#theclevertwin

Clara was running to her room.  Fast as she could, her bag thumping against her thigh, panting and gasping, she said nothing to anyone, but a quick and polite “Excuse me.” Or “Sorry.” She had to keep running; she had to get into privacy before…before….

When she got to her door, she shut and locked it behind her before falling to the ground in her pain, fighting the battle in her head.  She usually had so much control, she was usually so much stronger. 

But Oswin was determined to get out today.

“No. No…please….” she whispered, clutching her own head, hands tangling in her own hair. “I can’t let this happen.”

With almost a shock, Clara’s head turned, and a smirk fell on her face.  “Aw, honey, it’s going to happen sooner or later, why fight it? Just relax, and let me drive.  It’s been too long since you let me out last. I need some time out of that convenient little box you have for me.”

Another cringe. “No. Oswin. No. Stop this now. Please.” Clara begged softly, desperately.

With another shock to the body, the last one, Clara was no longer in control. “Sorry sweet girl. Oswin needs some play time.” She smiled. “There you go then.  Be a good girl, sit back and let me have some fun. Oh, this is going to be brilliant. Of course, I can’t be wearing this.” With a frown, she looked at the modest dress and leggings her counterpart usually wore. 

  She strode to the closet, and began pulling out clothes. “Goodness, Clara. Don’t you own anything that is possibly workable?” Finally, her eyes fell on the clothes at the back of the closet, the ones that Amy and Christina had told Clara to wear that night.  “Now this is what I’m talking about.” She spoke victoriously, pulling the short black dress to her body, looking at herself in the mirror.  “Now, just those fishnet tights that went with it, and your boots will have to do.” She sighed, smirking in the mirror.

When she was changed, and had put some of Clara’s make-up on she smirked in the mirror, tousling her hair. “I’m ready.” She winked, pulling out the fake I.D that Christina had gotten for her, and walking out the door.

Clara Oswald stood on top of Gaiman Hall, looking out among the campus and town, her hands toying with the hem of her dress.  Was it too much? Of course not, it was a simple maroon dress, nothing to worry about, with boots, like her normal clothes.  

But she may have curled her hair.  

And wore makeup.

She was nervous.  Of course she was.  She'd never been on a date with anyone, and this was someone that she actually liked.  She didn't want to screw it up. Clara had texted him the code, telling him how to enter.  

Strangely, she felt like she was giving a part of her up.  Yes, she had been here for only a day, but she had a distinct connection to this place, like it was a place she could be herself.  Sacred. 

She shivered against the cold wind, but didn't wrap the blanket around her, it was set on the ground after all.  She simply closed her eyes, and sighed, feeling the sensation of being with the stars, the wonderful peacefulness of it all.  

Clara was pacing.  Rather quickly.  Furiously almost.  Didn't realize someone could be pacing furiously until now.  Suddenly she stopped and ran a hand through her hair, a shaky breath leaving her lips.  

"It's okay Clara. You don't have to go to college. You'll be fine." she said to herself. "Somehow.  Here's an idea, you'll get a job. Yes, a job where you will get paid.  And it will be a dead end job that you hate and will have to be stuck with for the rest of your life." She got frustrated and sat on the couch, just focusing on breathing.  

They said don't worry about anything else. Focus on your family.  

If by family, they meant only her father, left behind by his wife, then Clara had done that.  Had comforted him, and Clever had been there too, held her hand at the funeral.  Didn't cringe when she cried, or sobbed really, into his chest. Clara had simply lost too many people.  

And because of that. She had no scholarship.  No way of getting to the place she needed to get. No possible way.  She could just drown herself in debt, but she would be under that cloud for the rest of her life.  Clara didn't want to be under a cloud.  

AUDITIONS FOR GALLIFREY HIGH'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, DIRECTED BY ROSE TYLER.

  Clara Oswald wrung her hands awkwardly. All she had to do. Was sing. Should be easy right? Just open her mouth and-...oh god. She couldn't do this. She couldn't possibly go in there. It was Rose, sure. Rose and Clever....she would be fine. Taking in a breath, she just brought her hand to her head. They would enter the room, and then so would she. Yes. That was how it worked. She waited by the door, biting her lip as she leaned against the wall, before standing up straight as she saw two figures walking down the hall. Here went nothing.

Rose Tyler had gotten to the theatre space early on the west side of campus, sticking up a small poster on the outside of the building to make everyone aware that auditions were held inside. For women, prepare a ballad of your choice from a post-Rodgers and Hammerstein era musical. Men, stick to Andrew Lloyd Webber, please. That was all they'd been given. After setting up the theatre with the third Sigma brother, she took him with her down the hall, spying their first appointment of the afternoon--Clara. "Right then!" She grinned, seeing the brunette come into view. "Off we go, entrance's down here."

Clever Sigma smiled, looking up as he saw Clara Oswald. "Hello, Clara. Nice to see you've decided to audition. You'll be great," he said, grinning and then following her and Rose towards the theatre entrance, sitting down behind the piano as soon as they entered, stretching his fingers slightly and playing a couple of chords and scales. "Clara, you are singing..?" he questioned.

Clara Oswald swallowed but returned the smile, shaking her head. Him and his flirtatiousness. It was embarrassing sometimes. Her hands were shaking as they entered the room. Why was it so hard to go first? Why was it so hard to go at all? She realized Clever asked a question, and shook herself. "Think of me. From Webber's Phantom of the Opera." she said, trying to at least try and sound confident.

Rose Tyler 's eyes traveled between the two for a moment before leading the way to the theatre, motioning for Clara to step onto the stage as she took her seat in the third row of the house, crossing her legs and pulling a notebook and pen to her lap, glancing up at the song title. "Right then, give your sheet music to Mister Sigma here and we'll have at it, yeah?" She quickly jotted down Clara's name and the song beside it. "Phantom, weren't you worried? Longest running show on Broadway, second on the West End and you've managed to pick the big, bravado female number. Bit overdone." Part of her was honest (really, all of her was; everything she said was true), and part of her, as Clever knew, just liked to see how confident the actors could be in their choices.

Clever Sigma laughed. "That's Clara for you, always the brave and bold one," he replied, grinning, and then taking the sheet music from Clara, scanning it over. "Think of me. I am familiar with that one, nice song," he remarked, shrugging slightly. He'd leave it to Rose to be the expert on whether Clara had made a good song choice - after all, she was the singer. He just played piano, and sung occasionally, casually.

Clara Oswald raised and eyebrow and let out a breath. "I've performed the song before." She said. "It fits within my range quite well, and since this is an audition, I found it appropriate." She said, confidant. She may have been nervous before, but now, when it came to her choices, especially with her voice, there was no stopping her, no giving her doubts.

Rose Tyler smirked slightly at her response, leaning back in her chair before giving a curt nod. "Right then," She began, adding a few notes to the piece of paper. "Go on. Whenever you feel comfortable."

Clever Sigma grinned as his hands hovered over the piano, poised and ready to play, looking at Clara. "Ready?" he asked, smiling in reassurance.

Clara Oswald smiled at Clever, and gave him a quick nod. The song started, that wonderful two measures of piano before her entrance. "Think of me. Think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye.." surprisingly, when Clara held that note, the vibrato stayed. She was thankful for the even tone. Her voice was always her best feature, the only thing she accepted compliments about. "Remember me, every so often, promise me you'll try. On that day, that not so distant day, when you are far away and free, if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me." Clara waited as Clever played the instrumental and skipped Raoul's part, like she noted in the music. She swayed a little, getting into it with a small smile on her face.

Theta Sigma peeks in through the large double doors at the front of the concert hall, his ears instantly filling with the sound of Clara's voice. He smiled, sliding in quietly and creeping down the dark aisle to the row just behind Rose to sit and listen. He knew that as an auditioner himself he wasn't exactly allowed to listen to others, but it's not like they were for the same part, and he never offered his opinion to Rose even as Stage Manager unless he wasn't planning to be in the performance as well. No one had ever accused them of being unfair or biased, and he liked to keep it that way. He leaned back, arms crossing behind his head and closing his eyes to the chiming tones.

Rose Tyler shut her eyes, sticking the end of her pen into her mouth as she listened to the voice that came out of her old friend's mouth; not near what she was expecting from the small girl, a wonderfully pleasant surprise. Hearing a shuffling behind her, she gave a glance back at the familiar brunette behind her, giving a slight nod, her eyebrows raised, as if to say, Looks like we've got a change in the lineup this year.

Clever Sigma smiled at Clara as she sang, still in awe of her voice. Yes, he'd told her that she should audition, and he didn't regret suggesting that to her, not one little bit. Because up there, on stage, if there was any doubt before that Clara Oswald shone like a star, then there was none now. She was a star, but in a humble way, shy and nervous, but her voice was beautiful and effortless. And when he glanced at Rose, he was pretty sure she'd enjoyed hearing Clara sing. He was also sure that she hadn't noticed Theta, his brother, slip into the auditorium, sitting down behind her.

Theta Sigma gave a knowing look in return to Rose, his eyes then catching those of his younger brother, giving him a nod. Clara had a wonderful voice. He wondered why she had seemed so nervous in the first place. He leans forward, mouth hovering next to Rose's ear. "What do you think?" he whispers.

Clara Oswald, surprisingly, was too involved in the song to care, even if she saw a shadow sneak in. She let it pass over her, because it didn't matter. "And though it's clear, though it was always clear, that this was never meant to be, just, please promise me that sometimes you will think of me. Think of August when the trees were green, don't think about, the way things might have been. " she paused and smiled a little sadly, thinking of Rose, what their friendship would have become if she didn't move. "Think of me, think of me waking silent and resigned. Imagine me, trying too hard, to put you from my mind. Think of me, please say you'll think off me, whatever else you choose to do, there will never be a day when I won't think of you!" she sang the high note for a couple beats, enthralled by the feeling, before going on. "Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade, they have their season so do we, but please promise me, that sometimes, you...willl...think." she took a breath, opening her eyes, ready for the Canzonetta. She opened her mouth and sang the first part, very staccato, second part, legato....and went to her B flat, taking a breath and a moment, before finally, finally...she rose to the high b flat. "Of ME!" she finished, a smile on her face as she felt the victory of the song, the wonderful chord settling in her veins. It was over.

Rose Tyler allowed a small grin to crawl across her face as Clara continued singing, turning her head just slightly to whisper back to Theta, her eyes never leaving the girl on the stage. "Never knew this part of her," She admitted, impressed. "Every year, y'expect a surprise like this, like y'see in shows'n films, but't never happens. And here she is. Black horse." The blonde silenced as the girl reached the end of the song, listening to hear how she'd go about the finish. Rose couldn't help her grin widening as the final note was hit; more than impressive. Extraordinary. Quickly, she set her face back to neutral, sketching note after note onto her paper. "List goes up Wednesday evenin' outside this buildin', Clara. Thank you."

Clever Sigma nodded at Clara, smiling. "Well done, Clara. You did well," he said, grinning and handing the sheet music back to her politely. "Always a surprise, isn't she, Rose?" he remarked. "And you, Clara, I'll see you around, see you at tech class."

Melody stared down at the pregnancy test in her hand, tears running down her cheeks. This can't be happening, she thought to herself. He doesn't love me, he won't love this baby. 

                                          What had she done to her life?

She was a freshman, barely old enough to know what sex even was and now she was having a baby, with a man who didn't even love her.

Freshman year. A year to start over, become a new person, and for Mels, that was exactly what she was doing, becoming a new person. She had a new boyfriend, a new school, a new group of friends, but her favourite thing on that list was the first thing.

Clever sure didn't treat Mels the way she should be treated but Melody could feel herself falling in love with him quickly-she had never been treated right in her life, why should her boyfriend be any difference. Of course, the abuse was new.

Clara walked through the hallways again, doing her best to try and dodge everyone's books and bags.  She was far too small sometimes.  Sighing, she checked her schedule again and looked at the room, relief coloring her features.  She entered the room, her books in hand and looked around.  No seats.  Well, rather, just one.  

Clara knew who the person sitting beside it was. 

The words of her new friends echoed in her mind.  

He's the biggest arse of us three....don't mix with him...he's dangerous....he's trouble. 

Swallowing, she took the seat timidly and sat down stiffly, placing her books on the table, and sneaking a look at him.  He was like Kappa, same attractive face...same chin though, but there was something...darker about his presence.  Kappa's was like sunshine, happy, and carefree.  Clever's could be just the opposite.  It was weighted, and had the air of darkness itself, yet, it was smart, logical.