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Eliza walked to her audition happily and excitedly. When her older sister had told her about this new fresh idea for a musical she had been very interested and when she read the script she was definitely ready to try out. It was called In The Heights and was written by the man who’d play the main character Usnavi. She was trying out for Vanessa, the leading lady and really just couldn’t wait.
She walked into the basement of the drama bookstore and saw a man sitting on the piano bench. She had to stifle a gasp when she saw the man. He was the most beautiful man that she’d ever seen, with tan blemish-free skin, huge caramel eyes and inky black hair cut short at the sides but left long at the top. He was sitting down at the piano, eyes closed and humming as he played a tune. She cleared her throat quietly making herself known.
“Hello,” he said smiling brightly “I’m Alexander Hamilton. I’m the lyricist, composer, creator and lead. Who are you?”
Eliza had to think for a second before answering. The man’s smile was blinding, she could practically feel her heart in her chest.
Boom.
“Eliza Schuyler,” she replied quickly “I’m trying out for Vanessa?”
“Great! Sit down here with me!” he said patting a spot on the piano bench beside him “You can sing this song I’m workshopping.”
He handed her a sheet of music with words on it. She looked down at the song with the title: IT WON’T BE LONG NOW
“Ready?” he asked, “I’ll be playing the piano.”
Eliza nodded and he began playing the music smoothly. She took a deep breath before letting her voice ring through the room.
“The elevated train by my window doesn’t faze me anymore,”
The song was gorgeous and Eliza quickly knew that she wanted to play this character.
“That was fantastic!” he said after the last note “I’ll give you a call.”
Eliza couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter at the prospect of a call from Alexander Hamilton.
“Okay everyone I’d like everyone to introduce themselves and say what character that they’re going to be playing!” said Alexander “As I hope you all know, I’m Alexander Hamilton, but you can call me Alex. I’m going to be playing your lead guy Usnavi!”
The group clapped politely and Eliza stood up excitedly, though still slightly uncomfortable with all the cameras around us. Apparently, they wanted to film a documentary on the musical.
“Hey! I’m Eliza Schuyler!” Eliza said cheerily “I’m going to be playing Vanessa!”
Once again there was a clap from the crowd.
“Hey I’m Angelica Schuyler, Eliza’s older sister,” said Eliza’s sister, who’d tried out for Nina “I’ll be playing Nina!”
The next person to stand up was a man with skin slightly darker than Alex’s but was much taller and had a much bigger frame with slightly curly hair.
“I’m George Washington and I’ll be playing Benny,” he said, “Let’s do work guys!”
It zoomed through the introductions after that. John Laurens as Sonny, Eliza’s younger sister Peggy as Carla, a girl named Maria Lewis as Daniela, Theodosia Prevost as Camilla Rosario, Aaron Burr as her husband Kevin, Gilbert Lafayette as Graffiti Pete, Hercules Mulligan as Piragua Guy and someone named Martha Manning as Abuela Claudia.
Rehearsals began and everything was going incredibly well. Eliza had just finished a practice for In The Club when Alex called her over. Through the course of the past few months, she and Alex have talked and bonded intensely and she found herself more in love with him than ever before.
“I’m kind of stuck on the song where Vanessa and Usnavi kiss,” said Alex. Eliza, however, was caught on the fact that she’d get to kiss Alexander every night “Do you wanna try what we have now and see if there’s anything that you feel that we should do?”
“Yeah!” she said quickly “Definitely!”
Eliza took a deep breath and began singing the song.
“So I got you a present,” she sung quietly “I went downtown to get it, do anything tonight?”
“Cleaning,” sung Alexander softly his voice smooth like caramel
“Done for the day?” she sung, pouring her own emotion for Alexander seep into her voice
“No way,”
“Cause we got a date,” she said, hoping silently for it to be a reality
“Okay!”
Eliza repressed her giggle at the silliness. Adorable.
“Places! Places Everyone!” said a voice over the intercom
Eliza rushed over to the wind and got ready for the opening number. She could hear Alex in character introducing everyone to the audience over the speaker. She fiddled with her hands nervously as she heard it beginning.
“ Lights up! On Washington Heights, up at the break of day.”
“ No! No! No! No! ” Eliza sang, her voice echoing through the theatre “ No, no, no, no. No, no, no. No, no, no, no! Mr. Johnson, I got a security deposit! ”
“ The elevated train by my window doesn’t faze me anymore,”
“ No me diga! ”
“ If I win the lottery, you’ll never see me again! I’ll be downtown! Get a nice studio, get out of the barrio. ”
“ Usnavi relax! ”
“ Someone better open these goddamn doors! ”
After act one, the cast huddled backstage, congratulating each other.
“You’re doing amazing Eliza,” said Alex
“Y-you too!” said Eliza nervously
For a second Alex looked like he wanted to do something but thought better of it last minute.
“ Why is everyone so happy? We’re sweating and we have no power! ”
“ So I got you a present. I went downtown to get it. Doing anything tonight?”
“ Cleaning, ”
“ Done for the day? ”
“ No way, ”
“ Cause we got a date. ”
“ Okay. ”
This roused a laugh from the audience as Alex stumbled over to Eliza awkwardly.
“ Before you board that plane, ” sung Eliza “ I owe you a bottle of cold champagne!”
“ No! ”
“ Yeah! Cold champagne. ”
“ Damn, the bottle’s all sweaty and everything. You went and got this? ”
The audience laughed once more.
“ Pop the champagne! ” sang Eliza happily
“ I don’t know if we have coffee cups, or plastic cups, I think Sonny has the cups. ”
Eliza reached over to Alex and placed her hand on his shoulder.
“ Tonight, we drink straight from the bottle. ” sang Eliza handing over the champagne bottle “ Usnavi! ”
“ Yeah? ”
“ Daniela told me what you did for me, and it’s honestly, the sweetest thing anyone ever did for me! Now, what can I say or do to possibly repay you for your kindness. ”
“ How do you get this gold shit off? ”
“ Usnavi!” sang Eliza, rolling her eyes
“ Yeah? ”
“ Before we both leave town, before this corner changes and the signs are taken down. Let’s walk around the neighbourhood and say our goodbyes. Usnavi are you alright? ”
Eliza looked at Alex concerned
“ I’m fine ! I’m tryin’ to open this champagne! See the twisty thing is open but I’m gonna open this damn champagne!”
“ Lemme see it! ”
“ No, I got it! ”
“ Yo Usnavi drop the champagne!”
“ I mean you went through all this trouble just to get a little bubbly- ”
“ And it’s gonna be okay. ”
Eliza put both her hands on Alex’s shoulders
“ I’m sorry it’s been a long day. ” sings Alex running his hand through his hair
“ You oughta stay, ” sings Eliza looking into the dark audience
“ What? ”
“ You can use that money to fix this place! ” sings Eliza gesturing around her
“ Haha, very funny, ” sings Alex in return looking away
“ And it’s not like Sonny’s got role models-”
“ Role models? ’
“ -stepping up to the plate-”
“ Yo, what are you talking about?! ”
“ I’m just saying! I think your vacation can wait-”
“ Vacation? Vanessa, you’re leaving too- ”
“ I’m going down to West Fourth Street, you can take the A-”
“ What are you trying to say? ”
“ You’re leaving the country! And we’re never gonna see you again! ” Eliza sings, voice becoming anxious
“ What are you trying to say?”
“ You get everyone addicted to your coffee and off you go-”
“ Vanessa, I don’t know why you’re mad at me! ”
Eliza paces before singing once more.
“ I wish I was mad! ”
The familiar music played and Eliza did her thing. She walked away and then turned back around, running to Alex and crashing their lips together. It was perfect, under the lights and in the spotlight. The now familiar feeling of Alex’s lips against hers calmed her more than anything.
“ I’m just too late. ” she sung quietly before running out of the set.
“ Home! ”
“You did amazing tonight Eliza,” said Alex
“You too,” she muttered
Alex walked in and sat down beside her. They looked into each other’s eyes and slowly they inched toward each other before Alex closed the distance. To Eliza, this was different than any of their previous kisses. Before it wasn’t Eliza and Alex, it was Usnavi and Vanessa, Usnavi and Vanessa who’d been dancing around the Barrio and in a moment of desperation, they kiss as Vanessa’s last retort. This was different. Alex and Eliza had become friends through the process of pretending to be lovers and had earned a little chemistry themselves. It was soft and gentle, unlike the rough desperate kiss they share in the musical.
“That was incredible,” said Alex, starstruck
Eliza giggled before kissing the tip of his nose.
“What does this make us?” asked Eliza
“Well,” said Alex “Do you wanna go get some coffee?”