Captivated

Stage Door

Well guys, I'm grossly sick and think I have a bit of a fever, but I still wrote over 1000 words for you all... please love me hehe. Also, who else is really not prepared for this week? Hahaha please send help. But enough of being negative, enjoy this chapter, comment/vote if you wish xx
-ab

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January 14, 2025

Patrick

Coming out of the internship that day, after not using my phone since lunch, I notice a myriad of texts. Rolling my eyes with a little laugh, I settle down on my long tube ride and begin to go through them.

Taylor: You and Harper are back together?! I saw her Instagram post. YAY!

Patrick: Yeah. It's a really crazy story of how it all happened. I'm sure she will tell you at your next little girls' day, or whatever you two do.

Taylor: Trust me, she's coming over Thursday afternoon while Joe's out at a photo shoot and you're at your internship. I'm going to get all of the juicy details.

Patrick: Oh my god, haha. Well, I won't spoil too much then. Just know that we are both absolutely thrilled to be back together, and we spent the morning together. By the time that we parted, it felt like nothing had changed.

Taylor: I'm so happy for you x

Patrick: Thank you x

I have many other texts along those lines as well, but many of them from friends who are just now finding out about Harper and I, so they have no idea of the drama that I've been through. That makes me laugh a little bit, in all honesty. Seeing them gush about how happy they are for me that I've 'finally found love' or whatever.

It feels so natural to have this information out as public now. I suddenly find it hard to figure out how we kept this all a secret for as long as we did. Sure, there were those few photographs taken at Taylor's wedding that had the two of us in them, but those were not the highly publicized ones. Everyone wanted to see Taylor and Joe, no surprise there. Any pictures taken of everyone else faded off rather quickly.

It takes quite a bit of time to go through my texts: my entire tube ride, to be exact. When I'm home, I grab a snack and take a short nap before finding myself with an entire evening on my hands and nothing to do. It's strange to not have any classes to study for.

I also quickly find that there's a very limited selection of food, and as I'm craving Chinese, I decide to head into Chinatown and grab some dinner, then perhaps go and surprise Harper at the stage door. I think that she'd like that, and the Queen's Theatre is so close to Chinatown that it'd be really convenient for me.

After dinner, I decide to go sit in St. Anne's Churchyard and relax in the gardens for a little bit, listening to music and watching the sun go down until Harper's show lets out at the usual time. It's a rather nice day, considering the time of year. Eventually, that time rolls around when I should go and get a good spot at the stage door, as the crowd size is usually pretty unpredictable. It is looking to be a small one tonight, though, I observe when I show up.

After waiting around for a little bit as people stream by after the show, a few of them parking it at the stage door, cast members begin to come out. Harper can be slow sometimes, so I get comfortable. Finn comes out and notices me, so he walks right over.

"Hey mate," he smiles. "Fancy seeing you here."

"It is," I reply. "I'm surprising Harper."

"That's so sweet," he replies. "She killed it out there tonight. Even after that long break, you can barely tell she was gone for so long. I'm so proud of her for jumping right back into the swing of things, and she's taking the new Marius so well."

"Is he better than the last one?"

"Yeah. Harry's a good guy. He'd never do something like that to her."

"Good," I reply. "I worry about her now... she went through a pretty rough time the past few weeks, and I can't say I was of any help... we were broken up, but we are back together now."

"Oh man, that sucks."

"It was all my fault," I admit. "Long story."

"Well, what matters is that there was a happy ending, I suppose."

"That's very accurate," I reply.

Finn and I talk for a few more minutes, until I see Harper walking out of the stage door. "Well, that's my girl," I reply. "I'll see you later."

"You too," he replies. "Bye."

I run over to her and give a cheeky smile. "Harper! Can I have your autograph? Can you sign my face?"

She looks at me and begins to burst into giggles. "What are you doing here, love?"

"I was out for a dinner in Chinatown and thought I'd pop by."

"Oh my god," she laughs. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," I tell her. "Do you want to come over tonight?"

"I can't," she sighs. "I have to be home in the morning... Nessa doesn't have classes and Katherine doesn't have an early rehearsal... but her Nutcracker just ended, so I guess she's on a bit of a break. Anyway, it's a rare thing for all of us to be home, considering that it isn't Sunday, and I told them that we need to have a talk."

"Are you hoping to patch up your relationship with them?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"If I'm any sort of lucky. They still seem upset, but not fuming mad anymore. It's progress. I just want my best friends back," she confesses.

"I'm sorry... I'm sure you'll be able to make them hear you. Just keep a level head. If not, then we can find you other living accommodations, okay?"

"Thanks, hon" she tells me, giving my hand a little squeeze. "Thank you so much for coming out to surprise me today. It means a lot."

"I just thought I'd do something special for my favourite girl," I state. "Now, there seem to be other fans that want autographs, so I'll leave you to that. Text me?"

"Of course," she says. We exchange short, but sweet, goodbyes, and then I'm on the tube back home.

Though I'm tired now, I decide that this was a good way to spend my evening. I fall asleep nearly as soon as my head hits the pillow, and can't help but wonder how Harper's confrontation will go in the morning. I guess I'll find out soon enough.