Rabbit in the Headlights

Disclaimer: Evidently biscuits are addictive because of their crunchiness. Oops, that's not a disclaimer…I mean I do not own the O.C. – come on, if I did I would take everything all of you say to heart and there would be no Johnny and loads of Kandy!

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This chapter is for Em because it's mostly down to her that I've been so productive these hols…now if only she could have the same effect on my revision. Thanks for this and for everything hun!

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As outlined in the programme, the show was a real mix of things, with Sandy and Paul cracking jokes and mocking each other between scenes.

First up was stand up comedy.

'Just be glad we didn't let Sandy in on this act; you'd all be here till Christmas,' Paul joked. 'Instead we have some of Berkeley's finest, most concise comedians,' he reeled off a list of names while Sandy pretended to sulk.

…

Comic sketches.

To Kirsten's delight Sandy appeared on stage for most of these and soon had everyone in fits of laughter. She watched, tears running down her cheeks, impressed at his comic timing and expressive face. It was the eyebrows that did it, she was sure, they almost stole the show! In the last sketch he didn't have to do anything except pretend to sleep and quirk one of the said eyebrows at the opportune moment. As he waited he scanned the audience through his eyelashes, his eyes drawn from a group of guys that were in his law class to the girl sat in front of them, her face creased into a genuine smile, blonde hair shaking into her face as she laughed. He wondered what colour her eyes were and immediately wondered why he was wondering that. It made him almost miss his cue meaning that most of the audience were unprepared for his subtle addition to the proceedings. This girl however, must have been watching him closely; Sandy saw her laugh before anyone else and then smother it, her porcelain skin flooding with colour. So he winked at her causing her to first glance around to see who he meant and then flush a deeper shade of red.

…

A short pantomime.

Paul and Sandy drew the curtains again so a little set change could take place and began to introduce the next item, 'Now we all wanted our director here to step up and take the part of the dame in our little panto but for some reason he declined.'

'Unlike some people,' Sandy inclined his head towards his friend, 'I'm not into cross dressing.'

'Really? Because you are wearing my suit.'

Kirsten managed to catch herself before she said 'I knew it,' out loud.

'Shouldn't you be getting your makeup done?' Sandy retorted. 'Not that you need a lot for playing the ugly sister.'

Paul laughed. 'Thanks man, that really got me here,' he indicated to his chest. 'On that note, on with the show!'

…

And most bizarrely, a parody of a medley of songs from Les Miserables.

'Now I understand this last item may seem a little random…' Sandy began before Paul swiped the mike again. 'But to cut a long story short, a lot of us were in the musical last year and we couldn't resist having a little play around.'

It was a pretty random way to finish the show but Kirsten couldn't deny that she enjoyed it. The changed lyrics were witty and Sandy appeared in several numbers as the lead, Jean Valjean. He was handsome, he was funny, he could act and he could sing, Kirsten sighed, of course he would either be a complete asshole or have a girlfriend, or probably both. Still, she couldn't help watching him; make the most of the opportunity and enjoy his voice.

Kirsten glanced around, suddenly worried that someone might have noticed the rapt attention she was lavishing on Sandy Cohen. There was no one looking at her strangely so she turned back to the stage, knowing it was just her imagination making her think he was singing straight to her and wishing it wasn't.

He knew it wasn't good stagecraft to focus on one person and he was trying not to but his eye kept being drawn back to the girl in the fifth row. He was flattering himself but he liked to think she was watching him. His excuse for singing solely to her for most of the songs was that you were meant to engage the audience and as far as he could tell, she was the most engaged.

Thanks to a clever key change the last song merged into 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' with the whole company joining in. As they finished off Sandy regained possession of the microphone, 'Now, for the grand finale we'd like you all to join us in a song.'

There were a series of groans from the audience.

'I know, I know but we're gonna do it anyway. You'll find the words on the back of your programme, if of course you weren't too tight to buy one.'

Kirsten flipped over her programme to find the lyrics of 'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas,' and shared an amused glance with Hannah. White Christmas? Because they knew so much about those.

'Of course,' Sandy continued, 'I realise this is a pretty stupid song to be singing in North California and for me, seeing as I'm Jewish but never mind, hopefully enough of you know what I'm talking about…you know; frosty breath, red noses, crisp snow crunching under your feet, snowflakes drifting down, that wintry feel in the air…' Sandy's ramble was drowned out by the band who had started to play and everyone began singing to varying degrees of accuracy but with goodwill. Paul reached for a cord at the side of the stage and tugged it sharply, causing a sheet pinned to the ceiling to release its load of paper snowflakes, most of them falling directly onto Sandy who was stood centre stage. He laughed, shaking his head vigorously to dislodge the flakes and blowing them out of his mouth. The song came to an end and Sandy refused to yield the mike to Paul after 'that dirty trick'. 'Thanks for coming everyone and happy holidays,' he declared before scooping up a pile of 'snowflakes' and pitching them over Paul's head. An impromptu snow fight broke out amongst the cast as the audience applauded. Their friends in the audience quickly joined in, the rest coming under attack as the madness spilled out from the stage and into the hall. The crowds began to disperse, trying to escape from the paper flakes coming their way. Kirsten watched with amusement as Paul and Sandy rounded the girl who had sung the part of Eponine in the Les Miserables skit, chasing her down the aisle. She dived into the row behind Kirsten, begging the guys there to protect her. Paul however was merciless, tossing the contents of his hands over her and her guardians. Sandy noticed Kirsten laughing and grinned mischievously. A second later she found herself lost in a flurry of white.

He wondered whether to make a run for it but then he heard her laughing. Her laugh was as pretty as her smile. She looked up at him, the feigned frown lost in her laughter and he shrugged; he just hadn't been able to resist. Sandy was about to introduce himself when a familiar hand clapped him on the shoulder.

'Hello Sanford, cracking show, if a somewhat immature ending,' the voice was teasing; it was his favourite professor and he had to let himself be drawn away for more congratulation. He cast an apologetic glance over his shoulder but Kirsten wasn't looking. She dropped her head in disappointment, picking the scraps of paper off her coat and out of her hair whilst the regained her composure. It was just a moment that was all. One of those things that happen between people once. But she couldn't help feeling they'd been having them all night. Brusquely lifting her head, she tried and failed to get Hannah's attention by simply saying her name. Her roommate was occupied making eyes at one of the band members.

'Could you be any less subtle?' she muttered.

'I'm not trying to be subtle,' Hannah retorted, startling Kirsten who didn't think she'd heard her. 'What is the point of being subtle? It means you get what you want half as fast.'

'Right, interesting logic there.'

'Well, are we leaving or not? I thought you hated these chairs, I'm surprised you're sitting in them a minute longer than necessary.'

Kirsten had forgotten all about the uncomfortable chairs.

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Please review! It's all finished now so all I gotta do is post it. You know what you have to do for that to happen!