Love is Ours {See Final Author's Note}

Chapter Eighteen

[Sierra]

Monday came, and instead of taking a cab to the studio, Sierra gave the driver the address of the Adelphi Theatre.  She could barely contain her excitement as she paid the driver and hopped out of the vehicle.

She took a deep breath before she opened the door and stepped inside her second home for the next year. 

Sierra looked around in awe; it was gorgeous in here, and she hadn't even seen the actual theatre yet!  She bounded to the doors and swung them open, revealing the rows of plush velvet seats and the broad stage. 

She saw Ramin talking to Andrew and Jack onstage, so she skipped down the aisle and hopped onto the stage.

Ramin chuckled as he helped her to her feet.

"Sie, did you have your coffee this morning already?" He grinned at her. 

"Not yet," she chirped.  Ramin playfully rolled his eyes as they walked back over to Andrew and Jack.

"I was just telling Ramin that we're going to do sound check today, and you'll also be trying on your costumes.  We'll work on blocking for the rest of the week." Andrew told Sierra, who nodded.

They were then given permission to go look at their dressing rooms.  Sierra found the door labeled "Miss Sierra Boggess" and eagerly opened the door.

It was a decent size, and Sierra set her purse down on the makeup table.  Her costumes were already hung up, so she quickly looked at them, overjoyed that she actually got to wear gorgeous costumes like that.

She heard her phone buzz and skipped over to check it.

Ramin: Come check out my dressing room :)

Sierra shoved her phone in her pocket and went out in the hallway.  Ramin's dressing room, which was labeled "Mr. Ramin Karimloo", was right next to hers.  She lightly knocked on the door and heard Ramin yell for her to come in.

She stood there stunned for a moment when she walked in.  Ramin had three couches in his dressing room.  Three couches!  And his makeup table was slightly bigger than Sierra's.  He could live in here if he really wanted to.

Ramin laughed at Sierra's expression.

"Jealous?" He asked teasingly. 

"This is the size of my apartment in New York!" She whined.  He laughed.

"Aww come on; I'm sure yours isn't that much smaller," he persisted.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot; mine is only half the size of my apartment back home." She shot back. 

Suddenly, they both burst into laughter and Sierra collapsed onto one of the three couches.

"Oh, come on!" She wailed.

"What's wrong?" Ramin sounded genuinely concerned as he sat down on one of the other couches. 

"This couch is even more comfortable than the one couch I have in my dressing room!" She complained.  Ramin laughed and leaned back.

For awhile, they just sat there until they were called for sound check.  Ramin had to sing the first part of "'Til I Hear You Sing", and Sierra was told she'd be singing the first part of the title song. 

Once they were done with that, it was time to try on costumes.  Sierra skipped back to her dressing room and met her dresser, Kate, who already had her Christine mannequin costume set out. 

Sierra took pictures in all her costumes, but her favorites were the dress she wore for "Look With Your Heart" through "Once Upon Another Time" and the title song dress.  Just as Kate was helping her take off the coat she wore at the very end, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Sierra called, and Ramin entered the room, wearing his Phantom suit.  He grinned.

"Nice dress," he complimented her.  She smiled and looked down shyly.

"Nice suit," she giggled.  Ramin twirled around, and his coat tails flapped behind him.  Sierra laughed again.

After Ramin left, Kate helped Sierra out of her dress and left so Sierra could put her normal clothes back on.  By that time, rehearsals were over for the day.

She grabbed her purse and turned off the lights before exiting her dressing room, nearly knocking Ramin over with the door.

"Sorry," she giggled as he rolled his eyes.

They walked to the doors together in a peaceful silence.  As they were leaving, they bumped into the last person Sierra wanted to see.

"Hey, S," Tam greeted her.  She smiled stiffly at him. 

"What's up?" She asked unenthusiastically. 

Tam frowned.  "We just haven't talked in a while and I wanted to catch up.  We are dating, after all."

Sierra crossed her arms.  "I'm sorry, Tam, but I'm busy right now.  Maybe I'll call you later." Sierra put emphasis on "maybe", so Tam would know not to sit by his phone all night.

He narrowed his eyes at Ramin before stalking away.