Ten: Central Park Days

                                    

                                          
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading so far! I appreciate it so much! Enjoy this nice long chapter! <3
                          


                          
"So what do you wanna do today?" Ben asks, sitting down in a deck chair across from me, handing me a mug of coffee.
                          
It's around 9:00am on a Sunday morning, I'm in some thick thermal pyjamas, one of Ben's oversized navy blue hoodies, a pair of old ugg boots (that I use for slippers) and my glasses (because it's too early to try put in my contacts) sitting on a fold out chair, looking over the city buildings as the sun was just beginning to rise over the Empire state building. Ben doesn't have a show today, thank GOD! I did not want to be pulled along by him just for me to be dropped off and baby-sat by his cast mates. Don't get me wrong, I love Erika and Taylor, but all week it's been the same routine;
                          
Get up before the sun, run errands around the city, pick up coffee for everyone, drop me off in Erika and Taylor's dressing room, hang with them for a while, come downstairs and watch their rehearsals/warm-ups, wonder around backstage trying to find Ben, failing to do that see what I can occupy myself with for an hour or two, go to the boys dressing room and hang with them and vice versa with the girls and that's about it.
                          
It's been a lot of fun to just explore the theatre, meet the rest of the cast and catch up with the people I already know from when Ben had worked with before, meaning Iain and Demarius.
                          
Ah, Demarius Copes, the light of my life. I love him so much! Saw him for the first time in a long time when going into the boys dressing room to get Erika's charger from one of them as they were preparing for a matinee...
                          
~Flashback~
                          
Ben had dropped off some lunch for me at around 1:15 before going back to his dressing room with the rest of the boys. I didn't really feel like eating, so I left it for a while before Erika started 'mom-ing' me.
                          
"C'mon Liv! You gotta eat something, you've only had coffee and we don't need you passing out on us do we?" I roll my eyes at her statement, but I pick up the plastic container, grab my fork, opened the container lid and stab at the pasta inside, shoving some into my mouth and looking at her , "happy now?" I mumble, a mouthful of pasta, tuna and salad spitting out.
                          
She laughs and shoves me slightly, I chew and swallow the rest that's in my mouth.
                          
"Oh! I just remembered, I let Curtis borrow my phone charger yesterday and I never got it back off him." She grumbled, starting to stand up but I beat her to it, "I can go get it, you finish getting ready for the show."
                          
"Really? You sure?" Erika asked, hovering about her chair, debating on whether to sit down or stand. I nod, "yeah, gives me a chance to find Ben and--" I start as my phone starts to ring, I look at the Caller ID to see it's my Mom.
                          
"I'll be back in a few minutes." I say, squeezing Erika's shoulder as I pas her and step out the room, clicking the answer button.
                          
"Hey Mom." I say as soon as I lift the phone to my ear.
                          
"Hey sweetie! How's your first week in New York been?" Mom's warm and bright, sunshine voice sings from the other end of the receiver, I can't help but smile when I hear it.
                          
"Okay I guess, Ben dragged me to the theatre and I've been watching them rehearse the show." I tell her, pushing open a door and walking down a small flight of stairs to another set of doors and walk down a long corridor.
                          
"That sounds amazing! I thought you wanted to work in the theatre too." She reminded me and I roll my eyes, groaning inwardly.
                          
It's true I would love to work in the set, props or costume department of the theatre, but it was very unlikely to happen, either way, Mom was excited to find this out, hence the whole, making me live in New York for a few months to get a feel for the city and do this Summer Program at NYU.