welcome ,,

It was a chilly day today in DC. Or at least that's what all 3 news channels were saying every fricken time Lyss would turn on the tv. Seriously, for the past 20 minutes it was like there were no other words in the english language to describe today. Chilly, cold, brisk, refreshing. Obviously whomever did the news wasn't familiar with using a thesaurus. But it didn't matter. Alyssa put on her black yoga pants, grey tank top and topped it off with her cut up ramones tshirt that hung off of her shoulders. Sure, it would be cold outside, but she only planned on being in to open for about 4 seconds. Okay more like 5.3 but whatever, who cares? She grabbed her now cold coffee and sprinted across the field to the auditorium.

Opening the large doors she stepped inside the toasty little room. Her shoes cast echoes in the lonely rows as she gazed up to the pitch black stage. Fumbling around she managed to hit the light switch on the stage. Perfect. She darted up the side stair managing to only trip once this time and stood in the middle. She threw her arms apart as far as they could go and started to belt out the familiar words to one of her favorite broadway shows. "Woke up today
feeling the way I always do. Hungry for something that I can't eat, then I hear that beat, that rythm of town starts hauling me down." She paused looking behind her to check if someone was there. Not that it mattered too much. The whole school practically knew Lyss would be the only person crazy enough to get up at 7 AM and belt out songs in the auditorium. Well, her or someone as crazy as her. Feeling pleased with herself she continued where she left off. " It's like a message from high above Pulling me out to the smiles and streets that I love... GOOD MORNING BALTIMORE!"

She had just started the chorus when she saw movement in one of the back rows. She squinted and thought she could make out a face, but the lights were too bright.. "Hello? Who's there? ...." she asked feeling impatient that someone would want to interrupt her song.

Etienne had no intention of interrupting the girl's song. In fact he didn't even want to be in the theater, but he'd been skipping one too many times and part of his detention was doing a bunch of bullshit for the drama teacher, which today included bringing in and unpacking the boxes of new stage lights that the school had ordered. If he was lucky, maybe he'd even get to install them!

He hated this, and would much rather be back home and in bed, but that wasn't an option. He pushed his way into the auditorium, setting some of the boxes he was carrying on the chairs in the back row so he could go get some of the others from outside. Unfortunately, this was right around the time Alyssa started calling out and asking who was there. Nobody was.

But a few minutes later Etienne came back into the room, the door slamming behind him as he tried to carry way more than he actually should be. As he attempted to set the lights down, the box he had balanced on top of the four others he carried wobbled a bit and crashed on the ground. The sound of breaking glass was evident.

FUCK!

Etienne yelled out, because regardless of who may or may not have been in the auditorium, he just knew he was going to have to shell out some big money to replace the lighting fixture he'd just broken.

Alyssa heard a curse and the sound of breaking glass. Not good. Not good at all. She tried squinting again but this only made her eyes hurt. She darted to the light board on the side of the stage and quickly flipped on the back row lights. Sure enough, there was someone there and a bunch of boxes on the floor.

Alyssa darted down the steps nearly falling on her head as she did, and came up to the guy. " Hey, i'm Alyssa.. Lyss, and i'm sure you have a great excuse for being here but right now.. oh" She looked in the box and saw the new lights the school had ordered. That sucks. The poor kid would have to pay for all the new lights he just broke. "Oh i'm so sorry, i didn't mean to." She knew this wasn't going to be a good start to the day. Hell, it was only 7, and already she wanted a drink. Acctually a drink sounding wonderful at this moment.

"I'm gunna need a drink if you want me to help you out." Lyss said winking at her new guest. She of course new that the school didn't acctually need new lights. She had cleaned out the old drama closet last year and had remembered a few brand new spares that she could give this kid so he wouldn't have to shell out a couple thousand. But... it was early and going up to the dusty and stuffy drama closet was not her idea of a fun day. "I'll let you in on a secret but like i said, i need a drink" She gazed into his eyes. Hey, he was kinda cute. She dashed away to the actors room in the back and grabbed her master key and the two bottles of beer she kept in the fridge just in case. Good thing Lyss had left them there last week when she was trying to hide them from the drama teacher. If anyone found out they would have her head. She quickly returned with the keys and beer and offered one to the guy.

Etienne noticed the girl as she came off the stage and towards him, closing his eyes momentarily just in case she was going to go completely psycho for no reason and start yelling at him. Don't laugh, some of the girls in this place were insane.

Etienne.

He said, giving his name softly, but not about to make any excuse for being there. He had a job to do, and that wasn't anybody else's business but his own at the moment.

Okay...

He said a bit skeptically as she spoke of needing a drink before helping him out. First of all, he didn't really need help at the moment. Second of all, who the fuck drank at seven in the morning? Apparently Alyssa did, but Etienne wasn't one to judge. Personally, he didn't drink beer, which is why when she returned and offered him one, he waved it off.

No thanks... I'm still digesting my six am Jack Daniels.

He said, offering a hint of a smile as he opened the box that contained the broken light in it, surveying the damage, which was pretty extensive. He frowned to himself as he lifted the box and carried it over to the trash.

What was that secret?

"I uh, didn't know you spoke in code. Am i supposed to keep each sentence to a minimum of 5 sylables. Eh?" She said joking around. She downed the rest of her beer quickly and looked Etienne straight in the eye. Ugh, the liquid felt like gold down her throught, it burned just enough to wake her up, but not enough to get her drunk. She twirled the keys around her finger as she spoke.

"You don't have to be all macho man for me. I'm about to help you out here, i deserve some kindness back bud." She replied trying her best to impersonate some italian mobster without completely cracking up. She knew he probably wasn't up for her bubbly impersonations this morning, but she wasn't up for having her song interrupted either so HA. Suck it karma! She was about to do some kind of victory dance but thought that she had already pissed the guy off enough.

She pointed to the box and explained to him about the closet and the extra light she was willing to give him, though he'd have to go up to the room and help her dig it out.

"Still hate me now?" she said as she folded her arms and waited for him to say something.. or apologize. Either or would pretty much work for Lyss. Lyss really wasn't one to get mad.. or hold grudges.

It's early.

He offered as a response to her mobster imitation, something that regretfully didn't amuse him as it might have if he didn't have ties to actual mafia. Yup. You don't fuck with Etienne. He couldn't hold that against her though, and recognized that she was just trying to be nice, something he couldn't really fault her for.

I never hated you to begin with, you haven't given me a reason to dislike you yet.

He joked, actually cracking a bit of a smile, though he'd cracked a bigger one a few moments earlier when she told him about the lights that were laying around in the storage closet. He'd be able to replace the one he'd broken without dipping into his personal funds, which was a big plud for him, seeing as how he was saving every penny he made nowadays.

So where's this closet? If you unlock it for me I can carry the light out.

See? More than five syllables, and he was being friendly too! He still wasn't exactly aware of the fact that he was the reason she'd stopped singing though, but could you blame her? Who WOULDN'T stop singing if someone as incredibly good looking as Etienne came wandering in the room?

What are you doing here so early?

He asked as they presumably started heading towards the closet with all the lights in it.

"I was singing." she said mocking his quick replies. "It's nice early in the morning when i don't have any critics. And it's nice and private"

She returned a smile back to him as they walked together to the closet. Too bad Etienne really couldn't get the light all by himself. But he'd figured that out soon enough. In the meantime at least she didn't piss him off, right? That's always a step in the right direction. It's not like Lyss was magically going to become his BFF, but getting another face on her side wasn't exactly a bad thing either.

She took him up the steep steps on the side of the stage secretly hoping she woudln't make an ass out of herself and fall onto him. That would be incredibly awkward. She stopped at the top to unlock the door and flicked on the lights. Pointing to the high arched ceiling she passed bye the giant racks of boxes, costumes, and music score. She pointed to the top of the last rack.

"Well unless you're spiderman or magically grow about 6 feet, you better help me up to get your light." She said. Etienne looked like a pretty fit guy, if he could just lift her up enough to reach the box, everything would be great. Though she wasn't sure he'd go for the plan she turned back and gave him a questioning look.

Ahhh, so you're one of those singing theater girls. Sorry to interrupt, I have detention.

He explained, though the explanation was hardly necessary when you think about it. He followed her to the closet and looked inside, sizing up the task ahead of him.
Etienne almost considered pointing out the ladder that was tucked between two shelves, but decided not to, only because he didn't want to make the girl seem stupid as she suggested he lift her up.

Ewww spiderman.

He said distatefully, because anybody who knew Etienne, and we're aware that Alyssa didn't, knew that he was probably just about the biggest Batman fan out there.

I can help you... just climb on.

He said, making a stepstool with his hands for her to step on. Of course he would get a better grasp on her when she actually got boosted up, but he wasn't about to just grab her and lift her like they were ice dancing partners. They'd just met!

"Naw, it's cool. Good thing you freaked the hell outta me though, or you'd be shelling out some hard cash for that light you busted." She said smiling. Maybe it wasn't so bad that her song was interrupted. What's one interruption going to do? She sang plenty of times to know that she was good. It's not like one day without freakishly belting out broadway on the stage was going to kill her career.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he made a step with his hands. "Why Mr. Etienne, i thought we were going for the dancer approach!" She said impersonating a british woman as she raised her hands in the air ready for a salsa. She laughed to herself and put her foot in his hands. Using his shoulders to balance at first she felt herself get lifted into the air.

Etienne switched his grip so that it was tighter on her ankles when she was high enough to reach the box. Good thing too, because if she had fallen not only would she have crushed the light, she probably would have crushed him as well.

She moved the box slowly making sure she wouldn't break it and coughed up a storm when all the dust flew up. Great. She had dusty hair. Now she remembered why she hated this room. "I got the box" she said as she gasped out the words in between coughs. Wonderful. He probably thinks i'm some kind of theatre nerd whose allergic to every fricken thing. Just peachy. P-e-a-c-h-y. Peachy.

Etienne shrugged.

I'd find a way to write it off... Diplomatic Immunity or something... I didn't know that glass could break.

He joked, because it was a pretty big joke around all of D.C. that Diplomats took advantage of their immunities, claiming they didn't know something was illegal when they got caught speeding or doing drugs... things like that. Etienne had only used it to get out of a few speeding tickets... he had to be careful of what he got caught doing though, his father being the Italian Ambassador and all. Etienne wasn't even an American citizen, as was evident by his accent. Anyways. He lifted her better than Patrick Swayze lifted Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing, and turned his head to the side as the dust showered down. He carefully set Alyssa down, taking the box from her and wrinkling his nose to prevent a sneeze.

This is gross! Doesn't anybody clean in here?!

He complained, mainly because he was so OCD about cleanliness. The closet was grossing him out majorly, which is why, after stepping aside for Alyssa to get out, he stepped out into the open auditorium as well, setting the box down and coughing.

Alyssa smiled when he set her down on the ground. And not just because being lifted by a complete stranger made her feel awkward. He could totally be on Dancing with the Stars or something. Or, one of those lifters in the ice skating competitions. Totally. She smiled again not sure how keen Etienne would be on her ideas.

She followed him out of the dusty closet and set down the box. She coughed one last time and tried to shake the dust out of her hair. "I spent about 3 weeks last year trying to clean that mess. Obviously it didn't help much." She pulled the light out of the box inspecting it to make sure it was okay and handed it over. "One oversized light, a little dusty but other then that it should work like a charm"

She dug through the box to see if there was anything else in it. She pulled out some receipts, a few pennies, nothing too memorable. She found a few old pictures from a couple years ago, people she didn't know, sets she didn't remember. Oh wait. It was a picture of her last year as Sleeping beauty. She smiled and tossed the picture back into the dusty box.

"So are you going to install the lights or what?" She asked pointing up to the rows of them above the stage.

Best chance of getting out of this topic with a friend: No mentioning Etienne as a dancer or ice skater, or any other profession that might require him to wear spandex. That just isn't how he rolls. He took the light from her as she handed it to him, thankful he wasn't dressed up and only wore an old t-shirt and sweatpants, because the dust got all over him. He frowned... he'd have to stop by Logan's dorm on the way home to shower and get some clean clothes.

Well why not add cleaning to my list.

He joked before putting the light down on the ground, gently, because he didn't need to break two in a row. He noticed her going through some things that were in the box but couldn't be bothered to care what they were. He had other things to worry about, which Alyssa happened to remind him of with her next statement.

Yeah, I have to go unpack the other ones first though. Thanks for all your help, you can go back to your singing if you'd like.

He smiled at her as he made his way off the stage and back through the auditorium to where he'd left the other boxes of lights. He didn't want to assume she'd be helping him for the duration of his entire task, and he was well aware of the fact that he'd interrupted her, so he figured his best bet was to get out of her way.

Lyss watched him as he went to do the rest of his detention tasks. She noticed that he was pretty uncomfortable with either the dust all over him or the fact that Lyss was staring. She figured it was the latter and was about to head over to the stage, but she wanted the last word anyway. She wasn't just going to let Etienne dismiss her like a dog or a servant. She was a human being who deserved respect.

"Well, singing with dust all down your throat isn't a good idea but.. oh." she paused realizing her mistake. "My bad, you don't want to be bothered. It's okay i get it." She scurried over to the stage thinking about how stuiped she must have sounded. Dust in your throat? Yeah, great conversation right there. She rolled her eyes and coughed out whatever dust was left and picked up at the chorus of the song she had started.

"Good Morning Baltimore. Every days like an open door, every nights like a fantacy, every sounds like a symphony" she sang loud, clear and crisp. The whole auditorium rang with her voice. She hoped it wasn't bothering Etienne too much, she already made an ass out of herself once... she didn't want to do it again.

You're not bothering me at all, I just figured you'd rather sing than unpack and install lighting.

He said, having caught her comment when he was on his way to the back. Apparently he'd already made the bad impression though, because she went right back to singing. Not bad, mind you, he actually recognized the song. His younger sister Alexia had made him go see Hairspray with her on Broadway... it hadn't been his favorite, but it wasn't that bad compared to other musicals he'd been dragged to over the years. Besides, he never turned down the opportunity to go to New York.

He couldn't exactly say anything else to her since she was singing, so he settled for actually doing his work. He carefully unpacked all the boxes and then grabbed the toolbox that he'd brought with him and put it under one of the rows of lights. He moved to the box in the back of the auditorium and cut the back lights, then pressed the button that lowered the whole row of them down to the level of the seats, inwardly groaning as he watched through the glass and saw how much dust was coming down with the lights. Eventually they were down, and Etienne went back out with his tools, making somewhat quick work of beginning to remove the light fixtures that needed to be replaced.

She had stopped her song no knowing or really caring if Etienne had noticed. Instead she watched him work. He worked quickly and efficiantly like some sort of mechanical robot. She wondered if he learned this somewhere or was just winging it. Honestly, to her it looked like he was a pro. Not that Etienne looked like he had changed many theatre level lights before in his life, but at least he wasn't fumbling around, or so it seemed.

"You could warn me before you try to blind me you know." she called out to him pointing at the lights he lowered that were currently shining directly in her face. She didn't know if he had heard her or not, but she figured he'd want to be left alone for the remainder of his work. If he didn't want to talk to Lyss, that was perfectly fine. But he could've at least warned her first.

"I'll just uh, leave you to your work then i guess.. unless you need me or something" she said in his general direction again. She didn't even wait for a response this time but instead started walking down the stage steps and closer to the door.