One Shots || Bruno Mars

Dress Rehearsals

"Alright, kids!" Mrs. Vera's deep voice echoed throughout the fairly large Roosevelt theatre, making a hush fall over the giddy students. They were seated upfront facing the stage, and gave their undivided attention towards the older woman.

Two of the high school play's stars, best friends Bruno and Ryan, were turning red in their seats as they held in their hysterics. They had just dropped their eager discussion on the new Britney Spears music video and started betting on learning the dance choreography and performing it in front of their classmates. Typical stupid guy stuff.

The Hispanic teacher nodded before proceeding in an authoritative tone, "I'd like all of you to get into your costumes and we'll rehearse each segment once then have two run-throughs of the entire show. Since this will be our last practice, I need you all to be on your A-game tonight."

"I'm really about to be in tights in front of all these people, man," Ryan shook his blonde-highlighted head apprehensively as he got up on his feet, along with the rest of the cast.

"It looks sick though," the shorter of the two attempted to cheer him up, genuinely amazed by how the costume and props department pulled off a nude bodysuit filled with hand-drawn markings from neck to ankles that were believable to be tattoos. "And don't worry, you'll still be wearing clothes over it anyway."

The Performing Arts Club chose to do a circus-themed musical this year, a semi-biopic of showman P.T. Barnum and his famous human "freak" show attractions in the early to mid 1800's. The script and song writers had really upped their game this year, gaining raving interest from the administration and student body when they decided to come up with such an innovative and unique concept. It was an improvement from broadway and Disney movie remakes they've been doing over the past decades.

Ryan was playing Prince Constantine of Albania, the "Tattooed Man," while Bruno's role was playwright Phillip Carlyle, a new character created to be Barnum's partner and protégé. The writers also wanted to add a love headcanon in there, something their raging teenage hormones unfortunately turned into a Romantic Plot Tumor.

Nevertheless, they didn't even have to think twice about casting Bruno Hernandez when he showed up to open auditions. The club president damn near stopped him just as he opened his mouth to sing a few lines of Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers to tell him he got it. They didn't even care to see if the kid had any acting chops, he secured the part on the spot, and went on to blow their minds when he delivered his lines and emotions effortlessly during rehearsals.

After five months of gruelling practices, from staying up late in school and sacrificing a few personal commitments, they were now here ready to close the school year with Barnum's American Museum, a big budgeted school musical.

Emerging from the dressing room in a crisp linen shirt, a loose silk ascot around his neck, and white suspenders, black fitted slacks, dapper dress shoes, and to top it all off, his hair up in a pompadour, Bruno smirked to himself as his confidence shot up to the galaxies. He felt like an earl in the Victorian era, and he knew he looked good.

"Ay!" Ryan whistled after he had his face tattoos drawn on and slapped his friend on the back to snap him out of his trance, "Dude, look at us! Total opposites, but the ladies are gonna go cuh-razy!"

"Damn straight!" Bruno chuckled, eyes landing on the "freaks" harmonising near the stage. "Yo, Bruh, your crew looks so good!"

"The costume people went in on this, damn," the Japanese boy's eyes widened in amazement and chucked his bag down on the bleachers nearby. "Listen, man, I hate to leave you but I gotta join 'em."

"It's cool, man," Bruno shrugged and dropped his things next to his buddy's. "I, uh, I'll just wait for Kira."

"Oh yeah, your leading lady," one side of Ryan's lips tugged teasingly, "From the amount of times you two practiced alone, I hope they're the actual play and not just the kissing scene."