Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
Author's note: this chapter is really short, I apologize. It's lame filler. But the next one should be fairly long and dramatic, so sit tight.
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
You're The One That I Want
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Gordo was exhausted. He'd been at the school all afternoon and well into the evening, holding cast auditions with Mr. Dig. Then they'd stayed an extra hour, deliberating over who was the best. Gordo wanted to shine light favorably on Lizzie and Miranda; not just because they were his best friends, but they'd been really good. Pity, Kate and Claire had been really good, too. Still, he believed that he and Mr. Dig had made the best casting choices.
Gordo stopped at his locker and got out his backpack. Thank God it was Friday, because all he wanted was to go straight to sleep and not have to worry about piles of homework. Heading for the door, within twenty feet of the auditorium, Gordo heard someone passionately belting out, "Oh, I got chilllllls, they're multiplyin'. And I'm looosing controlll. 'Cause the pow-er! You're supplyin'. It's *electrifyin'*!"
Whoever they were, they were preatty good. Gordo hoped that they could act as well as they sang, because he could easily have a Danny here. He pushed open the door to an empty auditorium. Empty save for one person on the stage, reveling in the would-be spotlight.
Gordo did a double take.
*Tudgeman*?
~~~~~
"Yeah," Larry Tudgeman said, flexing his fingers and leaning back in his seat. "Always been a big fan of Grease. So when you chose it for the play, I just knew I had to do it."
"Tudgeman," Gordo said tactfully, "you know that most people at school are hoping that Ethan Craft gets the lead."
"I know. But really now, Gordo, have you heard him sing?" Tudgeman shook his head emphatically. "Not pretty. And you and I both know that watching Ethan trying to memorize a script will be nothing short of a train wreck."
"Gotta agree with you there," Gordo said.
"I was hoping you'd get my back with this, Gordo," Tudgeman said earnestly. "I know I'm not popular, but I'm the best man for the job. You gotta understand."
"Oh, I'm hearing you."
"You're the only one who can help me. I'm not looking for instant popularity. I just really wanna do this play. Help a guy out."
"Hmm," Gordo muttered. "You didn't show up for auditions today."
"Well, I didn't want to get laughed offstage in front of everyone."
"Laughed offstage? You were good, Larry."
"I know I am. But they wouldn't even give me a chance to try, and you know it."
"If you're afraid of the crowd now, how can you handle a huge audience?"
"That's completely different. I've got the suave and poise to handle that sort of thing, but that would be with the knowledge that I'd already bagged the role, ergo, endless confidence. With things so uncertain, such as an audition with the prying eyes of Hillridge upon me, I'd choke. Please, Gordo?" Tudgeman asked, his tone and his eyes taking on a serious, almost pleading quality that Gordo had never seen before.
"Well..."
Author's note: this chapter is really short, I apologize. It's lame filler. But the next one should be fairly long and dramatic, so sit tight.
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
You're The One That I Want
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Gordo was exhausted. He'd been at the school all afternoon and well into the evening, holding cast auditions with Mr. Dig. Then they'd stayed an extra hour, deliberating over who was the best. Gordo wanted to shine light favorably on Lizzie and Miranda; not just because they were his best friends, but they'd been really good. Pity, Kate and Claire had been really good, too. Still, he believed that he and Mr. Dig had made the best casting choices.
Gordo stopped at his locker and got out his backpack. Thank God it was Friday, because all he wanted was to go straight to sleep and not have to worry about piles of homework. Heading for the door, within twenty feet of the auditorium, Gordo heard someone passionately belting out, "Oh, I got chilllllls, they're multiplyin'. And I'm looosing controlll. 'Cause the pow-er! You're supplyin'. It's *electrifyin'*!"
Whoever they were, they were preatty good. Gordo hoped that they could act as well as they sang, because he could easily have a Danny here. He pushed open the door to an empty auditorium. Empty save for one person on the stage, reveling in the would-be spotlight.
Gordo did a double take.
*Tudgeman*?
~~~~~
"Yeah," Larry Tudgeman said, flexing his fingers and leaning back in his seat. "Always been a big fan of Grease. So when you chose it for the play, I just knew I had to do it."
"Tudgeman," Gordo said tactfully, "you know that most people at school are hoping that Ethan Craft gets the lead."
"I know. But really now, Gordo, have you heard him sing?" Tudgeman shook his head emphatically. "Not pretty. And you and I both know that watching Ethan trying to memorize a script will be nothing short of a train wreck."
"Gotta agree with you there," Gordo said.
"I was hoping you'd get my back with this, Gordo," Tudgeman said earnestly. "I know I'm not popular, but I'm the best man for the job. You gotta understand."
"Oh, I'm hearing you."
"You're the only one who can help me. I'm not looking for instant popularity. I just really wanna do this play. Help a guy out."
"Hmm," Gordo muttered. "You didn't show up for auditions today."
"Well, I didn't want to get laughed offstage in front of everyone."
"Laughed offstage? You were good, Larry."
"I know I am. But they wouldn't even give me a chance to try, and you know it."
"If you're afraid of the crowd now, how can you handle a huge audience?"
"That's completely different. I've got the suave and poise to handle that sort of thing, but that would be with the knowledge that I'd already bagged the role, ergo, endless confidence. With things so uncertain, such as an audition with the prying eyes of Hillridge upon me, I'd choke. Please, Gordo?" Tudgeman asked, his tone and his eyes taking on a serious, almost pleading quality that Gordo had never seen before.
"Well..."