Theatre Is A Lie ~ Joshua Burrage

Chapter 20

Josh sat in the male ensemble dressing room, tying on his newsie boots. The room was filled with the racket of theatre nerd boys fighting over which musical was better and blasting said musicals. Josh learned to either ignore it by now or just join in. Right now he was ignoring it, stuck in his own little world as he tried to plan out what he was going to say to Ami. He wasn't sure exactly how to plan it out. She liked when people were straightforward, he knew that, he just wasn't sure how to be straightforward.

There was a knock on the dressing room door and the chatter died down as a muffled voice yelled from the other side, "Are you all decent??" All the boys responded with "yes" but it sounded like gibberish when they all failed to say it in unison. The door opened and Ami stepped through with someone who looked oddly familiar to Josh. He couldn't put his finger on who the taller man by her side was until she explained, "Guys this is my practically brother, Beau." Everyone waved and a chorus of "Hello's" echoed through the room. Beau laughed, "This is mega cool, after all the performances I've seen here I finally get to see the backstage."

Ben walked up sticking out his hand, "Hi! I'm Benjamin Tyler Cook but you can call me Ben. I'm one of Ami's tour besties." Beau smiled widely, shaking his hand, "Ive heard a lot about you! Ami talks nonstop about you and whoever Sky Flaherty is. She clearly thinks very highly of you so a friend of Ami's is a friend of mine!" Sky walked over, also shaking Beau's hand, "Nice to meet ya, I'm the Sky Flaherty you just so happened to mention." Beau got along with the two awfully quick and Ami then managed to wave over  Austin who had been hiding shyly.

Austin nervously looked up at Ben and Sky, smiling awkwardly. Ben immediately shook his hand and introduced himself again and Austin couldn't help but share the other boy's contagious excitement. Ben and Austin ran off to the stage so Ben could give him a tour before the show. Ami led Beau over to her dressing room so they could wish Stephanie luck. Stephanie was ecstatic to get so much attention for her first show on as Katherine. Ami felt like a proud mom, even though Stephanie was probably older than her. Beau and Austin walked with her to the audience, for all three were going to watch Stephanie's show as Katherine and then Beau and Austin would stay for the next show to support Ami as Katherine.

When they sat down, the overture began to play and Ami couldn't help but feel a little giddy seeing the show she'd been performing in for the past year for herself. While she watched, Beau would whisper little jokes and comments here and there. She didn't mind because she knew the show like the back of her hand and could easily stand in the aisle and perform along with the rest of the cast onstage. She couldn't help but cry a little with Crutchie was taken away, forgetting how upsetting the scene was when she saw it in rehearsal. During Something to Believe In she had to hold back singing along, proud of how well Stephanie was doing with this only being her first time performing as Katherine. At the end, Ami was the first to stand up, applauding all her boys and Stephanie. She, Beau, and Austin stayed behind and let everyone rush out to stage door before following and sticking to the end of the line.

Beau and Austin were antsy and wanted to get their playbills signed but promised to only let Stephanie sign it and then save for after the second show. When Ben and Sky came up to the end, Ami hugged them, all three squealing like teenage girls. Ami teared up a little, "You two did so well! I'm so proud of my boys!" When Josh came out of the stage door, he looked guilty and when Stephanie emerged close behind she looked very upset but clearly masked it for the fansies.

All the fansies complimented Stephanie and Ami could hear a few telling her that Ami was right and she was an amazing Katherine. By the time Stephanie reached Ami at the end of the line she was on the brink of tears, "Oh, Ami, I cant thank you enough! This was so fun." Ami smiled, "Well if you enjoy it so much maybe we can alternate Katherine every so often." Stephanie's eyes lit up and she squealed, "I would love that!" The two girls hugged and then Beau, Austin, Ami, Ben, Sky, and Stephanie all went out to lunch together before the second show.

Beau had briefly asked Ami why Josh wasn't joining them but she just brushed it off as him being busy but secretly upset that he still hadn't bothered to reach out to her at all about being distant. They had a good lunch and the group all got to know Beau and Austin a bit more. Austin was very star struck to be around so many talented people and Ami tried to reassure him it wasn't a big deal. When they got back to the theatre, Beau and Austin were let into the audience slightly early and Ami went to get ready. Stephanie followed Ami instead of going back to the hotel.

Ami got ready, Stephanie sitting on her phone and waiting. When Ami was finally ready and started to prep for her wig, Stephanie looked up, "Um... Ami?" Ami nodded, "Hmm?" Stephanie took a deep breath, "Promise you won't freak out or anything but... Something real bad happened." Ami looked at her and laughed nervously, "Who'd you kill...?" Stephanie bit her cheek, "Well, you see.... Josh kind of... kissed me?"

Ami frowned, turning to her, "W-What?" Stephanie looked at her sorrowfully, "I'm so sorry Ami." Ami stayed quiet for a moment, eyeing the floor. She wasn't mad at Stephanie, she wasn't mad at Josh. Just very heartbroken and disappointed in her boyfriend. She sighed, burying her face in her hands, "I should've never given him a chance. I knew I should've never gone back to dating. This was all a mistake." Stephanie hugged her, "No, no, no honey." She began crying into Stephanie's shoulder as Stephanie patted her back gently.

It's my show's tech week, joy. I have to share a mic with 4 other people because we don't have a lot of them ): I get it for like two scenes though so that's nice.