Ten Minutes Ago // Ben Tyler Cook

Part Three / Chapter Three

As I exit the plane, I take a deep breath. Finally, I'm back home. I leave the gate, headed for the baggage claim area. Noelle had agreed to take me to my new apartment. Once I gather my stuff, I walk outside the airport, looking for Noelle's car. Before I even have a chance to see her coming, I'm suddenly in a crushing hug. I drop my bag and hug my best friend back.

"I missed you so much, Marlee," Noelle says quietly.

"I missed you, too."

She finally lets go of me, and I pick up my bag. "How was London?" She asks as she takes me to her car.

"Really good," I say with a nod. "But I'm glad to be home." I place my bag in the trunk of the car.

"I'm glad you're home, too." She smiles as we get in the car.

I give her the address, and she pulls away from the airport. "Oh, hey, I never got the chance to congratulate you on your engagement!"

Noelle's face brightens. "Thank you! We're excited about it."

"Have you picked a date for the wedding yet?"

"You'd be the first to know, Marlee." She glances at me. "We haven't had much of a chance to talk about it yet. Life's been busy."

We fall into silence. As I watch out the window, the familiarity of the city calms my nerves about rehearsals starting in a few days. I've learned the music and my lines, but I'm most nervous about meeting the cast. The dynamic of rehearsals depends on the cast's relationship, and I do not want this to be awkward.

My new apartment building is closer to the August Wilson Theater than Noelle's is to the Nederlander, so I have less of a commute. It's the first time I'm living on my own, so it's going to be different. Noelle parks next to the door, and I get out, grab my suitcase, and walk to the door.

"Can you get my purse out of the front seat?" I ask Noelle, and she nods. We make our way inside the building, and I pull out my key. Unlocking the door, I push it open and step inside.

I pass through the small kitchen and living room and turn into the bedroom. I'd had furniture delivered ahead of time, so it's mostly set up. I put the suitcase down next to the bed and look around at my new home.

"This is nice," Noelle says, following me out of the bedroom. "Small, but cute. And you're close to the theater."

I nod. "Thank you for picking me up," I say genuinely. "It's so good to see you. Maybe we could grab dinner one night?" I suggest. She agrees.

After we say our goodbyes, Noelle leaves me alone in my new apartment. I'm not used to being by myself. To pass the time, I devote myself to unpacking my belongings, listening to the song demos I've been sent from Mean Girls. By the time I finish, I'm hungry, and I don't feel like cooking, so I just order a small pizza.

While I wait, I walk out on the small balcony overlooking the city. I've missed New York City more than I thought I did. Now that I'm back, I can't wait to meet my new castmates and visit my favorite restaurants. It hits me that Noelle is basically my only friend in the city at the moment. I haven't spoken with my friends from Newsies in a long time; we just drifted apart. Thankfully, Noelle stayed in contact with me. Our friendship is strong.

After I eat dinner, I decide to turn in and go to bed early. It's been a long day, and although I need to get readjusted to the time zone, I'm exhausted. It takes me a while to fall asleep because of the new environment, but I eventually drift off.

~~~~~
she's baaaaack in nyc yay!
the cast shows up in the next chapter! I'm super excited!