#43.5

"I love you too.." John sniffled and let him go.

"I can't pretend that this isn't bad, though.. You're my boyfriend. Hell, you're a person, John. This is awful."

"Alex.."

"I won't go to him, I promise. I just... I need you to go rest."

John nodded and went to bed, pulling Alexander to go lay with him. “I just want you to be here for me... Can you please do that?..”

"What if Laf or Herc asks? I'm sure they noticed you were gone.."

He thought for a second. "Can you just tell them I was sick?.. I don't want them worrying too..."

"Okay.." He laid down with John and made sure he was comfortable.

At the same time, Hercules and Lafayette were just getting out of school. They walked up to the drama room and waited outside.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Hercules smiled.

"Okay." He pecked his lips. "I'll text you John's address. Text me when you find out how he's doing"

"Of course." He walked out and went to the apartment. As promised, Alexander told him that John was sick, but Hercules wasn't buying it. "Just make sure he's actually okay this time, please?"

"I will.." Alexander nodded and shut the door, sighing.

Hercules messaged Lafayette. [Hey, Alex said everything's good, but-] He couldn't do it. Lafayette wouldn't have been able to focus during drama. He could tell him later.. He sighed and left.

As Hercules would've predicted, Lafayette's spirits were high at the moment. He smiled as the girls came up to him.

"Hey, Laf!" Martha smiled.

"This is so exciting, you have no idea," Frances squealed out.

Lafayette nodded. "I could only imagine. Did you three want to do a quick run before doing it for the class?"

"Yeah, I think that would be best," Theodosia said.

"We can go to Eacker's classroom."

Thomas came over. "Hey. Are you three girls looking for me?" he asked with a smirk.

Lafayette rolled his eyes. "Leave them alone. They asked and I got them an audition as the Heathers."

"Oh, right. They asked me about what we were doing and I led them to you."

"Well, do you want to come watch them do a quick rehearsal?"

Thomas smiled. "Yeah, that'd be great."

Aaron ran up to them, slightly out of breath. "Sorry, I got caught up."

"It's no problem. Do you want to come watch us practice for our audition?" Martha asked, making Theodosia go bright red.

"That sounds nice. I like Heathers." He smiled and followed them down the hall to Eacker's empty classroom.

When they got there, they guys pushed back some of the desks to make room as the girls got ready and sat in a row in front of them.

The three girls took position, a little more color in Theodosia's face now.

"...Are we going to have a problem?!" Frances began. "Ya got a bone to pick?! You've come so far, why NOW are you pulling on my dick?!"

Thomas' attention peaked as Frances made direct eye contact with him.

"Normally I'd slap your face off...! And everyone here could watch! But I'm feeling nice, here's some advice, listen up, biotch!"

The heart of the song chimed in. This was evidently not the first time the three girls had performed this together; their moves were far too choreographed for that. Though with the amount of nights they'd spent performing with one another for fun, perhaps that wasn't such a surprise. Frances swung her hips as she walked forward, Martha and Theodosia spinning out beside her before pressing their backs together.

"I like!"

"Looking /hot/, buying stuff /they/ cannot!" Frances addressed her audience.

"I like!"

"Drinking hard! Maxing dad's credit card!"

"I like!"

"Skipping gym, scaring her-" She gestured to Aaron. "Screwing him!" She gestured to Thomas.

"I like!"

"Killer clothes! Kicking nerds in the nose!" The three girls kicked in sync on the word. If it was one thing the girls had nailed it was audience participation, willing or not. Not even Thomas' relentless smirking could throw them off. Or at least, if it /was/ bothering them, it was so far masked under this new facade that it wasn't noticeable.

The song continued on in a similar fashion, this time, Martha and Theodosia taking the lead roles and Frances supporting them. Each selected a person to focus on. Frances, in the center, singled out Thomas. Martha, to the side, focused on Lafayette. And, of course... Theodosia, to the other side, homed in on Aaron.

"Guys fall!"

"At your feet! Pay the check!" Martha grinned, leaning closer to Lafayette.

"Help you cheat!" Theodosia did the same to Aaron, determined expression in her eyes.

"All you!"

"Have to do!"

"Say goodbye to Shamoo!" Thomas found himself leaning backwards as Frances got closer. She must've been doing a good job to make him a touch uncomfortable.

"That freak's!"

"Not your friend! I can tell, in the end!" The three girls took the hands of the person in front of them. No wonder Theodosia had been so nervous. Taking Lafayette's hands would've been a cinch. He was soft and friendly, especially with the stars in his eyes as he watched the performance. Thomas... would've been painfully uncomfortable... then there was Aaron who, she was sure was reconsidering anything and everything about her now.

"If she!"

"Had your shot!"

"She would leave you to rot!" The girls yanked their hands back, teasing their audience with affection then ripping them away. They then pirouetted back towards one another in the center of the room.

"Course, if you don't care, FINE! Go braid her hair! Maybe Sesame Street is on!" Theodosia continued, leaning back as for the other two to catch her, then flick her back up on "Wooaaaahhh!"

"Or forget that creep!"

"And get in my jeep!"

"Let's go tear up someone's lawn!"

Seeing Francis 'push' Martha down and tell her to "Shut up, Heather!" was hilarious, Martha's reaction completely over the top and eccentric.

"It's my Candy Store, it's my candy..." The girls began to snap their fingers and pace back towards their chosen 'victim' in the audience. "It's my Candy Story, it's my candy...!" Martha leaned back over Lafayette, Francis over Thomas... Theodosia over Aaron. "It's my Candy Store, it's my Candy Stoooooore!" Upon hitting the final note, each girl, once again, span away from the boys and held a pose in the middle as the music cut... for a minute before the three burst into giggles, both excitedly and embarrassed.

Lafayette jumped to his feet and started applauding the girls, a wide grin spread across his face. "That was amazing! Eacker would have to be insane to not cast you three."

Theodosia smiled shyly and tried to gauge Aaron's reaction. The look on his face was of complete awe, though she wasn't completely sure she read that right.

Awe didn't begin to cover it. Theodosia put on such a convincing performance and that voice... He could listen to her singing all day.

"Let's go, I'm sure he's wondering where Thomas and I are." He smiled and led everyone back to the auditorium, where Eacker was going over a few things without them. "Sorry we're late."

"It's no problem. You know I'm late all the time." He smiled. "Now, are you girls ready? I think Laf said you were going to perform Candy Store?"

They all nodded and climbed onto the stage, Theodosia needing a bit of help from her two taller friends, and performed the song similarly to how they had, but without having to involve any other students.