A/N: Sorry if you don't understand what Sleepy Hollow is all about,
I'll try to keep it so that it doesn't matter if you know what the play
is about, but if you have trouble you can always rent the movie! It has
the scrumptious Johnny Depp, so of course it will be worth it! I want to thank my lovely reviewers:
ObsessedTWFan: I know it's kind of weird to have them all in high
school at the same time, but it's really fun to write. I hope it's as
much fun to read, because I have tons of ideas and if no one reads them
I will be sad...
Gorgeous Nick Stokes: This chapter is good for Nick, and I plan
on having a healthy dose of Nick angst later in the story...So be sure
to keep reading!
Post Script: I don't like this chapter nearly as much as the other ones, but the next one is shaping up really well.
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Mrs.
Wells clapped her hands sharply, and the entirety of her homeroom class
jerked their heads around to look at her. "We're going to put on a
play!" She was clearly extatic, even though it was the third day of
school and the play wouldn't be put on until Halloween. "The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow!"
A collective groan rose from the class, and each one of the students
stood up, walked to Mrs. Wells' desk, and chose a popsicle stick with
the name of his or her role on it. Catherine went first, wincing she
read her part. In black ink, "The Headless Horsman" looked back at her.
Gil was next to go. He drew out "Ichabod Crane", looking rather bashful
as he sat back down at his seat. A while later, the entire class had
their parts. Sara was playing Katrina Van Tassel, Nick was Brom Van
Brunt,Warrick was Baltus Van Tassel, Jim was the director, and Archie
(who wasn't there, but got the part anyway) was the stagehand.
Greg stared forlornly at his popsicle stick.
He raised his hand. "'Scuse, but who exactly is Ugly Man?"
Mrs. Wells quickly explained that the character had no name, and as the
original actor was somewhat ugly, they had called him Ugly Man. She
told him that Ugly Man was a victim of the Headless Horseman, and only
in the first two scenes. Greg looked dissappointed for a moment, but
cheered up considerably when he heard that he would have to be staying
to practice after school every Friday.
"The director, Ichabod Crane, Katrina Van Tassel, the stagehand, the
Headless Horseman, Brom Bones, and Baltus Van Tassel will also have to
be staying after school to practice, starting today. The rest of you
will start practices in October," Mrs. Wells said, then the bell rang
and everyone ran off to their respective classes.
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At
lunch that day, two groups of teenagers discussed their rolls in the
play. At one table, Nick, Sara, Greg, and Archie were talking
excitedly. "I wonder who the Headless Horseman is," Greg mused. "And
Ichabod Crane""What I wonder is why I have to be the mean suitor," Nick
countered. "Sorry, Sara, if I have to be a mean character to you," he
added.Archie was still wondering why he was in the play at all. "It's
because you're a whiz with the lighting and sound systems," Greg
replied.Sara was silent. The thought of being cast as a beautiful young
lady, one whom an entire village adored. Her stomache churned at the
mere thought of it. She wasn't even sure how she felt about having
Nick, her good friend, be one of her main suitors. And someone she
didn't know who was going to play Ichabod Crane.
On the other side of the cafeteria, Catherine was having a similar
discussion with Warrick, Gil, and Jim. "Headless Horseman!" she
exploded. "I know I'm a bit of a bully but honestly!" The only thought
running through the minds of her three companions was "A bit of a
bully? That's the understatement of the year."
Gil stayed quiet, nodding along with the others and occasionally adding
the odd comment, but not really paying attention. He was wondering what
would happen if he, a ghost in this school, starred in the play. He
didn't have any real friends, even Jim was nothing more than a friendly
acquaintence, and he doubted if he would ever have a life outside of
his books and his insect collection. And there was no way he would
enjoy playing a lovesick fool to Katrina Van Tassel.
"Gil? Earth to Gil, what's up?" His skin acquired a tint of pink as he
heard Catherine's voice speaking his name. He rubbed his temples to
clear his mind, saying, "Nothing, just spaced out I guess."
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After
school, eight nervous kids were sitting on the edge of the stage in
McKinley high's auditorium. Mrs. Wells was pacing back and forth.
"First of all," she said in her eccentric voice, "we have a scene with
Ugly Man and the Headless Horseman"Greg and Catherine stood up. "I'm
Greg Sanders, what's you're name?" Greg asked out of the corner of his
mouth. "Cathy Willows," said Catherine quickly before shushing him with
a motion of her hands.Each of them had a script and they began to act
out what their respective characters were supposed to be doing. Mrs.
Wells took a seat in the front row, telling Jim that they were his
responsibility now. Archie had already gone into the backstage room and
was fiddling around, acquainting himself with the different lights. As
a result, the stage lights dimmed and brightened randomly, sometimes
changing color with no warning.They carried on like this, Jim
occasionally stopping the group to give suggestions, Archie finally
getting the hang of the lights enough to stop the random flashes of
color, Mrs. Wells nodding her approval.
When they reached a scene where Ichabod goes to the Van Tassel estate,
Nick, Sara, and Gil all walked to the center of the stage. Gil
retreated to the left corner as everyone else arranged themselves
around Sara and Nick, pretending to be children playing a game. As the
rest of the class wasn't there to play the children, the group was
improvising. Archie was obviously paying attention to the cues, because
some music started and Sara put on the blindfold she was supposed to be
wearing.
"Action!" Jim said, and Nick, feeling very contented, began to spin
Sara around slowly, his hand in hers as Gil walked onto the stage.
Catherine, pretending to be a little girl, lead Gil over to where Nick
and Sara where joyously dancing. Nick took his hands reluctantly out of
Sara's and Gil held them instead. "Now guess who it is," giggled
Catherine in a childish voice.
"Oh, I don't know," Sara said. She was trying to remember the exact
wording of her script, as she couldn't read from it like the others
while she had a blindfold on. "Is it Brom Bones?"
"Certainly not," Nick said with a slight edge to his tone. He was
standing behind her, as the script instructed, and he was doing an
admirable job of "acting" jealous.
Sara felt Gil's face, her character trying to determine who it could be
other than Brom that would be holding her hands. Gil slowly lifted the
blindfold from Sara's eyes, and she said in a shy voice, "Forgive me. I
did not know."
Gil did an excellent job of looking flustered, although he vaguely felt
there was someone else he wished Katrina to be, and said, "I...I'm
looking for Baltus Van Tassel."
"Cut!" Mrs. Wells cried happily. "That was lovely!"
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A/N:
Such a short chapter! I'm sorry! I don't like this one nearly as much
as the first one, I'll try to do better next time. Of course, it would
help if I'd get some reviews!
Thanks a billion!
Maddy
