Alphabet Steps

Pitch side to treading the boards

Hopefully this fits the request for a slight HSM vibe, not sure Les Mis would likely be a High School Musical chosen given the topics involved but I'm a big fan so it had to be. Plus Eponine is my favourite character in Musical Theatre. 

"Okay Lee since you seemingly feel football is far more important than turning in your homework then you can have an appropriate punishment." Miss Bussell said as Lee sighed. "Fine."
"You can be my new Marius in our school adaption of Les Miserables. Sadly Thomas who normally takes my main roles has moved away and well whilst Gio has good dancing skills his singing leads a lot to be desired." She said with a small smile.
"But Miss!"
"Lee, I really liked you and your friends seeming mock up of Take That at the charity talent show, and whilst it was intended to be a skit, you have a good voice. And right now I could do with a new Marius. It's that or I'll make sure you aren't able to play football at all Lee." Darcy said feeling slightly bad at the claim but knowing the musical really needed a better actor and singer for the role of Marius. 

Faye sighed as she painted the scenery, Claire and Lisa had both tried to convince her to audition for the musical but she had shaken her head, she'd been too heartbroken at the time of the auditions. She'd gone through a upsetting break-up with her boyfriend, James was in university and played drums in a band. He'd dropped her saying he wanted more than a silly little schoolgirl for a partner. Faye had for a small time become sullen and withdrawn, not her usual peppy self. By the time she had come out of her slight rut the musical was into rehearsals and so she had stated she'd help out with costumes and scenery. Claire however knew her friend had wanted to try for Eponine and wished rather feverently that the sixth former who had the role might come down with laryngitis. Faye would make a perfect Eponine.

"Okay listen up our amazing cast, we have a new Marius, please welcome Mr Latchford Evans. Miss Bussell said as Mr Horwood looked at his colleague. "Darcy a word!" He said as Darcy smiled and left the cast in the auditorium as she followed Craig into the upper tier of seating. "What?"
"Why now, we're in rehearsals."
"And he's a good singer. Gio's lovely but far better suited to the comedy role of Mousier Thenardier." Darcy argued with a small smile. "Besides, it'll do good to have one of the footie players involved. There's far too much cliqueness around here." Darcy ventured. 

H smirked as he put on his jacket as Javert. He loved been able to play the baddie, a far cry from the usual joker of the class he was. "You looked amazing." Faye said as she smiled, her deft fingers sewing the peasant dress for Eponine. "You know, you're a far better singer than Hannah, you should have gone for that role."
"Yeah well it's a bit late now." Faye said as she smiled spotting Lisa and Claire who were ready to try on their outfits for the show. "I can trip her up if you want Fuf." Lisa said as Faye shook her head. "It's okay, though I am a little jealous of Clara. Lee's well fit." Faye said as Lisa smiled softly. "Thank god you have got over that idiot James. I swear what an actual idiot he was. You know Lee's not seeing anyone, you want me to put in a word or two for you." Claire said as Faye wrinkled her nose slightly.
"Like the football captain would want to date me. I mean seriously."
"Why not. Sure you're different, you like art and stuff but Lee's not that superficial. I don't think he would care if he liked you, which I think he does." Lisa said as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "No he doesn't. Where did you get that idea from?"
"Well he asked if you were doing the costume fittings for all of us." Ian said as he chewed on a piece of gum. "And when Mr Horwood asked if there was anyone who could help you with sorting through the props he was extremely keen." Claire added with a smile. 

Lee smiled as he sauntered in. "So I get my own personal dresser hmm?" He said with a cheeky wink as Faye blushed slightly and silently cursed herself for getting so flustered. "You wish, I'll pop next door whilst you put the clothes on and then if you need any alterations we'll go over them." Faye said as she bit her lip seeing that Lee was already unbuttoning his school shirt revealing his toned abs and six pack. "Erm, can I just..."
"You know I'm rather upset you're not in the show. I've heard you singing before, you were good in the last show. Why didn't you try for this one."
"I ju..I had a lot on. Anyway it doesn't matter. I don't mind doing costumes and stuff." Faye said as Lee sighed. "I know it doesn't change anything but I reckon you'd make an amazing Eponine."

Two days before the school musical was due to take place they were about to undertake a dress rehearsal, Faye had managed to ensure every costume was sorted along with some help from the textiles class and stood in the wings in order to help change scenery and set up the props. "Where's my Eponine!" Miss Bussell said as she was speaking to the orchestra and music teacher. "Erm Miss, Hannah was ill in Maths, she was sick and the nurse sent her home." One of the seniors said as she put on a white apron as part of her outfit.
"What, oh hell what are we going to do?"
"Oh I don't think we need to worry Darcy." Craig said as he looked at his stagehand. He'd not been blind watching during all the rehearsals. He'd seen her mouthing along to Eponine's lines and had heard her once or twice singing On My Own when she'd been painting the sets thinking she was all by herself. "Faye, you can take the role, for today at least." He said as Faye stilled.
"Go on Faye, you know all the part." Lisa said gently and encouragingly. She was in her own outfit, she had been more than happy in her comedy role as Madame Thenardier but she knew her friend would absolutely nail the role of Eponine if Hannah couldn't. "Bu..but.."
"Faye, it's just for the rehearsals, by all accounts Hannah will be back for the show but well we need to do the full run through for the orchestra and lighting, not to mention to make sure everyone knows their lines." Darcy said gently as Faye chewed her lower lip and sighed.
"I guess."
"Good now go get your costume on and we'll make a start." Craig said sipping his water.

"..thinks he's quite a looker but there's not much there." Lisa sang in a bawdy accent as they did the big comedy number just prior to Jean Valjean's appearance to take away Cosette, a role been preformed by one of the year seven's in order to ensure she seemed tiny in comparison to the mostly senior school cast. Faye sat rather awkwardly with Claire who was whispering how good she would be. "You know there's a four night run, they'll let you do one of them as an understudy I'm sure if you ask."
"Oh yeah, cause Hannah's not going to want to do the part."
"She might not be well enough, from what I heard. Throwing up, dizzy and that." Claire reasoned as Faye shook her head. "I'd still want to perform if I had a role like Eponine." She said as she toyed with the baker boy hat. "Well even if she wants to she might not be able to. I mean On My Own isn't the easiest of songs to sing if you're under the weather." Claire said as the song Lisa and Giovanni were performing ended with gusto. "They were brilliant then." Ian said loping his arm over Claire's shoulders as she nodded in agreement.

"Okay and we need the revolutionaries and mob for protest scenes." Craig said as Claire nodded encouragingly towards Faye. "You're going to absolutely kill it." She said with a wink as Faye wrinkled her nose. "Hey, it's okay, you get to stand by me." Lee said with a smile as Faye bit her lip. "Yeah I guess."
"You look cute in your costume you know." Lee added as Claire gave Faye a knowing look. Faye looked at him oddly. "Really, in a trench coat and ragged dress?"
"Yeah, you still manage to look stunning." He said as she felt her heart race.

"Excellent, I really liked the lighting there. Erm well done on the crowd scenes, Lee I think you'd be better on the other side of Faye there. Eponine is not meant to be the star and she did end up been a little bit of a focal point." Darcy said softly as she hid a slight smile as she spotted Lee teasing Faye in a slightly flirty manner. "Stealing my limelight like that. Honestly." He mocked as Faye stepped to his right hand side. Darcy knew she shouldn't get invested in her student's private lives but she had seen the detrimental effect Faye's break up had resulted in. She'd been rather taken aback not to see one of her more confident students not sign up for auditions and whilst Hannah was a more than adequate Eponine she had been saddened Faye hadn't tried out. 

Faye took a deep breath as she leaned against the mocked up brick wall ready for her solo. "And now I'm all alone again, nowhere to turn, no one to go to." Faye started as the orchestra played the first notes of her solo. Claire smiled knowingly as she turned to look at the drama teachers as Faye ended her solo heartbreakingly. ' I love him, but only on my own..." The note vibrated around the stage and Claire found her green eyes tearing up. Faye was a perfect Eponine, vulnerability emitting as she sung, her acting was up there too. Claire suspected recent events only lent itself to Faye's emotional delivery.

"And the barricade, sound ready for the gunshots." Craig said as the sound technicians nodded and readied the tracks for the fighting. The sounds and flashes from the lighting made the barricade fight seem realistic and Faye startled as she acted been shot at clutching a hand to her stomach where in the musical Eponine is struck in the stomach. "Eponine." Lee said gently as Marius as he moved to cradle her in his arms. "Don't you fret mousier, Marius I don't feel any pain. A little fall of rain ... can hardly hurt me now." Faye sang as Lee stroked his hand through her hair in role. "..I'll stay with you till you are sleeping. And rain will make..the flowers grow." He ended as Faye feigned her passing in his arms. Claire bit her trembling lip fully invested in the scene and Lisa spotted Miss Bussell wiping away a tear. Lee gently pressed a kiss to Faye's temple in his role as the scene ended.

"Well everyone that was a great rehearsal. There's one or two tiny minor tweaks myself and Miss Bussell are looking to make. Faye a word." Craig said as Faye turned to Lisa and Claire who told her they'd wait for her in the changing rooms. "Everyone put your costumes back on the hangers and put the covers over them. Then bring them back and put them on the racks." Darcy said keen to ensure the costumes weren't simply left askew.
"Faye if Hannah is unable to perform then we'd really like you to take the role. Would you be okay with that?" Craig said as the willowy blonde looked unsure.
"It feels wrong, it's not my role."
"No, but circumstances mean the role might need to be filled. It might not, Hannah might be fine to come back to the show but well up there your Eponine was amazing, I believed every word you sang." Darcy said gently. Faye toyed with her hair awkwardly.
"Think about it Faye, there's no pressure but well this on your CV would look good. Eponine's not an easy role for anyone.

Hannah it turned out had a bout of measles and would not be able to be in the show subsequently opening night resulted in Faye stood in the wings dressed as Eponine. "Hey you seen the footy squad, I thought they'd proper rib me for been in the show but I have my own fan club." Lee chuckled as he pointed to his friends. Faye smiled softly.
"So any chance you'll be swapping the football for the stage?" Faye asked.
"Well I have to say some of my teammates on the show are a lot better looking." Lee breathed as Faye met his brown eyes with her own blue. "You know Marius ends up with Cosette." She said as Lee chuckled.
"Fair point, though I think my Cosette is already besotted with someone else." Lee said as Claire was dating Reece who was helping out with sound and lighting.

"Why are you looking so down?" Lisa asked on the final night as Ian chuckled putting on the hat that made up the final component of his Javert. "I think our fair Eponine is rather saddened she'll not get her nightly kiss on the forehead from our Footie Star." He teased as Faye rolled her eyes. "His character kisses mine on the forehead as she dies in his arms H, it's hardly the height of romance."

"An..and you will keep me safe, and rai..rain will make the flower's gro...." Faye sang her last line, her head lolled against Lee's chest as he cradled her on the floor of the stage. "An...and rain will make the flowers grow." Lee ended as she stilled in his arms. She remained motionless as he leaned to kiss her but this time his lips didn't grace her forehead. Instead they fell to her lips and there was a soft kiss. "What is he doing!" Craig hissed as Darcy seemingly bounced on her feet albeit whilst wiping away a tear. "Oh shush, it's sweet."
"It's not part of the play. Thank goodness Faye's a competent actress and hasn't reacted." Craig continued as the scene ended with Eponine been carried away by the rest of the revolutionists.

"What was that!" Faye said as they took the final bow as an ensemble. Lisa and Gio getting a loud cheer as the Thenardiers, the comic roles. "A kiss. Look I ju..I'm actually not that confident. Just well if you fancy a night out sometime, we could have dinner and catch a movie." Lee said as Faye looked at him perplexed as the curtain came down, the applause still echoing.
"How can you not be confident, I mean look at you, you're the footie captain. Girls practically throw themselves at you."
"They don't interest me, no I much prefer the ones who don't make a big drama. Someone like you actually." Lee said as Faye looked down slightly.
"I'm a rubbish girlfriend, James said I was irritating an..and not mature enough for him an.."
"And the guy's an idiot. Faye, I really like you. So what's say we change the end of this play and have our Marius and Eponine see how things work out." Lee suggested as Faye smiled slightly ignoring the thumbs up and smiles her friends were sending her way.