Captivated

Interview

Oh my gosh, guys, I'm exhausted and I don't even know why. I got taken down by the intense cookie baking that happened this afternoon hahaha. I'll throw a picture of that above. Fun little recommendation for anybody who is going to make Christmas cookies- crushed candy canes on top really add to the flavor! ;) anyway, here's a nice little update for you all. you know the drill- enjoy/comment/vote xxxx
-ab

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August 11, 2025

Patrick

"Love, I'm sorry, but I can't stay with you today. I have a job interview. I told you this a few days ago."

"But I want to cuddle," she whines.

"I'm sorry hon, but I need to get a job, and it needs to happen soon. This job, especially, would be such a good fit for us. It's at a clinic only a mile away from here. I could bike or walk to work, and the hours are fairly flexible. It's important that I make a good impression by... oh, I don't know, showing up to the interview."

"Fine," she whines. "Do you have to get a job, though?"

"Yeah," I reply. "I can't keep letting my parents pay for this place. And someday, they're going to retire and get older, and they won't be able to keep paying their son's rent. What about when we have kids? Or simply times when you aren't in shows? How are we going to get basic things like food?"

"Alright," she concedes. "Go to the interview, impress them like I know you will, and come back with a job, love."

"I'll try," I laugh. "Is my tie straight?"

Harper nods. "You look handsome."

"Thanks, love. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Bye."

I walk out of the flat, leaving Harper to herself. I hope that she will use her alone time to prepare for her upcoming audition, but I know that she will probably just keep napping, as she was when I left. Even though she loves doing Les Mis, she's been pretty tired lately, and I think that she's just about ready to have a change in her life, whether that be some time off or booking a new show. She's had a hard time motivating herself, however. I think it's just a whole bunch of bittersweet feelings, combined with utter exhaustion. She's been doing eight shows a week, plus an hour or two of working with the new Cosette, five days a week.

My interview finishes up quickly, and it seems to go well. I think that I have a good chance of getting this position. They seemed to be impressed with my accomplishments and my recommendation from my internship.

Hopefully they were equally impressed with me as a person. My resume is one thing, but it really depends on my interview.

I decide to send Harper a message and find out what she's up to.

Patrick: Interview is done. What's going on, love?

Harper: Honestly? I just woke up like twenty minutes ago. I ate some breakfast, though.

Patrick: That's good. That's a start.

Harper: Are you coming home, love?

Patrick: Can I convince you to practice for you audition? I'll come home in an hour.

Harper: Fair. I'll see you soon love xxxx

Patrick: You too. I'll bring food for lunch.

Harper: You're amazing.

I picture her dragging herself over to her keyboard and starting to practice her pieces for this audition. It's a part that she seems to be very excited about, which is good. I know that for this audition, she's trying out a few new pieces- 'Green Finch and Linnet Bird' from Sweeny Todd, and 'Better Place' by Rachel Platten, which was apparently a favourite of Harper's when she was in Years 9 and 10, or so.

In my time before I'm set to go back home, I walk around the area for a while. I stumble upon a nice little park with a bench under a tree. I can't help but fantasize about coming here on my lunch break from work. Even though I don't want to get my hopes up for this job, they're already pretty high.

I sit on the bench for a little bit, scrolling through my social medias on my phone, before I stand back up and start to find a place where I can get some sandwiches for takeaway.

After picking those up, I only have twenty minutes until Harper is going to expect me home, so I stick in my earbuds and begin to walk home, at a leisurely pace.

I make it home with perfect timing. As I enter the flat and kick my shoes off, I hear Harper singing her heart out in the other room. It makes me smile to hear her doing what she loves so much. She seems happy as she sings.

I'm quiet as I set my things down, so that I don't disturb her. Any practice time that she can get right now will be valuable. She's only got a week left. Her audition is a week from today.

It's weird to think that even the best of the best will hear no so much in Harper's business. In my eyes, Harper is the most talented singer in the world, yet she started these auditions nearly two months ago, and she still hasn't heard a 'yes.'

I have a special little feeling inside of me, though, that this might be the time that she does. I think that the new pieces for auditioning are exactly what she needs.

According to her, 'Green Finch' is a level up from the other pieces that she sang in auditions. It's a Sondheim piece, which is apparently a composer in the theatre world who is infamous for writing hard pieces.

Maybe that means that she will be able to impress the audition committee in this one.

It seems like her pop piece, 'Better Place,' fits her voice quite well, too.

This audition has just got to be the time that she will hear a 'yes,' right?

"Patrick?" I hear her call, interrupting me from my thoughts. "Are you home yet?"

"Yeah, I'm here," I reply. "I have takeaway."

I hear her open the door to our room and come running down the hallway. "You sounded amazing."

"Thank you," she replies. "I'm feeling really good about these pieces. I think that they might be better than my others. They show off my range more, at least."

"That's great," I tell her. "I can't wait until the day when you get that call from a casting director, saying that he or she wants you on board with their production. I know that it's going to be soon."

"I really hope so, love. I really, really hope so."