, a smaller, lighter medical boot around her ankle.
"Wow, now you're making excuses to get out of practice?"
Aura rolled her eyes as she turned her back and tried to swallow her annoyance, but Casey continued.
"It's as if you don't even want this role anymore," she examined her manicured nails, "not that you deserved it in the first place but—"
Aura whipped back around. Her hands balled into fists as her heart thumped against her chest. "What is your problem, honestly? I have tried again and again to be nice to you but for years all you've done is treated me like shit! What did I ever do to you?"
Casey was visibly taken aback, her mouth slightly agape. Her composure quickly regained, although she didn't stand quite as tall as before and instead began to fidget. She crossed her arms before saying, "Okay, answer me this: why do you get to be Little Miss Perfect all the time?"
Aura's eyebrows shot up her arms shooting away from her sides in exasperation. "What are you even talking about?"
Casey rolled her eyes. "Oh please you're the orphan girl who can barely spit out a complete sentence to a stranger, yet everybody seems to love you."
"It's because I'm nice to people. It's because I don't make people feel less simply because they don't have as much as I do."
Casey glanced over her shoulder at the stage as Madame Snyder emerged from the curtains before turning back to Aura. "And I'm sure your kindness will get you so far up on stage." She looked her up and down before sneering, "Break a leg."
Aura watched as Casey limped back to her seat as Madame called for everyone to return to their places. As her heartbeat slowed to a normal pace she smiled, proud of herself for finally standing up to Casey. She took a deep breath before climbing the stairs onto the stage, pushing the echo of dripping water to the back of her mind as she got into position once more.
Drip...drip...drip...
Friday afternoon had finally come, to the twins' and Bailey's relief.
The attic was a mess with supplies and traveling gowns flung all over the floorboards and draped over furniture.
"Can we just hurry up? I don't know how much longer I can wait," Carolyn said as her fidgety hands struggled to laced up a leather corset over a dark green dress.
"I'm working as fast as I can," Bailey said as she scoured the different shelves.
The three girls paused when the faint jingle of the doorbell wafted the third floor.
"I'll get it," Aura volunteered, the last one still dressed in Earth-acceptable clothing. She dropped the dress she chose back down into the clothing chest before rushing out of the attic.
Her bare feet made little noise on the stairs down to the entryway. She leaped over the heap of backpacks she and the other girls had haphazardly thrown aside when they first returned home. A small flutter arose in her chest when she saw Jake through the peephole of the front door.
"Hey!" Aura chirped as she opened the door, a small breeze flying into the entryway. "What are you doing here?"
Jake let out a sigh of relief when he saw her. "I'd hoped that I'd catch you before you took off." He rubbed the back of his neck, a tinge of pink on his cheeks. "I–uh, just wanted to see you again."
Aura gave him a bright smile before pulling him into a hug, resting her head on his chest. "Thank you."
"Promise you'll come back in one piece?" A layer of worry coated his voice as it vibrated into Aura's ear.
Aura pulled away and gave him a smirk. "Oh you know I can't do that."
Jake let out a breathy laugh, running his hand over his chin as he playfully rolled his eyes. "Then can you hold onto something for me?"
Aura's eyebrows furrowed as she stole a glance back into the house. "Um...sure." She held out her hand, expecting a small trinket she would throw onto her bed on her way to the attic.
Instead, Jake gingerly cupped Aura's cheeks before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on her lips, sending fireworks throughout her body as a minty aroma overtook her senses.
"Keep that safe for me, will you?" he said on her lips.
Aura placed her hands on top of his before passionately kissing him back with everything she had in her. Jake's hands wrapped her waist, their kiss deepening as he pulled her into him until almost every part of them touched. A warmth she had never experienced before spread through her, heightening every nerve.
She rested her forehead against his. "I'll protect it with my life."