Going Viral

Chapter 34

January 11th

Everything was going a million miles an hour. Her head was reeling and the seconds hand on the clock was circling around the centre much faster than Annabeth thought was acceptable. She'd sipped on three full bottles of water over the course of the day and consequently had to keep excusing herself to go to the bathroom, so maybe she could say her nerves were getting the better of her. Ideally, Annabeth would have vlogged her day, however she'd hidden her camera away at the half hour call to stop herself anxiously babbling to no one in particular.

"Ready, honey?" Katrina says, patting her shoulders as Annabeth stares down her reflection, thumb rubbing the star on her necklace. Not daring to open her mouth for fear that she might actually be sick, she swallows hard and shakes her head. "You're going to be amazing, trust me." Her fingers play with Annabeth's honey blonde curls, styled nicely by the wig designer.

Annabeth typed a hasty 'wish me luck' message to Percy and Piper and downed the rest of her tea - peppermint, as per Sally's recommendation - before standing to stretch.

Kayla and Butch were in the corridor between their dressing rooms, jumping up and down and humming their scales. Katrina walked out to join them, adding a harmony a third below as she touched up her makeup in the mirror, some of her copper brown lipstick coming off onto her finger. Annabeth did some lip rolls, shaking her hands and feet like she used to do before her high school shows. She felt a pang of jealousy as she watched Kayla laugh with Butch, nerves barely bothering her at all. It could possibly be because Kayla was only making her debut in this show and not Broadway altogether, but Annabeth couldn't help but watch her with envy.

"No pressure, Chase, but the house is packed." Luke's hand landed on her waist.

Adjusting her dress as an excuse to move away from him, Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Real comforting, Luke, thanks for that."

He wasn't even in costume yet, something she's tempted to comment on before she remembers that he's done the show before and knows exactly how much time he has to get ready. "It's part of my charm."

When she raises an eyebrow, he sighs and leans against the mirror to obstruct her view. "Seriously, Annabeth. I know you're terrified, but we've all been there. You know your stuff." Luke's words were surprisingly reassuring. She was about to thank him but he continued. "And on the off chance you don't, we're all professionals here, we'll help cover you."

Annabeth didn't want to point out that the offer was next to useless for the numerous times she would be all alone on stage, instead deciding to smile tightly at him. "Thanks, Luke."

"This is your beginners call, please can all act one beginners head to the stage." A tinny voice says over the sound system. Annabeth allows herself a second to breathe, eyes shut and lips pursed.

Katrina wraps an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her cheek and walking her to the stage. "Get out there and show them what you've got, my love." Grateful for the older woman's support, Annabeth sighed contently before heading to her starting position centre stage.

"I'm gonna be sick." Annabeth mutters to herself just before the lights go down, earning a chuckle from the ensemble members within listening distance.

The audience applauds and the voice over begins, forcing Annabeth to rid herself of any thoughts besides what she needed to do onstage.

Sugar,
Sugar,
Sugar, butter,
Sugar, butter,
Sugar, butter, flour,
Sugar, butter, flour,

The lights go up and Annabeth thanks every higher power she can think of that she can only make out the sillouettes of the first two rows of audience members.

Sugar, butter, flour,
Sugar, butter, flour,
Sugar, butter, flour,

Annabeth starts singing.

Her heart is pounding in her mouth up until the moment she stands between Katrina and Kayla, aprons unfolded and positioned ready to tie them around their waists. She knew the choreography, she knew the songs, she knew her lines. She had rehearsed this endlessly. And finally she had an audience. Instead of letting her feelings get her down, she channelled her nervous energy into the performance. For tonight, it could be a character choice.

Ironically, her first moment to breathe was when she was singing her solo. With a split second to get her breath back before she came in with the second verse, she let herself acknowledge how strange and new everything felt. Singing about Jenna's mom hit a nerve but Annabeth was a professional at repressing her feelings on that, so she pushed it out of her mind. There was another moment during Club Knocked Up where she was offstage to hurry into her hospital gown and someone had held a water bottle out for her to sip. Granted, she knew that wouldn't happen every night but she was grateful people were helping her out. Despite the pit full of butterflies in her stomach, She managed to get through act one with the only hiccup being when Kayla knocked a pot of glitter ingredients off the table and Annabeth had to pick it up without a fuss.

The curtain went down at the end of Bad Idea and even despite having Luke on top of her, Annabeth felt like she could breathe properly again. He smirked and stood up, offering a hand to help her up from the hospital bed.

"Gotta say, Chase, I'm impressed."

Thankfully, Luke didn't hang around her for too long. Or maybe he did, she didn't really know. Within seconds of the lights lifting again, Katrina, Butch, Kayla and Archie - the man on for Ogie - had crowded around her in a group hug. They let themselves just wait there and enjoy the blissful realisation that they were halfway there before breaking apart to enjoy their twenty minute break.

Twenty minutes seems like a lot when you think of it in relation to sitting in the auditorium waiting for the second act to begin (or perhaps not if you were unlucky enough to need to queue for a drink or the bathroom) but backstage, twenty minutes was barely enough time for a swig of water, a bite of toast to quell the rumbling of her stomach, a toilet trip and a costume change. Granted, her costume change was just the added padding that would give her the beginnings of a pregnant belly but it did involve wriggling out of her dress and in again.

When she got the five minute call and knew that she was suitably ready, Annabeth took a seat on the couch in her dressing room and opened her phone.

hyperpiper always knew my best friend was a superstar x

hyperpiper you're killing it out there, beth

percyjackson18 told you you would smash it ;)

percyjackson18 i think youve taken moms top spot of favorite performer - idk if i'm offended or not bc your my favorite too

percyjackson18 *youre, i did for you

percyjackson18 but srsly i'm so proud of you xxx

percyjackson18 b4 you stress, weve waved to nyssa so she knows where were sat. ill meet you backstage afterwards

percyjackson18 your a superstar xxx

percyjackson18 you're

After sending a hurried reply to both of them, she snapped a selfie of her and her cast mates grinning but looking rather worn out and made her way back to the stage. In the wings, she made sure all her props were where she expected them to be - she rarely had to bring them on herself but it would ease her mind to know that whoever did bring them on would have no trouble finding them.

"This is your beginners call, please can all act two beginners head to the stage."

With a new found confidence and a skip in her step, Annabeth made her way to the centre of the stage.