Mary woke the next morning with a significant lack of soreness or fever. It seemed her illness had passed and she could go back to class. She slowly blinked the sleep from her eyes, stifling a yawn with the back of her hand as she looked around her. Once again, the teens were sprawled out on the floor. Layla was using Will as a pillow while Zach had his head curled into Magenta's stomach, snoring softly. Ethan had a twin on either side of him where they looked to have fallen asleep during a movie. Mary slowly pushed herself up, slowly taking in the fact that her back was starting to cool. She looked over her shoulder. Warren was leaning against the sofa cushions, head titled to the side and his chest rising in a slow and steady rhythm. His ponytail was crooked and almost free of the hair tie. Mary smiled, secretly glad that he'd fallen asleep here instead of going home like he'd originally planned, and slowly removed herself from his arm that had been resting around her shoulders. He shifted slightly but didn't wake.
It took a bit of doing but Mary managed to step over her friends and make her way up to a well needed hot shower. The hot spray loosened all the tension left in her body and it felt wonderful to finally scrub her hair clean. She felt like a new person. She decided on a pair of jeans, black boots, a black tank top, and a dark green sweater. It wasn't until she was brushing out her hair that she noticed her blue streaks were almost completely faded. Should she re-dye her hair? It had been fun having a new color but it seemed to be too much hassle. Mary tied her hair up into a ponytail. She'd give it some time before she decided on something.
The others were still asleep in the living room when Mary came down. She chuckled at them but jumped slightly when Warren popped up at her side. His hair was free of the hair tie and looked as if he'd run his fingers through it for a quick comb. "I started the coffee," he said in a low voice so as not to wake the others. "Thought you might need it today. How are you feeling?"
"Great," she said in just as low a voice. "I'm ready to go back to school." She nodded up the stairs. "Shower's free if you want to grab one. It's going to be a mad house when everyone gets up."
He nodded once and grabbed his overnight bag before heading up to the bathroom. Mary made her way into the kitchen to get breakfast started. Thanks to Josie and Steve bringing dinner over and a few extra things to tide them over until Mary could get to the store, she managed to whip up the makings for make-it-yourself breakfast burritos. With how chaotic it was going to get in a few minutes, this was the safest bet of feeding everyone. She did her best with lunches, making sure Randy and Suzy were good to go before making everyone else's. She was definitely going to need to get groceries tomorrow. Maybe after their prison visit with Mom.
Mary was digging into her breakfast burrito, coffee on the side, when Layla and Ethan walked in with wide yawns.
"Morning," Ethan mumbled, sleepily making his breakfast burrito. Layla claimed a cup of coffee first before making a burrito with the left over veggie stir-fry that had somehow survived all the previous mornings' breakfast rushes. Both teens joining her at the raised countertop.
"How are you feeling?" Layla asked.
"Much better. Sorry about the food selection."
Ethan shook his head. "It's good. Better than what Zach made yesterday. How do you ruin instant oatmeal?"
Mary hid her smile behind her mug. If Zach and the twins ever made breakfast again, she would have to be careful of what they put in front of her. Mary set her mug down and turned to her plate as the others stumbled in. She watched as they tried to get themselves situated, Will and Zach constantly bumping into each other as Randy tried to get the juice and Suzy took some cups down from the cupboard. For morning entertainment, it wasn't too bad. And there wasn't such a level of chaos, either, for which she was grateful for. Mary finished her food and quickly put her dish in the dishwasher before slipping out of the kitchen with her almost empty coffee mug. She leaned against the doorway, safe from foot traffic, and watched the scene play out.
Will grabbed his food and slid into the seat next to Layla while Zach had to stand next to Ethan, recounting the dream he'd had last night while Magenta leaned against his shoulder, barely awake. Randy and Suzy had grabbed Mary's vacated seat, sharing the seat but both far too big to sit comfortably.
Her camera was suddenly in front of her. She followed the hand holding it up to smile at Warren. His hair was damp from the shower and he smelled of fresh soap and simple deodorant. Mary handed him her mug, took her camera, and snapped a few pictures of the kitchen scene without the others realizing. Warren took her empty mug and headed to the coffee pot. Mary kept shooting pics and finally lowered the lens when Layla joined her.
"On the bright side, they've cleaned out all the left overs," she said. "Bad news is that I don't think you'll ever have an empty house again. They like your cooking too much."
Mary laughed. "I don't mind." She really didn't. It was quite selfish, really. When there were others around, she didn't feel as lonely and purposeless. She quickly shook the thoughts away and addressed those in the kitchen. "Ok, everyone." They quieted, turning to her. "Finish breakfast, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and get ready for school. Randy and Suzy have to be on the bus in twenty minutes. Your lunches are on the counter." She gestured to the brown paper bags with their names written in sharpie.
They dispersed without grumbling. Layla laughed at their obedience but went off to get ready with them. Warren closed the dishwasher and leaned against the counter. He was already dressed– jeans, boots, black shirt– and simply watched Mary step further into the room. "It wasn't as crazy as yesterday," he said.
"I heard about the instant oatmeal," Mary said, putting her camera on the counter.
Warren tilted his head slightly. "You ok to face the rumor mill?"
"About as much as you are to face auditions."
His lips twitched. "So an odd mix of being terrified, confident, and excited?"
"The first two, yes. The last one, not so much."
Warren nudged her shoulder with his when she got close enough. "Hey, all of us have your back. You don't have to deal with things on your own."
Mary smiled and nodded. It would take a while for her to fully realize that, but she was starting to see the truth in his words.
He smiled back and looked at the brown paper bags. "It's like you've done this a time or two," he joked.
Mary laughed. "It's nice to do things for others. Makes me feel useful." She held out one of the bags to him. "I made sure to get a selection of Suzy's cookies in there for you."
He raised an eyebrow at her but took the bag. The others trailed into the kitchen with their school bags over their shoulders. Mary handed out the lunches.
"Sweet!" Zach said, looking in his bag. "I love a good PB and J." He pulled Mary into a bear hug. "You are so my main Lamb!"
Mary shook her head slightly as he let her go. "All right. Let's get to the bus stop." She grabbed her school bag with all of her finished assignments and her lunch.
Getting everyone out of the house had been tricky but it was herding them to the bus stop that took forever. When they got there, though, the younger kids were thrilled to see the group of teens. They'd apparently made a good impression because even the parents didn't mind the teens and their children burning off their energy while they waited for the bus. Mary and Warren stayed off to the side; she snapped pictures while he simply watched. A few parents asked after her health, which she answered with soft smiles and reassurances that she was fully recovered. When the bus came and the kids had to climb on, Randy and Suzy quickly gave all of the teens tight hugs.
"I'll be staying after school to watch the auditions, so you'll have to walk home yourselves, okay?" Mary smoothed their hair away from their eyes. "Have fun and learn lots." She waved goodbye as they hurried onto the bus and it drove away.
"So," Layla said, turning to her friends. "We're aware of the rumors." The others nodded. "We tell them that Warren was just helping Mary get over being sick. We also keep an eye out for Gwen's old friends in case they cause trouble."
"Roger," Zach said. He dropped an arm around Mary's shoulders. "Anyone messing with my main Lamb is in for a world of pain."
She bit her lip to keep from laughing but patted his hand. "Just try the diplomatic route first, okay? I don't want you getting into trouble because of a fight."
He nodded as the bus pulled up. Mary took a deep breath to calm herself before she followed Will and Layla onto the bus. Cue the whispers and looks as Warren followed her to her usual seat. She sat her bag in her lap, mostly so her fingers had something to curl into as her nerves tightened.
"I'm so glad you're feeling better," Layla said just loud enough for the bus to hear her. "I mean, it's no fun to be sick, of course, but now you won't fall behind in your school work."
"I don't know," Zach said, his voice louder than it needed to be. "I liked out study parties."
"What studying did you get done?" Magenta said, giving her boyfriend an unimpressed look. "You got sucked into the "Adventures of Tiger Man" marathon."
"That counts. He's a classic Superhero. Who happens to have a tv show. It's history."
"Most of that show is Hollywood exaggeration. I don't think any of that will be on a test."
"You never know. It could be."
As Zach and Magenta continued their strange banter, Mary started to relax. They were already setting the groundwork of letting people know that the rumors weren't true. There wasn't a lot of subtlety on Zach's part, but his attempts were just as comforting as anything else they were doing. Warren pressed his shoulder into hers, giving her another level of comfort as the bus started its flight to school. Things would be ok.
••••
Things could have gone better today, but it wasn't horrible.
She'd had to visit Principle Powers to inform her on the reason of her absence and the change in her powers. Powers had been understanding, though a little skeptical of her excuse; it seemed that any rumor about supposed villain attacks after an actual villain attack were to be looked into. Mary was told that her teachers were aware of the situation and she could turn her homework in late without penalty. That honestly was a load off Mary's mind as she didn't want to have to deal with a lowered GPA because of her getting sick. Powers then sent her to Nurse Spex for an examination and re-evaluation other her new powers. That had taken most of the morning and Mary had only been let go when lunch rolled around.
Everyone had enjoyed the lunches she'd packed, but their table's excitement and her usual friendly interaction with Warren started up a bit of the whispering and looks. Mary ignored them, but didn't overlook the faces of some of the more enthused gossipers. Now she had faces to some of Gwen's old friends and the more persistent trouble makers. Only time would tell if they would get over their bitterness at having been fooled by Gwen's act or become bigger problems due to their villainous leanings. Mary would have spiraled into her thoughts if Warren hadn't pulled her back. A quick nudge of his foot against hers brought her back to the present and she let herself fall into the relaxing laughter of her friends. She even laughed at Warren's put upon expression when Zach asked him a random question about breathing fire.
Her afternoon classes went easier. She turned in her assignments, took notes, and kept cool when the stares continued. French was the one class she could fully relax in. Besides having Warren with her, Monsieur Gérard was actually glad to see her and Warren back and in good health. She hadn't known she and Warren were some of his favorites until that point. They kept to themselves during the class, though Mary noticed the girl who'd approached them on Monday kept shooting Warren glances. He didn't notice or respond to them, but Mary had to push down the bit of jealousy that threatened to make an appearance.
Power training was replace with Save the Citizen, for which Mary was excused from doing until next week. It seemed Will and Warren worked well together once they'd gotten over their issues with one another. They played the Heroes and dominated every match. Layla cheered loudly for Will and Mary wasn't above giving Warren encouragement with the rest of her friends. His budding fan club was just as loud from the sidelines. Mary definitely got a few good pictures of the fans and Warren's reaction to them; Mr. Battle would love these.
"That's going to get old really quick," Warren said once he'd left the boy's locker room.
Mary chuckled, falling in step with him as he continued to his locker. "At least they haven't made buttons, yet."
He glared at her, ignoring the looks being sent their way. "Don't you dare give them any ideas." She leaned against the locker next to his as he switched out his books. He glanced her way. "You doing all right?"
"Yeah. It's not as bad as I thought it would be." She shrugged. "Guess I should work on my anxiety so I don't keep over reacting."
"You never really know about rumors until you face them. This one seems to be fading fairly quickly now that we're back and acting like usual."
"Well, not totally usual. You're not glaring at the others like you used to."
"Guess I'm building up an immunity to them."
Mary laughed. "You keep 'building an immunity' and you'll end up with Will as your best friend."
Warren sneered at the thought. "No way. Never happening." He closed his locker and leaned against it. "Besides, you're my best friend."
Her lips parted in surprise, eye widening. "I'm…your best friend?"
He smiled slightly. "Obviously."
Mary slowly smiled back. "For what it's worth," she said just for him to hear, "you're my best friend, too."
He beamed at her words but nodded nonchalantly. "Good. Because it would be pretty awkward if it was one sided."
"Super embarrassing," Mary agreed with a smirk. "For you."
Warren gave her a heatless glare but the others showed up at that moment.
"So," Layla said. "To the auditions?"
It was almost an instant reaction; one moment, Warren was at ease, and the next he was stiff enough to be used as a cutting board. Mary grabbed his arm and started dragging him auditorium. "Just breathe, Warren," she said in a soothing voice. "You're prepared for this. Focus on performing and nothing else."
"Don't worry, dude," Zach said, draping an arm around Warren's shoulders. "I'm auditioning, too. You won't be doing it alone."
Warren snapped out of his trance and shook the other kid's arm off. "Don't do that."
"What are you auditioning for?" Ethan asked.
"Gaston, obviously." Zach raised his chin in the air. "My good looks are exactly what this play needs."
Magenta snorted. "You might be better suited for LeFou."
The playful banter continued until they reached the auditorium. There were already a group of kids waiting outside the doors; some were stretching, others were running through vocal warm up exercises, and others were running over their lines. Every last one of them were focused in various degrees but instantly noticed the newcomers. If Mary had been concerned about the attention she'd been receiving earlier that day, it was nothing compared to the actual panic that ran up her spine. Ethan hadn't been kidding when he said things got serious about theatre.
A young black girl appeared from the crowd, smiling wide at them. "Hey, guys." Her cheerful tone soothed some of the tension in the air.
Ethan grinned. "Hey, Melanie." Oh, so this was Melonie? Now that Mary really looked at her, she realized it was the girl Ethan had been dancing with at Homecoming.
Melanie looked over their group. "Are you here to audition?"
"Yup!" Thank god for Zach's cheerfulness. "There a sign up?"
She waved them over to a clipboard resting on the auditorium doors. Those gathered watched them closely. Mary was growing concerned; a few of those looks wouldn't be amiss on a villain's face.
Melanie took the clipboard down and explained the set up. "So, you write your name down on the list and the part or parts you'd like to be considered for. The director and a few other crew members will call you up onto the stage when it's your turn to audition. You'll be doing it in front of everyone, but don't worry. It's standard procedure. It helps the director gauge where you are for performance value."
"So we're just waiting for the doors to open?" Layla asked as Warren wrote his name down and passed it to Zach.
"Pretty much. They like to give us a few moments to prepare and allow any stragglers to sign up. They'll let us in soon." Melanie took the clipboard once Ethan wrote his name down. She smiled at him. "You want to audition?"
His face heated and his voice cracked slightly. "I-I thought it might be a g-good experience. A-and to support my friends, o-of course." He looked at her for a moment before glancing away, face turning even more red. "You, too."
Melanie smiled wider. "Thank you. It means a lot. I hope you get a part." They stared at each other for a few moments before she cleared her throat. "Anyway, you should take the time to warm up. There's acting and vocal for most parts but some require a dancing section."
"Do the main parts have to dance?" Zach asked. "I mean, I got moves, but it's good to know."
Mary saw a few kids around them look up at the mention of the leads. Were they trying out for them, too? By the hard look in their eyes, that was a yes.
"Well, I think everyone needs to have the ability to dance but it's not a big issue," Melanie said. "It's mostly the chorus that need to learn choreography."
"If we're not auditioning but just here for support, is it still okay for us to come in?" Mary asked. She raised her camera slightly from around her neck. "I'd also like to take some pictures, if that's all right."
"You can come and support people but the director, Mr. Johnson, asks that you don't make too much noise or applaud when people are done. It can be distracting. And you can take pictures as long as there's no flash." Melanie smiled slightly. "I remember you were taking pictures at the dance, too. Have you signed up for yearbook or the school newspaper? They're always looking for photographers."
Mary was a bit surprised at the honest suggestion. "I thought about it. I'm not sure. I have to look after my little siblings after school, so I'm not sure if I could do a whole lot."
"From what I know, they only meet about once a week for a meeting after school. I'm sure it won't disrupt your schedule too much, but you know your life better than me."
The auditorium doors opened and an older gentleman looked at the crowd. "Ah. I see we have a decent turn out this year. Good. I look forward to some truly marvelous talent. We'll be doing the auditions for ladies' parts, first, then the men. When your name is announced, step up onto the stage, announce the parts you are auditioning for, and we will direct you to either sing first or act. Everyone not performing at the moment is asked to be respectful and quiet at all times. No applause, please. If you are not here to audition but to give moral support, then please remain in the back of the auditorium. Everyone else please sit further toward the stage." He turned to Melanie. "Miss Goodman, if I may have the clipboard?" She handed it over and he vanished into the auditorium. The crowd quickly followed.
"That's Mr. Johnson," Melanie said as she picked up her bag. "He's actually nice when you get to know him, but he's a director first, so just be careful. He also has his favorites, but he's generally fair to new actors."
Their group followed everyone else. Layla and Will found seats in the back with a good view of the stage. Zach, Ethan, and Magenta headed towards the area the others that were auditioning were congregating. Mary squeezed Warren's hand one last time, whispered a quick 'good luck', and let him join the rest. She set her things with Layla and Will before making sure her camera didn't have the flash on. It would make getting pictures a bit harder but she could work around that.
As the auditions started and continued, Mary worried for Warren. These people were good; some of them sounded like they were professionally trained. How on earth did Melanie hit a high note like that? And did that boy actually do a complete Shakespeare monologue? She hoped Warren wasn't getting shaken from seeing all of this.
Mary managed to find him in the darkened auditorium. Where Ethan looked nervous, Zach bounced in his seat, and Magenta slouched next to him, Warren was completely blank. He watched the stage but didn't express anything. From this distance, Mary couldn't see his eyes, so that was no help to her. Did he need words of encouragement or was he hyping himself up in his head?
"Warren Peace," Mr. Johnson called from his seat in front of the stage.
Warren pushed himself out of the chair and stalked to the stage. Curious eyes followed him, but no one dared to make a sound. He stepped to the center and Mary smiled. Not a word and he'd already dominated the stage.
"What roles are you auditioning for, Mr. Peace," Mr. Johnson asked.
"The Beast." How on earth did the auditorium make his voice sound like a rumbled growl? Or was he already in character? Mary readied her camera, waiting to catch the right picture like she'd done with the others who had auditioned before.
"Your acting first, then."
Warren looked to the side as if someone else were on stage with him. "Belle, are you happy here? With me?" His face opened up slightly. "Is something wrong? You miss your father?" He looked down at his hand, as if there were something there. "There is a way to see him again." He raised his hand, looking back at his imagined partner. "This mirror will show you anything– anything you wish to see." He 'handed' it over to 'Belle'. He waited, as if listening to someone's line. "He is lost?" Warren looked as if he were battling himself. "You should go to him." A momentary pause. "You're not my prisoner, Belle. You haven't been for a long time. Take the mirror with you. So you'll always have a way to look back…and remember me. Go. Go!" His head was lowered by this point but he looked up and turned, as if following someone's exit. Mary's heart ached at the look of loss on his face and in his voice as he finished, "I'll never see her again."
There was silence that followed his monologue, as there was for every audition before, but there seemed to be something hanging in the air at this one. A surprised tension no one broke for a few heartbeats until Mr. Johnson's voice cut through it, shaking a few people.
"And your audition song."
Warren looked away from his imagined partner's exit and looked out over the auditorium. He began, his deep voice traveling smoothly to the back, even where Layla and Will sat.
"A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain
Softly blows o'er Lullaby Bay
It fills the sails of boats that are waiting
Waiting to sail your worries away
It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain
And your boat waits down by the key
The winds of night so softly are sighing
Soon they will fly your troubles to sea
So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain
Wave goodbye to cares of the day
And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain
Sail far away from Lullaby Bay."
Mary smiled. Watching Warren perform on a stage instead of her living room was beautiful. He came to life in a different way and she couldn't look any place else. She watched him step off the stage as Mr. Johnson wrote something down in his notes. He retook his seat, grumbling slightly when Zach tried to praise him. Thankfully, Magenta shushed her boyfriend, reminding him they needed to be quiet. The auditions continued with Zach, who was so goofy that he was almost guaranteed the part of LeFou. But the comedic audition was a nice follow up to Warren's emotional performance.
Things continued and soon Mr. Johnson was standing up. "I'm going to my office to make my decisions. Should only be half an hour or so. I will be back with the results. Do not disturb me." He gave one or two kids a pointed look before leaving.
Warren was almost instantly surrounded by the other actors.
"Where were you trained? That was amazing!"
"What other performances have you been in? This can't be your first time."
"Why did you choose those pieces?"
Mary bit her lip to keep from laughing at the slight panic in Warren's eyes as she drew closer. He met her gaze, asking for help. She gave a slight nod and turned to Melanie. "You did wonderfully. I had no idea someone could reach that pitch."
"I'm glad you like it." She noticed the camera. "Did you get any good pictures?"
"I think I got everyone, actually, but grabbed a bit of video on some performances, too." Mary braced herself for the sudden attention from the others. She wasn't disappointed because she was suddenly center of attention; people asking to see what she captured. She angled the camera so they could see the screen as she scrolled back through the pictures. There had been some really good angles and the lights hitting one or two people just right for great shots. Someone had started a sheet of paper with names and email addresses of everyone who copies of the pictures; someone was even writing the picture numbers next to the names. People started to float away after five minutes and confirmation that she'd email the pictures to the ones on the list over the weekend. Groups started to form where people started giving feedback to the other actors. Mary sank into the seat next to Warren, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Thanks," he mumbled. "I was not prepared for that."
"You should be," Melanie said, taking a spot next to Ethan. "You were great. And I mean that as someone who's been in the theatre for years. You rivaled a few broadway performances. It was a nice touch turning to follow 'Belle' off stage. Mr. Johnson likes when someone really commits to a piece, even if it's just an audition."
"I'm sure you'll get Belle," Ethan said, blushing slightly. "You were really good."
Melanie flushed at the praise. "Thanks. But I think Emma Whitaker is going to get it. She got the lead last year as a freshman and has been getting professionally trained since she was 5." She nodded her head over to a brunette dressed in a yellow sundress; she was surrounded by a couple of people praising her audition.
Mary remembered her; poised, controlled, and a stunning performance. She had to agree with Melanie that she was a shoe in for the part of Belle. She was quite pretty, too.
"Well, Zach's going to be LeFou," Magenta said. "No one else was near as comical than him."
"Aw, thanks babe." Zach pulled her into a hug.
She shrugged, arms folded over her chest. "Well, it's true," she said, ignoring the blush in her cheeks.
"Hey, great performance," Will said, finally joining them from the back. "If you get the Beast, I'm gonna come to all of your performances."
"I'd buy the performance recoding," Layla said.
"Wait, they make recordings of this?" Zach perked up. "Dude, I'll be on video!"
Melanie shook her head, chuckling slightly. "I think they did it for one or two performances but not many people bought it." She looked at Mary. "But I don't think Mr. Johnson would mind you recording a dress rehearsal at some point. And you'd be really good at it."
Mary blinked. "Me?"
Melanie nodded. "I'm not kidding when I say you should do yearbook or newspaper. Honestly, Mary, your pictures are good. Your videos, too. From just the clips you captured on the spot, I think you have a real future there." She softened her smile. "Just think about it."
Mary didn't have to answer because, thankfully, Mr. Johnson returned and silence fell as everyone waited for the results.
"Rehearsals will be after school every other school day from 3 to 6. Busses will be available to return you home, but you should make your schedules accordingly. Now, I'll read out the parts and the understudies. If you didn't make it this year, I encourage you to try out for another production or to apply for a different department. You can still be part of the performance even if you're not on the stage. Now, for the part of Belle, the lead goes to Emma Whitaker with Melanie Goodman as understudy." There was applause for both girls. Ethan smiled at Melanie.
"For the part of Beast," Mr. Johnson continued, "the lead goes to Timothy Smith with Warren Peace as understudy."
AN: The song Warren used for his audition piece is called "Hushaby Mountain" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I googled 'good song to audition for Beast in Beauty and the Beast' and this was one I really liked when I listened to the broadway version. I can see why it could be used to audition for the Beast character. Also, I realize it takes more than half an hour to make casting decisions, but I didn't have the time.