open call

nine

maddie held onto the pole in the subway as the train rocked back and forth. she couldn't tell if it was motion sickness or the nerves that caused the queasy feeling in her stomach, but she did know that she felt like she was going to throw up.
"hey." krystina said. "i know that look."
"i'm just a little nervous."
"from what becca's been telling us about your audition, you have no reason to be nervous at all."
"well, i don't know. it's just-you guys have been, like, my icons for a while. texting you has helped me be less weird, but i'm meeting everyone else for the very first time."
"i promise you, you're gonna be fine." she assured. "and, you have the advantage of being the first one everyone meets."
"no one else is here yet?"
"they don't have to come in until wednesday." she said. "your fittings and photoshoots are going to take longer, so they brought you in early."
"oh. wow."
"such is the life of a leading lady." krystina teased. "i also heard rumors that tina got you a spot on jimmy fallon."
"really?"
"really." she nodded. "just a rumor, though. don't get your hopes up."
"i definitely won't. that sounds terrifying."
the subway slowed to a halt, and the two climbed the stairs to the street. just up the block, the august wilson's marquee shone bright with its bright pink signs. maddie smiled the the thought of her name up in lights.
krystina led her to the stage door.
"ready?"
"yep."

krystina signed in and took maddie up to the dressing room she and kate shared. she introduced maddie to the people that flowed in and out of the dressing room. maddie laid upside down on the couch, texting lucy about everyone she met while she talked with krystina and kate.
"krystina!" a familiar voice called from down the hallway. "i left my jacket in here last night." erika henningsen came into the room.
"yeah, it's on the rack." krystina said.
"and who's this?" erika smiled at maddie.
"i'm maddie." she awkwardly sat up and waved.
"how do you know krystina?" she asked.
"oh, well-"
"you're looking at your successor. this is the next cady jane heron in mean girls on broadway." krystina said dramatically, and erika's jaw dropped. "no way!" she grabbed maddie's hands and pulled her into a hug. "i've been dying to meet you!"
"wow, um, me too!" she giggled.
"come on, you have to come down to my room! i have so much to tell you!"
maddie looked nervously to krystina, who shooed her away. "go!"

erika talked her ear off for a full forty five minutes before the show, talking about everything from how she and kyle got together to where she had time to pee in between scenes.
in that time, maddie also met reneé, who was a lot less intimidating than she expected.
when erika went down to the stage at places call, reneé turned to maddie and looked around the room. "okay, i love erika, but we are definitely redecorating in here."
"oh, yeah." maddie laughed. "this is nice, but, yeah. not our style."
reneé sighed. "i am so glad you're not weird."
maddie burst into laughter.
"no, i'm serious! i was really worried that you were going to be really weird! or like, really uptight."
"i am a little nervous today." she admitted.
"yeah, but that makes sense. other than that you seem really relaxed."
"is that a good thing?"
"yes." she nodded. "i love erika henningsen with all my heart, but man, does she get worked up sometimes."
maddie laughed.
"okay, okay, i have to know." reneé went on. "i heard that the new aaron is, like..." she fanned her face, making maddie giggle again.
"have you met him? they haven't even told us your names yet. everyone was freaking out when they heard you were here."
"yeah, james is," maddie held back a giggle, "james is very attractive."
reneé pumped her fist. "and he's sixteen still?"
"i think his birthday is in a month or two."
reneé took a sip of her coffee. "so, do you think you're gonna go after him? unless you already have a boyfriend. or you're gay. are you gay?"
"no, i don't have a boyfriend," she said with a laugh, "and no, i'm not gay. and, i don't know. i only met him once, so i guess we'll just see what happens."
the end of it roars played faintly through the speakers, and reneé stood up. "i gotta go grab krystina and kate. you're hanging out in their room, right?"