Soulmates

Chapter 25

Leo didn't get the girl's name until the first rehearsal for Hadestown that afternoon.

    All of the cast members, both tech and actors, were required to be there. Leo didn't know why. Like, what was he going to do? Build a whole ass platform for the orchestra with a winding staircase on the side?

    He was good, but he ain't that good.

    Leo was the first to arrive in the auditorium. Surprisingly, the stage had been cleared of all set pieces used during the performances of Theatre 1 students.

    Annabeth was there next. She already had a clunky binder in hand with a pencil at the ready. Leo didn't think there'd be any need for notes on the first rehearsal, but what the hell did he know?

    "The sign-in sheet's over there." Annabeth pointed to the corner between the stage and the wings.

    Leo didn't get a chance to thank her as the next duo entered the room. One guy with tawny skin and green hair, the other pale with blond hair.

    "Dude, you already have a language credit!" green hair said as he threw a pink purse on a chair. "Why the hell are you taking ASL?"

    "Easy A." Kurt Cobain Jr. sat next to the discarded bag. "Hearth is a 'teacher of the Deaf.'"

    "If you're a CODA, then you should at least get a more advanced class."

    "Alex, trust the process."

    "Bitch, what fucking process?" Green hair--Alex-- stood up to sign in. "Point it out to me 'cause that shit sounds fake as fuck."

    "The process of maintaining a high GPA means you sacrifice many things." He paused. "Like, watching people attempt to sign fast butcher everything."

    "Are we that bad?"

    "Not so much you, but..."

    "Sadie," said the Spanish girl from before, "I promise you on my homosexuality that Nora Holleran, June Claremont-Diaz, and Pez Okonjo are in a polyam relationship. In fact, I will make out with a man if I'm wrong."

    "Can you tell her you'd do something reasonable?" Nico says.

    Leo didn't even know that Nico talked to anyone but Reyna.

    "No," says the girl with a laugh.

    "Shelby, you're not going to kiss a guy."

    "Ugh, fine." Shelby bit her lip. "Sades, do you watch Brooklyn 99?"

    "No."

    "Helpful, I was going to say 1,000 pushups, but that won't mean..."

    Within a few more minutes, the auditorium was packed.

    Leo took it upon himself to sit in the back.

    Mr. Apollo sat on the ledge of the stage. "Hello, everyone. Welcome to the first rehearsal of Hadestown. What we're going to do is introduce ourselves and our roles. We'll start with you." He pointed to someone in the far corner of the auditorium.

    "Oh, um, hi. I'm Oak. They/them pronouns, please. I'm assistant choreographer."

    "Lavinia. She/her. I'm head choreographer."

    There was a pause. "Oh, shit, erm, Annabeth. She/her. I'm stage manager."

    "Cecil, he/they pronouns, I'm Hermes."

    "Lou Ellen, she/they. I'm the fate that's like, really low."

    "Calypso. She/her. I'm also a fate. It's the one kind of in the middle? I'm not really sure how to describe it, sorry."