We've Got Magic to Do (Snowbaz AU)

Chapter Four

Simon

I don't see Baz for the rest of the rehearsal. In fact, it's only when I'm on my way to the house after notes so I can get my things that I find him. He storms in through the theater door, and I quicken my pace to my bag, somewhat fearing an attack. It's irrational though- he marches of without so much as a sideways glance and goes to talk with Mr. Webber. I grab my bag and head to the theater door, but I linger towards the back few rows as I hear Mr. Webber talk about me. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but it's not exactly difficult to do in a silent theater.

"Simon, the actor who plays Pippin, dropped by. He was looking for you. He said he wanted to thank you for the muffin."

"What?" If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Baz is panicking a little. First time in his life he doesn't have the upper hand, I guess.

"Baz, is this some euphemism I should know about?"

"What? No!"

"Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow Baz. Try not to stick your hand under any doors, alright?"

"I'll try my best." Ohhhh, so that's why he was gone. At least it wasn't evil. Though, for all I know he could have been up to something when the door foiled his plans.

As Baz starts to turn around, I rush towards the door, but I stumble over a chair on the aisle and my bag is sent tumbling into the row in front of me. I scramble after it, picking up miscellaneous pencils and bits when I hear a familiar voice behind me.

"Lose something?" My heart skips a beat and I turn around to face him. His arms are folded, and he's wearing a sneer like he knows exactly what I was doing here. Well tough, I didn't purposely come here to spy on him. It was just a happy accident.

Even though he and I both seem to know that it was a rhetorical question, he still waits for me to defend myself with some sort of a reply. My mind blanks, and my eyes drift down to my shoes defensively. Just then, I catch a glimpse of a stray pencil of mine that I hadn't seen earlier, and lift my eyes to meet his.

"Uh, yes. I lost my... pencil." I reach down to grab it and stuff it into my bag. "Here it is. Well. See you." Before he can debate me on what I meant by the phrase "see you," I rush past him and bolt out of the theater. That was a close one.

The next day, I stroll up to the theater. The sun shines on my face, a light breeze tracing my freckles. I take a breath, force myself to straighten my posture and walk in. I say hello to the kids in charge of decorating the lobby and enter the theater. So far, so good.

Another day of being Pippin.

I settle into the theater, finding Penny (who must have been thirty minutes early) (as always) sitting in the second row. She waves me over and I join her.

"Alright?" I greet her.

"Alright." She replies.

"Alright now, everyone settle in!" The Hag calls, grabbing the attention of the other kids who are milling about the theater. Slowly but surely they join us in the left side of the audience, and the Hag patiently waits for them as always. I'm not sure what she has against giving instructions while people are standing.

"Thank you. I know it's our last rehearsal, but we are going to try to run the show with microphones so that the sound will balance out better with the orchestra. Loud and clear isn't as effective as it used to be. So go get your props ready for the top of the show and get mic-ed in the back if you have lines in act one!"