❝ would this have been easier if i knew it all before? ❞
In which emotions change and Marcie finds out just how complicated her life can get.
[ heartstopper || season 1 -
extended summary inside
a LOVER'S CHOICE book ]
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The hustle and bustle of preparing for the show greets the group as they walk into the hall, a couple teachers finishing setting up the plastic chairs for the audience. Mars can't help but have that be all she notices as she walks into the hall, the three sections filled with dozens of chairs each. The anxiety starts to suffocate her, her body beginning to freeze as her mind focuses on nothing but panic.
Reggie gently places his hand in hers, opening her closed fist and fitting his fingers between hers. She closes her eyes as she tries to ground herself, breathing in a little louder so she can hear herself.
"Marcie, Tara, Darcy, hurry up, you're late," Miss Hyder tells them when she sees them walk through the doors. "Sit down, chop chop. Thank you."
Whilst Tara and Darcy head to the back, Mars walks towards the other side of the hall, going to her seat at the front, beside the composer's stand. She lets go of Reggie's hand once she's close enough, shedding her blazer and putting it on the back of her chair.
She knows she has to put it back on for the show since they're 'representing the school' but for the moment, under the stage lights beaming down on them, Mars could do without the extra layer of sweat. Reggie stands behind the chair, his hands on the back of it as he watches Mars unzip the violin case on the floor and takes out her violin, placing it on her lap before reaching for the bow.
Mars tries to block out the chatter around her as she tunes her violin, listening carefully to the pings of the strings. She watches the girl a few seats away from her using an app to help her get the right tune and makes a small wince. There's little luck doing that with all the noise echoing around. Though, she knows the app well. Back when she was first learning, her violin teacher had told her there was no shame in using it. Mrs James taught her pretty quickly how to recognise the tuning by ear.
"You know, he taught himself," Reggie says seemingly out of the blue, causing Marcie to turn her head a little as she looks up at him.
"Hm?"
She quickly sees that he's not looking at her, rather at someone else and turns her head back around to follow his line of sight, seeing West sitting with the other woodwind players, smiling uncomfortably as he nods along to whatever the person beside him is saying. She'd almost forgotten he was in orchestra since he always tends to keep to himself during these kinds of rehearsals. Mars quickly looks back at Reggie, seeing the proud smile displayed on his face.
"West. He taught himself," he explains. "Mum didn't have money for lessons so when he got the flute, he practiced whenever he could."
Mars smiles at the information. "Not a lot of people can do that."
"Has anyone seen Tara and Darcy?" Miss Hyder asks, causing some of the students to start looking around the room for them. The group all find each other looking at one another, questions going through their minds. Mars offers a shrug to Nick, answering his purses lip question, not knowing where they could be. "I'm about to open the door for the audience."
ꕤ
Running through hallway after hallway, opening door after door and shouting Tara and Darcy's name at the top of their lungs, the group finally find the couple banging on the door to one of the music rooms, shouting that they're in there. Nick struggles with the door handle for a second, his speed making it a little difficult, but he finally manages to get it open, the door almost hitting the wall with the force. The group all pile in at the doorway, staring at Tara and Darcy.
"Hey," Nick greets calmly, brushing his hand through his hair. "You guys are supposed to be on stage, like, right now."
"Like right now," Mars adds for urgency.
Tara lets out a small sound for panic as her and Darcy make their way through the group, running towards the Truham hall, hand in hand. Mars grabs Reggie's hand, both pulling and pushing to keep near one another, Nick and Charlie behind them. Mars looks over her shoulder to see Elle and Tao at the back, looking back to the front as she lets out a small laugh at how horrible Tao's running skills are.
Everyone runs into the hall, but Mars stops just by the doors, standing by the wall, Reggie stops beside her once the quick tug from her having stopped reaches his hand. He looks over to the rest of the group who look on in worry, Tara and Darcy already in the hall.
"We'll be right there, just go." Everyone minus Nick gives a nod in response, jogging through the doors.
Nick takes a small step towards the doors before stopping, looking to Mars for her to answer. "You sure?"
She looks at him, giving a wobbly smile as she nods. He gives a smile back in return before walking through the doors. Once they're alone in the corridor, the doors shutting behind Nick, Mars feels a little calmer as the urgency dissipates.
"Hey, you're gonna do great," Reggie assures. "Your mum and dad are there, I'll be there, we're all here."
Mars lets out a shaky breath as she nods along with his words, taking it in. "I'm just a bit scared."
"Performing jitters are normal," he says with a small shrug. "But you know this piece, okay? You've practiced and practiced. I really don't think you'll be the one messing up."
He looks through the window of the doors, glancing out to the crowd before looking back at Mars and holding out his hand. She looks down at it, feeling her own cold hands get clammy with nerves.
With a calming breath out, she takes his hand and smiles at him. Mars quickly takes his other hand to stop him from opening the door and kisses him to try and drown out her thoughts. Reggie smiles down at her.
"Whenever I like, right?" she asks rhetorically, butterflies soaring.
Reggie keeps his smile on his face as Mars lets his other hand go, both of them walking into the hall. He stays with her until she reaches her seat, parting ways to sit with their friends in the middle isle. Mars quickly puts her blazer back on, taking her violin and bow from its case and placing the instrument on her shoulder and listening to it carefully to ensure that it's still tuned.
With the entire orchestra prepared, the audience starts clapping, the doors at the back of the hall slightly muffled by the uproar as one opens. Some people look over, some keep their focus on the orchestra up front. Mars looks over to Tara and Darcy for assurance, the three of them smiling at each other.
As Miss Hyder stands at the front at her composer stand, facing the students, everyone prepares themselves to put on a good performance, Mars looking back to her music sheet as she adjusts her violin. Though as she looks away from her friends, she sees West trying to hide a genuine smile as he looks over at the crowd. She quickly glances over to see Patrick taking a seat by the isle at the back before returning her focus.
