Author's Note:
Apologies for not updating last night, I was babysitting for the sweetest little ones :) (My niece and nephew) So updating for yesterday now. Enjoy!
Chapter Six
Previously-
When the class was over, Mr Urahara said, "You've all worked so hard. I couldn't be more proud. The cast list will be up on Friday! Good luck! Class dismissed!"
The rest of the week was a blur. A strange, stressful surreal blur. Rukia kept misplacing her things, her appetite was off and her nerves were in tatters. Her schoolwork was slipping and her homework was usually rushed and muddled. She would burst into tears at mealtimes with her brother. She and Ichigo would argue more than often, about her schoolwork and his afterschool job at the bar. She kept away from Grimmjow. She wouldn't answer her calls and her text messages seemed distant. All because of this stupid cast list!
Friday morning was the worst. Grimmjow's car pulled up at the Kuchiki household with Ichigo already inside, as usual. The three had decided that this way, they would all arrive together on school days.
Grimmjow had already decided that no matter what, he was throwing a party. Everyone in class was invited and his father had surprisingly agreed. After this week, it was what everyone needed. Especially, the raven haired girl who seemed to taught him by venturing into his dreams...
When Ichigo knocked on the door, Rukia didn't come running out. Instead her brother answered, with a stern face. When Ichigo returned to the car, he reported the news.
"She's already at school," he said solemnly.
"Starrk! Get us to school. Now!" Grimmjow commanded and the two sat in silence as the car sped off to the school.
When they arrived, the first thing they saw was Rukia, sat on the outside steps leading inwards, her arms around her knees, her head bent low.
"Do you think-"
"What do you-"
Abandoning thought, they slung their bags on their shoulders and ran toward her. Panting, they stood in front of her crouched figure, trying to get some air back into their bodies.
"I haven't dared look yet," she whispered and looked up sadly.
Ichigo knelt to her side and cupped her face.
"Let's go," he whispered.
Both boys gripped her hands and together they made their way to the drama room where great excitement was building.
Ichigo's eyes wavered to the ginger haired buxom babe who was happily jumping around with great glee. Orihime was something. She had been in the bar with Tatsuki and Chizuru quite a few nights now and it more than pleased him to see her. She seemed to have a drink (always one cup of sake, nothing more, nothing less) and a dance (she always requested "T'en va "pas by Elsa) and a nice friendly, if sometimes flirtatious, talk. Ichigo found that with her there, the nights were bearable.
She was better company than Rukia at any rate. He did love her, but she was just too... He sighed. She seemed so distant. It was hard to believe a play could cause this much pain for her. Either that, or she just wasn't interested in him anymore. And he had always suspected that her brother didn't really like him (whenever he came over to the house Byakuya insisted on calling him "Kurosaki" like he was just an insolent schoolboy).
He glanced at Rukia now. She was shivering inside the warmth and he noticed Grimmjow had his arm around her, soothing her. Hmm...
"Hey Orihime! How did you do?" he asked, turning away from his girlfriend.
"I'm just so happy Ichigo! I'm going to be Galinda! I'm the Witch of the North!" she grinned and hugged him.
He hugged her back tightly.
"I knew you could do it! So... are you going to Grimmjow's party later?" he asked.
"Well Tatsuki's going, so I'm going too," she beamed.
"I'll see you there," he smiled, his eyes twinkling as a shrill cry sounded behind him.
"There are no small parts. Only small actors," his voice soothed in her ear. It was warm and heartfelt. She turned to him and smiled.
Nervously, she made her way through the crowd.
"I can do this, I can do this, I can do this," she chanted under her breath as she scanned the list.
She wasn't scanning for long and let out a squeal of delight:
WICKED! A KARAKURA PRODUCTION
CAST LIST
GALINDA – ORIHIME INOUE
ELPHABA – RUKIA KUCHIKI
NESSAROSE – TATSUKI ARISAWA
FIYERO – GRIMMJOW JAEGERJAQUEZ
BOQ – KEIGO ASANO
MADAME MORRIBLE – RYO KUNIEDA
DOCTOR DILLAMOND – MIZUIRO KOJIMA
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ – URYU ISHIDA
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews so far :) And Meow Mix, it was all due to the script, not me being cruel aha!
Will update soon guys! Love you all, xxx