A Girl I'd Kinda Be Into

Chapter Thirteen

(y/n)'s POV

It was finally happening! I felt anticipation bubble in my stomach as I made my way to the drama room. Today was the first read-through, and it was starting soon. I couldn't have possibly been more ecstatic. I wanted to know what the lines were, hear the voices as my castmates told jokes a well as acted out heartbreak and betrayal. I was in love with the thrill of a first read-through (and first love), and few things could really beat it.

It also definitely helped to boost my ecstasy that Christine would be there. Christine who had borrowed my hoodie again today, despite it being huge and boxy on her. Christine who sang The Acceptance Song in its entirety at lunch today out of excitement. Christine whose hands visibly twitched all day, like she was desperate for a script in her hands. Christine.

And with that delightful thought I arrived at the auditorium, where I'd be spending a lot of time for the next two months that would be used to put this show together. I swung open the door and breathed in the dusty air, seeing people turn to look at me sporting their own large smiles, gleaming with anticipation.

Everything felt unreal, like it always did at the first rehearsal. It always solidified, in my mind, that what I truly wanted to do with my life was act. I wanted to feel the lights soak into my skin, hear my own voice echo through a huge theater as I was the center of attention for a little while.

"(y/n)! Are you stoked? Amazed? Excited? Thrilled?" Christine squealed as she leaped onto onto my back as if I was about to give her a piggy-back ride. She was buzzing with joy, just as I was, and smiling brighter than I'd ever seen her.

It felt like life was moving fast, almost too fast. One second, we were in the auditorium doing the read-through. Then we were at home practicing harmonies. Then, back at rehearsal learning group harmonies. Then at another, and another, and another. Life was flashing before my eyes in real time, and I couldn't be happier.

We were blocking the last scene, and then we were working on choreo for You Happened.

And then Christine and I kissed, in character. And then we decided that we might as well do it occassionally to practice.

We had to look perfect, right? It didn't mean anything, it was just practicing a stage kiss, right? That's why we were doing it, that was the only reason.

But life continued to be a blur. She kissed me when I got 100% on an English assignment. We practiced and practiced until we were together 24/7.

Suddenly we were having sleepovers every night, practicing stage makeup and dancing and singing along to Falsettos.

Everything started to revolve around the play and Christine. We were kissing every night, now. And one time she started to kiss down my neck and pull my hoodie off, but my mom walked in.

I always wondered what would've happened that night if my mom had decided to mind her own business, but I guess I'll never know.

I was living in a montage, I couldn't hold onto old moments because there were always more to replace them. Soon we were costume shopping together with Jeremy and Michael. They'd recently started dating, and called it a double date.

Christine and I never said it wasn't.

And then we were rehearsing in costumes, and she was twirling all over the place in her character shoes. I was cleaning off my converse, trying to make them look less dirty and beat up.

I ended up buying a new pair, and Christine obviously went with me.

We brought a pair that were a gay pride flag. My character was out and proud, after all. It would only make sense.

She kissed me that day, in public. We were both taken aback, but so in love that it didn't matter.

We were in dress rehearsal nearly every waking moment, now. I struggled to make sure my homework was done on time. But I definitely handed in a couple incomplete assignments. It was fine, they weren't worth all that many points anyway.

I had better things to focus on.

(726 words)