Center Stage (Frazel)

4

I'm sorry about all the awkward time skips. I've just got to get to the time where the good stuff can happen while still giving a little background

The next few weeks were, for the most part, uneventful. Rehearsal all day, coffee and/or dinner with either Nico and Will or a cast mate, bed, repeat. It sounded a bit boring, but Hazel truly loved it. In the past, Cats had gotten quite a bit of negative feedback - it was a show that you either loved or you hated. Hazel, naturally, fell on the love side.

"I'm so excited for tomorrow," Nico commented over a chicken salad.
"Really? I'm nervous," Hazel admitted, poking at her sandwich.
"Wish I was invited," Will complained, shoveling macaroni and cheese into his mouth.
Tomorrow was the press day for the show. They'd perform several of the musical numbers in their studio for the press, and the next day they'd head out to start rehearsal at their first tour stop.
"If I could invite anyone, I would bring you, babe," Nico told Will, nudging his cheek with his own.
Sometimes Hazel felt a little awkward hanging out with the two of them when they got like this, but most of the time it didn't matter.
"I know," Will said sadly.
They were eating dinner at a little cafe just down the street from their apartment buildings, but Hazel wasn't hungry.
"Don't worry, Haz. You'll be wonderful," Nico assured her.
"Yeah..." she said slowly.
"I'm gonna miss you guys so much," Will pouted.
"FaceTime, phone calls, airplanes..." Nico sighed.
Will frowned.
"Oh, come on. I'm going to miss you, too."

"You ready?" Sherman asked, waltzing over to Hazel, who was against the wall stretching.
"Nervous," she admitted. "You?"
"Yeah, same," he admitted. "Oh!"
Hazel let go of her leg and looked up. Sherman's eyes were fixed on the door as a few people in Cats tees entered.
"Who's that?" Hazel asked. They didn't look like reporters.
"I think part of the tech crew," Sherman said slowly. "They're flying out to Denver today."
Denver was where their first show was - their first fourteen, actually.
Hazel watched them as they started talking to one of the producers. There were two girls and three boys - one of them stuck out to Hazel.
He was tall and burly with Asian characteristics, and he reminded Hazel of a teddy bear. The more Hazel studied him, the cuter he got.
The tech group turned simultaneously towards the door, and Hazel caught the boy's eye as they did.
His cheeks turned bright pink, and after a shy smile in her direction, he hurried out of the studio.