They Call Us Show Girls

[Swan_Song]

Meimei hadn't left until after Brielle had gone, and realized that her phone was dead. She sighed and put it in her pocket before going outside into the crisp night air. She inhaled, loving the city at night. It was raw and intense and full of life, even more than during the day. She walked down the street, wearing black skinny jeans and a dark lacy top, her stilettos clicking in the silence that surrounded her. She hummed idly, looking at her sheet music for the bass part she would be playing at the jazz club. She had only started learning, and the bass guitar was borrowed, but she liked it. She hummed her part as she walked, turning until she got closer to Broadway. She loved walking by the theaters, and just knowing she would be there someday. It gave her a sense of hope.

 

[B e t h y <3]

We'll seeeee

Bri eventually fell asleep on the couch, the phone laying beside her.

Meh, I wanna time skip.

Brielle woke up with her alram clock, for once. She rolled over, glancing at the phone laying beside her. Once she realized what had gone down last night, she groaned, rubbing her head, since it started throbbing with confusion. She pulled herself up, popped a waffle in the toaster, and turned on the morning news as she wrapped a robe around herself.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Mm, it's going to be a showdown! Maria's going to cause some trouble, too, at some point

Caden was up and about early- that was always when he woke up, his alarm set for six o' clock. He was just a morning person, who liked to get everything done before he set out for work in the morning, because in the evening he rarely felt like doing much at all. He did his usual workout session before hopping into the shower, then changing for the day. It wasn't until he'd sat down to have a slice of toast and some coffee and read the paper that he'd actually had time to think about his phone call with Maria last night. Looking around again at his apartment, empty in the sense that he was the only one still occupying it, he sighed and wondered why this had happened all of the sudden. Was her being away meaning that she was getting bored? It wasn't as though she couldn't come and see him, though, they were still in the same city... Was she just bored of him, regardless of the distance? Or maybe he was thinking way too much into it. He finished his food and set out for work.

 

[B e t h y <3]

Fo Rizzle xD

Brielle pulled on some shorts and a hoodie. She threw her hair up in a ponytail, brushed her teeth, and after grabbing her bag, walked out the door. The waffle was left uneaten on the table next to the TV. Bri was obviously not thinking straight, otherwise things would've been taken care of.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Hahaha, really? I've never heard anyone say that before. Funny xD

Caden was the first to arrive, unbolting the lock on the theatre door, turning on all the lights both on and off the stage. He dropped his bags down by the front row and headed to the piano while noone was there to run through a devised piano scored he'd been up writing when he couldn't sleep, for a song from Chicago for the girls. It sounded funny when he sang along with it softly, it was purely a female's song, but it all seemed to work nevertheless.

 

[B e t h y <3]

Bri actually arrived at the theatre early, thinking no one else would be there. She saw Caden at the piano, and sat down, listening to him play a song from Chicago. She closed her eyes, and leaned her head back, still tired from her long night.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Caden played until something didn't sound quite right to him, which happened a few times. He picked up a pencil, scribbled in a revised version, and then went backward a few bars and trying it over and over until he liked it. Eventually he reached the end and he scribbled a few more written notes at the bottom of the score for things to remember before he wrote it up in neat form. Considering he hadn't had time to do this sort of thing for a while, musical theory was something you didn't forget easily, and the ideas just came to him. He didn't notice anyone had arrived.

 

[xXMysticXx]

Eli groaned softly as his hand reached to turn off the sounding alarm clock beside his bed out of habbit. He rolled himself out of bed reluctantly, he wanted to stay in bed and close his eyes for a few more restful moments but he knew if he did he wouldn't be getting up for work any time soon. He slumped down the small hall of his apartment to the less than par kitchen and flicked on the coffee maker before heading back across the apartment to the bathroom. He took a quick shower while the coffee maker worked it's magic, the hot water spraying down on him helped to wake him up. He stood there for a moment letting the water run, it's warmth helping to ease and intense his muscles as it ran over his shoulders and down his back. He wrapped himself in a towel and dried himself quickly as he made his way to the pot of steaming coffee. Grabbing a mug out of a cupboard and filling it up carefully before taking a much needed sip Eli sighed. He yawned a bit and placed the mug onto the counter as he headed to his room to dress. He threw on a pair o dark jeans and a simply off-white button down with vertical blue stripes and took his last few sips of coffee before heading out the door locking it behind him. He casually made his way onto the busy morning street on his way to the side parkinglot. He got to work a few minutes later and parked in the back lot of the building and headed inside.

 

[Swan_Song]

Mei had rolled out of bed, tired from her late gig the night before. However, it was early enough so she could head to the dance studio for an hour or so before walking to work. She took the bus to the studio, and went in to practice to get herself warmed up. She decided to practice her ballet routine, going to the bar to stretch out her legs. After practicing for a while, she felt much more alert, and was her usual quirky self. She checked her phone and left the studio, walking down the street in her dance gear. She didn't mind if people stared; she loved to wear her dance clothes in public. She came into work through the back door, then went to the stage area for rehearsal. She looked around to see if Eli was there, then snuck over to the table to grab some of the little pastries that had been provided for breakfast.

 

[B e t h y <3]

Brielle opened her eyes. More and more people were showing up, and Brielle saw Mei out of the corner of her eye. Bri stood up, did a quick stretch for her aching groin muscles and skipped over to Mei. "You're spending the night tonight. I have no customers, and we haven't had a girls' night in like- a month." A month was a long time, in Bri's opinion. Under her breath, she added, "I have to tell you about a phone call I got last night."

 

[xXMysticXx]

Eli came in through the back of the building, it was closer to where he parked his car and it also generally kept him from the awkward greetings and meaningless small talk about recent events and future plans. He wasn't much of a morning person and the back was normally secluded and quiet and Eli appreciated his solitude this early in his day. He saw, when he walked in Bri and Mei talking and whatnot and tried to keep his expression under control, not wanting to show his displeasure, he had hoped he could sneak in and simply have a cup of coffee before his shift began. He walked to a nearby chair and placed his coat on it after stuffing his keys into a pocket, pretty much ignoring the girls like he hadn't really noticed them.

 

[Swan_Song]

Mei looked over at Bri and nodded. "Most definitely! Plus, I have to talk to you about... this chemistry between you and our director. Hm?" She giggled, then looked over and noticed Eli. She smiled at him shyly, then kept eating her pastries. "We need to go clubbing sometime! I swear, it's so exhilarating. And it's a fun way to get some dance practice in. Or we could go to a cool jazz club. And maybe we can get some dates, you know?

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Caden tidied away his scores and decided to go and get himself a drink while he waited for everybody else to arrive. He stopped for a moment, and had a minute where he'd forgotten about his new job and was about to write on his hand what everyone else wanted; a member of the crew, and Joseph's little brother, he'd been chief coffee and tea maker ever since he'd arrived. Still, despite his promotion, it was only polite to ask, and Eli looked like he needed one anyway. "I'm about to get some coffee, can I get you anything?" he asked him, and then also turned to the girls and asked, "Girls- coffee? Tea? Anything else?"

 

[xXMysticXx]

Eli turned his head halfway around, slightly flustered and a tad bit confused."Oh um sure, thanks." he said not entirely sure what to say, generally you made your boss a coffee not the other way around, especially from memories of Mr. Fletcher who would throw a fit if you even turned on the coffee maker before offering him some. Eli tried to be somewhat helpful and get out a bunch of cups, placing them beside the kettle.

Brookelyn woke up slightly late and took a quick shower and blowdried her dark hair only until it was about half dry and threw it up into a messy ponytail. She opened up a drwer and pulled out some clothes at random, tossing them onto her bed. She threw on the simple light coloured jean shorts and a plain coloured tee. Grabbing her little pink gym bag she headed out the door frantically nearly forgetting to lock it behind her. She was thank ful for moments like these that she always kept a spare set of workouty type clothes and some extra cash in her gym bag for mornings like these. When she got to work she went in through the front door and into the back room. She grabbed a little pastry on her way past the table and hopped up onto a counter. "Morning," She said somewhat sleepily.

 

[Swan_Song]

"Oh, um.... coffee sounds good, actually. I need a quick pick me up!" Meimei said cheerfully, a cute smile on her face. She grabbed another pastry and began to nibble on it, not caring if she ate like a horse. She'd always had a hefty appetite, but had managed to work off any excess weight she could have gained through dancing. She looked over at Eli and stared at him for a moment, her cheeks becoming tinted a shade of pink. She looked down at the tray of food again, averting her gaze from him.

 

[xXMysticXx]

Eli nodded a small polite nod to Brookelyn. He noticincing the new awkward silence in the room, he looked around casually until he caught Mei's eye for a moment before he too quickly looked away.He walked over to his coat and grabbed his pack of cigarettes and headed out the back door quietly. His leaned on the wall a few feet from the door, he lit up a cigarette and put it up to his lips taking a drag and sighing gently as he exhaled a small puff of smoke.

 

[Swan_Song]

Mei decided to pluck up her courage and try talking to him again. She went outside after him and walked up to him, leaning on her elbow against the wall. "Okay Eli, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I like you, and I think you're hot. You don't have to return the sentiments, I just felt like telling you. Also, I'll be going to the cafe for lunch tomorrow while I have a break, and... I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come?" She blushed as her courage seemed to fade while she spoke, until she was embarrassed and shy again.

 

[xXMysticXx]

Eli hadn't given her much of a glance when she had first come outside, so when she spoke he simply opened an eye in her direction.

Eli choked when he had heard what she had said. He coughed his body stand up atraigh from the wall. When he stopped coughing he paused to catch his breath again quickly. He wasn't really sure what to say, nobody ever really spoke to him often enough to be able to co hour a proper and polite response let alone have said anything like she had.

" I um, .. I don't know what to say, I'm not very good at this whole, talking thing... " Eli muttered " and this is becoming extremely awkward and don't take this the wrong way but I don't even know your name.... But um ... Sure, I, I guess so..." he said squishing a bunch of smaller sentences together in a rushed sort of way that made it sound like one sentence . He put out his smoke against the brick and walked back inside shaking his head slightly. He grabbed his cup of coffee on his way into another room.

 

[Swan_Song]

Before he left, Mei said to him, "My name is Meiling, but... you can call me Meimei if you'd like. And um... well, I don't mind that you don't speak very much. It's almost nice, not to have to make conversation for the sake of it..." She followed him inside, then went into the office and wrote her cell phone number on a piece of paper. She handed it to him and smiled, despite the blush that had come to her face. "Here's my number. Feel free to text me any time." She smiled up at him once more, then went and grabbed her cup of coffee.

 

[xXMysticXx]

Eli simply took the paper and slid it into his pocket. He was unsure of what to say henpaused, searching his brain for the right response. " Thank You ? " he said it slowly and as if each word and the response entirely was a question. He had never really had the oppritunity to experience anything like this before. Growing up he had ways had his older brother, with the talent, intelligence, athletic abilities, good looks and everything else he came to acquire, Eli was always over shadowed by his brother he was always just Dylan's kid brother. Eli was nothing like his brother but yet everyone had always expected him to be and no one really bothered with him because he never reached those expectations.

" I should get back to work." He mumbled trying to pull his train of though back to the situation at hand. He wasn't exactly sure what to make of Meimei and he figured people would probably start asking questions soon if they continued to stay back here causing the others' suspicions. And questions were something he didn't want to nor did he really know how to answer right now.