Chapter One [Backstage] It's our last rehearsal in the dance studio. Tomorrow we move to the theater. I play Eponine, my dream role. My crush, Nick, plays Marius. I'm a little bummed that his girlfriend, Elena, is playing Cosette. We were doing a full run through of the show. We were doing Heart Full of Love. Boo. "Places!" Our dance director yelled. "and...Lights!" I walked from the back of the stage to the front with Nick. He was daydreaming and singing about Cosette. Then he took my hands, spun me around and quickly hugged me then started daydreaming about her again. This made me sad. Then I sang with real pain shaking "Every word that he says is a dagger in me." Then they began to sing Heart Full of Love. Time went by and they kissed. That's when I had a tear roll down my cheek without me even noticing. I found out during notes when our singing director pointed it out. "Elise, I LOVED how you were able to squirm out some fake tears." I looked confused for a bit then went along with it. I wrote in my binder 'keep letting him hurt me.' Rehearsals were over and I saw Nick and Elena kissing and looked away sad. I ran home and practiced singing.