Can Love Conquer Fear? (1)
Can love defeat fear? Or will fear overcome love?
(Chapter 1)
Synopsis: Now meeting the new kid who just transferred and moved into Hawkins, your thoughts are that he was just a weird, quiet kid that gets relentlessly picked on—who you befriended easily. But is that really what he seems?
Word Count; 7.8k 《 | 》 Tags/Warnings; TFS!Henry Creel / Fem!Reader; Sets in The First Shadow, fluff, angst, fluff/angst, bullying/teasing (to reader and Henry), use of (Name), multiple parts, multiple POV's, proofread
AUTHORS NOTE; This is my first time ever writing and posting fanfiction!! I'm not exactly skilled, but I still hope you like it, thanks!!!
Today was picture day.
And dear God, it was chaotic.
The halls of Hawkins High School crowded with 4-year leveled students, waiting to get their photos taken. Voices of so many other people talking, shouting, jibbering and so on are heard through the halls loudly, some overlapping with others. The most noticeable shorter senior—whose name is Joyce Maldonado—shouting out stuff about her play with her arms waving in the air and hands filled with flyers of the auditions she was handing out for the Drama Club play she was directing, Oklahoma.
You already were in the Drama Club, mainly because Joyce is your friend and pressured you into joining to have more members, but also because you weren't in any clubs to begin with. It exactly wouldn't hurt to join the club, right?
You stood among the small group of seniors standing to the side of the photo shoot as voice cut through your thoughts,
"You haven't heard of the new kid? I have!"
Walter Henderson—the asshole and opportunistic of one of the seniors—his voice came in a sing-song on the last part, raising his hand high, most likely mocking the new kid's previously action. "You wanna know what I've heard?" He says in a mocking tone as he ran almost once around the new kid—who was sitting on a high stool in front of the camera—but not without getting scolded by the photographer, telling Walter to get out of the shot. He backed up quickly with his hands up in a mocking surrender before continuing on with his banters.
Walter made a gesture to his own two eyes as he spoke, while stepping close to the kid's sitting in the stool talking over the new kid shoulders. "I heard he poked a kid's eyes out in his last school in Nevada! Is that true?" Walter tried to make an exaggeration in his words, before stepping back again.
"It's not…"
The new kid murmured so quietly it was almost heard as incoherent; he played with his sleeves repetitive and absentmindedly as the camera flashed, the kid photo being taken. "Sure, it is. I've heard all about you!" Walter pushed on, "I've heard you were some kind of psycho!" He jabbed on the kid's shoulder harshly. Suddenly, the bulbs of the light shaping tool burst, as the new kid quickly moved off the stool and backed up as if spooked, but probably because of the bulbs shattering. Everyone—including yourself—seemed surprised and startled by the sudden outburst as everyone scurried in different directions, you going by the lockers, away from the gear.
But Walter only continued on with his banters, he was the only one to not run away from the sudden outburst. Walter even went as far as trying taking the kids radio, with his response yelling to not to touch it, startling Walter a bit. Another outburst of the light modifier before by getting put out by a fire extinguisher.
You decide to step in before Walter jabs and antics sends the new kid to the wall.
"Leave him alone, Walter. Don't you have better things to do?"
You leaned against the lockers and crossed your arms, narrowing your eyes as a tug of the corner of your lips turned down in annoyance. You were convinced—undoubtedly—most of the school was tired of his banters for how bothersome he is.
Walter threw his head back that looked like a child would act as if you were the annoying one here while he spoke. "Oh my God, here we go again. Have you met (Name) yet?" He gestured over to you with his arm.
You rolled your eyes as you turned at your heel, pushing yourself off the lockers you were leaning on and letting your arms fall to your side, mentally bracing yourself for what Walter had to say to you know you caught his attention. "The girl who always forgotten?" You both walking down the hall, passing over the many vermilion lockers as he continues his banters that almost hit to heart, following you close behind.
"Little miss, who's always second choice? The girl who's a nobody." "Quit it, Walter." You tried blocking his taunts from your mind, reassuring yourself he's just trying to provoke a reaction out of you. "Or what?"
He turned around facing the new kid while walking backwards and threw his thumb over his shoulder, pointing right to you. "Y'know, I heard that her dear ol' big brother got abandoned years back—" "Yeah?" You quickly spun on your heel, cutting off his mocking taunts as Walter turned back right at you, stumbling, walking backwards while you strutted forward.
"Well, I've heard you made out with your cousin last summer!" Jabbing him hard with your finger to his chest and making him stumble back a few steps "Wha–What?!" He spat out frantically "That is a god damn lie! Who told you that?!—"
"(Name)."
A stern voice cut through the both of your derisive antics as you both stopped to a halt, then both of you turn to the source of the voice. Principal Robert Newby—Patty and Bob Newby's father—stood by the new kid and his hands folded behind his back. "If you keep continuing harassing my students: that'll earn you a trip to detention." You sputtered over your own words, brows lifting and eyes widening over your own surprise "What?!" You? You harassing other students? "But Walter was—" "I don't want to hear it, young lady."
You saw Walter mocking you over Principal Newby's shoulder by silently mouthing his words and making gestures whilst Robert dismissed your words. Principal Newby finally took his leave, but not before patting Walter on the back and asking if he's okay as if he's the one who was the victim.
With your nose wrinkling and jaw tightening, watching the two guys walking away. huffing out a breath to try relieving some tension in your shoulders, you walked back to your locker in a few strides and just wanted to just forget the entire encounter. It's not like you can do anything about it anyways. While twisting your lock open with a bit too much force, "You okay there?" You asked the kid. "You didn't have to do that." Hearing footsteps behind you. Walking right past you—who you only assumed was the new kid.
"Yeah, well… Don't mind Walter, he's basically a douche to everyone. He's literally crazy!" Trying to reassure him "But his family owns a liquor store, so he gets away with everything." You added, while shoving your belongings in your locker. "But anyways. Y'know, he really did make out with his cousin!" "How do you know?" The corners of your lips quicker up as a faint small smile came across your mouth when you heard the boy finally responded to you.
"I go to Church every Sunday," you closed your locker and you catch sight of the new kid—who was still twisting his combination of his lock—as a lighthearted grin overtook your face, slightly leaning towards his figure.
"Patty's dad makes her listen to confessions at the Church, but she tells me almost everything she hears in the confession booths that is weird!" The kid glanced towards you in acknowledgment "It must be hard." "Listening to Patty what she heard at confessions?" "That your brother is probably now an orphan." You slowly turned your head towards to the kid at the audacity of him talking to your own brother like that, who was still turning that damn combination lock.
"You're turning it wrong." Your steps filled the hall as you strolled over to the boy. "what?—" "Just give me your combination." Sounds of paper rustling as you snatched at the paper he had in his hand out of his grasp. Leaning your back against the lockers, crossing your ankles and looking down at the paper, you start to tell him directions to his combination. "Spin left, 75." The kid hesitated while looking at you before complying and turning the lock.
"You know, it's not true. That my brother was abandoned by my family."
"Wait, I didn't mean—"
"23, spin right." You cut him off. "My brother wasn't abandoned. He ran away." You leaned in closer towards him, as if telling a secret, "My brother is actually…" glancing around the halls, looking behind your shoulder, seeing if anyone's close enough to hear your conversation. "Arnold Dewey (Y/L/N),"
"Left, 11!" You emphasize loudly and quickly as if that's enough to cover your last sentence. The locker door that now belongs to the kid now finally opening thanks to you. "Arnold Dewey? Hm. Good author." "I know! My not so famous brother is finally getting some recognition! Once you put me and him side-by-side, the resemblance is uncanny."
You looked down at his radio, which was now sitting on the ground as the boy looked at the inside of his new locker. "Say," you said, swiftly grabbing the radio by its handle and taking a few steps back. "W–Wait, uh- Hey—" "Is this the Captain Midnight Radio?" You inspected the radio carefully, turning it over.
"What? Are you part of the Secret Squadron?"
You already knew pretty much almost all of Captain Midnight thanks to your brother fixation on it when you both were younger; he basically pettily bickered with you into watching the show and read the comics just for him to shut up about it. After being done with examining the radio, you lift up your gaze back to the boy who looked surprised, he looked frozen. Not until he suddenly slightly jumped in the air, landing a soft thump, one fist in the air. Mimicking a pose. "Justice is—"
"—Strength and courage.."
Interrupting his line and finishing it yourself, you mimicked his pose, fist up in the air, like his. While still looking at him as he looked right at you back, catching your gaze. The both of you lowered your arms, you holding your arm out to return his radio.
"Aren't you a little old for that?"
"Aren't you?"
The boy took back his radio. "They.. gave it to me a few years back when I cracked the Code-O-Graph—" as he spoke, he turned back to his locker with his back now facing you, but not without you jumping in, in shock. "You cracked the Code-O-Graph?!" You took a step forward due to your own anticipation and surprise. He quickly turned around to look at you again, his face lit up in excitement to talk about his experiences.
"Y–yeah! It was easy, I've been writing everything in code for years so my mom can't read it!" He let out an airless chuckle while he spoke.
You paused, everything in code? You thought. You two stared at each other in another set of silence before the boy turned around, most likely because of embarrassment. Possibly ruining the only real connection he could've had if it weren't to his rambling.
"That's.."
You let out a breath, "the coolest thing I've ever heard.", and—yet again, he turned around, looking at you—again. He twisted the knob on his radio, music came out of it. He did a little jig,—but not with his body, I guess you can say just his arm—before speaking.
"I like your..," he hesitated for a moment, "ya lipstick." You froze, your lipstick? Did you even have lipstick on? The boy's hand went to the knob of his radio, turning the music off. He turned towards his locker—now feeling even more humiliated—once more, it looked like he was about to put his radio in his locker before you took a step closer. You hand out the paper you took from him that had his combination code.
"(Name) (L/N)."
The boy turned around, again, looking down at your hand that held the paper, he took the paper and moved his radio to his other hand, holding out his now free hand for you to shake.
"Henry Creel."
When you took his hand and shook it, you both finally having a proper introduction, his radio suddenly turned on, on its own. Playing a song you thought you knew.
🎵🎶🎵I have waited, waited so long—🎵🎶🎵
Henry stumbled a few steps back while trying to turn his radio off, then finally, he turned off his radio when his hand twisted the knob while his arms were now behind his back, along with his radio. Your brows inched upward, looking upon him in stunned silence. You could see Henry averting his eyes, the silence stretched, the students' from the distance seems louder than anything now as the awkward stillness followed.
You could've sworn you heard that song before, wasn't it a romantic—
You cut and shook off your own thoughts, probably it was some random song that was playing at a random station. Some coincidence. The silence only being broken by the sound of the school bell ringing and you clearing your throat before you nodded your head slightly at Henry.
"Welcome to Hawkins, Henry."
A light smile quirks up your lips, giving him a last smile seeing him holding his hand up and quickly letting his hand fall to his side as a dismissive wave before spinning on your heel and walking away, heading to class.
Henry—now alone in his thoughts—started to spiral, "Jesus…" he said to himself, his heart essentially beating so hard in his chest to the point it felt like it was pounding at his ribs, but not only because of being flustered, but also out of frustration. At himself. Him stuffing his radio in his locker. "I like your lipstick?" Shutting his locker door shut with somewhat of force—not too much.
"I like your lipstick?!" Henry, now not being able to stay still any longer, began pacing in the halls, his body tense, shoes tapping in a frantic rhythm against the hardwood as he let out a breathless laugh that just sounded more like a huff. "Out of all the weirdest and dumbest you could possibly say, now she's never going to talk to you ever again!"
Just when he was going to walk away, his locker door opened with his book falling out. He let out a sound of frustration before stretching out his arm towards the locker, then suddenly, his book quickly floated up back inside the locker as the door slammed shut. Henry clutched the hand he stretched out in shock, before he turns his head to look around the halls, seeing if someone saw the encounter. Even though the halls were empty.
When he didn't see anyone, Henry took his leave and quickly scurried off.
✧ㅤㅤ✧ㅤㅤ✧ㅤㅤ
Sitting at your desk, now in a classroom, surrounded by students who are doing the same, with your cheek resting in the palm of your hand. You usually paid attention to what the teacher had to say, but no matter how hard you tried focusing on the topic at hand, you felt a little absorbed in your thoughts today, your mind just kept on fixating on something— or moreso, someone else.
Occasionally turning around over your shoulder and eyeing the new kid, Henry—who was currently taking notes in his notebook—every few minutes who conveniently had the same classes as you and sat at the desk behind you. Feeling intensely jaded within your whole being; you tapped your pen against your desk in a repeated rhythm as the sound of your teacher's voice faded into a background noise.
You absentmindedly felt your body angled back towards Henry as if drawn in by his presence and pulling you in. Shifting your weight to slightly turn your torso facing him, you tried capturing his attention quietly with the teacher distracted, now having this sudden urge to know him better.
"Psst."
You tried getting his attention in a low whisper, but Henry eyes kept his locked on his paper like as if his eyes were glued to it with his face impassive, looking like it was devoid of any emotion. Assuming he didn't hear you the first time, you tried again, but somewhat louder this time.
"Hey!"
Hissing through your teeth, Henry finally noticed you, though he slightly jumped in his seat at your unexpected calling at him. Taking his eyes off of his paper, turning his head up to look at you. With his brows lifting and eyes widening for a split second before quickly recovering, he turned his head to pore over at the teacher—who still had their back facing the students—before focusing his gaze back at you. He copied on what you were doing and leaned in slightly towards you.
"What?"
He muttered back, his tone obscured in the same low volume as yours, though it was in a harsher tone in exasperation, but you just assumed it was unintentional. Seeing that you finally got his attention, a smile hovered over at the edge of your mouth. You leaned back even further and spoke in your hushed voice.
"You're a transferee, right? Where were you from back then?"
You questioned, kind of already expecting the answer, Walter from earlier did mention that Henry used to live back in Nevada.
Henry paused, his brows furrowed and peered at you, giving you a wary look in suspicion. You? Talking to him again? After the oh so awkward conversation a few hours ago? Confused, he slowly glanced around the room, then making his gaze back to yours. Pointing a finger at himself before speaking, his facial expression seeming bewildered.
"Me..?"
You deadpanned.
"Uh, no. I'm talking to the notebook on your desk— Yes, of course I'm talking about you."
Henry could feel as if his heart was fluttering in his chest at your words—Perhaps in embarrassment. A small involuntary movement at the edge of his mouth twitched.
"Oh.."
Lightly shaking his head, he slowly started to speak.
"Well.. I'm from Nevada."
He started off
"From Rachel, then we moved here, in Hawkins, recently."
You basically lit up, you've heard a lot about Las Vegas from your aunt, she always claims that it was wild, full of exotic entertainment over there.
"Las Vegas, Nevada? I've heard a lot about it, was it fun there?"
Henry averted his eyes, slowly nodding.
"It was okay.. It was hot, but nice."
You nodded as well,
"Why'd you move?"
You could visibly see him tensing up. Henry could practically feel a lump forming in his throat as his stomach sank and became an icy pit. Starting traces of idle shapes on his desk, he chose his word out carefully.
"To move on with a 'fresh start'."
"What? A fresh start?"
Henry then suddenly stopped speaking and not speaking any further. His eyes darted behind you and over your shoulder before leaning back in his chair. you didn't even get to question what he meant for a "fresh start" before you heard a sharp voice of your name being called cutting in.
"(Name)! Turn around and focus on the lesson!"
Quickly turning around, you saw the teacher now staring at you with his hand resting on his hip and disappointment plastered over his face. You gave him a bashful smile and muttered out a small apology, looking down at your desk, avoiding everyone's gazes who stared at you as you trace imaginary patterns on your desk like Henry was doing earlier.
The teacher gave you one last glare at you before going back to his lesson for the last remaining minutes for the period.
✧ㅤㅤ✧ㅤㅤ✧ㅤㅤ
"Sue? Where are the playbooks? The real ones!" Joyce voice—raspy and loud and could be heard as you walked into the Drama Club as the school bell ringing throughout the hall in school, with a yellow chair in your arms, along with everyone else. Loud chattering and talking of different many voices fill the room, voices overlapping, like it was in the hallways. The room buzzed with jabbering as voices blurred as your eyes set on Joyce. You could see Joyce, in the middle, standing high on top of the copies replicated yellow chairs that all of the people in the room were holding.
You'd be lying if you'd say you weren't happy seeing her, her deafening and exaggerated personality was comfortable to be with… sometimes, if she wasn't too loud. People—including yourself—started to put their chairs down that was almost circling Joyce, an opening near the front of Joyce chair was facing. You sat down in your chair quietly, until someone sat down next to you, her lips tugging up at you in a greeting, Karen Childress, part of the cheerleaders. You'd say you were friends, you guys hung out if she wasn't busy, or if her obnoxious—possibly brainless—boyfriend, Ted, wasn't around.
You smiled back at Karen as you two started a small chat, of course with Ted sitting next to her.
"Hi everyone!" Her voice is louder than everyone in the room. Joyce kept her voice loud and clear for everybody to hear as she tried catching everyone's attention. "Hello! I'm Joyce!" Everybody almost ignored her and didn't stop the loud chatters of the drama club members, not until Sue decided to step up about it.
"QUIET!! PLEEEAAASEEUHH!!" Sue's blaring loud voice quieting everyone in the room. You thought you saw a smile plastered on her lips before saying a small "Thanks." in an undertone whisper before walking back next to Joyce, leaning on the backrest on the chair Joyce was still standing on.
"Okay kids, here's the deal." Joyce finally speaking up once she got everybody's attention, her hands gesturing and looking around everyone seated down in the small circle, head moving left to right as she spoke, "Everyone thinks we're doing another god damn high school production, of Oklahoma."
Then Ted practically sprung up from his seat when he heard the word 'Oklahoma' and was the first to start off singing Oklahoma, without a few seconds later, everyone joined in and started singing along with each other. "We're not!" Joyce cut through the singing of the chorus, the singing stopping to a halt as everyone awkwardly sat back down. "We're not!" She repeated herself.
"Aren't you guys sick of living under Principal Newby's stuff?!" "No!" Bob then stood up from his chair, "Bob, I'm sorry, Bob. I know he's your dad." Joyce held a hand up as in resemblance to an apology to Bob. "But don't you guys' think it's time to change things?" Joyce gestures with her hands to show exaggeration as someone yells out "Hell yeah!", who you can assume from Alan Munson. Joyce then quickly twisted her upper body around to turn and point at him "Yeah! I do!" She then turns back around now talking back to everyone again. "And that's why I'm putting on a secret play," After mentioning of a 'secret play' some students leaned in on their knees, listening in more clearly than earlier.
"Which we will only reveal on opening night. Is it risky?" Ted's hand raised high immediately, but Joyce dismissed him and pushed down his hand before saying "Yes!" almost harshly. "But– if we pull this off.. This will change everything. Because I— I don't want to scare anyone but," Joyce inhaled sharply, sucking in air into her lungs and clasping her hands together.
"Gary from the greater Indiana high school theater scholarship will be here on opening night!" She claimed, unclasping her hands as she and Sue looked around the area, trying to gauge everyone's excitement on everyone's visages features, just to be finding little to none. Everyone seated in their seats moved on and chatted with the closest ones they were by, Sue and Joyce exchanged a look before Joyce tried again. "Uh! Which means if we're good enough—" "It means they give us money!" Lonnie—or whatever his name was—stretched out the word 'money' to everyone in the room, almost everyone ooh'ed as if in understandment and cheered, talking louder than they were earlier with each other.
"No! No, no, no, no." Joyce pointed and shook her head "No, Lonnie! No! They give you a scholarship to their college in Indiana, Minneapolis." "You were going to Indiana, Minneapolis?! When were you going to tell me about this?" Lonnie yelled at Joyce, before Joyce said as her voice raised a bit louder "I'm telling you now!" As she hopped off the chair she had been standing on.
"Jesus Joyce!" Lonnie got up and walked around the people over to Joyce, deciding to make a whole scene in front of everyone "This is your whole problem! You only think about yourself." He paused as he got closer to Joyce, now standing right in front of her gesturing over to all of you, the drama crew members, before at himself. "Like you're better than everyone else, like you're better than me?" "I am!" Joyce spat back as the crew made a sound, some covering their mouths. "Really? Why? Because of this jerk off play?" "Screw you, Lonnie!"
After the heated argument between the two, Joyce marched back to the chair and stood back up on it. "No! This play, is my ticket out of here! And the same goes to all of you! Because this isn't "Just a play"." "Yeah! —" "No!" Joyce cut off Alan, pointing at him, "This! Is a revolution!" Alan and a few other people jumped up from their seats and yelled out a "Yeah!" agreeing with Joyce. "So, if you're just here to make out in some school musical!" After the words 'make out' spilled out of Joyce's mouth, the crew cheered at Ted and Karen who jumped up from their seats and, of course, began to make out. When are they not? "You should.. just, leave, now." Joyce, now noticing the couple, motioned over to towards the door. After a split-second Joyce mentioned that, only a few people stood up and stepping away from the project.
Very few people still got out of their seats though, murmured under their breaths, some taking the chairs with them, and taking their leave. "This isn't over, Joyce!" "Nope. Yes, it is, Lonnie!" As the gloomy, shady man withdrew himself from the meeting, along with the few other people, Joyce bid them a farewell.
You just noticed Patty just stepped into the room, you weren't exactly sure why she was here, but she paused and looked around the area, almost looking confused. "Oh– yeah, sorry. You just take a seat." Joyce waves Patty towards a seat, thinking she was here for an audition—you guessed she just guessed walked in the wrong room—which Patty so did quietly. "Uh–, for the rest of you: The play is…" she paused for a moment, taking a second to scan around at everybody's faces.
"The Dark Of The Moon."
Sue held out a book, or a script, you weren't exactly sure, as she "whoo!"'ed. "Um, it's the story of a witch boy!—" "Who falls in love with a human woman and gives up his powers to be with her!" "Only to doomed them both." Sue finished off as Joyce who—once agin—jumped off the chair she was standing on. Pivoted on her heels to everyone to now face in the room.
"It's the story about the destructive power of fear. That is the central question of the play: Can Love Defeat Fear?"
Ted shoots up from his seat. "Yes! No… I don't– I don't know.." he put his hand under his chin in a thinking position before sitting back down. Sue hands you the book copies of the script first before doing the same to everybody else. You inspected to book; it must be some kind of script for the play. You opened the book, flipping through the pages as Joyce started
"Okay— who wants to go fir— Oh! (Name)!"
Joyce yelled out your name, suddenly cutting off her own sentence herself and pointing at you, as your name suddenly popped up in Joyce's mind while speaking. Her eyes now locked on your figure as you head snapped back up and your eyes darted on Joyce, your heart fastened just as you wondered if you did something wrong.
But she just swiftly scurried over to you, as you now felt hands clamping onto your shoulders, you slightly tensing under her palms at the sudden act, forcing you to meet her gaze.
"Oh, my dearest, bestest friend. Do you want to go first! Huh? I mean, you already have your playbook opened!"
Joyce waving at your still opened playbook, you didn't even know what was going through in Joyce's mind and thinking you even wanted to go first. Your shoulders tensed up even more at the mention of going first. Your eyes scanned around the room, seeing everyone's eyes turned towards you and Joyce upon their faces like a magnet while they watched the encounter, the weight of the collective gazing on you felt like a heavy blanket and making your heart spiked at the unwanted attention. A pricking sensation under your skin as you froze stiff before turning your gaze back to Joyce.
"Uhm.. Sorry but—"
"Hey! I think (Name) here wants to audition! Don't you, (Name)?"
Walter's obnoxious voice heckled up as he pointed his finger at you. You're now stumbling over your own words. "What?! No!—" "Great!" Sue basically beamed at the fact you were first to 'volunteer' despite you trying to argue back, "Name?" "(Name) (Y/L/N)!" Joyce answered—saying your full name for everyone to hear—Sue's question for you and ushered you up from your seat, you now standing in the middle with the short senior, who still has her hands on your shoulders, standing behind you.
"And who will read alongside with (Name) for John?" Sue asked the whole room, walking around the seats as Joyce left your side to join her to persuade someone into taking the role of John. "C'mon! C'mon!" "Don't be shy!" Walter then rose up from his seat; you figured he had something to say and wanted it to be loud.
"Aw! Nobody here wants to play with (Name)?"
"I will!"
Bob jumped out of his seat, rising to his feet as he held his arm up to show the playbook he had in his hand. Showing interest, he wants to play the role, John. Bob and you were friends because of Patty, though you weren't sure why he'd wanted to play a love interest role—possibly because he didn't want you to get humiliated by Walter for nobody wanting to play the love interest with you.
"Ooooh," Joyce slowly nodded as she looked at Bob, his arm slowly going down as she spoke, "friends playing as lovers!" Then Walter to decide to strut over to you in the middle, the back of his hand roughly hit your shoulder.
"At least it wasn't Patty auditioning, right? Incest could be edgy!"
Shifting your weight, you instinctively pull back of your shoulders and angled your body away from him as he chortles at his own joke. Uncomfortable for how close he is standing beside you; you'd be surprised if he even knew what the words personal space even was.
"Is that what you told your cousin, Walter?" Says Charles Sinclair
"That ambitious rumor! Who told you that?!" He tried arguing back, he scoffed and a cold sweat broke along his hairline at the situation about his cousin mentioned not once, but twice in a day before walking back, staggering to his seat.
"Okay! Fine! Let's go with it!" Joyce finally speaks up, grabbing you by your biceps as she walks away from you being in the middle, guiding you somewhere, "(Name), you'll be auditioned for Barbara. She's a wild woman who is living in an oppressive time!" She explained your role while she guided you to the side, so you weren't standing in the middle of the semicircle of the yellow chairs that the members were sitting on anymore.
"And Bob!" Joyce steps away from you—her back now facing you—and towards Bob, who was now standing a few feet away from you. "You're Witch Boy! So, sexy. But scary!" Bob then made a low frequency guttural sound, hands curling inward in a resemblance of an animal claw pose before proceeding scurrying over to Joyce in a few steps sideways, but not too close.
"Oh! Ooh. But, still sexy, Y'know?"
It took a second for Bob, this time, he didn't do any scurrying moves this time, just slightly leaning towards Joyce as he made the sound. The sound of the guttural frequency vibrating through from his throat again, exiting his mouth, but more in a "seductive" way.
Joyce paused and was quiet for a moment. You were too. Your facial features twitched in syce—you weren't sure yourself, probably because of shock and disbelief. You furrowed your brow and squinted at him. You weren't sure to either feel embarrassed for him or amused at him.
"Wow, that was so… so.. Sue!" Sue, who was watching the entire time, had her hands behind her back, different from her previous position. Bob did a couple of bows before Sue's voice cut in.
"We'll be in touch."
"Did I get the part?"
"We'll be," Sue guided Bob back to his seat. "in touch." finishing her sentence in more of a louder and stern tone.
"Okay! Okay, let's try a solo piece!" Your stomach dropped at the sound of that. Joyce immediately moved on and passed on whatever just happened, "(Name) how do you feel about singing?" Walking over to a member and grabbing the playbook out of their grasp and shoving it into your hands. Your stomach felt like it dropped to the ground. Singing? In front of everyone? A cold sweat broke out. You tried shoving the book back in her hands,
"Wait! No, I don't—"
"Okay! That's fine!" Everything felt like it was going so fast. Joyce rushed over to Sue's side "We'll just go from the top to the bottom!"
"What?! I don't even know the tune—"
"That's alright! It's on the back of the playbook!" Joyce held a hand up in encouragement, a wide lighthearted grin spreading across her lips.
"It goes—" Joyce and Sue sang in sync, their voices in a chorus while they sang, but they were going so fast you could barely register what they were saying. "Got it? Great!" She turned to the crew, who Ted and some other person had their guitars ready from wherever they got it from. "Music, guys!" The two started strumming their guitars in a slow, melodic song, that sounded warm (?). You tried taking a breath to calm yourself down as you felt the weight of dozen pairs of eyes looking right at you. Shaking off your thoughts and looking down at the book—and only the book—not daring to try looking up to meet everybody's gazes.
"I'll sing a song from—"
"If you could sing up? I—"
Ignoring what Sue had said, you kept singing with a low voice due to your own awkwardness of singing in front of many people—wanting to get this done fast—and the melodic guitars felt like it was singing too, along with you. That was until someone thought it'd be the perfect time to butt in.
"Oh god! Hahaha! Oh, wait— wait. Sorry."
Of course, Walter interrupted while you were in the middle of singing and got up from his seat. You went quiet, and as well the two guitars as they stopped strumming their play, a deafening silence draped over the room. Everyone in the room whose gazes were just on you a second ago, Is now on Walter, all of the attention being brought onto him as he strolled over where you were at until he was in front of you.
"You know, I think I know exactly why Joyce chose you for Barbara. I mean, Barbra has all the characteristics that's apart from you." He snarks
Blinking rapidly, disbelief washed over you as you shook your head. At this point, it sounds like Walter was just trying to insult you with everything he had in him, even if he had little to nothing to discourage or overthrow you with. You glanced down at the book for a split second before looking back up, your brow raised a bit.
"Obviously I'm not like Barbara..? Do you want a definition of what acting is, Walter? I mean, all you have to do is act like the character. That's the whole point of the Drama Club."
Walter laughed out a scoff that just sounded more like a sharp breath, shaking his head. The crew sat back in silence, watching the encounter unfold.
"No, that isn't the point, isn't it obvious?"
"Okay. Stop it, Walter!" Joyce tried intervening, only to just get shut down by the man she called out to.
"No! The only reason Joyce picked you for Barbara is because she's an ostracized, just like you."
Walter harshly jabbed a finger at your chest, causing you to stumble a few steps back. You shrinked back as his words hit you, your mind buzzing with uncertainty.
"You know, if you weren't so much of a nobody, maybe you would have at least some kind of importance in life. It's no wonder you're always forgotten. It really must be because you are the girl who is a nobody—"
"What the hell, Walter?!"
"Hey! Got a problem?"
"Nobody wants to hear that!
The first one to finally yell out and stop the encounter was Patty, standing up from her seat and cutting in before Walter could say anymore. While Charles was the one physically to stop him from talking, forcibly sitting him back down in his seat. Then Sue was the last, she rushed by your side.
"I'm sorry, Ar—are you okay, (Name)? Just… go sit down—"
"It's bad luck to not finish a song."
You looked over at the source of the voice, catching sight of Henry—just like everyone else did—who suddenly appeared with the playbook he somehow had in his hand. He was standing by the vermilion lockers, after a few silent awkward seconds, he started making his way towards you with a couple of steps. Now seeing Henry fully, but he's still a few feet far away from you. From the corner of your eye, you saw Joyce going somewhere else, but your eyes stuck on Henry instead.
"...If you want, I can sing too. Page 14."
"Okaaay..." you dragged out the word, looking back down at the playbook as you flipped through the pages again.
"Uh.. It's a sad song; I prefer the gay ones better."
"It doesn't have to be sad. You never know the ending, so we'll start off good."
"Then.. let's make it a gay one...?" You suggested, your eyes looking up from the pages.
"Sing around then,"
Henry nodded his head at you, trying to encourage you to start.
"Go ahead."
Henry did a little exaggeration, bending his knees before standing straight again with one of his arms now in the air.
"Sssing!"
You were now starting to second guess yourself. The air felt like it grew thick and heavy at the silence. Looking down to the page then back up from your playbook, you glanced at Henry as Ted only strummed the guitar a few times before stopping as silence filled the room again. You felt a desperate desire to leave the irredundant situation, an urge to flee, for the floor to open up and swallow you whole and leave the unwanted, expecting gazes. Everyone's eyes were now on you, expecting you to sing. Instead, you shut the playbook and handed it back to Sue, feeling too uncomfortable and awkward singing in front of people, especially Walter. Turning your back, you could hear Walter laughing, and just as you were going to sit back down at your seat, Henry then made the first move to sing, starting off first.
"I'll... sing a song, under the lights, from the mountains—"
Henry's singing was horrid, horrendous, his voice slightly cracking in some parts.
Dear god.
You winced, freezing up rigid, and feeling mortified at his singing. The whole awkward interaction felt agonizing internally, it was impossible to watch. A cold wave of dread rushed over you, feeling like a pit in your stomach as a spread of warmth raised to your face, despite it wasn't you in that situation. Cursing under your breath, you feel a rush of vicarious embarrassment washed over all over your whole being with your shoulders hunched up, but Ted seemed to get the idea and played the guitar for him.
Walter is now hysterically laughing at Henry's antics. Not wanting Henry to embarrass himself any further, you quickly fetched the playbook that was still in Sue's hand, frantically rushing through the pages only to cut him off with your own singing.
"—oh, the witch boy, for the love of Barbara Allen."
The unnerving consternation didn't go away as you sang, especially with everybody watching. But at least you didn't have to hear any more of Henry's singing anymore, as the two playing their guitar now taking it seriously, standing up from their seats. Everyone in the room, still staring at you as you finished up the short song
"Oh, witch boy saw a mountain gal, and wished that he was..."
"Human." Henry finishes the one-word lyrics for you when you pause near the end. The two of you stared at each other, until a voice snapped you both out of your trance.
"Who the hell are you?" Joyce then quickly walked back into view, stepping in front of Henry.
"Henry." You answered for him. "Henry Creel."
"Ah.. wh—what happens next?!" Joyce stretching out her arm over to Sue and asked her.
"Uhm.. oh— Oh, they kiss!"
"They kiss!"
The members quickly got their chairs and moved it up real closer as if they were ready for the big and grand surprise. Everyone's head was turned to Henry's side—who was looking down at the playbook, reading the script. Before he moved his head back up enough to look at you. The two of you locked gazes in the weighted silence of the people waiting and expecting. After Henry made no move to leave or go forward, everybody heads suddenly now turns to you to make the move. Copying on what Henry did and looking down at the playbook in your hands, re-reading between the lines of the script, you felt like as if your heart lurch at the idea. You asked to Joyce,
"Uh—.. I'm—I'm sorry... They kiss?"
Joyce nodded once as she—or everyone all now stared at you.
"They kiss."
She repeated, as those words clouded your mind. Your stomach felt like as if it was turning—but not in a nauseous way, no, not that. Or.. maybe in a nauseous way, you don't know—in a fluttery way, as if your stomach was tying themselves into knots. Thousands of thoughts and nervousness clouded your mind, making your heart feel like it pounded against your ribs with unsteady movements.
You decided to make a move as you placed your foot forward, but only for Henry to put his backwards, everybody leaning back in surprise dramatically. You only paused for a second, trying to see if Henry just would walk away on his own. When you saw he didn't, you took another step closer with him taking a step backwards at the same time before Joyce cuts in.
"Oookay!" Joyce's knees bent and arms raised slightly.
"Okay! And scene! Wow! That was so weird—"
"Okay! Next—"
"No! No, no, no, no, no, no! This is sacrifice!" Joyce cut Sue off on whatever she was going to say, waving her arms towards you and Henry. "This, is chemistry." Now seeming excited, she pointed towards Henry with her hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is our witch boy!" Joyce doing the same gesture towards you "And Barbara Allen!" She says the bell rung, Sharp and striking sounds of some individuals clapping is heard in the room before everyone got up from their seats, now taking their leave, some taking the chairs with them to put in storage. Turning on your heel, you decided to take your leave as well.
✧ㅤㅤ✧ㅤㅤ✧ㅤㅤ
You walked out to the halls before someone called out for you.
"(Name)!"
When you heard your name, you looked over your shoulder and recognizing that it was Patty, with Bob following close behind. The both of them quickly catching up to you, clearly wanting to talk about something.
"Don't even think about it." Bob says to you and points a finger at you, now the three of you walking down the halls.
Looking down at the playbook still in your hands and looking through the pages. "What?" You said slowly.
"You can't do the play, your dad doesn't even know you're in the drama club! He's going to actually kill you!" Patty leaned forward with her eyes locked on your face as she spoke.
"Then we will have to deal with your funeral." Bob murmured in a wry tone, finishing Patty's sentence.
They were both right, if your dad really did find out about you joining a club rather than focusing on your studies, you may as well be already six feet down underground.
"So what? He won't find out until opening night! By then, it will be already too late." You say patently.
"And who knows? Maybe I'll get an actual scholarship by the time when I finish high school... Or maybe I won't, but at least I've done something."
Bob eyed you as he exhaled slowly, you can practically hear the gears shifting in his head while he started thinking.
"Is this about the play or the boy?"
Patty whacked him by the arm with the book she had in her hand.
"Shh! Bob!"
"No! It's okay if you are, we both saw. I mean, we all saw it."
"Says you! You made the whole AV Club to impress Joyce!"
"What? That's—!" Bob tried arguing back against you, but Patty cut him off before he could continue.
"Whatever! If your dad really finds out on opening night, he's going to ground you 'til 80 again!"
Her eyes peering down at the playbook you were still holding before focusing back up to your face.
"Now imagine what he'll do if he sees you getting too close with a boy." Patty added.
"It's not about the boy! I've been staying at my aunt's anyways, so he's not going to realize anything at all. Just.. cover for me okay?" You held up your hand, trying to make it clear that you don't want to dwell on this topic anymore.
Thankfully, they seem to get the sign as they both fall quiet. The silence stretched as thuds of the three uneven footsteps echoing through the halls, voices distant of students talking, seeming to blur with one another. The lack of conversations between you three stretched on until Bob spoke up breaking the silence.
"So… You guys want to head out to Melvards again?"
Credits; @mieluno & @chrisssiren
END NOTES; It's not exactly well written and this took several days to write, but I did have fun writing it!! I already have chapter 2 finished, just needs proofreading, but I'm not sure to continuing this series past chapter 2 :'( BUT!!! Thanks for reading!!!
