The mysterious gray clouds looming above reminded all of LA what month it was. The humid October air wrapped itself around me as I marched down the crowded street. There wasn't an overwhelming amount of foot traffic today, which was completely unexpected for Los Angeles but I wasn't complaining. I shivered as I pushed open the door to a downtown theater and stepped in. Every inch of my skin absorbed the air conditioning that enveloped me and the few others inhabiting the space. As I looked around, I was shocked at the variety of people surrounding me. There were teenagers with bright eyes, annoyed parents on their phones, elderly women waiting to pay for up front tickets, toddlers who didn't know what they were signing up for, everything. All walks of life seemed to meet here in this lobby, all awaiting the opening night of the newest Starkid production, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals.
In all honestly, I had barely heard about them before and I knew the bare minimum. The suicidal parents around me were probably more informed on what they'd be watching in the next few hours. I only had these tickets because of my best friend, Dylan. It seems weird to have a "best friend" at 24 years old but really there was nothing else good enough to call him. Dylan worked at the theater and was always getting cheap tickets and special passes and so on. He'd tried to convince me to see shit with him before but I never had the time.
Dylan was a huge fan of Starkid, and got tickets to the new musical for every night they were playing. That was Dylan for you. Even if he didn't go to all of them he needed to be the guy who could. He was constantly trying to prove to everyone (including himself) how much he had and how far he'd come.
So for all 16 shows, Dylan planned to be front and center. It was just his luck that he had to go home to Indiana for a few weeks. The tickets are mine now and I honestly have no idea what I'm supposed to do with them. It's just not sane to see a musical 16 times, especially when you aren't a huge fan in the first place.
I made my way around the lobby until I caught the attention of someone familiar. Almost all of the workers there knew and liked me, but Nick and I got along especially well. I flagged him down and began making small talk.
"Hey man, nice to see you. How's Dylan been, what're you doin' here?" Nick smiled loosely and grabbed my hand, pulling me into one of those guy hugs that can still leave you secure with your masculinity.
"Nicks okay, he's holding up. I think he secretly likes being back in Indiana. I'm just here for the show, he hooked me up with tickets before he left," I explained and studied Nicks features as he nodded along.
"Cool, cool," his smile was more subtle now as he shifted his body farther away from mine. "Well I'll be out here working concession if you need to be 'hooked up' with anything else." He nodded back towards his booth that I was all too familiar with. "Oh and if you stick around with me after you might get to meet some of the cast."
I shrugged, definitely not as enthused as any other person around me would be to hear that. We said our goodbyes and I slugged down to Dylan's reserved front row seat. That kid had terrible taste. Being in a public audience is bad enough but I can't help feeling like their all staring at me when I sit in the front. Watching TV in your boxers is one thing but to know the people are watching you back when you're zoned out, absorbed, and an ugly mess it's even worse. Then of course you aren't aware of how invested you were until the end, when it all hits you that you probably had a double chin and the cute guy saw your pudge as you relaxed. Sadly Id never know if this was true because Ive never been in a show and I don't plan to ever be.
I checked my watch and realized the show would be starting soon. I shut down my phone and flipped through the knock off playbill Nick gave me. I always liked looking at the cast there before I saw them on stage. A few of them looked familiar from Dylans attempts to expose me to them, but there were still people I'd never seen before. One baby faced and soft eyed kid stood out in particular. Robert Manion. If he was as cute in person as he was in his headshot this could be the best musical anyone's ever fucking seen.
The lights slowly faded and I let my pamphlet drop to my lap. A beat escaped, clear and loud before actors began pouring onto the stage. It was darker than I expected and I couldn't quite match anyone's faces to what I had seen yet.
My legs were crossed and I was already invested by the time the song was over. I had honestly forgotten about Robert as I immersed myself in this new theater experience. Dylan would have loved this, and I felt a sinking feeling in my heart knowing he wasn't here on the night he so desperately wanted to be. I decided then that i'd call him during intermission.
A little under an hour later, act one had ended. I stood up from my seat, stretching and getting my old phone to restart. I left my things on my chair and began following the chattering crowd of people as they flooded out of the room. The lights were on again and I felt so detached from life. My heart suddenly belonged to this new and unusual setting I'd never heard of. It was so easy to fall in love with those characters. Maybe that's why Dylan liked Starkid so much. I was already finding myself a fan.
I scrolled through my contacts until I landed on Dylan's, pushing it and bringing the phone to my ear. He answered after the third ring. "Carter, dude? Why are you calling?"
"Thanks, man. Feels good to be wanted." I smiled and pushed my back up against the wall. I caught Nicks eye across the room. He was working concessions as usual and paused once he saw me. A surprised look spread across his face, quickly replaced by a quick second of what I could only assume was pain. He shook his head and returned to his costumers. I have no idea what that was all about.
"Shouldn't you be at the show? Did you not go because seriously, C, thats not cool." He chuckled and I knew Dylan so well that I could practically see him biting his lip. I fucking missed that kid.
"I am at the show. It's intermission. I thought that I'd tell you how much I was enjoying it. Stupidly enough, I'm glad that you aren't here. I'm having fun, real fun."
Dylan continued cracking jokes until he had to go a few fifteen minutes later. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and sighed. I didn't know if I could last that must longer without my friend. Before I went back to my seat, I headed over to Nicks booth, waiting in line until he was in front of me.
"Hey Nick," I smiled and slid a few bills over to him. "Small popcorn? Please?"
He grabbed a medium popcorn container and slid the money back to me. "Anything for you, Carter. Enjoy the show." I blushed, shoving the money back into my pocket and grabbing the food.
"I think I'll have more fun seeing you after." I walked away before I could see his reaction or let him say anything else. I kept a smile on my face until I was back in my seat, legs crossed and ready for the show to start up again.
-
Curtain call began and I couldn't stop clapping. The show had been so engaging and everyone was talented. I could finally understand what Dylan had seen in these people. Not to say I was now a huge musical theater fan, but I did really like what I saw. Everyone in the crowd began standing up, filing out with shouted whispers being thrown between them. It was an amazing thing to see so many people enjoying themselves like that, and I knew everyone in that room would take away something different. That in itself was beautiful.
As promised, I went straight to the concession stands. Nick was closing up, shooing away the few people left straggling. I leaned my elbows on the candy counter and rested my chin in my hands. As he faced me, my smile took up my entire face and I could feel how horrible I looked.
"Enjoy the show?" he chuckled and grabbed me a Mtn Dew. I blushed as I took it, a wave of warmth washed over me just because he knew what kind of soda I liked. He was such a good guy.
I nodded and unscrewed the cap of the soda bottle. "It was amazingly and unexpectedly great." He chuckled and walked around the counter.
"Why don't you come with me?" Nick smiled and began walking down the hall of the theater. I followed him blindly, having no idea where we were going. Soon enough, we were in the empty employee break room. "I just like to hang out here before I leave." He nodded and jumped up to sit on the counter, tapping the space beside him and inviting me up there.
I sat beside him, looking around and taking it all in. It wasn't anything special, but clearly it was to Nick and that made it amazing. "It's nice, yeah."
He laughed, slowly shaking his head and looking down. "It's a fucking shit hole." I chuckled too, my shoulder brushing against his. It was nice to be close to someone that wasn't Dylan. I shrugged and inched closer to him. "Hey if you want to hang around a little maybe we could grab a beer from my truck?" Chill in the parking lot?"
"Oh that is so classy." I laughed and jumped down from the counter space. Nick followed my actions and led me out to this black truck that sat in the very last parking row behind the building. He pulled down the tailgate, jumped up, and handed me a beer. I gratefully accepted and joined him once again, my shoulder against his.
"How come we never hang out like this when Dylan's around?" I leaned my chin on Nicks shoulder and moved my body closer to him. "I mean, I've seen you at parties and we've talked around Dyl but...this is different."
"Good different," he whispered, turning his head to face mine. I nodded slowly, looking up into his eyes and smiling softly. Nick lifted his hand to my cheek and I blushed, biting my lip before pulling away.
"Good different, yeah," I mumbled, inching away from him and taking a sip from my beer bottle. He coughed, opening another bottle for himself and turned his head the other way. "I should go. Thank you, for tonight. It's been great." I jumped down but Nick took hold of my wrist and pulled me back.
"I'm sorry, Carter. Please call me?" He let go of me and looked down with pleading eyes.
"It's not a big deal, Nick. Don't apologize, I'll call you, okay?" I walked closer to him, his knees pressed against my stomach. "I want to hang out again, it's been great but I need to go."
"Are you coming back tomorrow?" His blonde hair flopped in front of his eyes and I couldn't help but smile.
I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Sure, yeah. I'll be here tomorrow." Before I left, I grabbed his beer and sipped from it, smirking as I left the bottle beside him.