CHAPTER 3

As Karen ascended the stairs leading to last night's stage, a gentle smile of reminiscence graced her cheeks. She drew out her bottom lip in proud recognition.

A few flashes of last night's memorable feeling swept through her. She remembered that the distinguished, bewildered looks the dazed audience conveyed her way were one of the most delightful moments of the night, although she couldn't pay much to attention to them. She needed to stay focused, in the game. With a little support from every member of the production, she was able to produce something she had read in the reviews was qualified as "quite the wonder".

As much as she wanted to relive the entire overwhelming sensation of her first, real musical performance, she needed to rehearse before the show's second presentation.

"Alright, I want everyone ready in ten! Ivy has been replaced with Amanda here. She will pick up shortly, don't worry," Derek's stern voice majorly shook her out of her reverie, and she hurried into the dressing rooms.

"I understand all of you probably have hangovers right now, but you need to snap back into it. Why did we even let you drink yesterday?" he asked the question mostly to himself.

Karen dressed for her first number within five minutes, and was summoned to the stage by Derek.

"Karen, I need you to continue the way you did last night, okay?" he spoke softly but holding a firm meaning to his words. She didn't discern any uneasiness in his demeanour. It was Derek Wills before her, always ready for the fight, with a continuous hint of a frown forming between his salt-pepper eyebrows. Suddenly, she wanted to throw herself into the two fluffy cushions that were planted in the depth of his grey eyes.

"We're a total of six shows in Boston and Chicago, then back in New York with a few days of recovery. Then we're up for the longest run, on Broadway. God knows how long that's going to be. So you have to keep strong. I know you can do this," he pledged, all the while teasing her elbow with the gentle stroke of his thumb.

She nodded gravely, and ran into the wings. He took a seat in the audience along with Tom, Julia, and Eileen.

They rehearsed "Bombshell" two times. The ensemble with Michael and Karen seemed to grow a little tired by the hour.

"Okay people, we're done for the day. Remember, be here an hour and a half early for tonight!" Derek announced as people began to disperse into the wings.

Karen entered the dressing rooms in high spirits. "How's Ivy?"

"No one knows. For now, her mom's with her. I told her to contact me with any info. Best case scenario, it's minor. Worst case scenario... the overdose can cause heart rhythm disturbances," Bobby answered.

"Oh... It really hit her in the gut," Karen slumped down into a chair, thinking.

"We all know Ivy. She can be a totally cool chick, but when it comes to showing the Drama Queen side... it bites her in the ass."

"Yeah. Well, anyhow, I hope she gets better. We need her back. Amanda is a total newbie," Jessica whispered, looking around her for the new ensemble member.

"I thought she was okay," Karen countered.

"Iowa... You're too concentrated in your affairs. We're the ones who see it all," Dennis chuckled, and they prepared to leave before the night.

Once on the street, they parted ways. Most of the ensemble went out for lunch, while the minority headed to rest at the hotel.

Karen checked her phone for the time. She still had roughly four hours to spare. She noticed a new message and a missed phone call – Dev. Although she had discarded his number, he apparently didn't do the same.

'I just wanted to say you were great and that I'm terribly sorry about what happened,' read the text she decided to check out. With a disgust smirk and an unconvinced snort she deleted it.

"Karen, I thought you'd be gone," a voice called beside her ear.

She spun around with wide eyes. "Derek – Mr. Wills. No, I was just checking my phone."

Derek smiled in a sizzling way that made her insides churn and her heart melt on top of them. "Would you like me to escort you to the hotel, Ms. Cartwright?"

Linking her arm in his snug one, they left casually for the hotel.

"We're all on the same floor?" asked Derek when they finally entered the hotel elevator.

"Twenty-fourth."

"Yes."

They both reached for the button, and their fingers elegantly grazed which created a spark that aroused a passionate fire. Both nearly jumped at the contact, and an awkward silence settled between them. The button still wasn't pushed, and neither wanted to go for it again. Finally, Karen, the closest to it, rapidly pressed it.

The static tension made them endure the talk of the dead under their graves. Neither dared break it.

The ride was an incredibly long one as they both dreaded the ascent.

When the elevator came to a halt and the doors swung open, Karen was the first one to jump on the opportunity to escape the incident's consequences. She took on a quick jog, and on her way out, Derek was able to catch a whiff of her enticing perfume with flared nostrils. The moment she exited, he closed his eyes dramatically and followed suit.

Unfortunately, Lady Luck didn't grant them a chance at freedom. Their rooms were both in the same direction, his being a few doors down. Karen decide to be courteous at the last moment. "See you in a few,"she mumbled loud enough for him to hear.

"Yes, see you," Derek didn't bother to turn around for his response, out of fear of wanting a proper goodbye by seeing her angelic face, defined by a cascade of short dark waves.

Karen entered her thankfully empty room with her heartbeat pounding hotly in her ears. She understood that her reaction to the incident was pathetic and completely exaggerated. She was worse that Ivy, she realized. Although Ivy would have probably jumped his bones right then and there. Now she was thinking out of her usual ways. God, that man was killing her. She hoped it wouldn't perturb her performance.

Author's Note : I'm not sure if this chapter was what you were all looking forward to.

Thank you for reviewing!