The Christmas Crusade [NaNoWriMo 2015]

❄ Chapter Six ❄

Moose and Babs were sitting in an unfamiliar PAC of a school, feeling really uncomfortable. They were trying not to get crumbs on anything, drinking their lattes in silence.

Their drama teacher, who was a lot younger than their own, walked back from her office that she didn't share with the band conductor, something that was different than their own. She went to the front of the stage and clapped her hands.

"Okay, so I couldn't get the music started, the speakers suck, so sorry, guys, but they'll be no singing today. So, singers, you're free to go."

Nine people stood up and walked out, some grumbling, others cheering. When they did this show, there were only two people who only sang, but that's what happens when you go to the only private high school in town who's tuition costs more than a large house.

Elliot ducked his head from where he was backstage and nodded to his teacher, but stopped when he saw Moose and Babs. He waved and Babs waved back. She nudged Moose, who did that open-close finger thing.

She was wearing Elliot's sweatshirt.

His grin grew wider when he saw she was and he went back to the dark of the backstage. Moose and Babs could only assume it was sort of like the one they had; their drama department was terrible, despite their tuition money.

"You thinking about our school too?" Babs asked behind her coffee cup; Moose nodded.

Elliot had come on stage once as the cop and that was it. He didn't tell them who he was, despite the fact that Moose told him who she had played (no one special, but it was the principle of the thing). They reached the part where they where Harry Bailey came in and lo and behold came in Elliot and some girl.

Babs nudged Moose in the ribs. Hard. "Didn't you play Harry's wife?" Moose nodded and hid behind her coffee cup until the scene was over and done with. She didn't know why she felt a spike of anger(?) she just did and she was pretty sure Babs knew.

~*~

They stayed until the entire rehearsal was over, notes included, which didn't take as long as they would have thought since they weren't doing costumes that day. Which was a good thing since there was no way they were staying that long.

They weren't even going to be there, but Elliot's sister (Emily, Moose kept reminding herself) needed the car and he needed a ride to see the race track that Marcus had finished. (He didn't build it, but he knew some people who did, but he did help so...).

Forty five minutes later, they were finishing up their notes and the first day of tech week was finished. Moose could barely survive it and she was just sitting there. Babs thought that their version was cute ("shut up, Babs, no one cares.").

They waited for forever until Elliot was done saying goodbye to some girl named Genevieve ("call me Genny") and finished simply talking to everyone. It was exhausting to watch. ("Oh lighten up, Moose, he's just talking").

He went back to talk to someone else when Moose finally snapped. "Elliot! You know, we don't have to give you a ride! In fact, Marcus has been sitting in the nearest Starbucks for the past who knows how long while you talk to people you see every day! In case you forgot, we actually have things to do!" She had her hands cupped over her mouth and Babs was pinching the bridge of her nose. ("This is why I can't take you anywhere, you always act like this!")

Elliot nodded and held up one finger, finishing the conversation quickly.

"He's still wearing shorts, is he okay?" Moose asked, Babs who had just stopped massaging her temples. She started up right after that question.

Elliot skipped over to then, his hands in the pockets of the sweatshirt he was wearing; it was identical to the one that Moose was wearing. He walked with the two girls outside to the Marcus' car. The owner of said car was sitting there with four untouched lattes and a really bored expression.

Babs ran ahead and jumped into the front seat, already starting to talk, leaving Elliot and Moose to climb in the back. Marcus handed them the lattes and began to drive. He drove all the way to the garage where the miniature race track was.

Well, it wasn't miniature in the size sense, more in the miniature for a child sense. It was well crafted, but bare. Candy was calling the parents one what color their daughter wanted it painted. It was plain and simple, just a simple oval, but Marcus designed it so that it can add different parts that were leaning against a large wall at the back of the garage.

"You should be an elf, look at this," Moose said, looking at the different parts. She truly was impressed. She turned around in time to see him turn the shade of his hair; out of embarrassment or anger she wasn't sure, but he ducked his head, so she had a feeling it was embarrassment.

Babs cooed and played with his hair and he must've known he couldn't do anything about it because he just sat there. Smart kid.

Elliot had a copy of his script and was reading on one of the work benches. Moose stopped to watch him. He looked like someone who should be in a suit, one of those classy ones, with the way he was sitting. He had his legs spread out like every other man in the world, leaning forward. He was holding his script in both hands, spread out like a newspaper. He was mouthing along with the words silently and looked almost scared.

"Don't let it get to you, Kringle, this show should not be as stressful as it is, remember that," Moose said, running a hand through his hair before she could stop herself. He looked up and smiled ruefully, nodding. Poor kid.

She sat next to him on the bench in silence, letting him read. She watched Babs and Marcus talk for a while until that bored her, so she just closed her eyes and listened to the white noise of Elliot's breathing.

~*~

Moose woke up in her room the next day, the light shining from her window perfectly white. On her phone was a text from Babs about a snow day for their school and more time to work.

And on the side table was a plate of snowmen cookies and one chocolate ball. There was a note next to the plate that read:

Just try one. I think you'll like them. And don't let this job get to you, it should be as stressful as it is.