Hi guys!
Like I stated in Maids, I'm trying to come back!
And I figured I'd launch a new story in attempts!

It's a bit of a revival from my old days,
I don't remember much of the old plot, so
same characters, revamped ideas! Kinda thing

Enjoy.

Also: Sharpay's audition monologue is from a play called Almost Maine

Ch. 1: The Only Issue

I tapped my foot impatiently; two years after graduation, and here we are. Trying to make dreams real in a place that seems a little less brutal than the Big Apple.

So Chicago is still a challenge; I think I can handle this. But…the matter currently at hand.

"Ryan." I said it almost on instinct as I heard his key enter the lock of our apartment.

"Damnit.." He muttered while entering our little adobe on Clark Street, "You're home."

"That I am." I eyed him in a mixture of sympathy and disappointment, "Do you know what day it is?"

"Rent day."
"Yeah."

"…I'm sorry Sharpay." He sighed while trying to make a quick escape to his room, I intercepted him.

"Look, you really need to start pulling your weight sweetie." I sighed while trying my hardest not to play Bad Twin, "I can't keep covering your half that you'd promised to pay."

"I know." He bopped his head on the wall nearest to him, "I just can't pay five hundred a month…"

"Ry!"
"Shar!"

"This isn't a time for laughs." I say down on the ground near him, "If we can't afford this place, we need to let it go, and find a cheaper apartment."

"But I love it here."

"Really? Your lack of payments suggest otherwise."

..:….:..

"Yeah…I'll be back at three okay? Sure whatever just don't let it be like our surprise birthday when we were five." I smiled, "Bye." I hung up my phone, and dropped it into my bag.

The only thing more stressful than this rent issue? Booking a job on Broadway: Chicago division; hopefully I can get a starring role. The rumor is that this new play Through the Looking Glass is supposed to be a huge hit, and if I get a good part—I can stay with it if it gets famous.

That would make my life.

"Alright people, we have a long day ahead of us—each of you will perform a short monologue, and if we think you've got the stuff-you'll read a part for us cold turkey."

Well as I live and breathe—she wasn't kidding. My senior year of high school Ms. Darbus, the resident genius Drama teacher/play and musical director, swore she'd be directing Broadway somewhere.

"Let's get this going already…" She sighed to her stage manager, and called the first victim.

Here's a quick To-Know run down on auditioning for 'The Role of a Lifetime'. If you hear:

"That was lovely, next!"

Or:

"We'll let you know; next!"

Or even:

"That was an interesting interpretation; next?"

…You lost your paychecks for about a month? Depending on if you get any other audition opportunities.

"Alright Sharpay-" She stopped, and let out a curious laugh, "Sharpay Evans." I stepped up to the stage.

"Well, I'd love to audition you, but I think you know that it'll be on a definite bias." She stood, and began to leave the theatre, "Stevie, my stage manager, shall audition you."

He blew out a sigh, and shrugged, "Surprise me."

I plan to surprise all of his nineteen years of life out of him.

"I'm not mad about you workin'. You gotta work. I understand that." I started to really do my thing; I knew that the play I picked my monologue from was comedic. But every good actor knows that if you want to make a good audition, you need to make sure the auditioner knows you fully believe in who you're portraying. It's like…Acting 101 for God's sake.

"What I don't understand is why I'm lonely Phil. I got a husband, and a coupla great kids. And I'm just—you don't pay attention to me anymore. You go away. And I don't know where you go, but you go somewhere where you can't pay attention and you forgot your son's first hockey game, and you forget Missy's birthday; and you forget your anniversary. I mean I brought you here hoping you'd remember us. But you didn't. And that makes me so mad I don't know what to do anymore…" Another good tip? Always try to find the inverse of your monologue in some moment: comedic monologue? Find the serious pieces—and visa versa.

"Alright." Stevie began to get up whilst attempting to grab a book at the same time, "Let's here you do a cold reading."

"Alright." I tried to remain as calm as possible to not let on that getting a cold reading is almost them saying you're in.

He handed me a mark copy, "Go to the sticky noted page, and read for Magdalena; I'll read Lip."

"Lip—are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I think so…I just feel-"
"Lost?"
"Yeah."
"This place can do that to you, sometimes. I mean, I've only been here a month, and I still feel like everything's one giant…"
"Mirror?"
"Almost."

He nodded, "Well alright Sharpay Evans. We'll call you."

I handed him the book back, "Thanks." I headed out after grabbing my things.

"I thought this play would catch your eyes." Ms. Darbus smile while I spotted her outside on the sidewalk.

"Ms. Darbus." I smiled, "Looks like we both kept our promises."

"I heard about your spectacular performance in your last off-Broadway production, and was hoping to see you here." She smiled before heading back in, "It'll be nice working with you—again."

I smiled before actually taking in what she had said, "Wait…how do you know he'll pick me for something?"

"Evans, you never gave an auditioner a reason not to." She noted before the door to the theatre closed.

..:….:..

"Ryan…! Ryan, I forgot my key again!" I started banging on our apartment door, "Ry! Hello!"

It felt like forever until I finally heard a latch click, and the door opened, "Sorry!" Ryan seemed super out of breath, "I was in my room."

"Yeah, yeah your room's so sound proof it's almost hilarious." I tossed my purse on the nearby couch after entering; I then proceeded to collapsing on said couch, "I think I nailed my audition."

"Coffin or Grawesome?"
"Grawesome."

"Sweet." He smiled in an 'I ate the last cookie—sorry' kind of way, "So…"

"So?"
"I have a surprise."

"Is it a good surprise?"
"I hope so."

"Sweet thang!" I jumped at a voice coming from the kitchen.

"Sssh! That wasn't your que!" And another one—way raspier.

"Oh who cares! It's not like it's hard for her to tell who we are anyway." The last was light and bubbly.

"…Kelsi, Jenny, and Aubrey?" I looked to Ryan, "Why are they here?"

"Remember the rent issue?" He smiled, "Aubrey's looking for a job at a dance studio, Jenny's trying to book acoustic gigs downtown, and Kelsi's booked three photoshoots to take pictures for some local magazines."

I blinked a few more times before wondering why I didn't think of this in the first place, "Oh my God…we have three rooms…" Ryan nodded; the three girls walked over from the kitchen.

I nodded, "Awesome, this can work."

..:….:..

"Oh my God, you weren't kidding…" Aubrey sighed while throwing her honey/caramel hair into a funky sidetail.

Ryan shrugged in response as they took in the ghost town that was the dance studio he currently 'taught' at; Aubrey began to impatiently pace before finally coming up with an idea.

"That, ummm, invitational thingy is tomorrow right?"

Ryan turned to her, "Yeah, but my table never really gets a lot of hits."

She smiled like a little imp, "We'll make them notice. Do you have that new Gaga track?"

"…Yes."
"Alright then—let's start storming a routine."

..:….:..

I brushed back a strand of bangs while practically clinging to Jenny for support.

"I thought you said you were in." Jenny squirmed her arm around, but my vice grip still held firm.

"Yes, but as whom?"

"True statement." Jenny nodded, "But can I have my arm back?"

I let go, and the two of us inched closer to the bulletin board outside the theatre:

Through the Looking Glass

Emily…..Alana Farabough
Torrid….Vince Monroe
The "All Knowing" Drag Queen….Spencer Looke
Lyke….Justin Chase
Dirk….Archie Simms

Magdelina….Sharpay Evans
Phillip "Lip"….Troy Bolton

Yay! —wait.

…Troy Bolton?

The official opening of Broken Glass:
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