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The Following Morning
"JOSH. ARE YOU IN THERE?" an obnoxious series of pounds resounded at the door, rousing Adelaide from a deep sleep. She rose gradually from the mangled sheets with a groan of exhaustion, shoving aside Josh's leg from her ankle. Standing up to aching feet with one of her shoes still on, she gave a glance to the alarm clock - ten o' clock.
The impatient knocks continued on the door as she trudged over to it, patting down her poof of tangled hair. Unlocking the door, Adelaide yanked it open only to met with a curled fist coming to the brim of her nose, stopping before she was entirely punched.
Glancing up with irritation, she found a boy standing there - a little too close - with cheeks flashing with faint crimson. He wore a snap-back that stifled dirty blonde curls, a hoodie marked with 'BROOKLYN', and worn grey sweatpants. He looked back down to her with vibrant blue eyes, a hand rubbing the back of his neck out of sheepishness. If he wasn't so cute, she would have slapped him for his constant pounding and almost socking her in the face.
"My apologies," he stammered, dropping away his hand to his side, "I'm just searching for a friend."
"In here," she answered lowly, stepping aside to allow him entrance and bracing against the wall. The boy reluctantly stepped inside and walked further into the room, her slowly trailing after him. He went to the bed that Josh slept in, his occasional snore resounding in the room and breaking the silence. Earnestly, the boy convulsed the sleeping body of his friend with urgent whispers.
Josh, in annoyance, perked up from the crumpled pillow and twisted his head to the side. "Go away, Benjamin," he grumbled as he raised his hand to propel away the nagging boy.
"It's after ten," Ben retorted, dodging the approaching hand and giving another shove to Josh's mid-section. "The cast meet up is in half an hour."
Adelaide forced herself straight from the wall at Ben's statement - she had entirely forgotten about that cast meet up. "Alright, you both need to leave," she demanded to the pair, both turning their heads to meet her sharpening gaze, "I have to get ready and I would enjoy if Dumb and Dumber weren't in here whilst I do."
"I was leaving anyway," Josh stated quick, jostling aside Ben, who met the corner of the nightstand. "And so was Ben. Let's go." He seized Ben at the wrist, pulled him past her and toward the cracked open door. Stumbling the whole time, Ben twisted himself with struggle to look back at her, "I'm Ben, by the way." He strained out his hand to her.
Adelaide smiled slightly and shook his hand, "Adelaide." Then he was yanked out the door by Josh and the door shut behind them.
+
TWENTY MINUTES LATER - CAST MEET UP
"ADELAIDE, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN," Jeff Calhoun greeted as he clinched her hand in a firm shake, "Let me introduce you to the others." He released her hand and turned to a small cluster of conversing people, interjecting softly. She stood with stiffness and flickered her eyes around the brightly lit stage, out into the vacant seats of the theater. Few cast members had arrived, considering there was still ten minutes before the official meet up.
"Adelaide, this is Dan DeLuca. Your Jack Kelly," Jeff stated as he faced back to her, now with a young man at his side. Nice. Dan offered a hand out to her with a lopsided grin, "It's a pleasure. Jeff showed me your audition tapes - I'm fortunate to be working with such a talented person."
"Thank you," she retorted, poorly concealing the blush that flashed out on her cheeks, "I've heard the same of you." This is who she would be kissing every night for the next year? Sweet. A tense silence draped quick over them, before a burst of clamoring and rustling broke it. The three turned to look at a group of bickering boys who gave shoves at each other. Within the crowd she saw Josh, Ben at his side shouting to one of the other boys named Sky.
The chaos gradually silenced when it was realized that judgmental gazes were fixated on them and disappointed expressions on their faces.
"Boys," Jeff addressed the cluster of slumping teenagers, who all gave their own response verbally or physically. "Everyone introduce yourselves to the others."
"Adelaide."
"Dan."
"Chaz."
"Jordan."
"Ben."
"Jacob."
"Vincent."
"Anthony."
"Josh."
"Zachary."
"Jeff."
"Michael."
"DeMarius."
"Nick."
"Nico."
"Good. Rehearsals commence tomorrow at seven, so I anticipate that you all will be here at that time. There is no excuses you can offer for your lateness," Jeff yelled out to the murmuring crowd, "I will make this announcement one final time once everyone has arrived." A chorus of agreements clamored in response and conversations resumed quick.
"Adelaide, the costume manager wants to meet with you first. She wants to reassure that the dresses and shoes will fit you," Jeff muttered to her after coming to her side before she could enter any of the conversations. "Wardrobe is down this corridor. The costume manager will be waiting for you in the doorway."
"Thanks," Adelaide retorted softly before scuttling off down the corridor, the conversations gradually muffling at her back. She hadn't reached halfway in the hall before she was yanked hard into one of the rooms by the upper arm. Stumbling with a small grunt, Adelaide turned with strain to see a middle-aged woman with her hand clasped around her arm.
"You would have kept diddling down the hall if I hadn't pulled you in," the woman simpered sweet down at her, releasing her arm and stepping back only a short distance, "I'm Audrey, head of wardrobe. Pleasure to finally meet you, dear." She offered her hand and Adelaide reluctantly shook it with a tense, modest smile. A little too nice.
"Using the measurements you provided for Mister Calhoun at your audition - that he obviously gave to me - I designed your dresses and customized your shoes," Audrey stepped away to reveal a rack of vibrant attire and neatly placed shoes beneath the hems of the skirts. "Hopefully they all fit. Opening night is not too far." She shoved apart the hanging clothes and removed one from the metal bar.
Practically propelling it into Adelaide's face at a remarkable speed, Audrey grinned broad, "Time to try them on." She accepted the outfit and was hastily nudged off to the dressing room to try it on.
