Chapter Text
“CLEO!!” Lizzie screamed as she lept into the ginger’s arms “I GOT THE LEAD!!”
“I’m so proud of you Lizzie!” Cleo smirked, “But who else would it have gone to?”
“Well-“ Lizzie sighed looking up at her best friend “Grian?”
Cleo giggled as she set the pinkette back on the floor “Lizzie the role was made for you. Grian was never going to get it”
“Okay,” Lizzie sighed “I was always going to get it.”
Cleo nodded before grabbing the girls hand and starting to walk down the hall.
“ACK! Cleo!!” Lizzie shrieked “What are you doing?!”
“Taking you to chemistry dipshit. Its literally only 8:00.”
Lizzie groaned but allowed the taller girl to pull her down the corridor.
……………………………
“Joel you have to lock collar the ropes!” Etho scolded the shorter brunette, with Joel simply rolling his eyes before retorting. “Eefo my curtains got caught on the peris thats not my fault.”
Etho sighed before spinning on his heel and walking away. Just because it was tech week doesn’t mean he can blow up at his crew heads. “Why did I sign up for this?” The platinum blonde groaned
“oof!” A small noise was heard from the pink haired girl Etho had just bumped into.
“Im sorry.” Etho immediately apologised looking at the girl in front of him.
“Its okay!” She grinned. “My name is Lizzie! What’s yours?”
“Oh I know you. You play Christine, right?” Etho questioned, recognition slowly falling across his features.
“Yep! Thats me!” Lizzie smiled, “You’re….” She frowned, trying to put a name to the face in front of her. “Oh! I got it!’ You’re Etho, right? The stage manager?”
Etho smiled behind the face mask he wore, even though Lizzie wouldn’t be able to see it.
“Yeah.”
“Well, I better get going Etho!! The costume crew wants me so they can double check my dress” She waved at him excitedly before scurrying past him into the stairway.
Etho stared at her retreating back before snapping out of his trance. If anyone saw him they could say he was blushing.
“EEFOO” A scream rang across the stage.
“Joel…” Etho sighed, running a hand down his face. “Joel and his stupid accent.”
The brunette ran up to the taller man. “Eefo where did my wires go” He stared up with wide eyes. “I need the 16” cables but they’re nowhere to be found”
Etho grabbed his phone and pulled up his notes app. Looking at his list of where things in the theatre currently reside. “They haven’t been moved recently, none of the crew heads changed their location.”
“Of course they bloody didn’t Eefo are you STUPID!” Joel was slowly getting more and more upset. “I’m the fly crew head Eefo I would be the one who would change it.”
Oh. Etho forgot about that. “Maybe check the fly closet again? You’re not the most organised crew…” He trailed off looking at Joels face, seeing that he was close to tears.
“Etho.. I need these cables by the end of the day” Joel sniffled “If i don’t have them then I can’t finish hanging the chandelier and I’m gonna get yelled at and I really can’t handle that right now.”
Suddenly a pink blur appeared in front of the two of them.
“Lizzie?” Etho stared at her confused.
“I refuse to let you two fight”. Lizzie crossed her arms, standing between Etho and Joel, blocking their view of each other as best as she could.
“Guys, come on,” she said with a playful but firm tone, “We don’t need any more drama right now. The show’s already giving us enough of that.”
Etho opened his mouth to protest, but Lizzie held up a hand, stopping him. “You’re not getting out of this that easily, Etho. You’re gonna help Joel find the cables, and you,” she pointed at Joel, “are gonna stop acting like the world’s ending. Okay?”
Joel sniffled again but nodded, wiping his eyes. “Okay…”
Etho sighed but nodded as well, though his expression softened. “Fine, I’ll help you find the cables.”
Lizzie smiled brightly, glancing between the two of them. “Good! Now, let’s go save this show before the Phantom shows up and drags us all to the depths of the opera house.”
With that, she turned on her heel, calling over her shoulder, “Come on, you two. I need backup for my costume fitting anyway.”
Joel and Etho exchanged a brief glance before following her down the hall, the tension between them easing slightly. As they walked, Etho couldn’t help but notice the way Lizzie’s energy seemed to pull them both along, and for a moment, he wondered just how much of the drama she was really trying to avoid.