School's Out: an Alex Brightman x Reader

1) Sleepless Night

It was late. Very late even, or... that's what I assumed. I'd been tossing around for what seemed like an eternity when merely hours ago I'd slumped into bed feeling as exhausted as ever. But, as those things always go, that tiredness instantly disappeared once I hit the covers. I'd gotten quite used to my inability to fall asleep, but the endless train of thought that came with it was something I'd never be prepared for. On top of that, today had been busy, hard and at times even nerve-wracking, which gave my mind plenty to worry about.

In an attempt to distract myself from all the hustle going on up there, I lazily opened my eyes and threw a quick glance at my alarm clock. I knew that was a terrible idea. 'Midnight-clock-glancing' could easily be described as self-torture. Every time you dared to take a look, it reminded you how many hours of sleep you'd already wasted. Still, if I had the choice, I'd rather worry about the time than the awkward conversations I'd had this week, so I did it anyway.

 2.30 AM

"Great," I thought.

"Just what I need, another night like this!"

A sudden thunderclap startled me, immediately followed by a strike of lightning, illuminating my whole room in a blueish, white glow. I suspected a storm was coming and indeed, barely a minute later it began to rain. The sound of raindrops tapping on my window was actually pretty comforting and I realised the distant sound of cars passing by was nice to listen to as well. I focussed on the soothing sounds, hoping I'd found something that could help me doze off but alas, after lying still for another half hour, I concluded it didn't work and gave up.

I let out a deep sigh and I rolled on my side. If I wasn't gonna sleep tonight, I might as well do something productive, so I grabbed my phone to check my e-mails. 

Nothing.

Just as I was about to turn off the screen, a long list of notifications caught my eye. I was surprised at first since I wasn't that popular, but soon I understood it could've been only one person: Sierra Bogges. 

She was my best friend and I felt really lucky to have her. She was insanely talented, gifted with a beautiful voice and was unbelievably funny. I still didn't believe I deserved her and every time I brought it up, Sierra just smiled and summed up all the reasons why I did. I love her.

But... that still didn't explain why she called me so many times. Something heavy pressed down on my stomach as my mind filled itself with theories and possible explanations. Yes, she was stubborn and definitely the kind of person to just casually ring you up at any time of the day, but now she knew about my sleep problems and was far too kind to stalk me like that. The mysterious weight suddenly became a lot heavier and I started to feel a little worried. Did something happen? Without further hesitation, I sat up straight and called her back.

"Hey, you alright, Sierra?" I asked, my voice hinting at how concerned I was.

"Hi! You finally picked up! Yeah, I'm fine. Well... more than fine actually!"

"You're not being kidnapped, tortured, or chased by some creep?"

"What? No!" she laughed.  "I just wanted to tell you the good news..."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"What news?" 

"Remember the audition I did for Rosalie Mullens, the principal in School Of Rock?"

"Yeah... What about it? I... Oh my God, Sierra! You got the part?!" I shouted. 

"Yep! But I can't believe you're that surprised, I mean come on! I thought you had a little more faith in me than that!" 

She scoffed dramatically, so I could tell she wasn't being serious.

"Of course I believed in you, Sierra!" I assured her, "I just didn't know you'd hear from them so soon! I'm really happy for you."

"Ahw, thanks, Y/N. I'm so excited!" she beamed.

"Me too! Gosh, I really wish I was there to celebrate it with you now!"

"Actually, I was thinking you could come over, tomorrow? I believe we finally have a good reason to go to that fancy restaurant you adore", she offered. 

"Yes! Of course! I'd love to!" 

"It's settled then! Tomorrow at the park around 12? Then we can grab lunch somewhere and spend the rest of the day together, ending it with a nice meal at Fuego's."

"Perfect!" I replied.

"Alright! Oh, I'll let you sleep now... See you tomorrow!" she said, a glimpse of guilt noticeable in her voice when she realised how late it was. 

"Good night!" 

I placed my phone on the bedside table and rolled on my back.

"Unbelievable! She did it! Again!" I smiled, staring at the dark ceiling.

It was clear she belonged in a theatre. In fact, I still remembered the day she bought me a ticket to see her perform as Christine on the opening night of Phantom Of The Opera. She'd been so nervous (and had every right to be) but she'd also had a twinkle in her eyes. Her passion for the stage was undeniable and I was actually a little jealous, but still really proud and happy, of course, that all her dreams came true that night.

I chuckled when I realized I'd been lost in thought for almost twenty minutes again. Sierra had always been a master at keeping me awake. Texting, calling, when we still lived in the same city, showing up at my doorstep in the middle of the night, and now she'd - in a way - done it again. But honestly? I didn't mind. I would always be there for her and I knew she would do the same for me. 

Closing my eyes, I finally let go of my thoughts. I was sure tomorrow was gonna be a good day and with that knowledge, I drifted off, putting an end to this sleepless night.