Miss Jefferson

Chapter 5

I dropped the damp but clean jacket into the dryer, and pressed the start button.

I walked into the kitchen, where music was playing from my phone.

I re-filled Anthony's green water bottle, which he'd conveniently forgotten to take home.

Humming along to 'Plumet Attack' from Les Misérables, I checked my phone for notifications.

Cecile had texted the studio group chat.

Group

Cecile
«I got us a performance date. You're welcome, suckers.»

I nearly spit the water out.

«You did what?!»

Andrew
«When?»

Cecile
«In about a few months, at this little coffee shop downtown.»

Mack
«Should we invite people? Also, ha, cause my idea was a good one this time.»

Cecile
«Yes, invite friends. And Mack, this is one time out of thirty, soooooo???»

I smiled and shut my phone off, checking the time.

I had to be at rehearsal in ten minutes.

I set the water bottle down and rushed off to fix my hair.

Finding that there wasn't much I could do, I just left it down and pinned some of it behind my ear.

It was too curly to just brush whenever I wanted, and I didn't have time to do anything else.

I grabbed the jacket out of the dryer, slipped my backpack on, and headed out the door with the stolen water bottle in my hand.

I walked briskly down the street, and the cold air caused me to consider putting the jacket on again.

I arrived at the bus stop in record time, making it to the theater with three minutes to spare.

"Cutting it close." Anthony teased as I walked in.

"Shut up or I'm holding hostages." I said, holding up the water bottle. "Where's Oak?" I asked.

"I don't know. Why?"

"He left his jacket yesterday."

"Oh. Ask Daveed."

I nodded and headed down the backstage hallway toward my dressing room, keeping an eye out for Daveed.

I actually ended to slamming into Oak himself, upon turning a sharp corner.

"Sorry!" I exclaimed.

"It's fine." He laughed. "You're late."

"Almost late." I corrected him. "I actually came down here to find you," I handed him his jacket. "You left this yesterday. It was wet with rainwater, so I washed it. But I was running late, and had to pull it out of the dryer before it was completely done, so it's not wet, but it's not—"

"No, that's okay. Thanks."

I nodded. "Sure."

"Did you also not have time to fix your hair?" Daveed called from a room down the hall, making me jump.

"Very funny, Diggs." I called back.

He walked, snickering, out of his dressing room and stood behind me, playing with my hair. "This is the longest bird's nest I've ever seen."