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this chapter contains mentions of death, slight gore/mentions of blood and injury, cursing, mild sad vibes and (mild) parental figures fighting. please read at your own risk.
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𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗
Los Angeles; the City of Angels. It was the city of pursuing chance and the daring path to make a face amongst all others to shine the brightest, and it was a pain in the ass to work up your way up the totem pole. For someone important to know your name, it took effort, time and money. Lots of it. Nobody could make it in the greatest city of the United States without giving in to some of its temptations of fame and broken promises.
It was quite frightening how some people were desperate enough to give and lose everything just to have their face plastered on a poster.
Magnolia Grace Doran never thought that way, she never thought of fame or glory, or the simplicity of getting her face recognized. She wanted her work to be recognized, to have people recognize her own brilliancy and dedication. It was her own hard work, effort and time that got her to perform at the Orpheum. Bright blue, neon letters flashing in your face as soon as you step within radius of the grand theatre, thousands of seats lined up from the ground level to the second floor. Hundreds of thousands of people to fill those people to enjoy something as simple and elegant as a ballet performance to something as extraordinary and exclusive as bands and concerts.
Tonight, everyone was here to on the chilly December night to see The Nutcracker, starring L.A.'s very own Magnolia Grace.
It was a dream come true to say the least, this sort of lead in a production like this determined everything. Her future, if her effort really paid off, if she had to sit another dance class with Bethany Monroe every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bethany was an absolute nightmare. It all came down to how well she performed tonight, right in front of the Juilliard scout.
Fingers crossed.
The Japanese teen sat prettily in front of a luminous mirror, lightbulbs the size of her palm decorated the frame. It made Magnolia's skin whiter and the makeup that painted her eyes seem rosier, as if it truly was a part of her oh-so-natural look. She smiled at herself, one nervous and overwhelmed rather than her usual laid back grins. The butterflies that settled in her stomach remained, mere minutes away from curtain call.
Magnolia pulled a powder compact from her purse, spilling the contents of her bag all over the desk with several makeup brands decorating the lids of the colourful containers. Popping it open, the Asian girl powdered her nose, her thumb lightly brushing over her frostbitten, rosy cheeks, feeling the cool skin underneath her numb finger.
Shakily, Magnolia reached for her lip gloss and touched up her lips, her glittery Sugar Plum Fairy costume scratching against the material of her plush, beige turtleneck. She leaned closer to the mirror, examining herself further for anymore flaws or anything needing a minor touch up. She wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for tonight.
"Mag-coroni!" A voice boomed, drawing attention from all the other dancers behind the curtain, but Magnolia didn't care, watching the man walk closer to her to embrace her in the corner of her eye. A massive grin was painted on his face, a glimmer of pride in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around the petite girl. The nickname he had given her at at prime age of three bringing a small smile tugging at her lips. "There's my little sugar plum."
The man that had embraced her wore a suit, obviously not caring too much for the winter chills that pierced through the thin material of the black coat jacket, and a flimsy scarf adorning his neck over a loose black tie. The man was tall, laugh lines found at the corner of his eyes and side of his mouth, buried underneath his stubble.
"I thought we were over, 'mag-coroni'." Magnolia groaned, playfully pouting at the childish nickname that seemed to loom over her. Both of her parents seemed to agree on the nickname ever since they had adopted Magnolia, watching her sleep peacefully, shaping her body like a boiled noodle.
"You were over it, I'm not." Her dad reminded her, giving her one last squeeze to allow his daughter to pull off the turtleneck to reveal the sparkly corset-like bodice of her Sugar Plum Fairy Costume. A fond smile found its way onto his lips, regarding his daughter with a look of admiration. "Look at you, you're all grown up."
Both himself and his husband, Anthony Fernandez, had balled their eyes out earlier in the morning, realizing that their darling daughter would finally have her big moment in the spotlight. If any tears were to come from his eyes at this very moment, he wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised.
Taking a few bobby pins from her stand, Mason Doran ushered his daughter to face the mirror, helping her put up her hair. Magnolia had always admired times like this, moments simpler than the quick-pace she grown accustomed to. This part of her routine hoped that never changed as soon as she--hopes--to get into Juilliard. Knowing how the Asian girl liked keeping her hair loose, Mason stuck in the bobby pins in hopes to make her dark hair more tamed.
"It's all cause of you and pops." Magnolia credited, beaming at him through the mirror, catching the soft smile he tried to hide behind her bird nest. "You did raise me pretty well."
As if on cue, her papa came backstage, a small bouquet of pale pink roses at hand. He, too, had a massive grin on his face as his eyes landed on the Japanese girl in front of a mirror, watching his husband tend to his daughter's loose bun.
The man had a tan complexion, a contrast to Mason's fair complexion. He had raven-coloured hair cut short, a giddy smile on his face that showed two dimples on each side of his cheeks. He wore a matching suit, a red tie instead of a black one with his suit coat unbuttoned , revealing the white button-up underneath.
"Hell yeah, we did." Anthony Fernandez agreed, using slight curses in his speech Magnolia had grown accustomed to. She could faintly remember how her dad would scold her papa on his vulgar language. It was just after how Magnolia had said her first profanity, it was absolutely horrifying to hear you four-year old squeal out a word she barely knew the meaning of.
Her papa kissed the side of her head, beginning to fold her turtleneck and tidying her workspace by carefully dropping the numerous makeup products into her purse. Magnolia grinned and hugged him, only to be scolded by her dad to sit straighter.
"Remember when we took her to her first ballet lesson?" Her papa reminisced, a memory that seemed too far now looking at the young woman sitting in the chair. Magnolia was no longer the shy crybaby that took their lives by a storm, but rather the woman who touched the corners of absolute refinement and greatness by her fingertips.
"Like it was yesterday." Mason chuckled, his thoughts mindlessly falling into their earlier days, where their daughter wore ballet slippers bigger than her feet and a baggy shirt to her first practice. He could barely hear the whines that would leave your lips and imagine the fat droplets that would collect at the corner of her eyes. "She didn't want to leave the car."
Magnolia frowned, remembering how she practically begged her parents to turn the car around. At the prime age of six, she had then realized that her tactics of kicking, screaming and crying weren't working, sitting through ballet practices with mean Madame Agathe Zepower and snotty nose kids. It wasn't until she was seven when she realized both parents had just been patiently waiting for her classes to end.
"I thought you were taking me back to the adoption centre." Magnolia whined, scratching the back of her head in mild frustration, making her parents belt out in laughter. Anthony pinched her cheeks like a little baby as she crossed her arms over her chest.
A mocking pout was set on her lips.
"Not a chance, I mean look at you!" Her papa cooed, embracing her as tight as he could like a child would with their teddy bear. It was as if she would just burst into thin air if he didn't. As he pulled away, he pressed a soft kiss against her hair. "We couldn't be anymore proud of you."
Tears welded up in the corner of her eyes, the image ingrained in their minds as the snotty six year old who had begged to skip her ballet classes.
"I love you, guys." The Japanese girl whispered, loud enough for both parents to hear as she brought them into a tight embrace, pulling them in by their necks. Her voice wavering slightly, planning to keep her tears in to keep her makeup intact. "I wouldn't have made it here without you."
The two pulled away, watching their daughter fan her eyes with her hands to preserve the eyelash glue and mascara the girl had put on prior to the show.
"Or your dad's wallet." Anthony then joked, making Magnolia's father scowl at him. Their daughter giggled at their playful behaviour. Her papa assured his husband that it was simply a joke, making the man huff and shake his head.
"Can you tie my pointes?" Magnolia had asked her father, watching his eyes soften with a watery smile on his lips. Mason had always been the one to tie Magnolia's points before every big performance, whether she was the lead, or simply a background dancer. Even at the age of seventeen, Magnolia planned on never breaking that sort of promise, even if she were to attend Juilliard.
Mason had always been the emotional one in this family.
"You want me to do it?" Her father's voice was barely above a whisper, an emotional tear leaving his eyes as he bashfully wiped it away. Magnolia grinned happily, pulling her shoes out from the pocket of her director's chair.
"It's tradition." Magnolia grinned, seeing the soft look in her father's eyes as he reached for her pointes, squatting to carefully lace them up. Her papa saw the strange look in her eyes, voicing his concern for out. "Papa, what if I screw it up? And they start laughing at me."
That must be what's on her mind.
Anthony smiled softly at her, knowing she was the best ballerina out of everyone in Los Angeles, something he prided in. Though several of his colleagues were quick to let him know of his biased opinions. He was always there to flip them off and to, 'mind their own damn business'.
"Then screw 'em-" Her papa began, only to be cut off by a harsh slap to outside of his thigh by his husband that continued to lace up the delicate ribbon above his daughter's ankle. Magnolia giggled as her dad gave her a pointed look, Mason throwing a quick glare in Anthony's direction.
"Don't actually, 'screw them'-" Mason added, not wanting the Japanese girl to take her papa's words of advice literally. Anthony cut back in, waving off his concern as he looked at the Sugar Plum Fairy in her seat, gently grasping her arms with a serious look in his eyes.
"Don't care about 'em, this moment's about you, not them." Anthony reminded his daughter, embracing her tightly with a soft kiss on her head. Mason stood up from his spot, squeezing his daughter's hand as a gesture. "We're gonna find our seats before curtain call, okay?"
Magnolia nodded, taking a deep inhale as she mimicked her dad's ministration. The two breathed out as the Japanese girl shrugged her shoulders in a fidgeting manner, something she picked up from her dad.
"We're so proud of you, Magnolia." Mason hummed, gently moving to squeeze her knee in comfort. The Doran girl beamed at his compliment, quietly thanking him as the rosy pink colour on her cheeks seemed to glow. "You look beautiful."
Bashfully smiling, Magnolia reached out for her parents and embraced them, Mason and Anthony silently wishing the girl to, 'break a leg'.
"Those looks came from my genetics, y'know." Anthony retorted playfully as the hug subsided, receiving a shove by his husband. The Hispanic male laughed wholeheartedly, both males linking arms and walking towards the exit to their front row seats.
Magnolia let out a giggle, watching her parents playfully bicker with each other with a fond look in her eyes. She knew that one day she wanted to have someone like that, to look at her special someone with so much love and adoration, but with ballet and her extracurriculars, Magnolia barely had time to herself, let alone another person.
"Doesn't she look a little chubby in those tights? I mean, look at her." A high-pitched and snooty voice retorted, making Magnolia clench her fists by her sides. Her voice was non-subtle whispers of gossip could be heard by everyone backstage. By the sound of her voice, Magnolia immediately knew who it was by the snobby and entitlement reeking off of her wherever she went. Bethany Monroe. "Even with her daddy's money, I don't think she'll make it on stage. She might choke."
Magnolia rolled her tawny-coloured eyes, obviously not up for Bethany's excuses for tonight. In her papa's words, and quote, "'Don't care about 'em, this moment's about you, not them.'"
And she knew damn well that she wasn't going to let Bethany Monroe, of all people, to walk all over her like a doormat.
"Hey, Beth." Magnolia called out, fed up with her gossip with the other dancers. There was a look in her eyes, one that made said girl freeze up at the sight. The Asian girl inspected Beth through the mirror, a friendly, yet fake smile on her face as she stared at her. "Your corset's on backwards, maybe you should worry about yourself first, yeah?"
The Doran girl then focussed on herself, hearing Bethany Monroe huff and quietly mutter under her breath. The tan-skinned girl stomped over to her vanity, regarding her costume over and quietly cursing out the Asian girl for being right.
Magnolia smiled to herself, dabbing her finger on her pouty lips to lift some of the colour.
"That was badass. How're you feeling, rockstar?" A voice voiced out to her, taking Magnolia's attention once more as she smiled softly at the Scottish male. Turning away from the mirror, she crossed her legs over each other and massage her hands as she replied back at the dark-haired teen.
Donovan Ballentine was a sight for sore eyes with faded blue eyes and dark hair that swept over the corner of his forehead. He had it all, a charming smile, a promising dance skill and a Scottish accent that seemed to attract men and women alike within hearing range. It was no surprise that the Scottish male had nailed the role as the male lead, making all girls who attended the ballet school glare in envy at Magnolia.
Of course, Donovan was just another distraction for Magnolia, never really taking advantage of their performance time together like most girls would have. Their partnership never really developed into anything, just two best-of-the-best students at their dance classes performing together.
Though it didn't stop Magnolia having an itty-bitty crush on said Scottish boy in the seventh grade.
"Like I'm about to explode." Magnolia admitted, a soft laugh leaving her pink lips as she looked back at the curtain, then back at the male lead. Donovan was dressed in a red blazer, blue cuffs adorning his wrist, then paired with matching blue pants. It was probably made of something flexible. "I don't think I've ever been this nervous before."
Donovan chuckled at her nerves--seeing as he once was in her position--and clasped his hands over her own cold ones, Magnolia looked at him confusedly. She was tempted to pull her dainty hands from his warm ones, but as soon as she saw the gentle and kind look in his eyes, she refuted the feeling.
"You'll rock it, I mean you didn't get the lead for nothing." The Scottish male grinned, squeezing her hands in a friendly manner before dropping them. He stalked off in the opposite direction, throwing a soft smirk over his shoulder. "Break a leg."
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Magnolia Grace would never wish this sort of fate on anyone. To play the victim to a heinous crime at attempt of murder, to feel absolutely and utterly useless and numb to her surroundings. It was disgusting, how far people will go to get what they wanted, despicable people who practiced crime and carefully plan something as sick as killing someone innocent.
The set was anything but innocent, the gasps and cries of the audience and dancers alike filled the room, everyone moving frantically around the Orpheum making the Asian girl dizzy from trying to follow them. Her body fell limp, her eyes drooping as the sticky feeling of blood matted the side of her head. It felt weird, everything just felt so off balance.
She could barely make out her own father's figure as he clutched the bleeding girl in his arms, Magnolia barely glimpsing at what had struck her that caused her to hit her head. Something shaped like a potato sack, maybe a rice bag. It made her vision blurry and her head spin as she stared at it.
Sand bag.
That's right, it happened so fast. As soon as Act II began, Magnolia was dancing oh-so-elegantly across the stage, her technique and skill peaking through every step and twirl. Donevan was lifting her up, twirling her just as they practiced over and over again, only to set her down for just a second before the sandbag that hung above her head came crashing down, almost hitting the Japanese girl on impact.
Before pirouetting out of the arms of her dance partner, Magnolia stumbled over her own two feet before hitting the side of her head harshly against the glossy, black stage floor. The throbbing sensation that pulsed against the left side of her head made her unbelievably dizzy, she wasn't even sure how hard she hit her head.
"911? I'm at the Orpheum at... Please, my daughter, she's..." Her papa's voice echoed in her head, Magnolia clutching her head in pain as she tossed and turned in her dad's lap. Anthony continued to look back at his daughter and his husband, his voice shaking as he continued to talk with the operator, telling them to hurry. Mason soothed the his Sugar Plum Fairy, tears threatening to leave the corner of her eyes as he cradled her.
"Magnolia, can you hear me, sweetheart?" Mason's voice reached her ears, the sound slightly muffled as he attempted to keep pressure on her head wound. He kept speaking to her to keep her awake, to just last a little longer until an ambulance were to arrive at the Orpheum. "The paramedics are on their way... keep you eyes open for me."
His voice kept cutting off, like the way her dad's voice would cut off on the phone while she was on the train. Everything hurt and didn't at the same time, ambulance sirens sounding off in her ear.
Magnolia's head lulled off to the side, the last thing she was able to feel was a sense of weightlessness over her body.
She felt the sweet sensation of freedom.
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"C'mon, sweetheart. Open your eyes for us." Mason whispered, petting the knuckle of Magnolia's index finger lightly, afraid if he were to put anymore pressure she'd break.
Magnolia black hair was splayed out on the pillow like a halo, the bangs that curtained her forehead exposed her forehead and the white patch she sported on the left side. Her skin was unbelievably pale, her lips losing their rosy tint as the girl laid motionless in a baby blue hospital gown. An IV poked in to the inside of her elbow, doing its best to bring water back into her bloodstream after hours of recovery.
On her dainty finger clasped a heart monitor, the screen beeping with every heart beat. It was quite repetitive, hearing the sharp noises the tiny monitor made, though in some way it comforted both parents in the room. It was nice knowing their daughter was fighting for her life.
Anthony stopped his pacing, a jitter with every step he took as he whispered prayers under his breath with a metal rosary tucked between his thumb and index. He pulled it away from his lips, watching as his husband hushed words of encouragement were to bring their adoptive daughter back into their arms.
"She isn't just gonna wake up if you tell her to." Anthony uttered, his voice void of emotion, his own worry and anxious behaviour kept under lock and key. The Spaniard wanted to remain strong for the two most important people in his life, knowing his own emotions would keep him from doing so.
His reaction to Mason's tries didn't please him, a sudden flash of anger coming over the bearded man's face as he stood up from where he sat. He got into Anthony's face, not understanding how nonchalant he was. Their kid was lying on what possibly be their deathbed, and Anthony had the audacity to become so monotone on whether she had survived her accident.
Mason poked at the Spaniard's chest harshly, making Anthony step back in surprise, never seeing such a look of anger on his husband's face. It was absolutely frightening, seeing the man he loved spew out of control over his own behaviour.
Anthony suddenly felt guilty for acting the way he did, briefly glancing at his daughter's stilled form.
"She's our kid, Anthony!" Mason barked, his shouts of aggression probably alerting everyone down the hall of Magnolia's room. If he didn't bother to care for Magnolia after their little quarrel, Mason was ready to point his husband in the direction of the door, banning him from ever seeing her again. "Our daughter, can't you act the slightest bit concerned for her?"
Mason's remark pissed Anthony off to say the least, the hours of sleepless nights and constant worry taking a toll on both of them. The emotions Anthony managed to tuck away for the last few days for the sake of Magnolia's state of recovery bursted like a pipe, his brows furrowing as he pushed back, his face red and a vein popping from the side of his neck. The frustration that buried deep within his soul spewed from his mouth.
"You don't think I am?" Anthony's voice raised as well, their screaming match continued. "We can't do anything, all we can do is just pray for our girl! You don't know how much it's killing me inside to watch her suffer..."
The Spaniard took one glance at the Japanese girl that remained silent, it was as if their screaming match had absolutely no effect on her. To both of their disappointments, she didn't wake up and tell them to stop fighting. They both knew she hated it and brought the girl to tears, yet both fought right in front of her.
Conscious, or not.
"She's hurt and I can't do anything about it." Anthony's voice broke, Mason's eyes softened on his husband's shaking figure. He could hear it, the sincerity in his voice as the dark-haired male's eyes rested on their daughter. Her father could feel a tear slip from his eye, wrapping his arms around the quivering male's, whispering sweet nothings into his ear as he guided him to the couch close to Magnolia's bed.
"Anthony, she'll be alright. Maggie's strong, she won't-" Mason choked on his own words, cut off by the Spaniard in his arms, both not wanting that possibility of losing the only thing they could call their own.
"I know." He whispered, his words rushed to stop him. Wiping his tears on the sleeve of his tux, both men spending the majority of their time at the hospital, awaiting their daughter's results. They didn't have time to go home and change into something comfortable. Anthony looked up at the taller man, eyes glossing over. "Will you pray with me?"
Mason smiled sadly at his husband, gently clasping his hands around his. Anthony thumb brushed against the Rosary beads, silently whispering prayers under his breath. Some of his prayers were in Spanish, then repeating it in English, nimbly thumbing bead after bead. Mason remained silent, listening to Anthony's whispered words of faith for their daughter's recovery.
It didn't take long before Magnolia Grace opened her bright, brown eyes. The world around her was white and bland, so simple that it just seemed so lifeless. She was sure it wasn't heaven, the smell of the room around her held the scent of antiseptic wipes and bleach, something that made her nose scrunch. The sun that had once rained down on Magnolia's skin felt like a distant memory, her body just felt so cold.
Was she dead? Did heaven really just feel like a hospital room?
She sat of to the best of her ability, her back stiff and rays of sunlight that peaked through the blinds made patterns on her white skin. Magnolia ran her hands through her messy, dark hair, ruffling her bangs as she did every morning as soon as she woke up.
The sound of a heart-monitor was muffled, her ears slightly ringing as she sat up. The monitors beeped were continuous, making the Japanese girl breath a sigh of relief as she turned to her adoptive parents, the two curling up on the couch at the side of the plain hospital room.
"Dad, papa?" Magnolia called out for them, her throat dry and voice raspy. She was then ignored by her parents, both whispering healing prayers to each other, hoping God was listening. Magnolia furrowed her eyebrows, raising her pale hand to come grasp their clasped ones. "Hey, I'm okay now, don't-"
Magnolia stopped short, her own hand reaching for her parents' paused as she glanced down to the still hand that laid lifelessly on her bedside, the heart monitor clip attached to it. A lump formed in her throat, glancing behind her for just a brief second. She prayed to God that it was just her eyes playing tricks on her, double vision, symptoms of dizziness, anything.
There she laid, her own face, body... everything, staring back at her. The girl that laid in the hospital bed had her eyes closed, a patch of white cloth taped to the girl's forehead, small pricks of blood imprinting itself onto it. She looked like a stranger, Magnolia couldn't even recognize her own face, nor the beauty marks that sat on her face like a constellation.
Her eyes watered, a sick feeling of confusion building up in her stomach as her ears rang at the sound of the heart monitor's taunting.
Beep, beep, beep...
What's going on? What's happening to me?
The Japanese girl scrambled out of the hospital bed, half-expecting to be in her hospital-gown, though to her disappointment, she stood at the edge of her bed in the glitzy, glamorous costume she had worn to her performance. The once sparkly and pink tutu she wore was dried with her own blood, her bodice barely salvageable as is with her tulle material of her sleeves drenched in a bright red stain.
"No, no, no! Dad, papa! I'm right here." Magnolia dropped to her knees, her fingers reaching out for her parents as her desperate plea fell onto deaf ears. Fat droplets began to roll down her porcelain face, a choked sob leaving her throat as she begged them to hear here. "I'm right here! I can't be dead, not yet. I'm here!"
Just as her fingers were to make contact with their warm, lively skin, they ghosted over before going through the skin entirely. The shaking Sugar Plum Fairy whimpered, staring at her palm, flipping it over and over again. Each time she tried to grasp them, she'd pass through. Every. Single. Time.
"I d-don't want to leave you, I don't wanna be dead, please!" The Doran girl weeped, meekly crawling in front of them as she looked up at her parents. Both males continued to grasp each other, the whispers of safe prayers and wistful wishing playing over and over in her ears like a broken record. Dangling in front of her face was the silver rosary, giving off a reflective light from the blinds that shone behind her.
The sound of knocking pulled everyone in the room from their thoughts, Magnolia tripping over her own two feet as she stared back at the man at the door, though he never met her eyes. He wore a white coat, a stethoscope hanging of his neck and past his shoulders. The man looked like a typical doctor to her, clipboard and all, but the information he held made him just as interesting.
Anthony and Mason stood up, stepping close to the man dressed in the white coat.
"Magnolia Grace?" The doctor looked up from his clipboard, a sad smile on his face that told the three (two) people in the room what grave news he had to bear. Mason looked back at her daughter, then at Anthony and nodded at the doctor.
Magnolia could read his name on his name tag, personal space no longer an issue as her body seemed invisible to the naked eye. She squinted, reading the name engraved on the metal plate.
Dr. Lim.
"We did everything we could, but I'm afraid your daughter has fallen into a comatose state."
Magnolia's face paled, rivalling her already white complexion as she stared at the doctor with a mortified look in her eyes.
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word count: 5221
put on your seatbelts kiddos, next chapter's gonna be a rollercoaster ;)
i hope you guys actually liked the first and official chapter of this book, it took a bit of time to get around to it since i finished the show, like, last week. thanks to everyone who added this book to their reading list!
( i also read a few stories from the jatp fandom myself, and i thought the memes were pretty funny, so i decided to put in one too. the picture at the beginning of the chapter was inspired by diisturbia's from her PAPER TOWNS jatp fic :))
don't forget to vote and comment or
your tamagachi will alert you to feed it😡