A/N: OKAY, So I'm REALLY not meaning to update this so much because I want to keep you guys in suspense but I've gotten so into writing it and I can'T STOP BUT I NEED TO AND UGH;; I'LL TRY TO! It's just... ROSEMARY. [Sigh] Okay, anyway, I think you guys will like this chapter! I'M GONNA STOP RAMBLING NOW KBYE LOVE U ALL!
The play week came much faster than Rose had originally thought it would. It was finally time for her to be the ringleader ghost on stage, and she was actually looking forward too it. She knew just how to do it, too. She already had her costume ready and her lines memorized, so she decided to goof off a little bit before rehearsal started.
Kanaya, Karkat, and Dave were all sitting on the stage, talking to each other. Rose had gone to go ahead and change into her costume. It was just casual clothes, and she had worn a dress to school. It was easier to walk around in jeans, anyway.
Rose came back into the theater once she changed, and then she put her other clothes with her school materials until they let the cast go get in costume. She saw that her three friends were up on the stage, so she hopped up on it to join them. "So, what are you guys talking about?"
"Oh, nothing much. We were just thinking about playing truth or dare for a while," Dave said. "You in?"
"Sure, I don't see why not," Rose said. "Just so long as nothing is sexual."
"Well wasn't that fucking obvious? Holy shit." Karkat said, rolling his eyes. Kanaya reached over and slapped his shoulder softly, which caused him to start grumbling. Dave laughed at it and started mocking Karkat. Then Rose knocked Dave on the head. "Just start the fucking game, Dave," Karkat growled.
"Alright... Karkat, truth or dare?"
"Truth. Knowing you, you'll give me some bullshit dare to like the fucking floor or some shit."
"Is it true that you and Terezi have had sex?"
"What the fuck you pretentious fucknugget, do you really expect me to answer that?"
"Yes."
"Rose said no sexual questions, assface, so I refuse to answer."
"Fine, chicken. It's your turn now,"
"Hmm... Okay, Kanaya, truth or dare..."
The game went on innocently for a while, but Dave had a devious plan. Rose had poured cold water on him in the shower that morning. It was his time for revenge, and he had the perfect way to embarrass her. "Okay, Rose. Truth or dare?"
"I'm feeling adventurous. Do you have a good dare?" Rose asked. To which Dave smirked. That was a big fat 'yes.'
"I dare you to kiss Kanaya." he said. Rose and Kanaya glanced at each other. Kanaya looked like of freaked out, but it was purely out of shock from the dare that was so out of place from the other dares that had taken place.
"Really, David? Is that all you've got?" Rose sighed. She rolled her eyes and looked at Kanaya. "Are you fine with it, Kanaya? Or would you rather not?"
"I honestly don't care. It's just a kiss." Kanaya shrugged. At that point, Dave was in shock from how they were going along with it. Karkat started laughing his ass off, telling Dave "I told you so, I told you so! You stupid fuck, I told you it wouldn't freak them out!"
"Alright. Since I can't back down from a dare, I suppose I have to do it," Rose said. She wanted to hesitate because she felt that warm, fuzzy feeling arising in her gut, but she couldn't. So, she leaned over and softly kissed Kanaya on the lips for a few seconds. Then, she pulled away and looked at Dave. She stuck her tongue out at him, to see that his mouth dropped open. He had been defeated at his own game.
The kiss brought up feelings that Rose thought had been buried away. Her mind went blank and all she could focus on were how soft Kanayas' lips were. She felt like she could faint at any given time. It was so bittersweet that she couldn't help but love it in every was possible. And for whatever reason, she wanted to kiss her again and again. She wanted to feel the massive amount of butterflies in her stomach. For that short moment, Rose was ecstatic. But it quickly faded to slight anxiety, since she knew it was awkward for Kanaya. She knew she shouldn't have done it. And suddenly, Roses' chest was tight. She felt like she couldn't breathe, but she was breathing fine. So she decided to distract herself.
"So, now it's my turn. Dave, truth or dare?" She said, smirking.
"Uhh... Dare, because I bet you can't top mine." He said, smirking back. He stuck his tongue out at her.
"That may be true, but I can match it. I dare you to kiss Karkat," Rose laughed. Karkat yelled out "WHAT?! FUCK NO, OH HELL NO!" Then, Rose continued. "And if you don't do it, I'll tell Dirk that he can annoy you in any way he wants too for a week." Rose said as she stuck her tongue out at Dave.
"Oh shit. Rose, you suck. I'll take Dirk annoying me over that, damn," Dave said. To which Rose replied with "Okay good, so I have more balls than you do." Kanaya laughed at that.
It was time for rehearsal, so Karkat, Kanaya, and Dave got off of the stage and started to clean up the theater for the cast and soon-to-be audience. Since they helped, they were able to get in to see the show without paying. Rose was on stage during the rehearsal of the third scene. She was a ringleader ghost, so she had to talk very loudly and persuasively. She tried as hard as she could to not think about Kanaya. She goofed up a couple of times, but it was only rehearsal. She knew she'd be more focused during the actual show.
In the audience, Karkat and Kanaya were watching intently while Dave was on his phone, texting somebody. Probably Tavros or Gamzee. Karkat looked at Dave and whispered "You'd better not have your fucking phone out during the actual damn performance, shithead."
"Don't worry, I won't. I'm not that disrespectful, heheh."
"Well you sure as hell seem like it."
Kanaya hushed the two, still watching the rehearsal. She loved theater almost as much as Rose did. She would have been in a Theater class this year had it not been for some schedule mix-ups. She hoped that next year she could double up and be in it both semesters. A sigh escaped her lips a she longed to be up on the stage. Or at least behind the scenes, helping stitch up costume malfunctions.
The cast eventually left the stage, and the audience started pouring in. Kanaya looked around, seeing a familiar face. "Oh no.. Karkat, quick, throw your jacket over my face or something. Vriska's here!" She said in a frantic manner. Karkat mumbled an "oh shit, fuck no that bitch needs to gtfo" and covered Kanaya with his jacket. She slumped down in the seat so she wouldn't appear as tall as she was.
"Yo, what's the deal?" Dave asked, looking at the other two. "Issues with somebody?"
"Yeah, old crush issues. If she comes over here she's getting a piece of my mind, Kan." Karkat grumbled as he watched Vriska walk right past them. Luckily, he was wearing a beanie, so she didn't pay attention to him. "Okay, it's safe, Kan." He said as he pulled the jacket off of her. Her hair was a mess now, so he put any hairs out of place back where they were.
"Thanks, Kar.." She said with a relieved sigh. Karkat rubbed her back a little bit to calm her down. "I'm just wondering why she's here. She doesn't even like theater."
"It doesn't matter, just so long as she doesn't bother you. Come on, lets not worry about it and just focus on the show, okay?" Karkat said, patting her shoulder. She nodded.
Soon after, the play began. The plot was very interesting. It was about four kids who had to put decorations up for a Halloween party, but all of this weird stuff started happening. They came in contact with spirits, one being the crazy ringmaster who Rose played. Kanaya was extremely excited to see Rose be crazy on stage.
The play ended with the kids discovering why the spirits were trapped there and basically putting them to rest. The play got a standing ovation, to which Kanaya caught Rose grinning really big. It was the happiest that she had seen Rose in the few months that she had known her. Seeing her friends happy made her happy. It helped her to smile, even though she felt empty.
But we won't go into that.
"Rose, you did a fantastic job!" Kanaya said as she greeted Rose after the show.
"Yeah, you really did. I didn't expect you to act like a fucking maniac, though," Karkat laughed.
"Thanks guys." Rose said with a smile. "So, who's going to get food with me?" She asked. Dave, Karkat, and Kanaya all said they were. "Alright, just let me get my stuff and we'll head out. We'll decide where we want to go in the car."
Rose went to go get her book bag and other things. She left her costume locked in the "costume cave," as they called it, in the theater. She went up to the three once she was ready, only to see that Vriska had approached Kanaya.
"Vriska, please, I'm not in the mood for this!" Kanaya said as she tried to keep Vriska away.
"Will you back the fuck off already?!" Karkat sneered.
"Come on, Kanaya, I tried to help you! You know I did. At Alternia. Can't you at least give me credit for that?" Vriska desperately said. Kanaya shook her head.
"You didn't do shit! Were you there when she got hit? No! Did you push her out of the way to save her? NO! So FUCK. OFF!" Karkat said. He made sure his voice was kind of hushed since there were little ones around.
"How about you stay out of it?" Vriska growled.
"How about you leave Kanaya alone already?" Rose said, stepping in front of Kanaya and Karkat. "We were just about to go eat. I would appreciate it if you didn't ruin anyones night." She glared at Vriska. "So step away, or else we're going to have an issue. Alright?"
Vriska didn't say anything, but she just glared at Rose. She flipped her off and then walked away. Kanaya let out a deep sigh. "Thank you so much, Rose..." she said with a relieved tone.
"Yeah, for real, she was about to piss me off even more." Karkat hissed.
"Well, that's in the past now. Come on, lets go eat now. I was thinking we go get Japanese." Rose suggested. "What do you guys think?"
"Ooh, I'm up for some sushi, man," Dave said.
"What the fuck is with you and Asian things? I'll eat Japanese but I'm NOT eating any nasty-ass sushi." Karkat said.
"I don't believe the sushi is required, Karkat," Kanaya giggled.
