Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep...
I groaned and rolled over, shutting my alarm off.
I unplugged my phone from its charger and checked the time.
4:30 a.m.
But the reminder that popped up on my screen made getting up worthwhile:
"Reh Today: 5:00"
I climbed out of bed and stretched, before walking to the bathroom to turn the shower on. Once I was clean and dry, I slipped into a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt.
The coffee maker had already finished doing its job, leaving the thick scent of coffee in my kitchen. I poured a mug or two's worth into a travel cup and grabbed my cameo jacket off its hook by the door.
I sipped my coffee as I slipped the straps of my violin case onto my shoulders, and stepped out the door.
The bus was a couple minutes late, and the morning air was cold.
I shivered and pulled out my phone, plugging headphones in, selecting 'A-Flat' by Black Violin.
The song was just beginning to play when the bus pulled up.
I took a seat and gazed out the window at the early morning darkness. The streets lights reflected in the puddles that dotted the sidewalks, left over from the previous night's rain.
I got dropped off at my stop, and walked the rest of the distance to the theater.
The song ended, and I pulled my headphones out of my ears.
I opened the theater doors and stepped inside. There was one other person in the lobby, a lady with a clipboard.
"Are you here for Newsies?" The lady with the clipboard asked, glancing up at me.
"Yes." I nodded.
"Name?"
"Aiden Tracer."
She checked a box next to my name. "Alright, you're just down that way." She smiled and gestured to two large doors.
I walked through them and was immediately in awe.
It was beautiful: the seats were a very "theatrical shade of red", and the ceiling was decorated with paintings and a delicately intricate chandelier.
It was too bad I'd only be staying there about five days.
I was twenty years old at the time, living in an apartment in Los Angeles, California.
I'd gotten called to replace a violinist in the orchestra for the first national tour of Broadway's Newsies.
The cast and crew had been performing at the Pantages Theater since March 24th, and they would on April 19th.
I'd be with them here from today, April 15th, until then, and then we'd all leave for Centennial Hall in Tuscan, Arizona.
I didn't know how long I'd be able to stay on, but this would definitely give me opportunities to get into something else afterwards.
The only downside was that my first rehearsal was scheduled at five a.m.
I wandered through the setup of chairs, looking for the stand with my name and music on it.
When I'd found it, I set my violin case down on the chair, and unzipped it.
I pulled the protective cloth back, and was greeted with the beautiful sight of my hand-made, expertly painted violin, Cephas.
"Hello, gorgeous." I whispered under my breath as I pulled her out of her case and tuned the strings.
I rosined my bow, set up the shoulder rest, and played a few exercises as I let my eyes wander around the rehearsal room.
Sets, props, and dancing equipment had been set up at the opposite end, with one or two dancers already stretching and warming up.
A few other musicians had arrived, tuning their instruments and looking the music over.
Exhaling slowly, I opened the music folder and let my eyes drink in the notes, going over the pitch in my head.
I was an expert sight-reader, like most performing musicians.
That being said, you'd think that stuff like this wouldn't make me nervous, right?
Wrong.
I was completely and utterly terrified.
Excited? Yes, my thoughts were practically screaming with excitement.
But right then, all I could hear was the anxious pounding of my heart.
•••••
•••••Sky's Perspective
"DeMarius, hurry up!" Ben grabbed him by the arm and dragged him down the sidewalk.
"Hey, hey, hey, watch it! You're gonna pull my headphones out of my ears!" He complained, jerking himself free from Ben's grip.
I gave him a look. "If you're listening to Disney's 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame' again, I swear,"
"Do you have a problem with 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame', Sky?" Josh defended DeMarius and the Disney movie.
"No, but he listens to it non-stop."
"I'm going to sing Hamilton now." DeMarius called. "Thanks, Sky."
Ben shot me a glare. "You see what you did?"
"Bright side, boys." Josh smiled. "At least he's not blasting it without headphones like last time."
Ben slapped him upside the head. "Stop being such an optimist."
"I'm not an optimist, I'm a morning person." Josh crossed his arms.
"And I'm about to kill all morning people within a ten-foot radius." I mumbled.
My eyes were threatening to slide shut, I was hungry, and I was sore from the yesterday's rehearsal.
It was too early for this.
"Sky, Ben, Josh, DeMarius," the lady with the clipboard checked us off the sign-in list.
We walked into the rehearsal studio, setting our stuff down and beginning stretching rituals.
Today's rehearsal would be fun because we had the orchestra in with us, so the music wouldn't be just piano or a CD.
I looked around at the chairs of musicians, tuning their instruments and practicing sections of music.
French horns, flutes, cellos, but my personal favorite was the violins.
There was only one violinist present, or at least, she was sitting in the violin section.
She had dark skin and kinky-curly hair, and was flipping through a music folder.
I nudged Ben, who was working on his splits.
"What?" He asked.
"Who's that?" I gestured to the girl.
He followed my gaze. "The new orchestra add-on. She's replacing another member."
"Is she a violinist?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is she's orchestra." He raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
I shook my head. "No reason."
"She's pretty fine-looking, isn't she?" He teased, nudging me.
I rolled my eyes, brushing it off.
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