𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 || 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐳 ||

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒

˗ˏˋ꒰💛 ꒱

It was finally opening night of A Very Potter Musical. A few things had happened in the past few months. Milo and Dylan had grown incredibly close, as had Harper and Darren. 

Many people assumed Milo and Dylan were dating due to their closeness, but in reality, they were just good friends.

Milo stood in the hallway where all the props and costumes were stored, struggling with the tie for her costume. Frustration evident on her face, she sighed in exasperation as her attempts to knot it properly failed once more. 

Suddenly, Joey walked by and noticed her dilemma. "Need a hand?" he offered, stopping in his tracks. Milo looked up at him gratefully. "Yes, please," she replied, relieved at the offer of help. She removed the tie from her neck and handed it to Joey, who took it from her with a reassuring smile.

"I'm never wearing a tie again, unless it's for a show," Milo declared to Joey, who chuckled as he adjusted the tie around her neck. The two fell into a brief silence until Joey broached the subject of Milo's growing closeness with Dylan. "So you and Dylan are getting close," Joey observed, prompting Milo to look at him quizzically. "Yeah?" she replied, feigning innocence as Joey finished tying the knot. 

Joey grinned mischievously at his sister. "So are you going to tell him?" he inquired, his tone teasing. Milo's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Tell him what?" she retorted playfully, eliciting another laugh from Joey. Checking to ensure Dylan wasn't nearby, Joey leaned in. "That you have feelings for him," he whispered, causing Milo to shoot him a look of denial.

 "I don't have feelings for him!" she protested, though Joey remained unconvinced. "Sure, let's just say you did, would you tell him?" he pressed, prompting Milo to ponder for a moment. "Uh, maybe," she conceded reluctantly as Joey finished the tie. "And done," he announced with a grin, indicating that he had successfully completed his task.

Milo examined the tie with satisfaction before turning her attention back to Joey with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Joey," she expressed her appreciation to her brother, who returned the smile. "No problem," Joey replied warmly, then made his way off to complete his own preparations for the show. 

She watched him go before heading to the bathroom to put the finishing touches on her own appearance for the performance.

As Milo made her way to the bathroom, she felt someone pull her aside, causing her to exclaim in surprise. When she realized it was Asher who had grabbed her, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you gonna ask Dylan out tonight?" Asher inquired, cutting off Milo's attempt to question him. "How do you know that—" Milo began, but Asher persisted, demanding a simple yes or no. 

"Yes! I was planning on it. I haven't seen him tonight," Milo confessed to Asher, who let out a sigh before nodding. "Alright," he responded before starting to walk away. 

Milo called after him, asking who had informed him of her plans, but Asher simply replied, "Don't worry about it, M!" He then gave her a casual finger gun gesture before adding, "Okay?" Milo nodded, slightly bemused, before continuing on her way into the bathroom.

Walking into the bathroom, Milo spotted Harper and Lauren finishing their makeup. "Hey!" Harper greeted her older sister with a smile before nudging Lauren. "Oh, hey Milo," Lauren greeted her, briefly making eye contact before returning her attention to the mirror.

 Harper grinned mischievously at Lauren before addressing Milo. "I'll see you in a few minutes," she said, then sauntered out of the bathroom, leaving Milo and Lauren alone.

As Harper left the bathroom, a brief silence enveloped the space until Milo broke it. "You excited for the show?" she asked Lauren, who looked over at her. "Uh, yeah! What about you?" Lauren replied, returning the question to Milo. "Oh, I'm really excited," Milo responded with a smile, which elicited a matching smile from Lauren.

 "That's good," Lauren said, then the silence returned briefly as she finished up her makeup. "See you later," Lauren said with a smile before heading towards the door, but she struggled to open it. Milo chuckled softly. "It's a push door," she informed Lauren, who laughed with embarrassment, pushed the door open, and rushed out.

˗ˏˋ꒰💛 ꒱

Milo walked out of the bathroom after finishing her makeup, heading toward where she had left her bag. Suddenly, she felt someone pull her to the side. Looking over, she saw Dylan, who was smiling at her. "You look beautiful," Dylan complimented Milo, who smiled in return. "Thanks," she replied with a smile.

 Dylan took a deep breath and got straight to the point. "I really like you, and I was wondering if you'd like to be my girlfriend," he said, pausing briefly. Milo's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, are you being serious? Because I would love to, Dylan!" she exclaimed with a smile, causing Dylan to release his breath and look at her with a mix of excitement and disbelief. "Wait, really?" he asked Milo, needing confirmation.

"Yeah! Since we are sharing confessions," Milo said with a smile. "I was planning on asking you out tonight," she confessed to Dylan, who smiled in response. "Really?" Dylan asked Milo, his eyes reflecting surprise and joy. 

Milo smiled at him and nodded her head. "So you'll really be my girlfriend?" Dylan asked again, seeking confirmation. "Yeah, I will," Milo replied with a smile, her heart feeling lighter and happier than ever.

Dylan smiled brightly and wrapped his arms around Milo, pulling her into a warm hug. Milo returned the embrace, feeling a rush of happiness and excitement

Lauren was walking over to ask Dylan until she stopped in her tracks as she saw Milo and Dylan hugging. She bit down on her lip, feeling a pang of disappointment, then shook her head and turned around to go find Harper. 

After a brief search, she found Harper with Joey. Lauren gently pulled Harper away from her older brother, her expression troubled. "Lauren?" Harper questioned, concern evident in her voice. 

Lauren glanced around nervously before speaking. "I don't have a chance," she murmured, her thoughts still consumed by what she had just witnessed between Milo and Dylan. Harper furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?" she pressed.

Lauren beckoned Harper away from the crowd, her expression troubled. "Harper, I need to tell you something," she said quietly, her voice tinged with concern. 

Harper turned to face her, a look of curiosity on her face. "What is it, Lauren?" she asked, her tone gentle. Lauren took a deep breath before speaking. "I saw... I saw Milo and Dylan hugging," she confessed, her words coming out in a rush. 

Harper's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation. "Oh, Lauren," Harper responded softly, understanding dawning on her face. She reached out and pulled Lauren into a comforting embrace, offering silent support.

˗ˏˋ꒰💛 ꒱