Everything RENT is copyrighted to Jonathan Larson. This chapter is set a week ahead of their meeting with Roxie. I hope you like this chapter. Some character development and new events happen!
It had been far too long for Roger to be spending time at the loft with this new person. That voice. Oh god that voice irritated him so much. The voice of their new 'roommate'. He had still not grown close to her, and never was intending to. They had not butted heads much, but that would all change in just a few moments. There she was once again, talking away on the phone to some rich friend of hers. Finally, the rocker just couldn't take it anymore. Setting down his guitar he had stopped playing his music for Mimi.
Mimi had loved listening to him playing while they were waiting for something to happen. Seeing Roger set down his guitar on the small coffee table quickly broke the trance she was in. At that he had walked off without a word. She didn't have much of a thought to what he was doing, but it must not have been a good thing. After all, he seemed to be a little extra moody lately. Well, Roxie wasn't helping either by poking at him constantly and annoying him on purpose.
There she was sitting on a chair that she had dragged to the phone only earlier. This friend of hers, was one who didn't know about her new living circumstances. At the loft that is. Roger had come over and made a bold move, and it wasn't one that was going to push her to the best of moods…
And with a press of the clicker thing… His annoying call is over. Wait, what is that thing called anyways… Roger thought for a brief moment, but then quickly snapped back to the moment. "You have been sitting around this house all week on your lazy ass. To top it all off you've been on that god-awful phone driving me insane with your voice that I could only begin to describe as fingernails dragging on a chalkboard! You are the only thing I thought possibly that could push my headaches into migraine! If you don't get your ass outta here and working I swear to Buddha you will become welly acquainted with the pavement of the streets!"
Emerald eyes gently rose to his with that same overtone of thoughtfulness that was commonly seen. Just like that her expression had turned to an annoyed one, and a new disdain for Roger was grown. "Excuuse mee?" She snapped, her voice growing somewhat higher with strongly accentuated words. Dark locks brushed over her shoulders as Roxie had put the phone receiver down roughly, and stood up eyes level with Roger's. "What did you just say to me? At least I'm not spending all my hours back here sulking like you. Do you honestly think that I should be doing work if you're not? I bet you're even too afraid to leave this loft. I bet if you lost this place it would kill you." She had not softened up one bit, and her voice was just as cold. "Who cares what my voice sounds like. You're just lucky to be living with me. Most guys would kill for the chance you got. So just consider yourself lucky." She then shoved him with one hand.
"You heard what I said. Don't drag my problems into this! It's none of your business. I make the rules, not you." He was on a roll as it is. Roger could barely believe that she had dragged his own life into this. "Well at least I'm doing something!" When the drag queen had pushed him he actually moved back a bit. He wasn't exactly the strongest guy known to man. What would he do? Shove her right back? No, just kick her out for a while. Even he had reason enough to know that they both needed to cool off. "Lucky? Well then those idiots must've been crazy!" He shot right back grabbing her by the arm and practically dragging her to the door. Shoving her out the door he quickly closed it behind Roxie and yelled, "Go get cooled off and find a job! Or else I will really be kicking you out!"
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"I can't believe him…" Roxie muttered straightening out her short pleated dark blue skirt. She didn't want to admit it, but that boy was right. For not so apparent reasons her mood had been terrible. Smoothing out her white blouse she looked over her shoulder for a moment and then walked off. Her looks never really attracted much attention at all. Not many people seemed to notice that she was hiding her true gender. In a way, Roxie really wouldn't have cared either way.
The streets were just as cold as ever. Not many people were comforting and it was freezing. Thanks to being booted out of the house she didn't have much time to pick out her wardrobe either way. Walking past the Life Café she was still in a bit of a foul mood. Little did Roxie know that Maureen and her lover were inside the building eating lunch.
Glancing out the window for a moment Maureen had recognized what appeared to be… Well, one of Roger's worst enemies. "Hey Jo!" She practically yelled startling the lawyer. "Isn't that Angel's cousin?" Surprisingly enough Maureen had no quarrel with this girl at all. She wasn't that bad if you were willing to take her attitude and could endure it.
"Uh-huh." Joanne simply replied half paying attention. She didn't have much of a relationship with very many of the bohemians at all, let alone this newcomer.
I wonder when they're going to start asking questions… Why I would be here in the first place if I had all those rich boyfriends I keep telling them about… Do they really need to know? Oh, damnit they'll ask. Roxie actually looked a little depressed as she continued her reluctant small walk to cool off. "What sense would it make to them? A 'rich girl' goes off to live with poor bohemians just because she can?" Admit gotta admit it… I'm flat broke. I have no where to go… I guess I've run out of rich guys to date. What do I fall back on now? My education? A high school dropout. When she had looked up she found that a job really was in order. Also, she came to a realization… That she needed to stop being so temperamental. It would only lead to trouble, and she really would have nowhere else to go.
Shivering a little the drag queen leaned against a post and looked at the wall in front of her. There was an add on it that she didn't take much note of at first. Upon closer inspection she ripped it off and read it over. "A workshop version of 'Cats'? Well, I wonder how much it pays… Maybe I could..." A smile crept on her face, but it wasn't the kind people normally seen. It was the smile of a little girl who had gotten that pony she always wanted.
Looking over the location and stuffing the paper in her skirt pocket she found her legs carrying herself faster then she intended. Her heart was racing as she felt her excitement starting to crescendo. She could already see everything. The surreal setting that was so captivating… The stage light! Everything was getting her excited. The thought of finally getting to do what she wanted with her life. A dancer! A performer! Getting to become a bohemian. Instead of a rich girl living an empty life with friends who loved money more then personality and character.
Glancing around she was looking for that sign. That Workshop! When she had seen it she slowed down her pace as she neared that door. Coming on too strong may make her look like she was insane or something. When Roxie had come in the building she breathed in deeply. It smelled like an old theatre for some reason. Well, it was one, a smaller one at one point. The shine on it had long disappeared and the stage was worn from its many uses. This place was relatively empty save the small group of people watching the current performer. What was truly amazing was how well they paid attention to the talent. When the auditionee left, Roxie walked down the small dull red-carpeted aisle.
This is it, just breathe and do what you can. Remember? You've seen this musical before… A long time ago at least. "You have room to listen to someone else?" She asked somewhat shyly when their clapping had ceased and she was halfway down the aisle. The drag queen remembered to keep her head held high and look confident, they like that, it shows you have stage appeal, right?
"Sure, I got a good feeling about you anyways." One of the younger men replied smiling back at her. He was holding a notebook in his lap as his knees were drawn to his chest sitting in the chair. One of the older men glanced back and agreed with him. "What do you have in mind? Did you bring any music you would like played? Or do you want to do one from the material we're using? What part do you have in mind?" His mind was already working to decide if she would make a fantastic Grizabella or not. After all, it would save using a wig. It would be easy to use her hair as it already was.
Roxie couldn't help but beam with happiness at this whole thing. "I would like to use one from the play please. Also, I have Skimbleshanks in mind. The railway cat right?" She was trying at recalling the names, but it was a little difficult. They were all so long and complicated to remember as it was. She couldn't believe it but she was getting nervous already. Making her way to the piano side she was given the part they wanted her to sing out of that song.
The piano had started and she started singing softly unsure of the words, "All the guards and all the porters…" The man who had seemed to be in charge watched her closely. "And the station master's daughters, would be searching high and low. Saying…" Her voice had finally grown somewhat stronger and she sounded a more confident. Tipping her hip to the side and putting one hand on her waist she finished the part in a cutesy female voice that was hammed up, "Skimble where is Skimble? For unless he's very nimble, then the night mail just can't go!" It was all over so quickly. That was the only sample the three men needed though. Smiling she heard them clapping as they did for their previous autiontee.
"Have you any skills in dancing or ballet?" The man with the notebook asked. "Y-yes. I never performed it live though or anything. I'm a little rusty too… So I would need to practice a bit." She couldn't help but be honest with this, and she actually felt like she was being put on the spot a little too much for her comfort. "D-do you want my number or anything? Or did I do too bad?" A comforting smile was her reply along with, "No, you did great. I don't need to ask about her improv and acting then. And yes, I would like your number. We'll call you when we have the parts organized." He then extended his arms with the notebook he was holding and a pen was attached. She wrote down her number along with a short description of what she did. That was instructed so it wasn't like Roxie was trying to earn extra points or anything. "By the way." She started handing the notebook back. "I don't want a girl's part. I'm proud of who I am. Even if I were to somehow get the best female part... I would rather have a small male part. There is no bending on that."
At that she turned and left that small Workshop. She could barley hold back a small little cheer and a little 'victory dance'. To say the least… People were staring.
"Oh well I never met a cat so clever as Andrew Lloyd Webber! Well, hardly ever!"
Cats is Copyrighted to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Characters, lyrics everything! Tell me what you think of this chapter!
