Work Text:
Miss Jenn sat at her desk, going over rehearsal notes from the day before. She was planning what they would go over in the next week. Ashlyn’s performance of Home had blown her away. It pleased her to know she had made the correct casting choice. She looked forward to opening night and seeing the audience’s reaction to the number.
A knocking sound at her office door broke her from her thoughts. “Come in.” She called.
Benjamin Mazzara walked in. “Sorry if I am interrupting your lunch break Jennifer I was wondering if I could have a quick word.”
“Of course, Benjamin, take a seat.” She smiled.
He walked to the chair and sat down so he was exactly opposite her. It had been a few weeks since they had been alone like this. Not since they had gone to slices, and she had left him to go talk to her crush.
The moment he realizes he had feelings for her when she walked away.
“So, Benjamin, how can I help you?”
Miss Jenn’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “I wanted to thank you for the theatre workshop thing you did with students.”
“Really?” Miss Jenn smiled inquisitively.
“Yes, it has seemed to help Caswell. I mean EJ Caswell. He was in the AV club earlier and he said that the question you had them answer not only helped him understand his character better but also made him think about how it applied to himself and what his story was.”
Miss Jenn sat back in surprise. She never expected one of her little exercise’s would have that much of an impact.
“You did a good job, Jennifer.”
Her face lit her, and she could not help the smile that spread across it. “Thank you, Benjamin.”
“I better let you continue on with your work.” He said after a moment and got up out of the chair, heading for the door. Just as he reached it, he turned around.
“Everything okay?” Miss Jenn asked.
“Just out of curiosity, what were the questions you asked the students?”
Miss Jenn could not remember all of them and was not sure which folder the slip of paper was in, so she pulled the first one she could recall off the top of her head. “If you had to pick one book to live inside, which book would it be and why?”
Mr Mazzara stood and thought for a moment.
Miss Jenn looked at him amusingly. “Are you actually thinking of an answer?”
“Yes.” He smiled at her. “I guess I would have to go with The Wizard of Oz. It was the book my grandmother always read to me when I was a child. I reread it now and then when I miss her. Oh, and the Tin Man always reminded of a robot.” Mr Mazzara saw Miss Jenn’s shocked expression. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, it’s just funny we both picked the same book.”
“Really?” Benjamin said, sounding pleasantly pleased. “Well, that’s good at least we would both know someone and wouldn’t get lonely in a new place.”
“Yes, it’s always nice to know you have someone to rely on.”
“I better get going. Got a class right after lunch.”
“See you later Benjamin.”
As he walked out of the room, Miss Jenn smiled to herself. Maybe it did not take five questions to get to know someone. Maybe, just maybe, on the rare, special occasions it took just one.