I never thought I'd find myself at a theater watching a musical all alone. But here I am, over a week after opening night, seeing the same play for the sixth time. My mind drifted as I waited for Nick. Was this thing really worth seeing again just to talk to him? I checked my phone and saw a message from him at the top of my screen.
Nick: There's a party after the show and you're my date
I rolled my eyes, putting my phone back in my pocket without answering. I looked up and he smiled at me from across the room, waving me over. I sighed before making my way over. "You want me to go to a party with you?"
"Of course," he smiled and it was hard not to do the same. "It's this whole huge thing because they want to impress the team or whatever. They're big, y'know?"
I shrugged, watching as he wiped down the concessions counter. "If I was constantly rehearsing, performing, singing, and dancing, the last thing I would want to do is go to a party. I think a nap would be a much better gift. That's kind of insane, especially if the theaters throwing it because then they don't even get to let their guard down, really."
"Just enjoy the stupid party and come with me, okay?" He reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it.
I smiled before taking my hand back and crossing my arms over my chest. "I'll come with you but I am not you're date. Lets face the fact that you could never get me."
I grabbed a box of Swedish Fish and walked away, down to the front row seat of the theater. It was weird how a few days without Dylan was making my life so different. Talking with Nick more, watching fucking musicals. My life revolved around him in many ways, it felt like I was walking around in different skin. Having Nick around wasn't exactly different, but it was new for it to be just him and I.
I pushed my thoughts aside and studied the stage I was seeing once again. As much I could be doing something more productive, I wasn't having a bad time. There were a lot of fucking hot guys in the cast too.
I let the time pass, cycling through the production I now knew as well as the back of my hand. It ended, same way as it always did, and I stood up. A smile stayed plastered on my face as I clapped for the cast. There was something about the show that didn't make it horrible to watch over and over. It was weird to look at the actors, thinking about how later that night I'd be at a party with them.
As the lights faded, I pulled myself together, making my way down to where Nick was just outside of the theater. Coming out from the show into reality didn't have the same effect on me that it did the first few times.
"Nick, hey," I smiled and leaned against his counter. "When's that party thing?"
"In about an hour and a half," he shrugged, shutting down the slushee machine and starting to clean it. "I have to be there early and all to set up and organize some things, usually Dylan deals with all of that shit."
I nodded along to his words, looking down and pushing my shoes against one another. "Would you mind if I went home real quick?" I chuckled and gestured down to myself. "I feel kind of dumb in my work clothes." The button up shirt clung to my body, my tie laying flat against it.
"Sure, yeah. Go change and we'll catch up in an hour?" I agreed with Nick, giving him a small smile before making my way out of the building and into my old, crappy car. My apartment was only a 15 minute drive, but the traffic added a good ten minutes to my route.
When I reached my home, I got out of the car quickly, rushing towards the door of my apartment building and climbing up the stairs. I pushed my key into the door and unlocked it, immediately undoing my tie and unbuttoning my dorky shirt. I left the door open and made my way to the bedroom, throwing on an oversized striped shirt and exchanging my khakis for black jeans. I pushed my hair back and put on my glasses before I left again.
