somewhere || George Russell

fifty-three

June 7, 2020
New York City, New York

"I am so happy for you," Laurel widely smiled at her phone, just enjoying the FaceTime call and seeing George still wearing that Mercedes race suit, smiling and with his first-place trophy next to him. "I have always said that you only have two speeds: awesome or not at all," she wiggled her eyebrows. "And you are usually on awesome mode all the time."

"Last week I was still in the Williams struggling at the back, can you believe that this happened?" George breathlessly said, running his hand through his hair, trying to make sure that everything was real. "If they had told me that a week later, I would win my first race, I would not have believed it."

"Emilio says that the impossible becomes reality all the time, maybe it should become your new motto," Laurel shrugged.

"That's a quote," George nodded. "Maybe now I'm going to add it to my Instagram bio."

"As you should," Laurel slightly laughed.

"You can also rely on that quote," George suggested. He knows that Laurel thinks is a big shot for her to win the Tony Award, but he also wants to make her believe she can do it. And even if she doesn't get the award, in his heart she'll be the winner. "You can win that Tony."

"We'll see about that," Laurel hesitantly said. She doesn't want to get ahead of herself.

She is like divided: on the one hand, she wants to believe that the law of attraction is real, and if she wants that Award so bad, maybe she'll get it. But on the other, maybe if she wishes so much for it, she'll jinx it and will come back home with empty hands.

Both options are so implausible, and Laurel wouldn't have even dared to think about them in the past, but now seeing George getting onto the Mercedes out of the blue and scoring his first points and win his first race, she is starting to believe that anything can happen.

Laurel's stylist arrived and she had to hung up her call with George to finally start to get ready for the Tony.

A couple of hours later, she fit on her Dior voluminous strapless gown with a crumpled texture. The hairstylist did her hair in a low, elegant bun and put her a down her back necklace. It was all set up.

Laurel and her family went out of the hotel all dressed up, and headed to the Radio City Music Hall, where the awards were going to take place. They went through the red carpet and entered the theater to take their places.

The awards finally started, and it went through a lot of categories. Andrew won his category of best Featured actor, but Gemma and Richard didn't have the same luck in their respective categories. It came the time for Laurel's category, and Idina Menzel herself came into the stage to present it. Another idol of Laurel.

"In a season that saw empowering performances by women in both new musicals and revivals, the contributions of these artists have been singled out for igniting joy provoking thought and inspiring conversation," Idina Menzel started her speech, while in the screen in the back was the picture of the five nominated women, including Laurel. "The gifts they shared are a testament to the talent which abounds on Broadway..."

Laurel's body was completely shaking. She has never been this nervous before.

"Just seize this moment, seeing your face there for the first time," Emilio whispered and squeezed her hand. Laurel just nodded, trying to process everything. It was such a dream to be at the Tony's, she never thought she would make it, and yet here she is.

"Here are the nominees for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical," Idina Menzel said. Laurel's nerves grew. "Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge!" she mentioned first. "Laurel Blanhir, West Side Story." Just hearing her name there made it so exciting for Laurel, feeling chills running down her spine. "Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill; Adrienne Warren,Tina: The Tina Turner Musical; Kristin Stokes, The lightning thief."

"I can't..." Laurel said and lost her breath for a second. Her heart was pounding against her chest, her mouth started to feel dry and her hands started to sweat, all at the same time.

"Calm down," Emilio squeezed Laurel's hand again.

"And the Tony award goes to..." Idina Menzel said. "Ladies, you are all fabulous," the woman teased and finally opened the envelope to read the results. "Laurel Blanhir, West Side Story."

Laurel took a while to react and realize that it was her name she had heard. "Is it me?" she babbled and looked at Emilio. "I won?"

"You won," Emilio stood up and pulled her up.

"Go pick it up," Iray said and so Laurel reacted and stood up from her seat.

Without looking back, she walked to the stage, receiving congratulations and cheers from everyone. She stepped into the stage and Idina Menzel gave her the Tony Award.

Idina Menzel hugged her and told her to give her speech.

Laurel stepped in front of the microphone and looked around. It was all silent, waiting for her to speak. The view was amazing, she was able to see everyone from there. Her heart continued pounding against her chest and she had that feeling of adrenaline running through her body. "I just don't want it to happen like in Miss Universe when the presenter said Colombia instead of Philippines," she awkwardly said, just to break the ice, and everyone laughed. "I don't know what to say...er...thank you to the American Theater Wing and the Broadway league for this honor, I am the first Mexican American actress to win a Tony Award..." She was stumbling on her own words, but despite being so self-confident, she's also a fact-based person, and the facts were that the other women nominees were more theater experienced than Laurel.

»"...Er...Thank you to all who gave their time and talent to bring West Side Story on Broadway again, my voice teacher, my physical therapist, my dresser..." she enlisted, trying to get everything on track. "Thank you to my mum and dad, Sofia and Alejandro, for believing in me, to my wonderful siblings Iray, Emilio and Rafael, to my amazing boyfriend George who is watching this, or at least I hope he is, all the way from Azerbaijan where he just scored his first Formula One Podium, I'm so proud of you, and I don't know if I am allowed to say this on national tv," she said, and everyone laughed again.

»"Thank you to my teachers at MIT for giving me the bases so that I can be standing here right now. Thank you to Richard, Andrew, Gemma and Michael, who is not here, for being the best co-stars ever, without your Tony, Bernardo, Anita and Riff, my Maria would have been nothing. Thank you to the ensemble, all of our castmates and musicians, and of course my producer Simon Rivers for trusting me to bring María to life again. And to every single girl and boy out there who are watching this and wish to be in the same place I'm standing right now: this is not luck. Dreams can come true but it's not magic, luck or fate, I don't believe in any of that; this is hard work and determination. It's not easy, but just because something is difficult doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.  This is to all of you."