(imagine it with the Duke sweatshirt instead of the white shirt) ^^^

    Marie was in the airport, trying to get to Louisiana for spring break. Miss Jenn had sent the whole cast a link for a zoom meeting so they could talk over the break. "Hey, everyone, I'm here. I'm here. Sorry, um, I couldn't find an outlet and my flights delayed. Apparently, my plane has a mechanical issue, so... fun." Marie says, finally getting into the call.

     "Oh dear! Are you safe?" Miss Jenn asks concerned. "I've spent my childhood in airports. I am no damsel in distress." Marie assures. "Okay. Looks like we are only missing Ricky. Nini, have you heard from him?" Miss Jenn asks, everyone goes silent waiting for someone else to answer. They all had heard of the couples hard break up before spring break.

    "Uh, I think Ricky is taking some alone time or mom time or both. He's in Chicago." Big Red explains, "Okay, I'm sure you're all wondering why I've gathered you all here. Opening night is only three weeks away, folks." Miss Jenn starts, Marie's eyes widen at the thought of it being so close. "That means we need to stay focused. And I know I can't... Won't make you work over the break. But I needed to remind you, face-to-face, stakes are high. Please, for the love of theater, do not take the word 'break' literally. Be safe." Miss Jenn lectures, "Okay, we'll, have fun. Stay in touch. And now you have this link, so hop on anytime. I'm basically the queen of technology, so..." She laughs.

    Everybody starts to leave the call quickly, saying goodbye to Miss Jenn.

...

    Marie has tried multiple times to get onto another flight, but every time failed. After going to the desk for the last time, so goes back to sit down, getting a call from E.J.

     "Hey, Eej." She says sitting down. "Hey! How's the spring break of doom?" He says over the phone. "I'm stuck at the airport and stuck with nothing to do." Marie explains.

    "Come on. They haven't built the airport that could contain you." She chuckles at his comment. "Ask her the question." Ashlyn says from the background, "Is that Ash? Hi, Ash!" Marie says.

    "Okay, my cousin wants to paint my nails as a spring break project. I said I need a second opinion." He asks, "Oh. I would be so happy if you did that. Go for it." Marie laughs. "I told you." Ash remarks, behind E.J. "All right, well, two votes against one." E.J sighs.

    "Okay, you guys, go do makeovers. I'm gonna try to get to Louisiana. Wish me luck." Marie says, crossing her fingers. "You don't need luck." E.J assures. "Okay, bye." Marie says, waving at the camera. "All right, see ya."  He says, ending the call.

    Marie laughs to herself.

["Have things been different between me a E.J? A little. But I really don't know what's going on. When there's never really been anything in the romance department, it's hard to know what's someone being nice and what's a sign." Marie hears a guy trying to sing some notes, but being slightly off tune. She just chuckles at him.] 

...

    Marie was on her phone scrolling through Instagram when she saw that E.J had posted a new photo of him and Ashlyn, showing off his newly painted nails. She looks up to see a dark skinned boy in front of her. "The trick is to cry if you're trying to sweet talk a gate agent." He advises, leaving Marie confused. "Excuse me?"

    "I watched all of times you went up to that desk and asked for a new flight. They were all failures, but entertaining the entire time. I liked the one with the country accent, I think you said you were from Alabama." He explains, laughing at the end. "Kinda like you're attempt to sing. Yeah, I saw you, too. Entertaining, and yet ultimately a failure." Marie says, smirking to herself.

     "Have we met? 'Cause you look super familiar." He questions. "Guess I just have one of those faces." She says, still not paying him much attention. "So, you're not from Alabama, you're witty, you allegedly sing better than me, you're stuck at the airport, same as me. I won't be making to California anytime soon. Okay. We got off on the wrong foot. I'm Caleb. I didn't mean to offend you, girl-with-no-name. Okay. I'll take the hint." Caleb says, before turning around to walk away.

     "Marie Jones-Porter." She says, slowly. He stops in his tracks and turns around. "Okay. Marie Jones-Porter."

...

    "So, is California home?" Marie asks, to the now sitting Caleb. "Nah, New York is. California is spring break, if my flight ever takes off." He explains as Marie digs through her bag.

    "Shoot." Marie sighs in defeat. "What?" Caleb asks, "I thought I packed a granola bar. I did not. And this is a little less delicious than you might think." She jokes pulling out her Beauty and the Beast script. Caleb laughs, Hey. Have no fear. Your boy Caleb's got a backup plan."

    "Are you sure about this?" Marie questions, they were going to the vip lounge to try and get their way in. "No. But that's the point. Okay. here we go." He assures, "Max, you always forget everything." Caleb acts, nodding his head at Marie to continue. "Yes, and I've told you not to use that tone with me. You were in charge of the documents, Dad's passport, and credit card..." Marie continues, "He said you were in charge." Caleb argues.

    "Because you can't be trusted." Marie shot back. "We'll, at least I didn't steal Grandma's Pomeranian and hold it for ransom." He says, loudly. "Excuse me. Is there anything I can help you with?" The guard asks the two. Marie starts to pretend to cry, "He left our dad's credit card inside in the lounge. It was my responsibility to guard it, and now our dad's boarding the flight to Peru." Caleb then whispers to her that it's actually Paris. "Paris. And I don't know what to do."

    "Okay. I can walk you into the first-class lounge and we'll find the credit card." The guard says. "No need for tears or dog-napping." He continues. "Really?" Marie asks, wiping her eyes still pretending to cry. "Yeah. Come on." He says, leading her into the lounge.

...

    "You weren't lying about the snacks." Marie says, sitting down with a small plate full of food. "I never lie." Caleb states. "Except when I do."

    "Did... Did the agent try to boot you out?" He asks her. "I told him I needed to cry for a minute in the bathroom when I couldn't find the credit card. I think he went back to the gate." Marie explains. "Wow. You are tricky." He remarks. "I'm not tricky. I'm a performer." Marie say, gesturing her hand around.

    "Oh. So, you've never lied?" Caleb asks, "Well not... never." Marie says, "You ever play Two Truths and Lie?" He asks, "I mean, are you into games?"

    "I'm into passing the time. Okay. I'm in. You start." Marie agrees. "Okay. One, I have ten tattoos. Two. I am a huge Ariana fan. and three, I'm terrified of butterflies." Caleb states. "Two truths one lie. Go."

    "Ariana, I'll buy. Who isn't a fan? Butterflies, tattoos. Butterflies? No way. Lie." Marie explains, "No. No tattoos." Caleb answers.

     "You're afraid of butterflies?" Marie laughs. "Yeah, there faces are from hell. Never google it. Your turn." Caleb says. "Okay. One, I've moved 10 times. Two, I've never been kissed. And three, I once sprayed pepper spray into my sisters eyes, on accident." Marie's states, "You've never kissed anyone?" He chuckles. "I don't buy that."

    "You'd be surprised. Hey. You're stalling." She says, waiting an answer. "You're an only child?" Caleb guesses, "Wrong." Marie laughs. "Ah!" He sighs in defeat. "I actually have a sister and a much older brother." She says, "He's not around?" Caleb questions. "He basically ghosted us when I was a kid. I guess you could say he's a free spirit. Maybe you two know each other." She explains.

    "Below the belt." Marie chuckles, "I'm sorry... I usually don't open up to people. I'm a little rusty."

    "You can practice on me." He says, smirking. "I don't think I have enough confidence for that." Marie stalls. "You don't need it, just care less." Caleb states.

     "I think it's your turn." Marie says, taking off her jacket to reveal the Duke sweatshirt E.J gave her. "Is that your boyfriend's?" Caleb asks her.

    Marie looks down at the shirt, "Not that I know of."

...

    Marie was laughing at what Caleb had just said, "Wait, that one is not true. That cannot be true." 

    "A hundred percent. The dirtiest places on an airplane is the tray table." Caleb states, "How do you know all of this, like, nerdy flight trivia?" Marie questions. "Here's another one. The only thing more dangerous than landing is taking off. My dad is a pilot. It how I know all of this stuff. I kinda grew up in airports" He explains. "Same. I should check and make sure my flight isn't..." Marie says grabbing her phone from her backpack. "Oh. Shoot. I missed a call with my friends. Hold on. There's like a thousand texts." Marie explains, "Holding." Caleb jokes.

    "Apparently they need me to come up with some verses for some song we're writing." Marie explains, "Yeah that sounds more like homework than spring break." Caleb says, "Oh, you haven't met my friends." Marie says, "Yet." Caleb states.

     Marie laughs. "Ready?" She asks. "For what?" He questions. "Oh. I'm gonna show you what singing in tune actually looks like." She says, holding her hand out for him.

    "Yeah, okay." He shrugs, grabbing her hand.

...

Marie: Sometimes you gotta take some to breathe
Get your heart of the leash
'Cause it ain't meant to shine in one place

Carlos: Remind yourself at times that can wait
Just 'cause you take a break
Don't mean the lights are out on Broadway

E.J: We been monumenting our sleep
Climb mountains too hard to reach
There's so much more than they see on the daily

Ashlyn: Strength in numbers second to none
Come up like we're number one
Recharge and ready to run, run, run

Nini & Ashlyn: Roaring louder than thunder
But you'll never see it coming
See it coming
As long as we have each other
Watch out 'cause you ain't seen nothin'

Kourtney: Ain't seen nothin'
No stress, ain't overdressed
We keep our cool
Playing by our own rules
No divide, that how's we conquer

Big Red: Time out don't mean we're about to step aside
Just maintenance for the ride
It's getting better, faster, stronger

Seb: Ain't no raining on this parade
'Cause we're a force that self-made

Nini: Do what we do and we do it our way

All: Roaring louder than thunder
But you'll never see it coming
See it coming 
As long as we got each other
Watch out 'cause you ain't seen nothin'
Ain't seen nothin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ain't seen nothin'
Ain't seen nothin'
When they go low
We go high
We go high
They go low, we go high
When they go low, we go high
When they go low, we go high
We go high
When they go low, we go high
High!
Roaring louder than thunder
But you'll never see it coming
See it coming 
As long as we got each other
Watch out 'cause you ain't seen nothin'
Ain't seen nothin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You ain't seen nothin'
Ain't seen nothin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ain't seen nothin'
Ain't seen nothin', Yeah

...

    "Well, with my flight cancelled my mom said I should go back to my friends place. She doesn't want me spending the night at the airport." Marie says, walking over to Caleb with her luggage. "Good call. If your gonna sleep in an airport, try Singapore. They've got like these recliners that, like... Sorry. Being a nerd again." Marie laughs, and shakes her head. "No. It's cute. You're cute."

    Caleb laughs, "Hold on. I'm gonna." Marie says, turning around to book an Uber home. "Holding." Caleb jokes, again.

    Marie turns back around, "So..." She starts. "You're cute, too. But, like, beyond. But I'm probably not going to see you again, am I?" Caleb questions, "We'll always have the VIP lounge." Marie states, "Whoever gets that first kiss is gonna be a really lucky guy." Caleb says.

    "Yeah, I think, um... Yeah, I don't, um... I think I'm ready. Or getting there. The right guy has just gotta show up." Marie stutters out. "Do I count?" Caleb asks, smiling slightly. "Well, he's gotta show up and, you know, stay around." Marie explains.

    "Ah. So, this is where I walk away and pretend not to be sad?" He questions, "The trick is not to care." Caleb then reaches in his pocket for a paper airplane and pretends to crash land it towards Marie. "Ask for a seat in the back." Caleb says, "I'm sorry?" Marie says, confused.

    "When they reschedule your flight to Louisiana, ask for a seat in the back. That's the safest place." Caleb says before turning around and walking away. Marie looks at the paper airplane he gave her and then throws it out into the airport.

...
    
    Marie was going down the escalator with her luggage. A familiar voice then snaps her out of her thoughts. "Excuse me, have you seen a Duke sweatshirt anywhere?" E.J says, on the escalator next to her. "What are you doing at the airport?" Marie asks.

     "Gotta show up for your peeps, you know?" He says, going down the escalator. "Yeah." Marie sighs. "Bring you back in the morning? Oh, uh, also I brought you a granola bar in case you were hungry." E.J states, pulling it out of his pocket and handing it to her.

    Marie chuckles at his nice gesture as he grabs her bags and starts walking outside to the car. Marie was still standing there in slight shock but then laughs and smiles to herself before following him out.

-
a/n
hey here's another chapter hope you like it!!

lucasmybelovedd
thanks for for the help with this chapter!!

we're almost at the end and imma try and get it all done this week <3