Rain (A Will Poulter fanfic )

Chapter 20

    Will and I are backstage again, watching our team perform. They are doing wonderfully. Bet somehow switches between her two characters flawlessly, and all the boys are simply adorable. I mean, who wouldn't find them adorable? When Jake, Parker, and Antonio walk down the center aisle holding their little gifts for baby Jesus the whole crowd melts. I hear a woman in the front row say, " Awwww!" I nudge Will and he smiles.

    " Sounds like the audience likes it." He whispers in my ear. I nod.

    I'm feeling a bit sad right now. The week is over. Next week starting Monday, we get a whole new flock of kids in. We will never have the same team again. I doubt we will ever get such a perfect team as the one we have now. Yea, they all have their flaws, Antonio and Angelo's constant hyper ness, Jake and Bet's shy personality, and Parker's fiery attitude. But all these things make up who they are. And I wouldn't change them for the world.

    All too soon, our team's one-act is over. They come filing backstage with flushed and excited faces. Will and I congratulate them all on how well they did and give them all hugs.

    Then it's curtain call. All the kids come on stage in their separate teams and bow. Then Ava calls out all the counselors so that they can take a bow as well. When all of the counselors come onstage the children yell, scream, and whistle while clapping their hands. We bow and then go and stand with our separate teams. I look out at the audience as Ava says the last appropriate words of thanks to all the family's sitting in the rows of seats.

    That's when my heart almost stops in my chest. Two unmistakable dark, brown eyes are fixed on me. Mark. He's sitting somewhere amid the crowd. I could recognize him anywhere.

    I tear my eyes off of him and desperately look over at Will. He, of course, is oblivious to what is happening. Ava has ended her speech, and the children are hopping off the stage, mingling with the audience. Will is still on the stage, talking to Angelo. I bore my eyes into him as if that will make him look at me. it doesn't work.

    " Hey, Skye."

    Oh crap.

    While I was trying to get my oblivious, best friend's attention, Mark has snuck up on me. " Hey," I say a bit awkwardly.

    " Your team did amazing, those kids are adorable." He smiles wildly, revealing too-perfect teeth. " I see that guy," he gestures with his hand at Will, " Is a counselor too."

    " Yea, we are co-counselors. He's a great guy." I say the last words with added emphasis. I loathe the way Mark is looking at him as if he is inferior or something.

    " I thought you wanted to escape from him the last time I saw you," Mark says.

    I cringe. " Yea, I didn't know him then."

    " Does he still think we're dating?" He says, his eyes are laughing at me.

    " No, I cleared that all up a while ago."

    Mark just nods and folds his arms across his chest. Every move he makes is smooth as if he has practiced it over and over again.

    " Skye?" I have never been more thankful to hear my name come out of Will's mouth. He walks over, done with his conversation with Angelo, and stands next to me.

" Will, this is Mark, Mark, this is Will," I say, trying to ease the tension I feel seeping out of both men.

" Hello Mark," They shake hands manly style. I fear that Will will crush Mark's hand. But also, I wonder if I'd care if he did.

" Hey," Mark responds. " I hear you two are co-counselors."

" Yep, Skye and I make a great team."

I blush involuntarily and let my long hair hide my face until the redness fades. Suddenly, I notice the slight tense in Will's shoulders. Why is he nervous right now? I wonder. He's like two times the size of Mark, in fact, he towers over him.

" So Skye, I have news," Mark says, snapping me back into reality.

" Oh yea, what's the news?" I say vaguely.

" I'm going to be a counselor next week."

The words are out of his mouth before I can register them, and when they do, the slight fake smile I've been wearing crumbles. " What?" That's all I can force out of my mouth.

Will pipes up and says, " But, I thought Ava only allows the same counselors for the whole month."

" No, that's for each week, we just chose to do the whole month," I quickly explain, " But, why did you decide to do that?"

" You know, to get away from all the hustle and bustle of life."

    Weird, that's what Will said. I think.

    " That's cool, though it is a lot of work, so come prepared." Will picks up the conversation, he can tell I'm speechless.

    " Oh, don't worry, I know how to work with kids, the one time I..." He rambles on and on. I barely hear him. I'm too much in shock.

    When Mark finally ends his long speech about who knows what, I finally say something. " Hey, it's been really good seeing you, but I have to go say goodbye to our team."

    " Of course, of course. Don't want to hold you up."

    I just smile weakly and flee. Thankfully, none of our team members have left yet, most of them are still getting out of costume. I head to the girls' dressing room to say goodbye to Bet. She's hanging her costume on a rack and getting ready to head out.

    " Bet I'm so glad you didn't leave yet, I wanted to say goodbye to you!" I run over and wrap my arms around the small girl. She clings to me and buries her face in my neck.

    " When will I see you again?" She says, looking up at me with those huge hazel eyes that captured me the first time I saw them.

    " You can audition for an upcoming show," I suggest.

    She nods vigorously, " Yea, I'll do that."

    Then she hugs me again. All too soon, her mother is looking for her and she has to go.

    " See you hopefully soon?" She asks.

    " See you hopefully soon," I confirm.

    And then, she's gone.

    Authors note

    Hey guys!

    So much happened in this chapter, how are y'all holding up?

    Comment what you think about Mark's news😏

Hope you're enjoying the Christmas season!

-heavengrace55