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“I can’t believe we’re doing this Ned!” Peter whisper-shouted to his best friend.
“Dude it was your idea!” Ned replied.
That didn’t take away the fact that they were going to do something that they had never done just because of a crush.
Midtown High School’s drama department had three productions every school year. To close this season they were putting on Mamma Mia! The Musical. Peter wasn’t really into theatre until Liz mentioned she would miss a few Decathlon practices because she was the star in the spring musical. He remembered her saying something along the lines of “having diverse interests looked good on college apps”.
Peter took a deep breath as he opened the door to the theatre. You’re overthinking everything! He thought to himself. Liz will just think you’re a supportive friend. Just friends. Just friends.
“It’s never too late to chicken out,” Ned said as if he was reading Peter’s mind.
“No. We already bought the tickets. It is too late now.” Peter replied, “Worst-case scenario we leave at halftime if it's that awkward.”
“Intermission.” Ned corrected.
“Whatever man. Hey, what’s the plot of Mamma Mia! Anyways?”
“Well let’s see,” Ned said pulling out his phone, “According to the reliable source of Wikipedia, it is the story of Sophie Sheridan who was raised only by her mom, Donna, that’s Liz.”
“Okay.”
“In order for Sophie to have the ‘perfect’ wedding she wants her father to give her away.”
“How she gonna do that?” Peter asked.
“Be quiet young padawan and I’ll tell you!” Ned continued, “In order to find out who her dad is Sophie reads her mom’s diary from the year Donna was pregnant with her. She then finds out that there were three guys who might be her dad.”
“Plot twist.”
“So Sophie invites all three men to her wedding thinking she’ll know which one is her dad when she sees them.”
“Yeesh!” Peter responded, “Who thinks of this? Who- Who watches this?”
“Well us for starters and it is a jukebox musical of ABBA music," said Ned, "and it's a musical, there are a lot of people into this stuff, otherwise y'know, Broadway wouldn't be so- like that."
Peter shrugged as if to say "touche" and then the music started. The two boys turned their eyes to the dark stage.
After the very long intro, the sound of a girl's voice filled the room.
“I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future…”
The voice stopped singing and started talking, “Even if you fail.”
Peter knew he was no expert in singing but that girl's voice was otherworldly.
As the production went on Peter was entertained. The mystery voice turned out to be the very silly, pretty stupid Sophie Sheridan. Needless to say, however, the actress portraying her was awesome in his eyes. Then Liz came on stage and Peter couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. She looked so different! Liz was killing it as Donna.
Intermission came and Peter didn’t move from his seat.
“Dude, are you alright?” Ned asked.
“I need to know what happens!” Peter responded, “They left us on a cliffhanger!”
“Ya because they want us to stay for the second act dude. Besides, intermission is like fifteen minutes at least stand up so I know you’re alive!”
Peter didn’t stand up but changed his position in his seat to show Ned that an alien didn’t possess him. Only five minutes into intermission and Peter was already bored.
“Hey, Ned who plays Sophie in this?” Peter asked.
“I dunno let me see,” Ned said flipping through their program, “Ah hear she is Y/N L/N!”
“Lemme see that,” Peter said taking the program from Ned, “Huh. I’ve never seen her around before. And she’s a freshman like us!”
“Well dude, if you had read her bio you would have been informed that Y/N moved to Queens from W/Y/L at the beginning of this semester. Only two weeks before auditions.”
“Right because I definitely had a program to read and my friend wasn’t holding it the entire time we’ve been here.”
***
Backstage a very tired Y/N L/N was sitting down drinking ice water from a coffee straw so she wouldn’t have to redo her lipstick...again.
“You’re doing awesome fake daughter!” Liz said seating herself next to Y/N.
“Thanks, Liz! You’re doing supsfraglistic yourself!” Y/N replied.
Y/N knew she was a great actress. Freshmen don’t get leads just like that. Tonight, however, wasn’t her best show. She hated to admit it but Y/N was distracted. Why? Because of that messy, brown-haired boy sitting in the front row right where she could see him. Y/N didn’t really know him that well. Only that he hung out with MJ. That being said MJ didn’t really hang out with him that much.
He was messing with her brain. Boys shouldn’t be in Y/N’s brain right now! She had to focus so Y/N decided to take a chance. She got up and broke the theatre rule. Y/N opened the curtain to see if that messy-haired boy was there.
Sure enough, he was.
“Who are you looking for?” Liz asked Y/N.
“Hum? Oh um, there’s just this cute boy in the audience. I don’t know him very well but um, ya.” Y/N blushed.
“Aww Y/N’s got a crush!” Liz teased.
“Noooo!” Y/N retorted, “I just said he was cute! That’s all!”
Liz’s teasing caught the attention of her and Y/N’s cast mates.
“Who’s cute?!”
“Front row?!”
“Aww Y/N!”
The commotion was getting louder.
“Shhh!” Liz and Y/N hushed together.
"Do you want Mr. Tramain to hear us? Do we want to die?" Y/N hissed.
It was no use. Finally, MJ spoke up.
“Come on losers look with your eyes! Y/N’s talking about Peter.”
Everyone went silent for a second. Then went back to talking.
“Eww Peter?!”
“Peter? As in Peter Parker?!”
“He’s not cute.”
Y/N could feel her face burning red.
“MJ shouldn't you be in the tech booth?” Y/N asked.
“Ya probably.” MJ responded, “Catch ya later.”
Y/N rolled her eyes. Classic MJ. Just then the lights started flickering signaling that the show would soon begin. Y/N started heading to her place when Liz stopped her.
“Don’t listen to them about Peter,” Liz whispered.
“What?”
Liz sighed, “Peter’s not that bad of a dude. You’d like him. He’s just a bit of a flakey nerd that’s all.”
“Liz,” Y/N responded, “I just said he was cute. It’s just superficial!”
Liz laughed. “Whatever you say Y/N.”
***
After the show, all the actors and crew lined up against the wall towards the door so that the audience could give them individual praise.
At the end of the crowd was Peter. Peter was just trying to make it to the end of the hall just to say two words to Liz and Y/N; Good job. That’s it. But since he and Ned were in the front of the theatre they were in the back of the line. Meaning they would be the last people to get out and say good job to Liz and Y/N.
When they finally got to the end Peter was sure there was no way he could mess up saying good job. Alas, he was wrong. Peter walked right to Liz but she spoke first.
“Hey, Peter thanks for coming to the show! Did you like it?” Liz asked.
“yeaH,” Peter’s voice cracked, “Good job?!”
“Thanks, Peter!” Liz smiled.
“A huh.” Peter nodded.
Ned rolled his eyes. “Oh, nice job you did out there Sophie!” Ned said to Y/N.
“Aww, thanks! And thank you for coming” Y/N smiled, not noticing Ned calling her by her character’s name.
“Ya, you both did awesome!” Peter said getting his senses back and giving the two girls two thumbs up.
“Well we have to go,” Ned said nudging Peter to the door, “See you at school!”
“Bye!” Y/N waved.
Liz smiled at Y/N. “You totally have a crush on Peter.”
“Do not.” Y/N lied.
“You do but it’s okay because every freshman geek does. You Y/N, are one of those freshman geeks.”