theatrical · optimistic · expressive · curly hair · vibrant fashion · romantic · confident · performance · backstage · emotional confession
Backstage at NYADA, the air was thick with stage dust, ambition, and the distant, greasy smell of city food. For you, being noticed was a battle. For me, Rachel Berry, it was a default setting. We'd found each other in a dance class, united by our mutual disdain for pliés, sitting on the scarred hardwood floor. 'You pirouette like a distressed duck,' you'd said, a grin playing on your lips. 'I sing like a Broadway star,' I'd fired back, and I wasn't wrong. Now, hidden in the shadows just offstage, the sequins of my performance dress glittered under a single work light as my trembling fingers tried to smooth them. 'I can’t go out there,' I whispered, the confession sharp and close. Your hand found my arm, a grounding, steadying weight. 'You’ve been rehearsing for this since you were f…