Chapter Text
Josette Saltzman is never much one for attention. That's what her sister is for. Elizabeth Saltzman loves attention, but not Josie. Josie is more the 'girl next door' type, the 'quiet kid in the back of the class who doesn't share her opinions much' type, the 'girl who would not stand up for herself under any circumstances even if she so desperately wanted to and the world would literally end if she didn't'. That type of girl.
The point is, Josie usually does not care whatsoever if anyone notices her in the slightest. But, today, when she was walking in the halls of Mystic Falls High in between classes, she noticed something. It was a sign-up sheet to audition for the school play, and for some reason, it caught her attention. It wasn't a show Josie knows particularly well, something called Thoroughly Modern Millie, but it still made her stop in her tracks.
Josie had been on stage crew during her first 2 years in high school but has never considered actually going on stage before. It's not that she can't sing, it's just that the thought of all those people focusing on her makes her queasy.
Still, after her bad breakup this summer she promised her sister to try to have more courage. Performing in front of a theatre of people definitely counts as requiring courage. This could be a great opportunity to make good on her promise and make new friends. Also, she probably would get an ensemble role anyway.
Good, she's going to sign up for the school musical. Fun.. great… let's hope she doesn't chicken out.
"You seem distracted,” Josie says.
She, her twin sister Lizzie, and her friend Landon are sitting in the cafeteria. Josie had met Landon when they worked in tech crew together as freshmen. She had decided to join because her sister was going to be in the musical. Landon seemed like another awkward kid, so he was the perfect person for her to talk to. He was a Star Wars geek, and she was just a general nerd, so there was no lack of conversation topics.
They didn't end up being able to talk much during the later part of the production process, because of their positions(he was on lights and she was a stagehand), but they continued to hang out and eventually became friends.
Today's lunch has been going well, Lizzie is doing random stuff on her phone and ignoring the outside world, while Landon and Josie are chatting while eating their school lunches. Well, Landon is eating a school lunch, a sandwich of some kind. There were no good vegetarian options for the day, so Josie had brought hers from home. Of course, Lizzie always brought her lunch from home, saying the school lunches were "food made with the single purpose in mind to poison children." The group had been talking, but Josie noticed that Landon kept looking away from her. That's what caused her to comment on Landon's distractedness.
"I'm not that distracted,” Landon responds, clearly distracted.
"Yes you are, now what are you looking at?” Josie immediately replies.
"This girl, she's my partner for an English project. I don't think you know her”
"Well, where is she?” Josie asks, dumbly. "I can't see her anywhere.” Of course, it is still pretty early in the school year, so it's possible there are kids she hasn't met yet, but she doesn't think she can see anyone in her direct vicinity that she doesn't already know.
"Behind you, dumbass,” Landon says, pointing behind her.
Josie turns around quickly, and the girl that meets her eyes is a sight to see. She's short with auburn hair, though most of it was hidden under a black beanie. All of her clothing was black as well. You might be able to pass your eyes over her, thinking she was a shadow, except for the fact that she had bright blue eyes and even brighter yellow suspenders.
"Wow, those are blinding,” Josie says, unsure of how else to react. She is sure she has never seen the girl before because she definitely would have noticed. Maybe she's new.
"Yeah, she must have lost a bet or something, I'm sure she would never wear those on her own accord.” Landon buts in, and then immediately takes a giant bite of his sandwich.
Lizzie looks up and focuses her gaze on the girl, apparently no longer interested in whatever she had been previously doing on her phone. "She's really got that 2010s goth look going on.”
That's one way you could describe it, she looks like she was taken right out of a My Chemical Romance concert and spit out into the modern-day. Either that or she was stolen from some cheesy vampire show.
"Well, I guess good luck then," Lizzie says, with no hint of actual care in her voice(she doesn't much like Landon, something about him being a hobbit). "You said you have a project with her, right? That must be painful”
"Hey, don't be so harsh, she isn't that bad. She's a perfectly fine project partner." He has a lilt in his voice, but it's unclear why.
"Yeah yeah, of course, she probably fits in very well in a bat cave.".
"Lizzie,” Josie says. She does agree, but Lizzie shouldn't say it out loud.
"Fine fine, I guess she isn't the worst."
"Yeah, especially considering you don't know her," Josie says, although it is hard not to judge the girl on appearances alone. "She's probably a very wonderful person.”
"Umh humph, and she's pretty too.” Landon retorts, mouth half-full with his sandwich.
"Yes, exactly," Josie says. "She has very nice…” She tries to think of some part of the girl to compliment, but she comes up empty-handed. It's not that she isn't attractive, the girl is undeniably pretty. Her hair is long and shiny(at least the parts that are visible out of the beanie), her eyes are pretty, and she has a very nice face. It was just all the clothing that looks like it came from an Undead R Us that distracts her.
"She has a nice bone structure.” Josie finally finishes, lamely. She could have definitely thought of a better compliment than that.
"Yeah, it's even better up close. Her smile is gorgeous.” Landon winks creepily. "Like, distracting even. How's a guy supposed to work on some boring English project if she's there in front of him?”
"Okay, that's super creepy," Josie says.
"What? No, it isn't." Landon replies quickly, slightly panicked even.
"No, it totally is. Were you staring at her the entire time you were supposed to be working?”
"What? No, of course not."
"Really? ” Josie says, not believing him whatsoever. Landon may be her friend, but he has a habit of gawking when pretty girls pass(if this lunch is anything to go by).
"I didn’t stare at her, I swear!”
She shoots him an unconvinced look.
"Really Frodo?" Lizzie says, "This is you we're talking about, you. You're telling me you didn't take the chance to ogle at a living human female?"
"Well okay.. Maybe I looked a little.” He admits sheepishly.
"Creepy.” Josie half singsongs half says
"It's not.”
"It is.”
"Nuh-uh," Landon says childishly after a few seconds, seemingly unable to come up with a more powerful rebuttal.
"What are you, 5? But anyways, as your token female friend-"
"Hey what am I, chopped liver?" Lizzie says, butthurt.
"Lizzie I'm talking about his friends here."
"Oh, good point, carry on."
"Anyways, as I was saying. Landon, as your token female friend I would like to point out how creepy-"
"Oh be quiet, you're one of the guys." This time it actually is Landon speaking.
Josie looks at him, offended. "I am not one of the guys.” Landon shrugs passively. "I am not, I'm not." Josie repeats, maybe trying to convince him or maybe trying to convince herself.
"Well you have mostly guy friends, except your sister but she doesn't really count, and you've never dated one of us or anything. Also, you're not really feminine and stuff.” Landon half-explains half-mumbles, he's distracted again.
"I am too, feminine. I'm just not a future prom queen like my sister.” Lizzie smiles at that.
Landon turns his head back to her(He had been staring at that girl again). He seems a bit confused. Honestly, Landon almost always seems confused. He has the social deduction skills of a 6 year old, and the problem-solving abilities of a dog trapped under a blanket.
"I mean, would you even want to be prom queen?" Landon says, "Like you don't seem the type."
"1: No, I would not. I don't see the point in a plastic crown and having my self-esteem rest on the shoulders of people who I wouldn't trust to take care of my pet rock. 2: What's that supposed to mean, ‘I'm not the type’?”
Landon shifts somewhat uncomfortably in his seat, "I don’t know. I'm not saying you're not pretty or anything. You are, you're really pretty-"
"Woah, didn't we just establish that I don't date friends?”
"I'm not flirting or anything. You just.. are pretty.” Josie definitely doesn't agree here. Her sister is the pretty one, not her, but she doesn't say anything.
"Also, like I said before, you aren't that feminine." He quickly backtracks when he sees the look on Josie's face, which is somewhere in between ‘mildly annoyed’ to ‘I'm going to stab you with a plastic fork’. "Okay, maybe it's not that you're not feminine. But just like.. not a princess, if you know what I mean.”
"I do. But also, I'm a hell of a lot more feminine than her.” Josie says, pointing to that English project girl that Landon keeps staring at.
"Yeah," Landon says, laughing, "She's about as feminine as my football star of a brother.”
"True, true," Josie responds, her concerns about Landon's words being replaced with laughter. "How is Raf by the way?
"Oh, he's good." Landon says, "Apparently he's got a pretty good shot at being QB this year."
"I don't doubt it." Lizzie pipes in, "Have you seen those muscles he's got? Gigantic." She does a series of hand movements that are meant to convey how big and strong Raf's muscles are, but it ends up just looking like she's blowing up a balloon and then squeezing it far too tightly.
"Moving on from Lizzie drooling over my brother's muscles, Josie, you planning on doing stage crew again this year? Auditions are today, we could come watch and get a scope of what the set might be this year."
"Actually, I thought I might audition to perform in the musical."
"What?" "Huh?" Lizzie and Landon say in somewhat unison.
"What? Are you saying I couldn't act?"
"No, of course not, you're amazing. But sis, you generally seem to try to shrug off all possible attention. What if you get the lead? That's gonna be so many people looking at you."
"Well you're gonna be in the show too, it's not like I'll be the only one. I promised you after the break up with Jade that I would be braver. That's what I'm trying to do. Also, I probably won't get a lead, in the director's eyes I'm a complete newcomer to performing. There's no way I'm gonna get a character that's too important. Maybe a side character, but not a lead."
"Good point," Lizzie says.
"Yeah, I'll miss having you in tech with me though."
"Don't worry Landon, we can still talk at rehearsals. It's not like we were in the same section of tech anyway."
"I know, but now I can't complain about the bratty performers with you. You're gonna be one of the bratty performers."
"I know, I'm so sorry." Josie says, intentionally overdramatic, "I've turned to the dark side!"
"Dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun duh duh." Landon starts to sing, to the tune of The Imperial March.
"Okay, you've started making Star Wars references, I'm gonna go." Lizzie starts to stand up but then gets pulled down by Josie grabbing her arm.
"I'm sorry dear sister. We'll stop, we'll stop."
"Fine, fine. I will stay, but I am not happy about it." Lizzie sits back down. "So, if you are going to join the musical with me, I'm assuming you have an audition song? Auditions are today you know."
"Yes yes, I know Lizzie. I've got everything prepared. I read the flyer, you don't need to worry about me. I'm totally fine."
It is after school, and Josie is not "totally fine", quite the opposite actually. Her audition slot is soon, and she is a bundle of nerves.
Actually, no, she's not a bundle of nerves. Something being a bundle implies it is orderly. One might say that a baby is bundled up, all comfy and warm. Josie is that same baby, just after it had failed to climb out its crib and fell face-first onto the floor. That's how nervous she is.
It doesn't help that everyone else seems to know exactly what they're doing. Kids recite monologues and do vocal warm ups around her, honestly, Josie feels really out of her league. She's sitting with her sister on a couple of chairs that they found. They are in a room right outside of the stage, where they will be doing their auditions. Josie is a writhing ball of nerves, and she is sure she's about to die from the stress.
Lizzie is only somewhat of a help. Yes, she does comfort Josie and say all of the pre-audition stuff: don’t worry, you’ll do great, go blow them away . But also Lizzie can barely focus on that because of how much she’s talking about herself.
"I'm totally gonna get Millie, don't you think. I mean I'm a great singer, I can dance, I can act, I'm obviously gorgeous." She says with a smirk. "I mean I'm the perfect candidate. Who else is gonna beat me? None of the people who were in drama before are better for the role than me. I mean I know Dana wants the role, but she has no chance. She isn't the worst actress, but she cannot sing for the life of her. Everybody knows singing is the most important part of the audition. Also, she's a bitch so karma will ensure she doesn't get the role"
"I mean, there could be someone new," Josie says, thinking about how she's new.
"True true," Lizzie says, "Though I doubt she'll be better than me. Ooh, I wonder who's gonna play Jimmy!" Jimmy, as far as Josie could tell, was Millie's love interest. Honestly, she doesn't think there will be that many incredibly attractive boys in theatre, considering it's, ya know, theatre.
"Elizabeth Saltzman," A voice calls.
"That's my cue!" Lizzie stands up and starts to walk to the door to the stage.
"Wait no, that means I'm next!"
"Oh don't worry, I'm sure you'll be amazing," Lizzie calls out, almost at the door now.
"Wait, but I'm not-" But Lizzie can't hear her, she's already on the stage, probably rocking her audition like she always does.
Josie can't focus, she can barely think. She seems to be able to hear every single noise that's being created in the room around her: tap shoes, kids chatting, and snippets of songs that she can only partly recognize. Her head pounds and her pulse thrums an unhealthy amount. It's normal to feel like your heart is about to beat out of your chest, right? It's all too much. Would it be bad to run? Couldn't she just escape and never be seen again, leaving to live the rest of her life in the woods as a hermit?
That would probably be way overboard, and more importantly way overdramatic. Still, it isn't the worst option…
"Are you okay?"
A voice.
Could it be Josie's inner monologue come to life? No, her inner monologue knows that she isn't okay.
Josie looks up to find.. that girl from the cafeteria? The one that Landon's partnered with in English. Yes, it's definitely her. She has the bright yellow suspenders and everything.
Josie realizes that she should probably respond instead of just staring, although Landon was right, this girl is nice to stare at.
"Sorry, what?" Josie says, having completely forgotten what the girl asked.
"I asked if you were okay. You seem a bit.." She gestures to Josie as a whole, "Frenzied."
"No no, I'm fine, don't worry. Just a bit nervous"
"Oh, that's good, I guess." She looks around somewhat nervously, then sits where Lizzie had just been. "But you don't really have to be nervous. This isn't a cut show, so it's not like they're gonna not let you in or anything."
"I know. This is just my first time in theatre, so I'm kind of anxious."
"Oh? You're new, that's cool."
"I mean I've done tech the last two years, so it's not like I know nothing about how this works. I'm just.. not used to being in front of the curtain." Josie says. She doesn't know why she's telling her life story to this random girl, but her brain is too full of nerves to really contemplate it.
"Tech seems fun, I've never gotten the chance to do it though. My parents can't brag about me if they can't take any photos. That's a joke." Josie chuckles awkwardly, she's not quite sure what to make of this girl.
"I'm new," the girl continues, "not to theatre, I've been doing that my entire life, but to this school." That explains why Josie hasn't seen her before.
"My name is Hope by the way." Hope, that's a nice name Josie thinks.
"My name's Josie, nice to meet you. I uh.. like your suspenders." Josie points to the bright yellow atrocities on Hope's chest.
Hope laughs, "Thanks, I wouldn't normally wear those though. I actually wouldn't wear any of this," she says, gesturing to her emo get up, "but I lost a bet with some new friends of mine and this was my punishment." Oh, so apparently she doesn't always dress like a moody bloodsucker, good to know.
"So, who are you auditioning for?" Hope says.
"No one really. As I said, I'm new to this. I'll be perfectly fine if I get in the ensemble."
"That's cool, that's cool. I'm gonna go for one of the leads. I was thinking-" But before she can finish her thought, a voice calls out.
"Josette Saltzman!" Josie stands up and starts to(slowly) head to the stage door.
"Break a leg!" Hope says, smiling. Wow, Landon was right, Hope really does have a gorgeous smile.
Josie smiles back, "Thanks!" Maybe everything is going to be okay after all. She opens the stage door and walks inside.