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Impressions-Original Piece

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Post by Konaxookami Thu May 02, 2013 11:45 pm

So I took a class this semester called Fiction Writing where, wouldn't you guess it? I had to write stories! What a notion. So for my final story, I was sort of at a loss, so in my plot outlines I outlined a one shot I had planned on using Haruka and Michiru for, making them actors. I hadn't expected to actually have the plot chosen, but low and behold, my professor said 'do that one'. SO. I fiddled with it and took bits and pieces from those two characters and created two new characters. Also wrote a plot for a stupidly cliched play-the sort you see in anime and manga.

This is the cut version of the story that I did for class, originally there was a lot more banter, but this flows a bit better. Hopefully. Edited and such. But I'd love to hear what you guys think of it because only three people other than me have read it. So yeah. Here you go.

Impressions


Someone once described the perfect actress as a woman who was cool and collected, someone was able to work well with others. Michele found that the definition was a bit hypocritical. To be cool and collected is one thing. She could handle that. Everyone knew she could handle that part of the definition, but she struggled with the second requirement.

“I don’t understand why they can’t just focus more.”

She said that once to her director, who tried to tell her that not everyone was as invested as her in their careers. He tried to defend the rest of his students and make it seem as though Michele was not insulting them.

She was. They knew it too.

They couldn’t deny that she was talented. Michele was their star actress, and when she headlined in their shows the turnout for tickets was a result that could not ignore. So they instead chose to ignore her poor attitude with others and deal with her only when they absolutely needed to. Michele thought the arrangement was well suited to her own desires and didn’t complain. She enjoyed the space the arrangement afforded her to focus on her own work and not her cast mates’ problems.

“Our school’s department has been selected for the regional drama festival this year and the theme is unity. So in the spirit of unity and creating good relationships we will be creating a show with another school on our district.”

The moment Michele heard that she felt a headache coming on. Oh lady fumi, another school? That means twice the people involved to deal with. She was the first to raise her hand. The rest of the company groaned.

“ I don’t think I will participate in this festival.”

Michele ignored the murmuring around her that told her that they would rather she not be a part of it anyways. Her director shook his head however.

“I’m afraid my hands are tied in this Michele. The entire group is expected to participate. The other school was quite excited when they heard they may have the chance to work with you, considering the work you’ve done outside of the school.”

“Ugh, no one wants her here though. She’ll just complain.”

“Tell me about it. Say we aren’t working hard enough or some other bullcrap. Let her drop this one. It’ll do us all a favor.”

Michele bit her lip, hands clenched her lap, “And…who is the school we will be working with?”

“St. Joseph’s.”

“That is another all girls school.” Michele felt irritation creep into her voice at the thought of dealing with an all girls cast.

“Yes. But you are all expected to show up next week at the audition with a piece ready to display,” their director announced, passing out the audition sheet, “You will all have a role, so do not think bombing the audition will get you out of this. We are going to put on a good face for our school, understood?”

There was a low murmuring of affirmation from the rest of the company. Michele took her sheet with tense hands, a frown biting at the edges of her mouth. This is why you should have just committed to only doing regional theater instead of work at school. This is what it gets you. A bunch of immature fools who don’t care about the show!

She wasn’t happy with the situation. Furious even as the week drew on and the audition came closer. Still, she prepared her audition with all the professionalism that was expected from her. As she signed up for her audition time slot, she mused over the situation.

It would be so easy to just not deal with this. But then you wouldn’t hear the end of it from them would you Michele? They’d never take you seriously then.

The day of the audition finally arrived. Girls of both schools lined the hallway of her drama wing, chattering with nerves and excitement. Michele sat off to the side, quiet and composed, gathering her thoughts. Her fingers curled around her audition monologue, her eyes scanning the words. She knew it by heart, but it gave her a sense of security, knowing that it was there. Having it prepared early was a good feeling. As she glanced at some of the girls panicking over their pieces, she allowed herself a roll of the eyes.

They had a week and they chose to wait until an hour before to memorize their monologues? I’m right about these people, they’re just not good enough for this.

“Hey, is this where the auditions are for the joint play thing?”

Michele’s fingers clenched around her paper and her head shot up. She hadn’t expected someone to come over to her here.

“Yes. It is,” her voice was tight as she sized up the person before her.

Tall and lanky, they certainly towered over most of the people in the hallway. The face was sharp, but not so much that Michele could consider it unattractive. Blonde bangs were brushed back by fingers, the rest of the hair barely scrubbing past the back of the neck, and an easy grin sat on their face.

What on Earth is a man doing here?

“Huh,” the stranger shifted their weight to one of their hips, “You don’t say much do you?”

“There really isn’t much to say is there? I’m trying to get ready for an audition and you making it rather difficult,” Michele’s voice was crisp as she gave the stranger a brittle smile, “So, if you would please…?”

“Oh yeah, my bad! I’ll get outta your way. Sorry for bothering you,” the stranger’s grin grew wider as they gave a short wave and walked away.

Michele let out a sharp huff of breath and smoothed her fingers over her papers. Relax. It’s nothing important Michele. Just some idiot whose girlfriend is probably trying out.

“Michele K.? You’re up.”

Michele stood, brushing off her skirt. She gave the man at the entrance of the theater a smile, “Thank you, I’m coming.”

It would be rather pointless for a person to tell another about the process that happens in an audition room. It would also be heresy to tell another person’s thoughts inside that room to the rest of the world. Thus, all that will be said on the matter of auditioning was that Michele nailed it, as she knew she would, and was as ever gracious as her director had asked her to be.

The cast list came out with all due haste, and the show given a name. Scripts were handed out and people heartbroken and ecstatic. Michele, for one, stared at her script with confusion. The whole group buzzed with anticipation.

“Heart of Stone? But that has a male romantic lead,” she murmured to herself, fingering through the pages, “We’re doing this with an all girl’s school, so how...”

“Oh, that would be with my help.”

Michele spun around gaped.

“Surprised? Most people are. I blame the genetics. There’s just something about androgyny that gets people.”

I…Oh my lady fumi. Michele stared at the stranger from the audition. It took a moment of two more of searching but she finally saw it through the layers of clothing. Curves, and breasts. Suddenly the face looked feminine to her, but if she had just glanced she knew she would mistaken her for a man once more.

“Man, you look speechless. It’s a good look on you I have to admit. M’names Erin. Nice to meet you.”

She stuck a hand out in the space between them, that ridiculous grin plastered on her face. It took a moment for Michele to gather her composure before accepting the handshake. She grasped the hand firmly, noting the rough texture of the calluses.

“Michele.”

“Looking forward to working with ya. You’re the female lead right? I mean you sure seem to be,” Erin’s grin caused Michele’s lips to twitch into a frown.

“Yes. I am,” Michele’s voice was tight, “I do hope you will take this show seriously.” Her hand tightened against Erin’s, but the girl’s face did not reflect the change in pressure. The easy expression stayed firmly in place.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that Michele. I’m pretty good at this acting shindig,” Erin took her hand back at last and waved her script in her other hand, “Should I worry about your acting abilities?”

Michele’s shoulders stiffened and she stuck out her chin, “No. You should not,” the words were sharp as she turned on her heels and left without another word. She bit her lip as she left the building, trying to force her indignation down.

How desperate were the directors to cast somebody like her in a show? And opposite the lead no less!

Michele attempted to ignore the tomboy, but it wasn’t a task easily accomplished. The girl would flirt with every available cast member around, joking while they were on break and in between scene work. There was a complete lack of focus when it came to the other actors on stage. She never appeared to be looking on in the script when she wasn’t on stage and only seemed mildly interested in the whole affair.

It wasn’t until a few days later when Michele finally had a scene with Erin that it all changed.
“Okay, Scene 4? That’s Michele and Erin, plus the two guards who bring Erin in. Alright you guys, give it a go and then we’ll give in a look over after you get it out in the space.”

Michele watched as Erin ambled up to the opposite side of the stage, joking with the other two guards walking along side of her. She felt the irritation at Erin’s attitude bubble up again and she had to force back a frown as she stepped into her stop on stage and straightened. She fell into her character, glancing down at the script as the girls on the other side of the stage readied themselves.
After a moment they came marching across stage, shoving Erin down to the floor. Erin crumpled before Michele’s feet with a grunt and Michele took a brief moment to enjoy the position she held over Erin before starting.

“You must be a foolish prince to get yourself captured by palace guards.”

Erin raised her head and Michele sucked in a breath.

Oh.

“Indeed. But it did grant me an audience with you, did it not, princess?”

Michele stared for a long moment at the woman on the ground. Her eyes were burning and her face grim, a complete 180 from the joking girl minutes before. She wasn’t even looking at the script in her hand.

“Leave us,” Michele ordered the guards on either side of Erin, “You certainly went to great lengths to meet with me. Why is that?”

Erin’s mouth curls up in a smirk, and Michele is taken by how well it works with the words that leave her mouth.

“I heard of a princess with a heart of stone, a beauty without compare. I came to see if the rumors were true. It would seem they are.”

Erin shuffles closer, her head cocking to the side and her eyes narrowing. Michele mirrors the motion forward and leans down, drawn in by the energy Erin was sending out, “A heart of stone you say? You speak surprisingly freely for a person who has been captured in enemy territory.”

“You, my lady, are certainly as cold as you can be,” Erin shook her head and even though Michele knows that Erin is supposed to escape from her bindings, she actually needs to stumble backwards as Erin rises, arms reaching out for her.

Erin’s hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, and Michele stumbled, raising a hand to steady herself against Erin’s shoulder. She looks up at Erin, glowering into eyes that are even and calculating.

“I would not expect such a woman in a land like this,” Erin’s lips turn up in a smile and she leans in, “But I will enjoy the novelty as it is. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance your highness. I hope to get to know you all too well in the coming days.”

“I doubt that will ever happen.”

Michele waits as the girls playing the guards stumble over their feet to get to the two of them and pull Erin away. Erin laughs, a throaty thing that makes her shiver a bit, and she allows herself to be escorted off stage.

“I suppose we’ll see!”

There was a pause, a suspension of the moment as Michele glared off to the side of the stage Erin had been pulled to before a clap echoed through the room.

“Guards need to pick up their cue a bit quicker, but it looks good so far! Take a five and then we’ll do it again!”

Erin’s head popped out from the wings, her normal cheeky grin on her face, “Thank you five!” The rest of her body emerged from the wings and she plucked her script from her back pocket.
Michele absently took a look at her own script, noting the lack to paraphrasing in Erin’s lines, and the staying true to the stage direction. She bit her lip. I may have prejudged her…The thought drifted to the front of her mind and caused her face to burn. She disliked being wrong, especially when it came to theater. When the instance called for it though, she knew she had to go and make herself right again. Even if it meant admitting she may have been wrong.

Erin did not look the least bit surprised when Michele came walking over. She had that grin on her face that made Michele’s skin crawl, but she ignored it as best she could and put a placid smile on. Erin beat her to the punch though.

“Surprised?”

Michele had to bite back her words before she answered, “You could say that. I feel I owe you an apology.”

“Oh?”

“I used your appearance and attitude as an excuse to write you off.”

“Annnnnd?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Erin rocked back on her heels and let out a loud laugh. Michele jumped a bit and then scowled at the taller woman, “I’m apologizing, you ass, the least you could do is take it!” she hissed.

Erin’s laughter tapered off and she leaned forward, “Hmm…I’ll think about it. I might accept it. Maybe. Juuuuust maybe, if you go on a line date with me. We have a lot of lines and if I wanna keep impressing you I gotta learn ‘em. What do ya say?”

“I-what?”

“How about 12 tomorrow? At the café down the street from the school? Sound good? Good. It’s a date,” Erin gave Michele a pat on the shoulder as she ambled off and Michele stood there for a moment, flustered before she felt her irritation rise up again.

“A date? How ridiculous,” She murmured as she walked back off towards her things on the other side of the stage, “She’s just being a flirt again. After I tried to be polite. lady fumi!”

Still-if she’s gonna run this as a line date, it will be a line date.

“Alright, we’re back! We’re gonna run this one a couple more times before we call it a day.”
Michele shook her head, straightening. “I’ll deal with it later. There’s more important things to worry about now.”

The next day, as Michele waited around the corner from the café, she thought about why she was doing this. Is this really just to prove I’m sorry? Or is it because she infuriates me so much? She fingered the strap of her purse absently; “I don’t think I can deal with her if she makes this about rubbing it in my face that I’ve apologized.”

When she took another look at her watch and saw that the time was 11:40, she finally walks the last five minutes to the café, expecting to be there first. She stopped and stared when she saw Erin sitting there, stirring is glass of iced tea with that now becoming familiar grin on her face. Her hand gripped the strap of her purse and she has to force down the urge to turn around and leave. Erin sees her before she can follow through on it, waving her arm and calling out her name.
Michele walked over to the table, all polite and prim and sat across from the tomboy.

“I hope you don’t mind I’ve already got a drink. The staff here knows me pretty well, so they just brought it over when they saw me sit down.”

“Oh, you bring women here often?”

Erin’s eyes lit up at the barb and she leaned back in her chair, “Oh, perhaps. I tutor a bit in lines, so they’re used to me bringing girls here. They may take is as they like-but the waitresses certainly enjoy my company,” Erin turned towards the kitchen and gave a small wave and within a few moments a young girl was over at the table.

“Hullo Sarah, my friend is finally here, would you mind taking her order?”

Michele had to resist the urge to roll her eyes as Erin winked at the high schooler.

“Not at all! What would you like Miss?”

“A hot tea please. Rosehip, if you have it,” Michele smiled at the girl, all politeness and charm. The girl nodded and scurried off with the order and Michele turned back to Erin, raising an eyebrow, “How many of these unsuspecting high schoolers think you’re a man?”

“Oh, who knows? It’s really their own fault if they do. I never said that I was a man, but then again I never said I was a woman either,” Erin grinned, “I’d never actually go after them.”

“Well, that’s a cruel way of acting around innocent girls.”

“Innocent? Huh,” Erin propped her elbows up on the table and rested her chin in the cradle of her hands; “I’m sure they’d get a laugh out of that.”

Michele paused, searching Erin’s face for a jest. Erin shrugged, her face nonchalant.

“I listen to people. Talk to them. You’d be surprised what you learn about a person after you’ve listened for a while.”

Michele cocked her head to the side and was opening her mouth with a retort when Sarah came back over with her hot water and tea bag. There was a pause as she thanked the girl and Erin gave her a joke before they turned back to each other.

“Are you implying that I don’t talk to people enough?”

Erin shrugged again, “Well, comparatively? You know, you can’t always act that way in life, right?”
Michele gave her teabag a stir in her cup and sighed, “I dislike the fact that the girls in my department aren’t dedicated. I love acting. I just wish everyone were as dedicated as I was in my school.”

Erin took a sip from her drink and paused, “Huh. Here I thought it was just because you disliked people in general,” she mused, tapping her free hand on the table.

“What about you? You don’t exactly strike me as the theater type,” Michele returned to question, and Erin blinked, before excitement washed over her face.

“You kidding? Pretending to be another person? Getting to live their lives for a bit and bringing the audience on a journey? Meeting all sorts of crazy people on the way? It’s great. I mean-it was this or race car driving and there aren’t many opportunities to become a race car driver soo….”

“Race car driver?”

Erin shrugged, taking a sip of her drink, “I like going fast.”

Michele stared down at her tea and watched the leaves turn the water umber. She fiddled with the tea bag and was startled out of her silence by Erin’s voice.

“A heart of stone…” Michele gave the girl a quizzical look and she continued, “It’s a little ironic that you got that part I mean. The princess with the heart of stone.”

“Are you insulting me?”

“I don’t know, am I?”

Michele frowned, leaning towards her companion with narrowed eyes,
Erin’s eyes flashed and a grin stretched across her face, “Sorry,” she gave a chuckle and leaned back in her chair, “You’re just quite the enigma. But that’s not what we’re here for! Lines! Have you got a script on you?”

Michele felt the now growing familiar annoyance at Erin’s flippant attitude, but still pulled her script out from her bag. She placed it on the table with a little more force than needed, and gave Erin a smile that was all sharp angles and no kindness.

“Of course. Where would you like to begin?”

Erin’s attitude remained as cheerful as ever as the two of them went through their scripts, exchanging quips as they went.

“Seriously though, how hasn’t he been executing by this time?”

“Or why hasn’t her father come and decided that this prince should be ransomed off? He’s fetching enough for it, isn’t he?”

“Fetching? Is that how you see him?”

Erin cocked her head to the side, “Well, the princess does fall for him in the end. I figure good looks have to factor in somewhere in this equation.”

“Are you sure you aren’t just trying to force your own looks into the equation?”

Erin’s grin grew and she gave Michele a wink, “Oh, do you find me fetching, Miss Michele?”
“Hardly. You aren’t nearly as attractive as you think you are,” Michele didn’t skip a beat in her reply; her smile tipped a bit wider than usual.

“Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in’it?” Erin pressed a hand to her chest, “And in my eyes I am dashing and handsome,” Her lip twitched a bit, “Plus, the amount of girls who mistakenly hit on me must say something on that.”

Michele didn’t bother fighting the snort, nor the rolling of her eyes after that comment. She fiddled with the edge of her script and peered at Erin, “You’re quite sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Have to be. It’s the only way to be in my mind.”

“Some people might call that arrogance.”

“Well, like I said, it’s all in the eye of the beholder.”

Michele leaned back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap, “And what do you see in me? I’m curious now that I’ve seen how vain you can be.”

Erin threw the back of her palm to her forehead and let out a loud gasp of horror at the jab, “Well, I never!” She drawled, holding the over dramatic pose for a moment before she gave in to the snickers and started to look at Michele. She propped her head on one of her palms, leaning across the table to stare at Michele with burning eyes. There was a pregnant pause before Erin gave a quizzical sort of smile, tilting her head. “I see young woman who does not interact enough with her peers. Mature, but witty. She’s certainly talented, but withdrawn,” she paused for a moment, shrugged again and added, “She’s gets offended a bit too easily to be in this career. But hey, nobody is perfect, right?”

Michele sat a moment, stunned. She coughed, taking a sip from her tea to gather her thoughts, “Is that really what you see in me?” she asked.

“I’ve seen you before. I mean, in shows. I was always sort of interested in you, you know, since you are talented. But I never saw you really with the other actors. Or anyone, really,” Erin took a sip from her drink and gave it a swirl, watching the ice turn about the glass, “So I got curious. Part of the reason I auditioned for this show you know. I was all for taking a break, but I heard your school was going to be our partner and decided to audition anyways. Pretty spur of the moment.”

“You certainly seemed out of place that day,” Michele, “And that would explain why you came up and asked me about the audition,” the thought came belatedly to Michele’s mind as she took a sip of tea, “Here I thought you were just some man trying to pick women up at a college.”

“Whoa, that was your first impression of me? I was smiling and everything!” Erin protested, frowning.

“Well, I cthought you were a man, that’s for sure.”

“Ouch,” Erin faked a wince and folded her arms across her chest, “Here I thought you were perceptive.”

“I was trying to collect myself before the audition. You really picked a horrible time to introduce yourself to me. It gave me a horrible first impression to say the least.”

“Horrible, or wonderful? Because you certainly remembered me, didn’t you?”

Michele allowed herself to laugh at that, “I suppose if we’re going by that standard, than yes, yes it was a ‘wonderful’ first impression,” she raised a hand to her lips, attempting to smother a smile, “I have misjudged you.”

Erin perked up, an eyebrow cocking upward, “Oh?”

“Oh, you’re still frustrating. But perhaps you aren’t total dead weight after all.”

“Oooh…I’ll take that as a compliment coming from you,” Erin downed the last of her iced tea and slapped a bill on the table, “I’ll pay, since I invited you out here. You’ll pay next time.”

Michele blinked, raising an eyebrow, “Next time?”

Erin shrugged, standing, “Well, we’ve still got lines, and I figure I’d better get you thinking I’m less frustrating if we’re gonna be a convincing pair of lovers,” she plucked her script from the table and tapped it against her free palm.

“Well,” Michele ran a finger over the edge of her teacup for a few moments, “We’ll see how rehearsal goes tomorrow.”

Erin gave a loud laugh and shot Michele a wink on her way out. Ambling to the door, she paused to give Michele a wave with her script and that cheeky grin before going out of sight.

Michele didn’t bother stopping her head from shaking as Erin left. She peered down at her script, left open to the end of the play, with mild eyes. It wasn’t the best-written play, but it served its purpose. Suppose it’s metaphor for the two schools coming together to work on this show…
“A prince willingly getting captured in the castle of his enemies. Instead of ransoming him or slaughtering him, the princess uses him as a servant. The prince is fine with this, since the only reason he broke in was to meet her,” she paused, frowning, “What a foolish prince.”

Instead of yearning for release, the prince tries to understand the princess. He gets her to trust him and open up the infamous ‘heart of stone’. The show ends with him foiling an assassination attempt and the princess falling in love with him at last.”

Michele tapped the papers, frowning, “It really is rather sappy…” she sighed, taking the script and replacing it back into her bag. She finished off her tea and left a few small bills on the table for the tip and left. Well, at least the tea here is nice.

The next day at rehearsal, Michele was almost amused at how earnestly Erin worked, considering at every opportunity she asked if they were still on for their second date.

Still, Michele was surprised at how much more fun she was having at rehearsal with Erin’s constant attempts to impress her. Whether it was her willingness to run a certain few lines five times over, or the fact that she was a ever present being on the edge of her vision, waiting to be noticed.
She’s sort of like a puppy dog isn’t she? Eager to please, to be sure.

“Hey Michele, mind going over the blocking of this with me again? Just to be sure we’ve got it down. I don’t want to hurt your wrist or anything,” Erin’s voice broke her from her reverie and Michele craned her neck up to look at Erin’s face. She could see her lips twitching, attempting to hide the smile that wanted to break free, and the hope that Michele would say yes.

“No harm in it, is there?”

“Great!”

Erin hopped up onto the stage, waving her arm for Michele to join her. Michele gave a silent chuckle before taking the steps on the side of the stage to join her. It was a few moments, and Erin rolling her eyes before Michele was face to face with her again. She huffed.

“Tsk tsk, keeping me waiting.”

“Quiet. I’m here aren’t I?”

Erin rolled her eyes again and took a few steps away from Michele, assuming their blocking positions for the final scene. She raised an eyebrow at Michele, asking permission to continue. When Michele gave her a nod she closed her eyes. When they opened again, she was the prince. Michele felt her face twist in a scowl, and her hands balled over her skirt. This scene was the worst of the character’s days. They were about to be parted for good. But fate was not too keen on the idea.
Erin’s body tensed and Michele readied herself to be grabbed. Erin’s hand flew out and grabbed her wrist, pulling Michele in and twisting her body around to cover Michele’s. Michele sucked in a breath as she rested in Erin’s arms. After a moment, Michele being acutely aware of the pressure of Erin’s arms and body, Erin pulled back a bit.

“How’d that feel?” she asked, her arms still wrapped around Michele’s body.

“Not too much of a pull, and you didn’t cause me to twist my ankle,” Michele replied, “So, good enough to pass.”

The grin Erin gave her in response cause Michele’s chest to tighten inexplicably. She warranted the emotion to the fact that Erin was still holding onto her and that was not an altogether normal occurrence. And though it did not truly bother her, she gave Erin a snide remark to keep with her character and listened to Erin laugh as she let her go.

Michele kept her waiting until the last moments before the rehearsal ended to tell her whether she was willing to go on the date.

“So? How about it? Did I get a second date out of this?”

“Well…the tea was nice enough. I suppose it wouldn’t be bad to have it again.”

Erin’s grin was wide and bright as she rocked on her heels, while proclaiming that Michele was a tease. But she agreed about the tea and offered to pick out her next brew. And then the one after that.

The tea continued to be nice, through the second line date, and the third. After that the pretense of running lines had dropped entirely. It was on one of those dates that Erin, while spinning her iced tea in her glass brought up a topic they hadn’t talked about before.

“So you heard the directors today right?”

“About what? The kiss? Yes I heard them. I was paying attention during notes today,” Michele took a sip of her tea, giving Erin a small smirk.

“So…It’s a kiss. Erin frowned, tipping her chair back a bit, “To be honest I hadn’t thought about the ending too much,” she mumbled, scratching her nose absently.

“Well, I was under the impression that with all of this flirting that there was a reason behind it. Don’t tell me you’re finally getting shy Erin,” Michele teased, a grin on her face. She paused, watching as Erin’s frown grew and she averted her eyes.

“Hey, hey! I didn’t-It’s just, ugh,” Erin ran a hand through her bangs, knotting her fingers in her hair, “I mean, both of our schools are going to have students at the show, yeah? It might not go well if you kiss me.”

“How so?”

“You’ve gotten better at talking to people since this show started, but still-there are some people who are willing to find any reason to beat you down. I just…” Erin squirmed in her seat, “I’d hate to be the reason you’d have gossip flying around you.”

“As noble as your intentions are Erin, I doubt my honor is in any place to be tarnished or saved by what we do in this play,” Michele admitted, a small sigh passing her lips. Despite that I have tried to fit in, haven’t I? To talk to Erin I have to talk to the rest of the girls since she’s always got a flock of them around.

“Still! Ugh…” The hand covering her face muffled Erin’s groan, “I don’t want to force you to do it. It’s optional in the script anyways.”

“So are you saying that I have the final choice? When do I have to give you my decision?” Michele frowned, her fingers tapping patterns on her teacup.

“I’ve always been good at the improve game, so I can roll with whatever, whenever you decide. If we hug? That’s cool. If we kiss? It’s cool. It’ll be a surprise every night.” Erin looked at her with solemn eyes, “I really don’t want to force anything on you Michele.”

“…Thank you, Erin,” Michele’s answer was delayed a moment or two in shock at the seriousness in Erin’s voice, “All the same, what do you want to do? Do you want to kiss me?”

Michele watched as something flashed across Erin’s face for a moment before it was gone, smothered by her shrugging, “My intentions have been the same since the beginning of this whole shindig,” after a pause she continued, “Hey, is it your turn to pay, or is it mine?”

“Mine,” Michele said at last, reaching into her purse and pulling out her wallet, “Did you get any food today?”

“Mmm…I got a lemon roll?”

“You’re going to get fat if you keep snacking. You got tiramisu last time, remember?”

“Hey! I’m allowed to indulge every once and a while, aren’t I?” Erin stood, huffing, “Besides, you got a muffin last time! So, I figured it would be fine,” she shoved her hands in her pockets and rolled her eyes, “You’re just being mean to me for the sake of making me upset. I’m shocked at you Michele!” she allowed her voice to rise in volume and melodrama until finally she finished with a mock sob.

“All the same, you’re paying for the tip. So hurry up and get your wallet out so we can get going. I’ve got some homework to finish before we head back to do the final dress run.”

“Drat,” Erin took her wallet out and tossed a few singles on the table, “Homework. I’d forgotten about that,” she pushed her chair in and ran a hand through her hair “If only I were a race car driver…”

“Well, you aren’t, so go do your work,” Michele gave a small giggle at the crestfallen look that Erin gave her and smiled, “I’ll see you tonight, Erin.”

“Yup. See you then.”

Michele’s walk back to her dorm was quick.

I hadn’t thought about that kiss at the end. I had always sort of glazed over it. Erin never brought it up. Never even tried to flirt over it. That’s pretty rare for her. She normally just tries to flirt over every little quip she can in the script. What’s with the flippant attitude towards it all? She’s normally all for trying to steal a kiss.

In the time she had gotten to know Erin over the last two months, she had gotten to be well acquainted with Erin’s lack of personal space. The woman was taller than her, and seemed to be forever leaning over in Michele’s face. Her wide grin and bright eyes would be ridiculously close. Michele would roll her eyes and shove her back. Erin would laugh and tease, but Michele would simply shake her head and brush it off. It was a testament to how far they had come that Michele didn’t slap her when she got that close to her.

“It’s my choice is it?” Michele frowned, her fingers tightening around her purse. She couldn’t focus on her homework when she finally got back to her dorm. She spent her free time chewing on the end of her pen, or drumming her fingers against her desk.

“My intentions have been the same since the beginning of this whole shindig.”

“That was what she said, isn’t it?” Michele let out a short huff, pouting, “To get to know me better. But where does that end, exactly?” She pushed back her chair from her desk and winced at the hard noise it caused. She wrinkled her nose and heaved a sigh, “She’s just as frustrating as before.”

The opening night of the show crept up on the cast, and Michele, for the first time in quite some, was not sure what to do with herself that night. Every night up until opening night she had opted not to kiss Erin in the final scene. Rather, she went for a hug, figuring the second option made the whole scene have less sexual implications at the end of the show. Now that the show was opening, she felt as though she was fooling herself.

The scene really is meant to end with a kiss…but the whole thing-Erin seems to be jumpy whenever I bring it up. She seems to be fine with just the hug. And yet…

“Having fun in your little dream world there, Mich’?”

Michele swung around, blinking owlishly at Erin, who had swooped over in her costume. She looked resplendent in her flowing cape and crisp tunic. It took her a moment to remember that the handsome ‘prince’ was in fact her friend.

“Well, don’t you look nice.”

“Yeah, you like the cape? It’s new. The costume lady decided to add it last minute,” Erin gave the cape a flick and it rippled around her, “I think it fills the costume out pretty nicely. Plus this means that when you hug me at the end I can just wrap you up in this,” she grinned, spreading it out wide, “It’ll be like a little cape cocoon.”

“Erin, about that-the hug I mean-Are you sure you don’t want to change it to a kiss?”

Erin’s arms drooped, her cape falling back to her sides. Her brow furrowed and she frowned, “Well, I mean, the hug works doesn’t it?”

Michele stood, brushing off the skirts of her gown, “Yes, but it seems like a kiss might fit better. What do you say? I mean, if I did kiss you?” Michele watched as Erin fiddled with the hem of her cape and tapped her foot, “Erin?”

“Oh, I mean…Jeez, Michele, did one of the girls say something? It looks fine the way it is,” Erin answered at last, taking a step in, her frown growing, “Why are you pressing it?”

“Because you seem to be backing away from it and that is decidedly unlike you. Are you going to prove my first impression right and be frustrating right now?” Michele demanded, balling her hands into fists. She stomped over to Erin, raising her chin as she glared at her friend.

Erin started at that, opening her mouth, sucking in a breath, “Oh. I…Damn it Michele,” Erin ran a hand through her hair, before patting it back down to it’s style as she realized she messed up the hairdresser’s work, “Look. I’m gay. You know that. I know that. I’m butch and it’s just the way it is with me. I kiss girls. It’s not a big deal with me. But with you,” She bit off her words, crossing her arms over her chest, “You’re different. You’re not-I mean-not like me. We’re friends and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea from kissing me. Or for anyone else to get the wrong idea about you.”

“I don’t…What do you mean?” Michele’s brows knit together and she frowned, confusion on her face. She felt her shoulders relax as Erin uncrossed her arms and placed large hand on her shoulders, giving a small squeeze.

“I don’t want people to assume that because you’re willing to kiss me, and assume that you’re not into guys.”

“That’s…that’s ridiculous Erin! Why would anyone think-” Michele’s words were cut off by a gentle kiss to her forehead. She felt her chest tighten as Erin’s breath swept across her skin.

“Break a leg out there Michele,” Erin’s smile was small and sad. Her eyes locked with Michele’s for a moment and it took a beat for Michele’s heart to lurch. Erin finally turned at the call for places and it all fell into place.

Oh. Oh.

Michele had to grab hold of herself to calm her nerves and racing heart. That made sense. How stupid could she have been? Or course it all made sense now. Erin wanting to get to know her, the flirting, the pretenses to have them meet at the café. She shook the thoughts clear from her head though as she got in her place for the start of show. She spotted Erin from across the stage, and caught her gaze. The tomboy shot her a grin and a thumb up and she didn’t bother fighting the smile that crossed her face.

She has lived up to her first impression. Frustrating to the end.

The thing Michele was proud of most about her acting was the ability to go and tune out what she didn’t need emotionally and focus on her work entirely. She put anything that didn’t have to do with the show to the back of her mind and let herself only work on the acting. At this moment, she was incredibly proud of that. If not for that, she would have been thinking about the ending the entire show.

“Surely you wouldn’t mind me leaving, would you?”

Michele, or rather the princess, watched as the prince turned his back to her.

“What sort of nonsense are you spouting now?”

Michele grabbed hold of the cape, tugging it. The ‘soldiers’ around them tensed. She waited a moment for Erin to turn, and sucked in a breath at the heartbreak etched on the face.

“With our father’s truce, you no longer need me by your side. I’m not needed here, and I’m certainly not wanted here.”

“How can you assume such a thing? I never said you were allowed to leave!” Michele’s voice rose in pitch and she gave another sharp tug to the cape.

“Why do you want me to stay? To torment me with what I cannot have?” Erin turned fully to Michele now, taking the hand that had grabbed the cape and pulling it away, “I was wrong about that heart of yours. There’s no way to turn it back from stone,” Erin’s eyes lowered to the ground and she dropped the arm she held. Michele let it fall to her side, useless.

“So you will leave?”

“Yes.”

“Suppose I don’t let you?”

Erin’s smirk was painful to endure and not for the first time Michele felt her heart go out for the prince. She watched as she opened her mouth to speak and she knew how the scene went. Erin would see a soldier with a knife come up behind her. She would grab Michele, and then turn them around taking the hit in the back for her. Erin gave out her shout of warning and it happened just has it had in rehearsal, but this time, Michele was hyper aware of where she was in relation to Erin.
Her body was pressed against Erin’s, curled in protectively. It was a moment or two before Erin groaned and the two of them collapsed to the ground. There was a scuffle behind them, but Michele only had eyes for Erin at this point. Her fingers sought purchase on Erin’s face, pawing at her to look up at her.

“Why?” Her voice was dangerously close to cracking.

Erin’s smile was one Michele had seen only a handful of times while they were together. A small thing, reserved for when she didn’t think Michele was paying attention. She chuckled, a weak thing, “Isn’t it obvious?”

Michele sucked in a breath at that, feeling her control slip from her fingers. Oh. Oh no. I was right wasn’t I? She hesitated, shaking her head. “Useless fool! Getting yourself injured over me…when you know I can’t bear to be without you!” she buried her head in Erin’s chest, sobbing, heart pounding. She could feel Erin’s heart pumping furiously beneath her tunic and her fingers gripped the sides of Erin’s head as she pulled her down into an embrace.

It was a moment before Erin pulled away, wiping the ‘tears’ from Michele’s face. Her smile was weak, but her eyes said what her face could not, “I could not bear to see you hurt. You ought to know that by now. I’d give my life for you.”

“And I-I would do the same!” Michele’s hands found Erin’s shoulders, clenching the fabric beneath her palms, “I love you.”

Erin’s smile grew wider, “I thought I would never live to hear those words.” She grasped Michele’s arms, strength returning to her, “At last.”

Michele gave a watery laugh and shook her head. Oh, this is where it’s supposed to happen isn’t it? The hug-or the kiss. The thought crossed her mind and she peered up into Erin’s face. There was the beginning of worry creeping into Erin’s eyes, as the two sat there for a long moment. Michele smiled, and Erin, ever the actress, smiled back, taking one of her hands to Michele’s cheek, brushing her thumb across her cheekbone. Michele laughed, silent and sure.

Well. I suppose it’s my turn to surprise you Erin. Let’s see if I can’t pull that first impression around. She thought, leaning up towards Erin’s face, eyes fluttering closed as the lights dimmed and the curtain close to thunderous applause.
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Post by Luu Sky Sapphire Fri May 03, 2013 7:09 pm

Just want to point one thing out before I read this.

Michele = Michiru

Please tell me I'm wrong, I DARE YOU. >:3 Substituting names for what originally was supposed to star the popular Sailor Moon couple! Pfft!

michiru : Kona "Cloverway'ed" me? How daring of her~
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Post by Konaxookami Mon May 06, 2013 4:04 pm

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:Just want to point one thing out before I read this.

Michele = Michiru

Please tell me I'm wrong, I DARE YOU. >:3 Substituting names for what originally was supposed to star the popular Sailor Moon couple! Pfft!

michiru : Kona "Cloverway'ed" me? How daring of her~

You Sir, are correct. I even used the Cloverway Dub names in the plot outline I handed in.
Impressions-Original Piece  Screen10
I didn't expect to actually WRITE it for school. I just took a fanfiction plot and used it as a placeholder.

And funny enough, these two ended up becoming different characters once I stopped mistakenly typing Michele's name as 'Michiru'. There are just some little Easter Eggs in there for Sailor Moon fans, since I DID base the two lovely ladies off them. But read it and THEN tell me that Michele is Michiru. I dare YOU.

Michiru is a much more opinionated and clever woman than Michele. Michele's actually a bit of a brat. She wouldn't last very long in the real theater world with her attitude towards others. ^^;
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Post by Luu Sky Sapphire Mon May 06, 2013 6:46 pm

I have friends in theaters from actresses and stage hands to costume designers. All of them have told me that if a drama queen expects to become successful, she'd better get out of the business right now. There is no superstar even in acting, theater is actually a team effort. Now I'm really interested in the direction you've taken Michele. Be back soon with a review. Wink

All Easter Eggs will be exposed just for shits and giggles. pokemon
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