Our first rehearsal was quite interesting.  We had to help make parts of the set, but thankfully it was only a technical rehearsal, so we were not put in costume yet.  However, Daniel decided to sing in his white mask, so he could get used to it.  

When it came time to rehearsal our part, Mr. Andrews began to teach us our choregraphy for The Phantom of The Opera.  If you could call it that.  During the beginning of the song, Daniel just took my hand and lead me back and forth across the stage, mimicking going down staircases.  Then, we will climb into a "boat", which was a little cart with board front shaped like a small boat, and Daniel would stand and "row" it.  

Music Of The Night is mostly just slowly moving across the stage, and parts of it I would be wrapped in Daniel's embrace, which was something most girls in my class would just die to have happen to them.  

He was a truly fantastic singer, and he was handsome, which was something he would have to hide in order to play the Phantom.  When we first had a chance to talk, he seemed charming, but there was something that didn't always seem sincere about him.  He always had someone by his side.  I had never seen just him and him alone, except when he was acting.  

Though, that night after the rehearsal he called after me.  "Hadley!  Wait up!"

I slowed my pace and he caught up with me.  "You know, you've got a great voice.  How come I haven't seen you around in drama club before?"

"I just moved here this year.  I'm new.  This will most likely be my first and last involvement in Owatonna theater." I told him, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.  It was quite heavy.  The teachers were relentless with homework.  

"That's a bummer.  I was hoping you would do it again next year.  Rumor is that the musical will be Beauty and the Beast, and you'd make a fine Belle." I chuckled at his attempt to charm, or quite possibly flirt.  

"You'd make a fantastic Beast." 

"That was low!" He laughed.  But we both stopped laughing when we rounded a corner.  

Mack was there, leaning against the lockers, kissing Lexie.  But when they pulled away, he noticed us.  Mack and I just stared at each other for a moment, before he said, "Hadley..."

Daniel just took my arm and pulled me along, as if he was a mother guiding a child away from something inappropriate.  As soon as we headed down the hall and were out of their sight, he said, "Don't even bother with him.  He's a creep, and apparently one of his girlfriends killed herself because of him.  What an ass." 

I swallowed hard.  "I've heard about that rumor.  It's...horrible."

"Hadley," Mack took my other arm, which felt quite strange.  It was as though I was being courted to a fancy ball.  

"Um...Mack, this really isn't the best time-"

"I need to talk to you."

"Hadley." Daniel growled.  I really wanted to get away from both of them, so I quickly said goodbye and hurried down the hall.  Daniel left me to my own devices, meanwhile Mack just chased after me.  I didn't know why, but seeing him with Lexie made me burn with envy.  And envy isn't jealous though; envy means that you wish the other person did not have what you desire.  These weird feelings for Mack were making me dislike other people, which made me unhappy.  

Unfortunately, Bridget wasn't there yet to pick me up, so I had to wait on the sidewalk while Mack came upon me.  "I just wanted to say that I thought you did amazing at the audition.  I would have never thought you could sing."

"Well," I looked down at my shoes, "there are many things people wouldn't suspect of me."

"Indeed," he said, which made himself laugh.  But then his tone grew serious again.  "But Daniel?  Really?"

"What do you mean?" I narrowed my eyes at him.  

It was Mack's turn to look at his shoes.  "He's...he'll make you change.  There's always those people in your school who, if they like you and want you with them, you change into something completely different.  You see the girls in that group walk around in designer clothes, laugh at pointless things, and become completely fake.  There's no substance to them.  You have something, and it'll be taken away by him, and you'll never be the same."  I had never heard him speak so passionately.  

After a moment of silence between us, I said, "You know, for someone who hates popular people, you sure we enjoying Lexie's company back there."  I knew that jab was low, and by acting this way I never would make any new friends, but a part of me wanted him to know I didn't trust him as much as he thought I did.  

"Hadley, that was nothing."

"Oh, so Lexie's feelings are nothing then?"  A girl's feelings are nothing?"  As much as I didn't like Lexie, I hated hearing boys talk about girls they've toyed with.  And I wanted to make sure that that would never happen to me.  

Luckily, Adam drove into the lot and parked.  He got out and waved.  

"Is that your brother?" Mack asked.  

"My best friend." I smiled.  I ran off the curb and into the nearly empty lot.  Jumping into the car, I wished that we could drive far, far away.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adam stayed over for dinner, and as soon as we cleaned the dishes and I finished my homework, I pulled him upstairs to ask about his date plans with Bridget.  He bit his lip.  "I don't know where to take her.  And that's if she says yes."

"Adam, why wouldn't she?" I laid on my stomach on the bed, feet up in the air.  "You're the total package.  Sure, you don't like most sports or being the complete center of attention, but you're so sweet and kind, and you've got charm.  Plus you can sing and play guitar, which improves your odds by about fifty percent." He smiled a bit at my little speech.  Everything I said was true.  Bridget was a fool if she didn't see how wonderful it would be to spend an evening with Adam.  "Now," I explained, "you've lived here longer than me.  What restaurants here are fabulous?"

He tapped a pencil on the revolving chair's arm.  After swirling around for a moment, he stopped and snapped one of his fingers.  "There's a new restaurant that just opened.  I can't remember the name.  It sounds French.  I'll have to look at the menu, but it sounds very fancy."

"It doesn't have to be too fancy," I advised him.  "Bridget likes the little things.  She'll remember more about the conversations you had than where you went."

"What am I supposed to talk to her about?  We seem so different.  I mean, I feel like she'll direct the conversation back to me a lot, but I don't know what to say about myself.  I don't like to brag."  Adam bit his lip.  The poor lip had been chewed on a lot lately.  He was incredibly nervous, and he hadn't even asked her yet.  

I sat up on my bed.  "I know what would help.  Ask her now, then half of your worries are gone."

"I can't.  I need to think." Adam said.  

I jumped off the bed before he could catch me.  Running down the stairs, I shouted, "Bridget!  Adam wants to ask you something!"

My smile couldn't be contained as I heard Adam run down the stairs after me.  Bridget was sitting at the table on her computer.  She set it to the side when she heard me.  Adam stumbled down the last two stairs, and tried to regain his composture with Bridget watching him.  She stood up to meet him.  "What was it you wanted to ask me?"  Bridget almost looked hopefully, which made me do a quiet happy dance when she couldn't see me.  

"I...I...um...there is this new restaurant that opened up in town, and I was wondering if you would like to go there with me sometime...?" Adam swallowed.  I gave him a thumbs-up as an encouragement.  

Bridget looked down at the ground for a moment, trying to hide her blush.  "I'd love to.  I'm a bit busy most of this week, but would Friday night work for you?"  

Adam nodded, and smiled.  "I'll call you if anything changes.  I think I should be leaving now, however.  I'm supposed to meet someone tomorrow to work on a new song."  

Bridget and I said goodbye to Adam, and right before he left I gave him a hug and whispered, "One point for Owl City."

He smiled bigger than I seen in a long time.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next rehearsal was one with costume, and mine was a lovely high-to-low white dress.  I was told I would need to curl my hair for the performance, and I also planned to attempt to wash the blue streaks from it.  I no longer liked them.  

My blonde hair was a bit darker because of the lack of sunshine; it was more of dishwater blonde.  As I zipped up my dress, I felt Lexie watching me.  She was playing Annie in her musical.  I never really liked the story of Annie, to be honest.  It just reminded me of myself then.  

We were the only people left in the room and asked me, as she put on her wig, "Isn't Daniel an awesome singer?" 

"Yes.  Especially for his age," I thought of Adam.  He was the greatest singer I knew.  Even though my nervousness to perform was passed, I still had daydreams of him as the Phantom singing with me.  

"And he's so hot." she gushed, examining her make-up.  

I kept my back to her the entire time.  I checked my phone for texts from Adam.  He was incredibly excited and nervous for Friday night.  I giggled at some of the messages, and Lexie immediately turned to me.  "I knew it.  You like him."

"Oh, no.  I was reading something funny from my friend."  I tucked the phone back into my backpack, which was surprisingly light after the long day of school.  

Lexie averted her eyes from me for a moment.  "But do you know who's hotter?"

Brushing some lint from my dress, I shook my head.  

"Mack." Lexie smirked.  "I didn't really appreciate him chasing after you yesterday.  It's unsettling to know that he likes another girl enough to run away from his girlfriend."

I tried not to snort as I thought of what he said about her.  Turning to leave the dressing room, I said, "From what he told me, I highly doubt he considers you his girlfriend."

Lexie grabbed the door handle before I could.  I took a step back from her.  "It's unbecoming of someone to fool around with two poor boys' feelings, Hadley.  Mack is mine.  Do you understand me?" 

As much as I wanted to walk out the door and slam it in her made-up face, I resisted the urge.  Though for some reason it stung to see her kiss Mack, I knew I had to ignore it.  I had better things to worry about, including performing in the play and helping Adam with Bridget.  In truth, I was better with helping romance than falling in love.  

Biting down all of the bitter words, I said, "I understand."

"Good." she smiled.  Lexie opened the door and walked down the hall to the stage.  Daniel was there, in his suit and white mask, waiting.  She got to him first and started happily gossiping about who kissed who at so-and-so's party.  I rolled my eyes, and went to the piano to play some scales for me to warm up.  

There were few people in the audience.  It was mostly just cast members talking to each other before rehearsal started.  But there was one distinct person in farthest rows from the stage, silently watching and occasionally checking his phone.  

Mack waved to me, and I silently smirked as I practiced my scales on the piano.  

Almost four and half months until February, and there was already romance in the air.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello!

I'm not sure if I told you this before, but I've kind of been envisioning Bridget as Carly Rae Jepsen, and Hadley as Elle Fanning.  Just so you can get a visual of the characters.  

And then, of course, Adam is himself.  

Thanks for reading!

~Luna