A new year meant a new start for paint crew! I was to be the new leader and I honestly had faith this year would be better than any year before. Not me in particularly, but there was real talent here.

The only problem was the actors. Sometime it feels as if there is no feeling stronger than the hatred i feel for those scoundrels. They are always walking about, as if the show could not go on without them. What would they do if the light crew forgot to show up, or construction just laid around in the make up room drinking tea and complaining about their costumes? Of course I never expressed these feelings. I actually liked keeping to myself and painting. I found comfort in the millions of buckets of half empty paint cans we owned. Maybe it was because it was something I would never have anywhere else. Theatre found me when no one else could.

The annual thespian meeting started off everyone's first day of work. Every crew separated from each other due to rivalries that started before any of us were in high school. We were doing Wicked. I would of truly supported this decision if we weren't so cheap. Wicked was a production that required more than we could offer. I headed backstage with my band of misfits only to be interrupted by a tap on my back. It was my favorite teacher, Mrs. Grey. She was also the director of the musical.

"How was your summer, Charlotte?" She asked.

"It was great! How was yours?"

She nodded. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor." She smiled brightly and my curious gaze. "Some of the actors are worried about the performance they will give. The cast is just so big I won't be able to help everyone. So, I was wondering if you could help."

"Oh, Mrs. Grey, I don't know I mean-" "I already assigned you to your actor of the day." She pointed to him. "His name is Aaron Tveit. He is playing Fiyero. I find he is having trouble being intimate with Elphaba. Which is weird because I believe she is his girlfriend."

I sighed. "What is it you want me to do?"

She waved her arounds around. "Whatever you think is best! Run lines with him, show him something that's really uncomfortable so he feels more comfortable on stage." I looked over at him. His girlfriend draped over him. "I've told you, when you were in my class, you taught me more than I taught you. I know you can do this." I nodded. "Okay, okay."

I walked over to the two love birds. "Hey Fiyero," I said awkwardly trying to distract him from his girlfriend.

"Me?" He asked . I nodded. "Claire stop." She sat on his lap kissing his neck, not even stopping while I talked to him. "Claire, seriously." She looked up at me. "What do you want?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm Aaron's new personal director of sorts."

"What would you know about acting? You're just on crew." I bit my tongue. Aaron softly lifted her off him in a way I can't describe.

"That's great," he expressed. "When do we start?"

I smiled at his enthusiasm. "Now?" I looked at Claire. "If you're not too busy." She was definitely one of the actors I hated.

Aaron stood up and we walked together to a rehearsal room in the music department. I chose this destination because the room is small. Being in a small room with someone you barely know can get pretty uncomfortable. "So what made you want to be an actor?" I asked. I decided today would be an interrogation day.

He scratched the back of his neck. "I'm good enough at it." The giggle after everything he said let me know he was nervous. I asked him a plethora of general question to which he always chose the answer that required little to no explanation.

"Can I ask you some questions?"

I raised my eyebrow. "I'm an open book."

He leaned back in his chair. "Why are you doing this?"

"A favor for Mrs. Grey. She asked me to."

"Why?"

"She just thinks you need some more help." He was confused. I could tell he didn't want to need to help. I almost felt sorry for him. "What do I need help with?" He tried o act more concerned than sad.

"She thinks..." I looked at him. Really looked at him. He was longing for approval, the need to be perfect. "She thinks you smell. Like really bad."

We laughed and I just saw the tension release. "And your interrogation is going to help me with that?"

"Oh I'm just trying to find a way to remove your fowl odor.

"Ah, I see. You are not the greatest smelling yourself."

"What! I shower every seven days!" Banter was exchanged until we both decided it was time to go home. He made me miss the late bus so I could "help" him more and insisted on driving me home. When we did arrive at my home he thanked me for the life "changing expertise" I provided him, in return I thanked him. And that was it. I was to have a new actor tomorrow, and that was that.