C A T H E C T: The Greatest Showman

17. Why are you here?

Rosette was washing dishes when she heard a knock. Today she didn't have to go in for practice because Phillip wanted her to take a break from the song writing, she was thinking of visiting P.T.'s kids but chose not to as she saw the mess her home was in.

Drying her hands, she walked towards the door and opened it before slamming it closed.

"Get off my property!"

"Rosette, please I just want to talk!"

"Too bad, I don't want to talk to you!" Rosette peaked through the small hole.

"For God's sake, James are you drunk?" She noticed his slight disheveled look and how he was having trouble standing straight.

"No...yes...okay I've had a few drinks but I'm not completely under the influence." James answered.

Rosette opened the door more slowly this time.

"Why are you here?"

"I just want to talk, believe it or not you kind of made my days less crap." He waits for a moment. "Can I come in?"

"Nope, you can stay right th-" Rosette stopped mid sentence when she noticed the look on his face.

He didn't look so much drunk as he did distressed, as if running his hands through his hair a hundred times over.

"Fine, but don't touch anything." She gave in.

Walking in, James quickly shut the door behind him to keep the winter chills out. He looked around the slightly messy house with laundry sitting on the couch and a sink overflowed with dishes.

"Nice place." James whistled.

"What do you want? Speak." Rosette said as she went back to the dishes.

"I am speaking."

"You know what I mean." Rosette groaned.

"Look I-I kind of need your help." James scratched his neck.

"You need my help? That's a first." Rosette rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha, funny but I'm being serious Rosette." He looked at her with pleading eyes.

"What did you get yourself into this time Williams?" Rosette sighed.

"Nothing bad, I think. I hope. I mean I don't really know." James grimaced at his own words before continuing. "I think I'm 'in like' with a girl."

"In like? Do you realize how much sense you're making." Rosette chuckled.

"Look, I met this girl around a month ago. And normally I'm not this attached, you know it's just a bang and boom." James kept rambling.

"One, never say that again. Two, you've only known her for a month and your this conflicted?" Rosette frowned.

"I know, it's weird but listen. I meet her every other night at exactly 9 and we talk until the bartender forces us out. We only talk, there's subtle flirting but that's it. And I'm actually fine with it." James explained.

"Congrats, you made a friend James, I'm proud. Now get out." She tapped his shoulder. 

"But wait! I want to take her on a date but I'm not sure how." James didn't move from his position.

"So you came to me for dating advice?" Rosette smiles amusingly.

"Well yeah, I mean, you and and Carlyle worked out pretty good." He shrugged.

"Phillip and I have been pretty good since we were kids though, he was literally my first crush and I was his and we just refused to focus on anyone else." Rosette explained.

"But how do you get to the dating part, I like what we have but I don't want to just have a conversation buddy at a bar." James rubbed his head.

"Make a move." Rosette simply said.

"What?"

"Make a move, be a big boy." Rosette joked.

"It can't be that easy." James argued.

"It can be."

"But what if she slaps me or something?"

"Then she obviously isn't 'in like' with you." Rosette chuckled.

"This isn't funny, I think I like her. But she's hard to figure out, I have no idea what I'm doing." James whined.

"So make a move." Rosette repeated.

"No." James argued.

"Yes."

"What if she doesn't like me back?" He sighed.

"What if she does?" Rosette smiled.

"Look as much as I kind of despise your existence, you've never opened up to anyone. If someone you met a month ago has you this disheveled, then there's obviously something going on. Stop being a chicken and just go for it, the James Williams way." Rosette walked towards the door as James followed her.

"The James Williams you knew isn't the same anymore." He spoke with two meanings.

"That's a good thing." Rosette gave him a bright smile.

"I hope so."

"Great, this conversation was amazing. Now get out of my house." Rosette opened the door.

"Thank you Rose, really." James thanked her.

"You are welcome, but really leave. Phillip will go crazy if he finds out you're here."

"My number one fan." James spoke as he walked out.

"BYE!" Rosette shut the door.

"Someone gave him love sick pills." Anne joked from the hallway she was hidden in.

"Tell me about it." Rosette giggled.