After Headlines

13: Understudy

" I can't believe I'm going on as Julia today." JoJo muttered, as she paced across the livingroom. Bandstand had been open for a few weeks now and Leanna had to take off for a wedding, which meant JoJo was going on as Julia Trojan.

" What is she doing?" Penny whispered to Ben as they sat on the couch watching her pace back and forth.

" This is part of her process." Ben replied.

" She has a weird process." Penny stated.

" That, I cannot disagree with." Ben nodded.

" How long has she been at it?" Bexley walked into the room.

" 6 minutes and 38 seconds." Penny replied without missing a beat. She looked up to see all the adults, including JoJo, stop and give her looks.

" What? I've been counting." She shrugged.

" JoJo, you're gonna be fine." Josh called from the kitchen.

" But what if I'm not?" JoJo stressed.

" Bro, you literally used to do this all the time." Sky said.

" I know but, Bandstand's just such an important show and-"

" Girlie! You're gonna kill it!" Cara shouted from her bedroom.

" I guess." She flopped on the couch next to Ben while Penny hopped off to try and get Josh to give her candy.

" Sky, is there a reason you've been here almost every day?" Bexley asked quietly, sitting across from him at the table.

" Nope, not at all." He answered way too quickly.

" Did you just try and lie to your mother?" She said dryly.

" Yeaaah." He cringed. She waited expectantly.

" Natalie and I aren't exactly on good terms right now." He shrugged.

" Why is that?"

Sky glanced over at Cara as she crossed into the kitchen.

" You still have feelings for Cara." Bexley nodded.

" I never stopped. But she's happy with Levi-"

" Oh, they broke up." Bexley cut him off.

" Oh." He said blankly before trying to bite back a smile.

" Yeah, something to think about." Bexley stood from the table.

oOOo

JoJo spun her paperclip ring on her finger as she sat in her dressing room.

You've got this. You've got this.

She recited in her head. She never used to get stage fright this bad. But when you're playing such an important character, it can happen.

" Babe?" Ben knocked on her door.

" What're you doing here?" She smiled.

" I just came to wish you luck." He beamed, leaning down to kiss her.

" Well, thank you."

" You're welcome." His eyes got all squinty when he smiled.

" I love you." She added.

" Love you more." He pressed another kiss her lips before slipping out of her dressing room.

oOOo

JoJo did her bow alongside Leonard, who played Donny.

" THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND!" Ben shouted from the audience.

JoJo ran backstage and changed into street clothes.

" You absolutely killed it!" Toby cheered as JoJo made her way to stage door.

" Thank you! So did you!" JoJo grinned. She opened the door to a screaming crowd.

She quickly began going through the line where she ended with her family.

" Oh my gosh, I'm your biggest fan!" Ben called dramatically. JoJo rolled her eyes by willingly accepted his hug.

" You did so good!" Penny bounced.

" Thanks, munchkin." JoJo grinned.

" OH MY GOSH IT'S CARA BACHMANN!" Josh screamed as Cara came through the door. She normally didn't do stage door, only used it as an exit.

" Oh my gosh, I'm gonna kill you." She said once she got close enough to the group.

" Can I have your autograph?" JoJo stole Sky's program.

" You guys are the worst." Cara laughed.

" But you love us." Bexley smiled.

oOOo

The gang walked hung out at the park. Even though it was well past sundown, the park was surprisingly well lit.

" Can't catch me!" Penny called as she weaved between structures.

" How is she so quick?" Ben called as he got momentarily stuck.

" Hey, Bexley." Sky ran over.

" Yeah?" She smiled.

" I ended things with Natalie." Sky muttered.

" Really? And you wanna see able you and Cara?" Bexley tilted her head.

" Yeah." Sky nodded.

" Wait a bit. You both just got out of relationships, just wait a bit longer." Bexley stated.

" Okay. I will." Sky agreed.

" You're it." Penny ran up and tapped Bexley.

" You're it." Bexley tapped Sky, and both and Penny took off running.

Just wait a bit longer.