Columbus

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- "The thing about explorers is they discover things that are already there."

"Break a leg!" called Charlotte after Cordelia, who was finally heading backstage. "Okay, you two find your seats, I'm gonna go grab the flowers for after the show."
"Isn't this fun?" Marvin asked Whizzer once Charlotte had gone.
"It's very nice. Uh, what exactly is the play about again?"
"Christopher Columbus or something. Cordelia's playing the queen of Spain." He explained.
"Ah, yes, the age old tale of some old white guy stealing land from unsuspecting natives and assuming their ethnicities." Whizzer rolled his eyes.
"Well, that's one way to put it." The two grabbed their seats towards the front and waited for Charlotte to return. "I heard that it's a good show."
"I might be able to enjoy it." Whizzer said with a wink just as their friend came back with an impressive bouquet.
"Jeez, you want her to be able to carry that thing, right?" Marvin joked.
"Do you think I'm overdoing it?" Charlotte asked nervously.
"Oh no, you're fine. She's gonna love it." She sighed, relieved, and settled into her seat just as the lights dimmed and a young girl walked out.
"Explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, Italy. His first voyage into the Atlantic Ocean in 1476 nearly cost him his life.."
"Gosh, I didn't know this was his life story. I thought it was just the important parts." whispered Whizzer.
"I dunno. Just watch." Marvin replied.
"He has been credited for opening up the Americas to European colonization. But his journey to the New World began like this." Two young men stepped out from backstage, one of which looked oddly familiar to Marvin.
"Brother!" The first boy called. "How was your last trip to Africa and Asia?"
"It was terrible; the road is long and dangerous! We must find a new way to Asia!
"Oh God, is that the guy from the party?" Marvin whispered to Charlotte. "The Kermit kid?"
"Yeah, his name's Mendel." She whispered back.
A few scenes played out, with Mendel, who was actually quite good at acting, tried to convince John II: King of Portugal that the world wasn't flat. Soon he decided to go to the leaders of Spain for help instead. After about 20 minutes, another familiar face walked on stage.
"I have plan to make the Spanish empire the most powerful and richest of all!" Mendel cried to the king and queen of Spain.
"How are you planning to do so?" Cordelia asked him, causing Charlotte to cheer for her first line, which made a bit of a scene.
"It will take me at least a month to do so." Mendel continued.
"You're crazy!" said the king of Spain. "It's not possible!"
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I will discover the fastest way to Asia and it will make you rich."
"Very well." smiled Cordelia. "But what do you want from us?"
"Do you like it so far?" said Marvin quietly.
"It's, well, it's a high school play." Whizzer smirked. "But I like watching it with you."
The show continued, and surprisingly was somewhat funny, though it may have just been the terrible acting that was amusing.
"Hello people! I'm your new governor, and this land belongs to Spain." exclaimed Mendel once Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World.
"Gods have visited us!" cried one of the natives.
"Do you think we've done something terrible?" questioned another.
"You two shall be my slaves." said Mendel with a grin.
Whizzer scoffed. "Typical."
The small cast walked upstage for their bows. Cordelia had a hard time trying not to laugh when she saw Charlotte jumping up and down and cheering for her. Afterwards, the four hung around outside the school taking photos. As Whizzer was taking some pictures of Cordelia, Charlotte slid over to Marvin.
"A bit strange for you to bring your special friend to the show." she said with a grin. "Did you bring him to take better photos? Because that isn't a great move."
"That's not why I brought him. And he's not my 'special friend'." he replied.
"Then what would you call him?" she asked slyly.
"My boyfriend." said Marvin smugly. Charlotte stared at him in disbelief for a moment, before fully comprehending what he had said.
"How about that, Marv'. You did it." she smiled. Cordelia returned with Whizzer and gave Charlotte a kiss on the cheek.
"I never got to thank you for the flowers with him forcing me to take about a thousand photos." she giggled.
"Hey! I bet you I got at least..2 or 3 good ones." Whizzer joked.
"I like him Marvin. You've got a great guy there." Charlotte smirked as Whizzer wrapped his arm around him. Cordelia looked at the two, her mouth forming into a small "oh" of realization.
     "Well I'm glad that after all your stories about him something finally happened." she teased. The group chatted a bit longer before Charlotte and Cordelia left to return home.
"You told them about me?" Whizzer asked, turning to Marvin.
"Yeah. I had to tell someone how I was feeling or I would've exploded."
"You could've told me." he winked.
"I'd probably have a better chance of exploding if I did that." Marvin laughed. "Seriously, asking you out was the scariest moment of my life. And I'm still nervous just talking to you sometimes."
"I don't think it's really a great idea to be scared of talking to your boyfriend."
Just hearing Whizzer say that was all it took to make Marvin melt. "Yeah, I mean, that's a bit problematic, I guess." he stammered. "But that's not the only reason I've been nervous."
     Whizzer cocked his head, confused. "What's the other reason?"
     Marvin sighed. "I really like you a lot, but I can't help but feel scared whenever I try to show that. One of the main reasons I haven't come out to many people is because of all the negative reactions I know some people might have, and I don't want to have to deal with that. I just feel terrible that I can't be with you without this fear in the back of my mind that someone's gonna want to kick my ass just because I.." he trailed off, slightly embarrassed about letting this all pour out.
     "Well you and I are seeing this in a very different way." said Whizzer. "I see this as...a chance for you to show people what you've been hiding. It's time for you to stop being afraid of "what ifs" and just stop caring. This is your life, so no one should bother you about how you live it."
     Marvin looked up at him. "You're right."
     "I'm always right, silly." he smirked. "C'mon. I'll drop you back at home." Marvin grinned, inspired by his words, and gave him a quick peck before they headed off. Whizzer laughed. "Look at you, already proclaiming your deep, emotional love." he teased.
     "Oh shut up." Marvin chuckled.
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A.N.// the quote is from In Trousers, and the play is from http://www.teenink.com/fiction/scripts_plays/article/767881/Discovering-America

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