Chapter 29: Behind the Scenes Part II
Leo, surprisingly, got to practice early. He was usually one of the last to come, but he was hoping to catch Jason. The dark haired boy was wondering what decision his friend had made. He had been hopeful, but wasn't surprised to walk into the auditorium to see only Piper in the sea of seats and a handful of crew on stage working on the finishing details.
"Hey, Pipes," Leo greeted the girl, and collapsed in the seat next to her. "Where's our golden boy?"
Piper was scribbling on her clipboard and hardly acknowledged Leo. She had approximately fifty things to do, and nowhere near enough time. She had considered asking Mr. Brunner for help, but this was her responsibility and hers alone. Well… not exactly. "He's got practice," she said, not looking up. "He'll be here later."
Leo nodded. "You need any help?"
Piper's head shot up at the offer. "Please check with Silena on costumes and the girls with the set. We're doing final run-throughs this week, and we need to be sure everything is in place."
Leo saluted. "Ten-four!" With that, he hopped up from his seat and pulled himself on stage to go look for Silena in the back. He found their head costume designer chatting with Hazel in the back as they examined a dress.
"It turned out gorgeous, Hazel, good work," Silena was saying, but looked nervous. "Hopefully, nothing happens to-"
"Hey girls!" Leo greeted them. "I am officially in charge today-"
"Really?" Silena asked, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
"Yeah, basically," Leo said, dismissing her question with a wave of his hand. "Piper asked me to check with you on costumes?"
Silena sighed, eyeing the box at her feet. "Well, everything is finished and looks great. I think we just need a backup plan on the Juliet dress in case-"
Leo shook his head. "It'll be fine, girl! Don't stress!" He looked over the dress, and nodded. "Leo Valdez approves. Good work ladies!"
"But-" Silena started, yet the boy was already gone, heading off to where Rachel was leading set painting.
Unfortunately, that's where Leo found Calypso. She was dressed in overalls and a faded t-shirt with her hair tied back in a ponytail. Her face was free of makeup, and she had a streak of green across her forehead, yet to Leo, she never looked more beautiful. The girl was out of his league. He knew it. She knew it. Everyone in a twenty mile radius knew it. But he couldn't help himself. He had a habit of falling for girls he never had a chance with. And it was fine, but then girls like Lacy, who he might've had a chance with, came along, and he'd completely blow it. But this time, enough was enough. He was going to quit bugging Calypso. She didn't like him, so he would move on. That was that. Easy peasy.
He tried to keep this in mind as he approached Rachel, Katie, and of course, his dream girl. "Hey, ladies," he greeted him.
Calypso raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you want, Leo?" she demanded, her attention immediately focused on the boy. She wouldn't admit it, because he drove her crazy every time he spoke, but she might've had a crush on the boy. She loved how happy he was, it could be contagious. And he was a genius when it came to building things. Plus, he was funny and cute, not that she was ever say this out loud.
Leo smiled. "Hey Callie," he greeted her with a nod, before turning to Rachel. "Piper wanted me to check with you on set progress," he told her.
The redhead nodded. "We're doing touch ups, but we'll be done tonight and set up props Wednesday practice."
Leo nodded. "Alright, I'll radio that on to boss. Thanks, Red," he said, and headed off, only making it to the steps leading off the stage, when he heard a voice calling his name. He had hoped it was Calypso, but wasn't shocked to find it was Katie Gardner instead. "Hey, Kate, what can I do for you?" he asked once she caught up to him.
"Have you seen Travis? I've been trying to get a hold of him since after lunch, but he seems to be missing." The girl was flushed pink, trying to hold back a smile. Leo was happy for her. It was about time his friend stopped being stupid and swooped in to get the girl. Maybe Leo should've followed his lead. Not that it would work.
"Yeah, he was taking Connor to Taco Bell. Good ol' Trav may have lost a bet on whether Connor could free the lab frogs without getting caught." Leo chuckled. The teachers would be in for a surprise when they finally got the teacher's lounge open. "I'll let him know you're looking for him if I see him."
Katie nodded. "Thanks, Leo." She smiled, and glanced back at her friends where they were touching up certain spots, including the Leo sized smudge from a couple weeks ago. "By the way, don't give up just yet. She'll come around." She patted him on the shoulder before heading back to paint.
"What did you say to Leo?" Calypso asked her friend, curiously, as she eyed said boy as he chatted up Piper.
Katie followed her gaze and shrugged with a sly smile. "Just wondering where Travis is, that's all. Why so curious, Cal?"
Calypso looked away from Leo and his friend as he started to look in their direction. She sighed, dipping her brush in a bit of green paint as she thought about Leo brushing her off—well, he said hi, so she supposed that wasn't entirely true. But that was it. And even thought that was what she would insist she wanted all along, it bothered her. "No reason, Katie."
To say Thalia was uncomfortable was an understatement. She was plotting to burn her white sweater when she got home and paint splatter her blinding converse. Sure she had gotten compliments, mainly from teachers—Gosh, don't you look so nice today, Miss Grace! But she missed her combat boots, tattered jeans and t-shirts. It was hard to be tough with the opposite look. However, there may have been one benefit from today's look, one she hadn't really noticed.
To say Luke noticed Thalia's new look was definitely an understatement. He was obsessed with it. He wondered why the second he saw her—second period college algebra to be exact. Was she dressed like this for him? That thought might have pleased him a bit, but it didn't stick. This wasn't Thalia. He hated it.
So when Thalia entered the auditorium, arms crossed and frowning, Luke was staring. He saw her glance at Nico who was talking with Will before making her way down to aisle to the stage. Where he was.
She raised an eyebrow as she approached. "What's with the staring?"
He blinked. "Um-"
"You didn't think I noticed you watching me all day? That's kind of creepy, Castellan."
Awkward. Nothing like someone confronting you for staring at them all day. Or calling you out for being a creep. Then he realized he was doing it again! He had been thinking about what to say next, still just staring at her. Meanwhile, Thalia was just standing there, arms crossed, and waiting expectantly. "Well?"
Think, Castellan, think. At least save some face here! "Just wondering about the new look, Grace," he blurted, not bothering with a lie.
Her cheeks turned pink, and she rolled her eyes. "Well, don't get too used to it. It's never happening again," she said, turning to go.
Luke smiled. "I'm glad. I missed the combat boots today," he called after her. The truth.
Despite thinking he was likely just flirting, Thalia couldn't hold back a smile.
Lacey was running late to practice. She was rushing down the halls, but it wasn't exactly easy when she was carrying a box that nearly weighed as much she did of costume jewelry and masks for the masquerade scene. She was just passing by the gym when she heard voices. Normally, she would think nothing of it, but one of them belonged to Drew.
Lacey hated Drew. The older girl had manipulated and berated her. It didn't help Drew was Lacey's sister's best friend. Lacey didn't want to walk by the girl and risk interacting with. She was fully prepared to turn back and take the long way around, but something Drew said stopped her.
"Oh come on, Dylan!" the girl said, "I'm doing this one thing for you, no catch."
Lacey backed against the wall, just around the corner, and out of sight. Something in her gut told her this was important. She peeked around the corner to see Drew with her back to her, talking to a blond boy. He was tall and blond, with unbelievably nice teeth, but his eyes were cold. She knew him. He was a jerk with a reputation as a flirt, and Laurel might've hung out with him once or twice. So it wasn't too surprising to see him in Drew's company.
Dylan chuckled, but didn't look too amused. "So you're telling me, you want to help me out, with no benefits in it for you?"
"Well," Drew said, advancing towards the blond boy, "maybe some benefits." She rested a perfectly manicured hand on his bicep.
Surprisingly, he shook it off, but a smirk was on his face. "I have a girlfriend, Drew, but maybe next week." He grinned, and Lacey gagged. What a dick. "Now what's this information you got for me?"
"Right, Jason Grace is in the play," Drew told him. "You do what you need to, but wait until Wednesday, got it?"
Dylan smirked again and Lacey shuddered. Jeez he was a creep. "And what's in this for you exactly?"
"Well-"
"Hey, Lace," Connor Stoll said, coming up behind her and Lacey nearly jumped a foot in the air.
"Did you hear someone?" Drew asked.
Lacey shoved the box up into Connor's arms. "Run," she said. Luckily, he didn't question it and the pair took off, disappearing down another hall just as Drew's clicking heels rounded the corner with Dylan right behind her.
Dylan frowned. "No one here." Drew wasn't so sure. Her pink mascaraed eyes narrowed as she picked up a fake pearl.
"But someone was."
Dylan rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Anyways, what exactly do you get out of giving me this little bit of information?"
Drew smiled. "A partner in a plan, Dylan. I've got everything I need, and it's all in motion."
Panting and looking back behind them, Lacey and Connor arrived at the auditorium doors. "Are you going to tell me why we had to run here?" he asked, handing her back the box and taking out his inhaler, making Lacey feel guilty as he sucked in a puff.
"I heard Drew and Dylan talking about Jason," Lacey started, "and she told him-"
"Hey guys!" a voice quipped cheerfully. Both blonds nearly jumped out of their skins, only to see Katie Gardner poking her head out the auditorium door.
"Don't do that!" Connor hissed. "You scared the hell out of us!"
"I'll tell you later," Lacey told Connor quickly, before darting around Katie and into the auditorium.
Katie looked between Connor and where the blond girl had disappeared and back. "Did I interrupt something?" She raised an eyebrow.
Connor turned slightly pink. "Jeez, Katie. Not everyone is going to meet the love of their life working on a high school production of Romeo and Juliet." ;)
Now Katie blushed too, playing with the end of her ponytail. "Right, sorry. Have you seen your brother? Leo said you two went to Taco Bell or something."
"Ah, yes," he told her. "He was finishing off his burrito. He needed to talk to Ms. Hearth or something if you want to catch him down by the office."
The girl beamed. "Thanks Connor!" She darted off to find the elder Stoll brother.
Connor shook his head. He would never understand what that girl saw in his idiot brother.
Katie headed down the halls, excited to see her boyfriend. It was odd to call him that, but the thought made her giddy. Not to mention, her mom had surprised her with two tickets to see her favorite band, Maroon 5, in concert and it was going to be the perfect date for her and Travis. She had been waiting to tell him ever since her mom had sent her a picture of the tickets just after lunch.
Practically skipping, Katie rounded the corner to the office only to stop dead in her tracks. Her blood suddenly ran cold. She suddenly felt like an idiot, seeing before her exactly what she had been afraid of when she got into this mess.
Katie wanted to scream. To cry. A thousand emotions were running through her heart and hundred thoughts were rolling in her head, but she couldn't process a single one as she made her way back to the auditorium, taking the long way in hopes Travis wouldn't catch up to her. When she stepped through the doors, she saw him there, already on stage, running lines with Percy.
She found Piper talking with Mr. Brunner and Rachel as they examined the set. "Hey," Katie said, "do, um, you guys think you can finish the set without me? Something's came up and I don't think I'll be able to make it to any more practices."
Piper and Rachel both looked at her curiously. "Is everything okay?" Piper asked just as Rachel said, "Of course, do whatever you need."
"Great, thank you. I'll be fine," she said, flashing them a quick smile to ease their worry before hopping off the stage and grabbing her bag. She walked out the auditorium doors, tears already falling as she tried to force the image of Travis pressed up against the wall with Laurel's lips moving against his from her mind.
Hey guys! So obviously, it's been awhile. I've missed writing and started posting new fics and editing old ones, and I decided to finish this one. We're looking at about ten more chapters (more or less). I'm going to try to update regularly to get this finished. Maybe once or twice a week, but it's getting tricky since I'm nearing the end.
Thanks for reading!
