CHAPTER ONE

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SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK - FOUR AM

"LUCAS, I THINK YOU NEGLECT THE TIME DIFFERENCE between us," Adelaide Kennedy grumbled into the phone to her twin brother, "It's four AM here. I'm also extremely exhausted, so please hurry with whatever nonsense you have to tell me."

"I just was wondering how your bus ride to Schenectady went. As your older brother by three minutes, I am righteously entitled to be concerned about you."

"Peachy keen," she grunted, kneading her temple as she braced against the wall of the rattling elevator. "How is California?"

"Boiling and sunny. I miss New York's cold weather."

"You always do find something to gripe about. I would give anything to be in the warmth," Adelaide muttered as the elevator jerked to a stop at the seventh floor. "I have to hang up now. I'm almost at my room."

"No! Stay on the phone, I'm bored," Lucas shrieked deafeningly into her ear, causing her to tilt away her phone with a wince.

She shook her head. "Then nag someone else. I'm exhausted and I need to unpack."

"But no one will answer my messages."

"I wonder why."

"Fine, but I will call you this afternoon. Be prepared. Oh, and say hi to Josh for me."

"Whatever. Bye."

"Bye."

Adelaide exhales deeply and departs the elevator just before the doors clambered shut. She proceeds down the dim lit, silent corridor, trailing along her suitcase. Her duffel bag gradually maneuvers down her aching arm and she couldn't restrain the groan she emits out of annoyance. Fortunately, the hotel room is a couple doors from her. Walking the distance to the door, Adelaide practically collapses against it whilst wrestling with the plastic key card.

Once the lock had been unlocked, she shoves her body weight against the heavy door, swinging it open, carting her along. Adelaide staggers over her feet before balancing and releasing the suitcase against the wall. With no initiative to unpack as of that moment, she trudged over to the bed and tossed her burning body onto the cushioned surface.

Her eyes almost immediately fluttered shut and she didn't bother to cover herself with the sheets. Only a couple moments crept by before a forceful knock came at the door. Adelaide gradually straightened herself from the crumpled bed, her lip curled into a snarl of annoyance at the knocker. Who could possibly be knocking at such an early time?

She plodded over to the door, hand going to the light switch and turning on the blinding light. With a turned palm to her pounding head, Adelaide opened the door with her last wisps of strength. The door hadn't even opened entirely before she was enveloped in a crushing embrace. Her arm shot out to the wall to prevent her from tumbling back. She already had a hint of suspicion at whom this was.

"Josh, I want to sleep," she murmured, muffled by his shirt as her face was pressed to his chest.

"That's no longer an option now, Ads," Josh stated once he drew back, his usual grin drawn up on his face, "The closest thing you'll get to sleep is blinking your eyes."

"Apparently it is when you're around," Adelaide groused as she shut the door with a shake of her head.

"What a hurtful thing to say to your best friend. A friend whom you have not seen in forever, may I add," Josh stated with a heft of exaggeration, leaning against the wall with arms folded at his chest.

"I saw you at the auditions and we text everyday," she looked up at him with a modest roll of her eyes.

"That was quite awhile ago," he asserted quickly, forcing himself straight.

"Whatever. Now, can you please leave and go pester someone else?" Adelaide passed him with a brush against his arm, toiling along her suitcase.

"Ben kicked me out," Josh carped in a whine as he trailed after his friend to the bed.

"Cannot blame him," she muttered, hurling her suitcase onto the bed with her duffel. "Why don't you go stay in with another cast member? There's plenty of them."

"I don't know them," he contended, dropping down on the edge of the bed, "And they'd kill me if I came knocking at their doors. I can't be dead for my first performance in Newsies."

"At least assist me in unpacking my luggage," Adelaide flung open the top of her suitcase and stepping over to zipper open the duffel. Josh came over to her side, standing a good few inches above his friend.

"There's my sweatshirt!" he exclaimed, lunging forward in front of her and yanking out his clothing, pressing it to his chest possessively, "Sweatshirt thief."

"For the record, you allowed me to have it when we attended that football game," she retorted, ceasing herself from removing anymore of her clothing from the case to glower up at him.

"Yeah, to borrow - not steal and claim ownership," he shot back, returning the hardened stare down to her. Both of them stood there glaring at the other, almost nose to nose if there wasn't a height difference.

"You're impossible," she muttered in her annoyance, diverting away from his stare and focusing back on with emptying her suitcase and duffel. 

"You're no different," Josh bleated fast, lowering his sweatshirt from a defensive stance. 

"Just shush and assist me in unpacking my stuff," Addie gave a short roll of her eyes before flicking a couple pieces of clothing at him, "Fold those and set them away in the dresser." 

He grasped at the clothing that now swayed from his awkward positioned hands, "Whatever."