Chapter Ten: The Show Must Go On

Author's Note: The angsty confrontation you've been waiting for! The roles switch a bit, but it follows the movie a bit more closely for a while. Thanks to all my wonderfully spiffy reviewers. What would I do without you? Also, my apologies to Starchild. I don't mean to be bad and evil... *sniffle* Ah well, you can always hope for a happy ending!

* * *

"I always knew what I wanted, Tina." He paused, dreading what he would say next. Still, he couldn't keep chasing impossible dreams. And Tina was a dream that was out of his reach. "But... things have changed."

Tina drew away from him. "What do you mean?"

"I tried, Tina. You didn't want me."

"But..." Her eyes began to well up with tears.

"I'm sorry." He wadded up his trash and tossed it into the garbage can. "Let's get back to school."

"No!" She whirled towards him. The queen and the court singer end up together! It says so in the script. And you can't just change that!"

He stared coldly back at her. "I'm the writer. I can do what I want. And I'm changing the ending. I don't like the ending we have. It should be different, more... realistic. The court singer finally realizes how foolish he is to try to pursue the cold-hearted queen and instead falls for the lowly but beautiful maidservant who gave them away to the king. They run away together, leaving the queen alone with the wealth and power she loves so much."

She stared at him, fat tears rolling down her face. "Chris... I want you. Not Mike or popularity... you."

He forced himself not to meet her eyes. "Maybe you should have realized that a while ago." He paused before giving the final blow. "I'm going to the dance with Nina."

The name hung in the air like a bad smell, so potent he could almost taste it. "Nina," she whispered. "I see. The lovesick court singer turns to a slut maidservant to satisfy his heart." She wiped away her tears and started the car. "I had told Mike that I wanted to break up, but I think he'd be only too glad to take me back." She sent him a piercing glare. "Some people can appreciate what they have."

He didn't respond. His silence was more unbearable than any biting comment would have been. But she wouldn't cry again. Not in front of him. No matter how much her heart was breaking inside, her smile still stayed on. "The show must go on," she whispered.

* * *

The cast rehearsed all night to perfect Chris' new ending, which closed with the court singer and the maidservant professing their undying love while the haughty queen sat alone in her room, surrounded by her riches.

Finally, at 10:30, Chris was able to be persuaded that the new ending would be perfect for the next night. He gave in, allowing the cast and crew to finally go home. Tina stared after Chris as he walked to the back of the stage to greet Nina, who had slipped inside the doors in time to catch the final rehearsal of the last scene. "A new ending, Shakespeare?"

He kissed her. "Yeah, I didn't like the old one. It was too... fairy tale-ish. Nothing ever ends like that."

Nina managed to cast a smirk over her shoulder at Tina before slipping through the auditorium doors with Chris, her arm linked in his.

Tina couldn't bear it. She raced down the aisle after him, determined to do whatever it took to get him back. "Chris!" she shouted, tears threatening to spill down her face. "Chris!" She burst out of the doors into the rain, not noticing that Mike was standing near the door. She screamed after the departing VW Bug, "Chris!"

She jerked as a hand gripped her shoulder. "Hey, babe." Turning, she saw Mike towering over her, a crooked smile on his face. "Guess you weren't looking for me, huh?"

"Mike, no... listen to me."

He shook his head. "No, I don't need to listen."

"Please... I didn't mean what I said... I want to be with you. It's always been you."

"Those are nice words, babe, but not quite as convincing as the name you were yelling just now." He sneered. "Is that who you wanted over me? That Geek-in-Training? I thought you had better taste, Tina."

She trembled. "No, Mike... I don't want him. Just you."

"Liar!" he screamed in her face, drawing back his hand to slap her. The blow sent her reeling backwards, her cheek burning with the impact. She huddled in the place she fell, her wet hair streaming over her face. He smirked at her. "I'll pick you up on Friday at six for the dance, okay babe?" Her only response was a strangled sob, which caused him to smile. "I'm glad we decided to get back together."

She hardly dared to move, even after the sounds of the car engine died away. Her cheek hurt like hell, and she wouldn't have been surprised if it were broken. She didn't want to move. She just wanted to lay here and sink into the muddy ground and die. What use was anything now?

She still didn't move minutes later when she heard the door open and a familiar limping gait approach her. Henry was finally leaving after finishing the sets. He knelt by her, touching her gently. "Tina? Awe you awight?"

"Yeah," she murmured, brushing her hair away from her eyes. Her mascara was smeared both from crying and the rain. She touched her cheek gingerly, then winced.

"Wet me see." With a soft, fluttering touch, Henry's fingers surveyed the damage done by Mike. "Not bwoken, howeva you'll have a bwuise."

"It's okay. Makeup will cover it."

"What happened?"

"Chris chose Nina over me... and Mike knows that I love Chris. He hit me."

"Cwis?"

"No... he would never do that. Mike did it." She looked up at Henry. "Why don't we talk anymore?"

He ignored the question, getting to his feet. "I'll take you home, come on."

"It's my fault, isn't it? I got too good for you... or so I thought."

He offered his hand. "Come on. A stowm ith bwewing. You need to get out of the wain."

"Answer me, Henry. You used to be my best friend... I ruined that, didn't I? It's all my fault. I was so determined to be popular..." She stared into his dark eyes. "I hurt you, didn't I?"

He shook his head. "No, Tina. Ith was no one's fault. Come on."

She struggled to her feet, following the limping midget across the parking lot to his car. He helped her inside and got a blanket out of the backseat, laying it across her. After he climbed into the car, she looked at him earnestly. "I'm sorry, Henry. For everything."

"There's nothing to be thorry about."

"Then thank you." They fell into silence as Tina shivered under the blanket.

Henry broke the silence after several minutes of driving. "He loves you, Tina. I know he does."

"Sure, Henry." She stared out the window with a sigh. "But I've ruined everything. The only thing left to get through is tomorrow night. The show must go on, right?"

He looked at her sadly as he pulled up to her house. "Wight, Tina. The thow must go on."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you again, Henry."

"Do you need anything?"

"No. I'll be fine. Thanks." She shut the door and hurried into her house, anxious to escape the oncoming storm. But the storm had already broken, leaving her heart shattered and vulnerable. But the show would go on, no matter what.

END CHAPTER TEN