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jade-escobar · 6 months ago

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Opening Night | Jadrigo

Featuring: Rodrigo & Jade Escobar; mentions of Ziggy Baldoni, Leo Castillo de Leon, Jewell & Jett Clark, and others Location: Saddle River Day School; San Francisco, CA Time Frame: Evening, May 2, 2024 Notes: The opening night of Hairspray proves to be a big night for both Rodrigo & Jade @rodrigo-esc

JADE

Jade had been feeling uneasy for a few days now. Her stomach wasn't quite settled during most of the days, her breasts felt sore and what caught her attention the most was that she hadn't gotten her period since before the wedding. With plans to go to the school and help the students with vocal warm-ups before their opening performance, Jade thought it best to hopefully get some answers--or eliminate one possibility.

After a trip to the nearest CVS, Jade picked up 2 different brands of pregnancy tests and returned to hers and Rodrigo's townhouse. She took one of each test in the downstairs half-bath and rather than driving herself crazy waiting in the restroom, she washed her hands and went to the kitchen to prep some leftovers to bring to Rodrigo for dinner. By the time she finished packing up plenty of food in a container and adding a couple of plums and 2 bottles of water, she went back to the bathroom to check the results.

One test had an undeniable 'plus' sign on it which, according to the instructions was a positive. The other test had a digital screen which plainly read, "pregnant" on the small screen. Jade lightly gasped and picked up the tests. Her heart was beating fast and a slow, disbelieving smile was appearing on her face. She cupped a hand to her mouth and then, after getting through her initial shock, she took a deep breath and hastened her efforts in preparing to go up to the school. As she gathered her things, she thought about how to go about telling her husband.

After feeding Miranda and gathering her coat, purse and Rodrigo's dinner, she headed out, only making a couple of quick stops on her way to the school--her mind reeling from the good news.

RODRIGO

"Alright, guys! Michael! Michale, come here." Rodrigo gestured toward the desk full of programs that were being folded by the backstage crew. "What's wrong?" Michael, who towered over most 8th graders if not all, took one good look at Rodrigo and then burst into tears. "Oh. oh, no, no. what's wrong?" Rodrigo could tell from the moment he walked in that Michael Sin, one of the school's prodigies was not having a good day. The rest of the class stopped when they heard the sobs and rallied behind their friend, with Leo trying his best to reach Michael's shoulder to comfort him.

After pulling himself together and wiping his eyes, Michael finally revealed that his father would not be coming to opening night or any night. While the young man was already being pulled for junior varsity basketball at the most prestigious school in the district and while still belonging to the middle school section, he was finding that he also enjoyed drama with Ziggy and Rodrigo and the new friends he had made. With that, came the argument from his father that he wouldn't have time for basketball and that he'd have to choose one. Michael had suggested drama until the summer and once he began 9th grade, he'd join the team but his father didn't like that one bit. "I'm sorry, Michael. Look, you're doing what you love and that's what matters. Your father will come around. Your mom will be there and she knows you will make the best Link and she'll see the talent that we all see. Okay?" Rodrigo would have messed with the giant kid's hair to comfort him but it was already in the perfect style for his character. Instead, he offered a side hug and then let the others hug him too.

When Rodrigo looked up, he noticed Jade at the door, not knowing how long she had been standing there and before he could greet his wife, the class was already yelling her name and running up to her. "Mrs. Escobar! You're right on time! I can't hit this key!" Their Tracy Turnbland ran up to Jade to pull her.

But before Jade could be pulled in the musical side of things, Michael went up to her and hugged her side. "He's not coming." he mumbled and Rodrigo frowned before shaking his head at his wife

JADE

When Jade arrived to the school and parked, she left the reveal in her minivan for the time being and went inside of the school tot he music room. Initially, she'd heard the students buzzing with excitement but the noise from the room suddenly fell silent. Brows furrowed, Jade continued to the open door and frowned as she reached it. She saw Michael with his head hung and Rodrigo comforting him about his father. She'd heard some of what was going on with Michael and his dad during their rehearsals and deeply sympathized with him.

Jade made eye contact with Rodrigo and she gave a sad smile, with a single wave, only to have her hand tugged the moment she lowered it. She smiled a little more kindly as one of the show's leads tried to pull her towards the piano. But she saw Michael approaching and kindly resisted the tugging. "Just one moment. We'll get through our warm-ups so you'll be ready before you go on, but give me one moment okay?" Jade promised. When the girl flounced off to her friends in the ensemble, Jade turned in time to hug Michael, who was several inches taller than her--whereas most of the students were her height or a few inches shorter.

"I'm sorry, Michael. I know it meant a lot to you for him to come." She hugged him for as long as he needed and then pulled back to look at him, reaching up to wipe his eyes. "Hey, listen. I know opening night has a lot of excitement because it's the first show, but we're having the show filmed. We'll make sure your dad gets a copy, okay? And like Mr. Escobar said, your mother's going to be in the audience, right? That's such a gift and I'm sure she's going to give your dad an earful for missing tonight." She patted his shoulder and then plucked some tissues from the box on the nearby desk and said, "You're going to be incredible tonight. You've got a second family right here and we'll be cheering you on."

With an encouraging smile, she said, "Why don't you get your make-up touched up and then go by the piano for warm-ups?" She watched Michael nod and then go over to the make-up station, and then Jade turned and looked up to her husband to give him a hug. "Hey," she said to him, plenty of sadness in her voice for the young teen. "Poor Michael. I swear it's taking everything in me not to cry right now." Jade had to chalk that up to hormones since she was usually good at keeping herself composed. Lifting the bag in her hand, she said, "I brought you some dinner by the way. Leftover chicken piccata, roasted potatoes and green beans. And there are a couple bottles of water. Do you want to eat while I go through warm-ups and maybe one group number with the kids?"

RODRIGO

Rodrigo waved at his wife and waited for the kids to get acquainted with her presence. It was nice to see how much the kids had grown to love her and it's not like he could blame them. Even if she'd often counter that she didn't, Jade gave off a very motherly vibe. The kids were alone a lot of the time due to insane schedules which of course, was no fault of the parents. Others had parents who were never present, and never even tried. Rodrigo could understand why the kids gravitated towards them and the other adults at the school.

"How are the programs going?" he asked his little team of workers and they let him know that they were almost done. If not for some last-minute changes, the programs would have been ready days ago. He listened to Jade comfort Michael and when she reassured him that he was going to do a great job and that the drama program was a second family to him, he couldn't help but smile. "Hey." he kissed his wife on the cheek.

"Yeah, he's gutted. His dad is acting like this is a betrayal against him. It's ridiculous putting such high expectations on a kid especially when he is that talented." He watched as Leo comforted him and sighed. He rubbed Jade's back and leaned into her a bit. When she told him that she had brought him dinner, Rodrigo couldn't help but smile even more. "You know the way to my heart, as always. Yeah, I'm starving and it's still warm so thank you so much, honey." He sat on the desk and placed the Tupperware on his lap. "Alright, guys! Mrs. Escobar is going to run through warm-ups with you so she's the boss while I get some dinner in me!"

JADE

Jade looked to where a handful of students were folding programs, but her attention had gone back to Michael and then her husband. She leaned into the kiss on her cheek and hugged him around his middle. "It's an awful feeling. I know. And I wish there was a way to get his dad to be reasonable and supportive of all his talents." She hadn't discussed her own personal background with the students but she knew Rodrigo was more than familiar with what her upbringing was like. She could see some of herself in Michael at this moment, having been there herself with wanting parental approval and not getting it.

As much as her heart went out to Michael though, she knew that she and Rodrigo had an entire cast of students to prep. On top of that, she had news she was intending to share with him right after the performance and while the initial shock subsided, she was still very excited to tell him. After telling him what she'd brought him for dinner, Jade smiled to him. "I heated it up before leaving the house, so I'm glad it's still warm. Bon appetit, mon amour." She then went to the piano, setting her purse down on the bench beside her and taking out the Hairspray music book. After Rodrigo let the cast know she was 'the boss' while he ate, she chuckled and barely raised her voice above her normal speaking volume, "Alright, let's do some warm ups. We'll start with bumblebee." She placed her fingers on the keys, counted the students off and began playing the scales while the students went through the exercise.

Jade then moved on to 2 other warm-ups they'd previously done before suggesting, "Alright, let's do a run-through of "You Can't Stop the Beat" from the top until Edna's verse." She took out the sheet from her bag and set it in front of herself at the piano. A rise of nausea hit her but she swallowed it back and focused especially hard on the music she began playing for the students to sing along to.

RODRIGO

"I've been noticing it being an issue more lately. He's not supportive of Michael pursuing anything in the arts. He thinks he's wasting his time. I don't like that he's being drafted to older teams. He's still a kid, not yet a teenager and I feel like those boys are in a different experience bracket. I don't know, maybe I'll talk to his parents during parent-teacher conferences about it. If he wants to give him the spring and summer to train and then join a JV team when high school starts, fine but this is unnecessary." Rodrigo understood what Jade meant about it being an awful feeling. He knew that if anyone got it, it was her.

Rodrigo began eating his food while Jade stayed with the cast. He was listening with a smile on his face as he ate. She was wonderful with them and while he always thought Jade looked beautiful, there was something about her that made her look radiant today. Hearing the class run through "You Can't Stop the Beat", he couldn't help but leave his food to stand up and clap for them. "That was amazing and you know that's a high-energy number so don't forget to take your breaths, rely on one another, and just have fun with it. "You're all going to be amazing. I am so proud of you." Rodrigo wiped his hands clean after a couple of bites and walked toward them. "It is, for most of you, your second year with me and Mr. Ziggy and that means a lot of you graduate and go to the upper school. We're going to miss you so much and considering the campus is across the street, I really hope you don't forget us and come to visit often." Rodrigo smiled at his cast. "You are all so talented and I couldn't have asked for a better group of kids."

JADE

One of the things Jade especially adored about Rodrigo and his career was how much he fostered relationships with the students. So listening to him talk about what was going on with Michael really tugged at her heart. She let out a small sigh, disappointed in how his father was behaving and said, "Tread carefully when you bring it up in the conference. It'll be good to tell him but if his dad is anything like...what I went through growing up, you'll raise his defenses more." She didn't want to pile on the advise to heavily with Rodrigo. He wasn't new to teaching and he wasn't new to working at this prestigious school so he was likely to know how to handle the situation.

After the warm-ups and the run-through of the show's final number (or most of it), Jade was all smiles. The students sounded wonderful and she knew they were ready for their performance tonight and the nights that followed. Rodrigo had taken the words right out of her mouth when he clapped for them. She was touched by his words, especially with his remarks directed to the 8th graders. With the students warmed up and ready to go, Jade took the sheet music from the piano and put it back in her bag. She joined her husband at his side and had her features schooled while taking deliberately slow breaths, waiting for the nauseous feeling to subside again.

She helped to get the programs out for distribution once they were all folded, and when it came time for the students to take the stage, she told them, "Break a leg!" in clusters at a time as they left the room. With her and Rodrigo being the last ones in the room, she asked, "Do you want me to stay backstage or find a seat out in the audience?"

RODRIGO

Rodrigo agreed with Jade. He'd be careful how he addresses the situation as he knows that if he got too involved or said too much, it would end up falling on his student which he didn't want. He gathered all his things and texted Ziggy that they were on their way backstage. As he walked beside Jade and behind the cast, he placed an arm around his wife. "Are you okay?" He rubbed her back and wondered if her nerves were getting the best of her. There was a certain look Jade had that made him think that maybe she didn't feel like herself.

"You guys are going to be amazing! Take your places! Mr. Zig is backstage. I'll be joining you all shortly." He stayed behind to talk to Jade. Rodrigo pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. "Wherever you feel comfortable, honey. I made sure to get reservations in the front row for you and our friends. If you want to come backstage, there's a couch there for you to hang out. Completely up to you." Rodrigo smiled at his wife and took her hand in his. "Ten minutes to showtime!"

JADE

When asked if she was okay, Jade nodded and softly smiled to her husband, not wanting to lie to him. "I'll be okay, honey. I promise." She didn't make a lot of promises to Rodrigo, or anyone for that matter, but when she did, she meant them.

Jade listened to Rodrigo give the kids encouraging words while they left the room; she could feel the excitement and nerves radiating off of the students who had been practicing this production for months. The thought distracted her for a few seconds and then she shut her eyes at her husband's forehead kiss. She listened to his answer and weighed her options before deciding, "Okay. I'll sit backstage with Ziggy tonight. If I can help with anything, it'll be easier to do from there, and I'll plan to watch with the audience another night." She squeezed his hand while they left the room and followed the students and when she got to the couch, she took a seat. A small TV monitor was set up nearby--probably to help the students who would wait for cues to know when to go on. Jade was glad she wouldn't be completely missing the show but she also considered this the better option, especially if the nausea didn't pass on its own like it had earlier that day. She would be close by to a restroom and not so disruptive if she had to excuse herself.

Jade waved to Ziggy when she saw him and gave the show's Penny Pingleton a quick hair bow adjustment before the lights dimmed out front and the show began. Near the end of the production, she would sneak out to her car and get what she had for Rodrigo.

RODRIGO

Rodrigo was glad that the school's money was funding this production and anything that they needed. While he knew it was controversial to have such an expensive tuition, he was happy that it at least went to the arts and other important activities beneficial to the kids. As he watched Leo practice his hip twist, he couldn't help but think how proud he was that the school would be helping children like him get such an amazing opportunity too. Growing up in an underprivileged community, he knew that for a lot of his peers, it was all about resources and opportunities given to them. Rodrigo wished this type of education existed everywhere with no tuition to worry about. He cleared his throat and hugged Ziggy when the man came to topple him over practically.

"Take care of my precious cargo back here, okay?" Rodrigo smiled at Jade who had taken a seat. "I'm going to be in the pit and here so I'll be running around." Ziggy would be taking care of a lot of cues and wardrobe malfunctions backstage. Rodrigo blew his wife a kiss and then peeked out to the audience, glad to see his friends there. He took a deep breath and smiled as the headmistress made her away across the stage. "Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for joining us tonight for our Drama and Music class presentation of Hairspray! The department led by our Drama and Math lead, Mister (as we affectionately call him) Ziggy Baldoni." The audience applauded and Rodrigo looked over his shoulder at Ziggy who was hiding under his feather boa sitting beside Jade. "As of last year, we've had an important addition to the department with our English teacher, Mister Rodrigo Escobar." The headmistress waited for more applause. "Thank you both for nurturing the children's exceptional talents. And a special thank you to our orchestra and wardrobe seniors who are here volunteering their time. And last but not least, a special thank you to Mrs. Jade Escobar who has helped the children with two productions now!"

The audience applauded once more. "So now, without further ado, I present to you...Hairspray!"

Rodrigo jumped off the stage quickly and hid in the pit with the orchestra kids and the conductor. He had his eyes on the stage waiting for the music to begin.

JADE

Jade giggled watching Rodrigo and Ziggy from the couch, adoring their friendship and how they had each other's backs at work and outside of it. When Rodrigo blew her a kiss, she gave him an air kiss in return and let her eyes linger on him while he waited for the show to begin. Her adoration for her husband ran ocean deep and between the newness of married life combined with the news she had to share with him, she was feeling exceptionally emotional when it came to Rodrigo.

Once the principal spoke, her eyes went to the monitor as she listened from the speakers overhead. The acknowledgement to her was incredibly kind and made Jade go from grinning for Rodrigo and Ziggy to modestly smiling at her own name and hearing herself being referred to as 'Mrs. Escobar'. She watched Rodrigo leap out of sight and then turned her attention back to the monitor. For most of the first act, she was able to watch the students from backstage. Occasionally, her attention was pulled away to remind some students to stay quiet backstage, and once, she told their Penny not to start talking when she thought she was offstage, since her mic hadn't been turned down yet. She'd adjusted the young girl's bow again and let her know that she was doing a great job.

Early into the second act, however, Jade had gone to the bathroom and hadn't returned for some time. She'd rinsed her mouth out several times and tried pinching her cheeks a few times to not look so green and ashen. After reapplying lip gloss and getting a hold of some water, she sat back on the couch backstage and and stayed until the curtain call. During this, she slipped away to her car and returned with a colorful bouquet of wildflowers and a card embedded in the center for her husband.

RODRIGO

The kids had done such an an amazing job even with the noise backstage. Rodrigo just chalked that up to them being so excited. It was opening night after all and very much expected. He did give them a pep talk about it during intermission and was sure to check on Jade. She looked tired and he would make sure he'd give her a massage after stopping for shakes before they went home.

After the second act, Rodrigo was full of pride once the audience gave his class a standing ovation. Every cast member got a chance to dance during roll call and everyone was impressed with the children. Rodrigo had come out with Ziggy who had advised that Jade didn't look so good to him and he had been keeping an eye on her. It was probably some bug. She had been around his class the entire month after they returned from their honeymoon. No doubt she probably picked something up.

Once he gave a little speech and invited the parents to celebrate in the cafeteria with their children, Rodrigo stepped out and back stage to check in on Jade. "Hey, beautiful. Are you doing okay?" He sat beside her, waving at Ziggy who was going to lead the children downstairs once they had all changed and gathered their things.

JADE

Jade was sure that she didn't look her best when she'd come back from the bathroom and she was sure Ziggy would let Rodrigo know it. But she was glad that it was at the end of the performance at least, so thar she wouldn't have to stave off her husband's concerns. She'd stayed backstage, resting the bouquet on the couch while picking up a few things left behind by the cast. After throwing out trash and gathering some abandoned programs in a neat stack, she sat back down on the couch shortly before being rejoined with her husband. She smiled to him and then looked to Ziggy, giving him a wave as well. Rather than answering Rodrigo with a 'yes' or 'no', she handed over the bouquet to him. "These are for you."

The card she'd stuck in it wasn't in an envelope. The front read, "Congratulations!" With multicolored balloons and streamers on it. The inside had been blank but Jade had written in it, "Rodrigo, we know that you're the one who has a way with words in this family. Just know that with how special this night is, we are very proud of you and love you, always. And when I say we ...." And taped to the bottom of the card was a thin, white ribbon leading to a trail tucked carefully into the center of the bouquet. At the other end of the ribbon, Jade had tied the digital pregnancy test with a small note taped next to the screen, "I mean we!"

She waited for Rodrigo to read it and follow the ribbon trail, keeping her smile as controlled as she possibly could.

RODRIGO

Rodrigo relaxed next to Jade, glad that opening night had been such a success. Once everyone had emptied out the backstage and the audience had gone to the cafeteria, it was almost surreal that an entire production had just taken place. He was happy to be with his wife now so he could thank her for everything she had done and all time she had put in but Jade, as detailed and kind as she always was, already had something for him.

Rodrigo smiled at the flowers, leaning in to kiss her quickly on the lips before he could read the note attached. He read the passage once and then twice, wondering if they were from Jade and someone else but then he realized something was weighing it down.

He pulled the string, a smirk pulling at his lips as he wondered what this was all about but his heart was racing as he had an idea but didn't want to think too much on it just in case. At the end of the white ribbon, there it was. He let out a half-chuckle, his hands slightly shaking. "We?!" He pulled the note off the test and he read it over and over again pregnant. Rodrigo couldn't believe that it had happened so quickly. With his procedure, he wasn't sure how long they needed and if it would work out right away. He knew he wanted to try as soon as they could and now that it was happening, he felt the overwhelming happiness pour over him. "Jade! Oh my God! We're having a baby?!"

Before all of this, before Jade, before things got serious with Jade, Rodrigo couldn't imagine a life with children. In fact, he'd run away from it all but as time passed, his desire to have children with Jade grew. Talking with his therapist, spending time with Phoebe all had helped with his increasing desire to have a child someday. Now that it was here, it felt so humbling, so amazing. "We're having a baby!" Rodrigo pressed his forehead against her shoulder and smiled, keeping the pregnancy test in his hand. "Oh my God! That's why you're sick!" He looked up at her. "Are you okay? What do you need?"

JADE

Jade gently returned his kiss and then watched him take the card out and read it. Her lips stretched into a toothy grin when he gave a questioning chuckle but she didn't day anything and just waited for him to piece it all together. The moment he did, her own joy came out in the form of a laugh, nodding despite lifting a finger to her lips.

"We're having a baby!" she replied, quieter but still very excited. She had been unsure about motherhood, wanting it but denying herself that it would be a possibility or that it would be a good thing to pursue. But in loving Rodrigo and growing a relationship with him, she developed a changed heart for the better. Now, she would share that heart with more than just Rodrigo. When his forehead lowered to her shoulder, she brought her arms around him, only leaning back a little when he lifted his head to look at her. "I'm okay!" she told him through a bright smile, bringing her hands to both sides of his face. "I've been more tired and nauseous here and there so maybe we can stop at the store on the way home, but right now, I'm just... I was so excited to tell you. I didn't expect it to happen so soon. I don't think either of us did but honey, between us getting married and now a baby?" She leaned in and rested her forehead to his, drawing in a deep breath while smiling still. "At this time, this moment in my life, I really have never been happier before."

RODRIGO

He pressed a finger against his lips, chuckling softly, realizing this couldn't be common knowledge yet. Rodrigo kept looking down at the test to make sure this was real and to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

When Jade confirmed, his smile widened even more, and tears formed in his eyes. Rodrigo quickly dried them and shook his head. "I cry about everything now, I guess." he sighed and listened to Jade speak. Cradled in her hands, Rodrigo nodded gently, his smile never wavering. Their foreheads touched and he placed his hands over hers. "Whatever you need. We'll go after we're done here. And whatever you need, you just let me know. If it's pickle juice at 2 a.m., I'm your guy." He chuckled. "And I have never been this happier before either. "We're going to have a baby....a little one to wake us up a trillion times in the middle of the night." he then pulled his wife into a hug. "I love you so much. I'm going to protect and love you both so much."

JADE

Jade was so amused watching Rodrigo mimic her, and seeing him look at the positive test again made her wonder what was going through his mind in that moment. But she melted from him tearing up and felt some tears of her own pricking her eyes. Jade smiled at her husband and said, "It’s okay. I'll probably do the same soon enough." She listened to him and grinned when he mentioned pickle juice, "I've heard that it's good for heartburn. Did you know that?" Happy to be pulled into his arms, Jade returned the hug, squeezing him as much as she could. "I'm ready for that. I love you too and thank you." She kissed him on the side of his head and then stayed that way with him for a while before pulling back and saying, "I took two tests. The other one is at home and is positive too, but I should make an appointment soon too, and start learning as much as possible." She was nothing if not prepared, or at least tried to be whenever possible; it was ingrained in her and usually served her well despite the conditioning. "Did you come with Ziggy today or did you drive yourself in?" She couldn't remember seeing his motorcycle when she left their home this morning but she was also very, very distracted on her way out.

RODRIGO

He sniffled, wiping his eyes with his arm. He couldn't help but laugh at how emotional he's become but he didn't mind. He was just so genuinely happy and had never felt this kind of happiness ever. When Jade asked if he knew about pickle juice being beneficial for heartburn, he shook his head in response. "I didn't but that's not a bad craving to have since I know heartburn is common in pregnancy." He thought a moment and then added, "But I think it depends if you're having a boy or girl? I remember Luna saying something about. Damn, I'll have to ask her. And mom too. I'm sure she'll have lots of facts for us. Oh my God! Mom! She's going to be over the moon!" Rodrigo knew his mother probably had been waiting for this moment for a long time. He smiled at how tender Jade was with him and listened to her words. "Alright, well, we can get books. We'll go to the bookstore tomorrow and grab what we can." He thought for a moment as he had been wrapped up in the news. "Ziggy gave me a ride. We can go home together."

JADE

Seeing Rodrigo wipe his eyes made Jade wish she had a tissue with her for him. She gave a sympathetic smile to his tears and wiped what he missed with her thumb. "I guess we'll see if I end up craving it. Even if I'm not, I think having it on hand at home to help with heartburn will be good." After a small chuckle, she said, "I may not know a ton about pregnancy, but I know we have a while before we'll know if we're having a boy or a girl, right?" Still, she was glad he was going to ask Luna. She was sure to know. And at the mention of Emiliana, Jade was beaming again. She absolutely loved her mother-in-law and knew Rodrigo was right about his mom. "She's going to spoil this baby silly. But a trip to a bookstore sounds good. I know you have another show tomorrow so I can wait until you're done with the school day and have you back before the show? I'll probably read what I can online until then." Jade then nodded when he told that Ziggy had given him a ride today. She was happy that they would be able to leave together tonight. "Okay. Are you okay with us leaving soon? I did get a little sick earlier and I'm not sure if it's going to happen again. We still have to stop by the grocery store and I'd rather not risk the nausea getting that bad again while we're shopping." She squeezed Rodrigo's hand and then added, "And... are you okay with us waiting to tell everybody? Maybe waiting until our first appointment to know for certain, and then tell your mom and maybe Drew? And then see if everything's okay through the beginning? I just..." Jade bit her bottom lip, "If something happens before then, I think it would be easier for us to not have to go back and tell so many people."

RODRIGO

“I’ll remember that.” Rodrigo made a small mental note to have pickle juice on hand in case Jade ever needed it. When asked about the gender, he nodded. “Yeah I think it’s a couple weeks down the line or something ? Okay we have a lot of homework to do!” He chuckled. “Mom is going to be so happy. She already loves Phoebe so much and with now Phoebe will get a playmate and she’s going to be over the moon. Don’t be surprised if she spoils you even more. She’s going to make sure of it.” Rodrigo smiled at Jade agreeing they should leave soon especially since she’s been feeling ill. “I don’t mind at all. I’ll text Ziggy that we had to go. He will be okay and it gives us a head start on shopping.” Rodrigo rubbed his thumb over Jade’s knuckles as she spoke. “Of course. We can wait. That’s the right thing to do.” He rubbed her back with his free hand. “We will wait until it’s safe to tell people. For now we have to take care of you and our little one.”

JADE

"We can start a list for tonight!" Jade suggested, taking her phone out with her free hand and started a grocery list with texting a few items while listening to her husband. She paused and looked up, "Oh no, you're right. You're going to have to help me try to rein in her spoiling for me. I feel like my dad will try to do the same thing and between the two of them, that's going to be overwhelming." She smiled a little at this admission and added, "Let them spoil their grandchild 'til their hearts are content." Sticking her phone back in her bag, she leaned into Rodrigo's side and said, "Thank you, honey." She lifted her head to kiss his jaw and then said, "Ready? Do you want to go back by the music room to get anything? Your dinner was in there. Did you eat it all?" It was probably a silly question but thought she would check before they left.

RODRIGO

"That's a great idea. Are you allowed to drink tea? Oh god, I don't know anything." Rodrigo would have to do plenty of research. "I ask because peppermint is good for nausea so we can get some peppermint tea or something?" Rodrigo smiled thinking of both their parents spoiling her. "I will, don't worry." he then rubbed her back some more. "Oh, that'll definitely be a thing!" Rodrigo chuckled and wrapped his arm around Jade when she leaned into him. "Yes, I'm ready. We'll return to the music room to clean up and get the Tupperware. Are you kidding? I scarfed it down!" He laughed and shook his head. Food never lasted a chance around him. Rodrigo stood up and extended his hand for his wife to take. "Oh, crackers. Crackers would be good so you have something in your tummy if you can't keep anything else down." Rodrigo was beaming with joy. "And tomorrow we'll make an appointment for the OBGYN! Do you have one you trust?"

JADE

Jade mused over Rodrigo's tea question, "We'll Google about the tea on the way to the store because I was going to get some more ginger tea. We have some at home but not very much." In truth, she'd made some ginger tea for herself the first time she'd felt ill, before suspecting and knowing that she was pregnant. When Rodrigo mentioned straightening up the music room and getting the food containers, she nodded and then laughed a bit with him. "I'm glad that leftover chicken picatta holds up well enough." She stood after him, accepting his hand and keeping hold of it and picking up her purse and the flowers. "Crackers are great to add to the list. Just some saltines should work." Jade walked with him from the back of the theatre, heading for the music room. "Of course I do," she told him, looking up with a smile. "I've had the same doctor since I went to culinary school, Dr. Ellison. She's also the one who removed my IUD. Hopefully I'll be able to get an appointment with her early next week. I can ask for a late afternoon appointment so you won't have to take time off of work?"

RODRIGO

Rodrigo listened carefully wanting to make mental notes of all the important things. He wanted to be actively supportive for Jade and do things correctly. He was going to make sure he read all the books and as soon as they got home, he’d get to making plans on a nursery. Rodrigo was going to make sure her pregnancy was safe and stress free.

He was glad she had a doctor already. Rodrigo wasn’t sure if all gyns delivered babies or anything but was happy to hear that Jades long time doctor would be the one seeing her for her pregnancy. “That’s perfect. I want to be there for as many appts as possible and all the scans.” He was so happy in this moment, he couldn’t even explain how much his heart wanted to burst. “Okay, let’s go so we can get an early start on our list.” Rodrigo led her back to the music room and gathered their things before they could leave. He text Ziggy that he had to go which his friend already figured. This was just another one of his happiest days he could add to the list of many.

#Rodrigo #Opening Night para #Jadrigo things #//!!!!!!!!!

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jade-escobar · 2 years ago

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Clearing the Air | Jadrigo

Featuring: @rodrigo-esc & Jade Clark with Julia Ivanov, Jewel & Jett Clark, and Leo Malinowski Castillo de Leon; mentions of Jeanette Shapiro Location: Saddle River Day School; San Francisco, CA Notes: 1 step backward, 3 steps forward. Enjoy!

RODRIGO

It had been a couple of days since Rodrigo had the intense talk with Jade's mother. He'd be lying if he said that it didn't leave him completely heartbroken and that he didn't want the already long weekend to last longer. The longer it lasted, the less he had to think about having to be in the same room as Jade again. He didn't know how to face her even if he did miss her like crazy. It was a lot of conflicting feelings and a week wasn't enough for him to begin to scratch the surface. Truth be told, he had never felt this way about anyone but it didn't matter anymore. Jade didn't feel the same. The day had finished and he was glad for the distraction. He knew that his classroom would be piled into soon for dress rehearsals but for the next few minutes, Rodrigo leaned against his desk and took a deep breath. Seeing Jade again would give him some relief. It's not like he didn't miss her but it would also bring all those feelings back and he wasn't sure he was prepared for any of it. Plugging his earphones into his ears, he went over the music for the show and got himself lost in that until he heard someone at the door. He got up and opened it, shocked and infuriated to see Julia there. "What...." He grabbed her arm and escorted her outside the classroom. "What the hell are you doing here? I already told you I don't want to see you again."

JADE

Jade had been a tightly wound bundle of emotions. The past week had her finally coming to grips with the fact that she had feelings for him. Strong, blooming feelings. Their time spent together, coupled with Rodrigo's unfailing kindness touched her heart and the moment she realized it, she couldn't get the truth out of her mind. Yet she wasn't sure if she could bring herself to tell him, or how. They primarily spent time together rehearsing with about 30 jr. high kids. And if she told him and he didn't feel the same way, she had no idea how she would handle the rejection, mostly because they still had a little more time working together before Hamilton opened. He was somewhat distant over the weekend, which only fed her belief that her newly realized feelings weren't even close to mutual. Stuffing it deep down, she privately told herself to just get through Hamilton and then maybe afterwards would be a good time to tell him. If he didn't feel the same--if he did reject her, then at least she wouldn't have to endure seeing him nearly every day for a few hours soon. Spring Break was coming up, and the musical would open soon after that. In the meantime though, she ended up letting the little flips of her heart from Rodrigo's smile bring a smile to her own face. The mental image was even causing her lips to curve. She thought about him ahead of reaching his classroom but stopped once she rounded the corner and found him talking to a woman she'd never seen before. With a silent gasp of surprise, she instinctively retreated back around the corner, having a strange feeling like she'd been unexpectedly intruding on something. But curiosity got the better of her and she peeked, wondering who the woman was.

RODRIGO

"Rodri, I saw what you did for that lead of yours..." Julia smiled, making sure he knew how unbothered she was by his reaction to her being there. She reached for the collar of his dress shirt, raising a brow slightly. "You never dressed up like this for me. You look nice, smell nice too...who are you doing this for?" She grinned, keeping her frame close to his, and Rodrigo pulled back, turning his face to avoid Julia getting any closer. He grabbed both her arms and let them drop to her side. "Listen to me...I'm working and I have a lot of work to do. None of that involves you. You and I were over a long time ago. Get out of here. I mean it." He didn't let her say anything more and Rodrigo went back into his classroom. Julia stood there shocked and annoyed at the rejection before she gripped her bag and made her way down the halls, practically walking into Jade. "Excuse you." She murmured and exited the school.

JADE

Jade hadn't heard what was being said but she was fairly fluent in body language. The woman's was the one she'd been zeroed in on and the way she slipped her fingers up Rodrigo's shirt and gripped his collar... it was an intimate gesture--commanding but intimate. And she'd only moved in closer to him. Jade was convinced that they were about to kiss and she couldn't bring herself to watch that. She turned away, back around the corner and started to walk away, only to abruptly stop. She couldn't leave. She was supposed to be helping with the rehearsal. But she couldn't think straight or focus on Hamilton or rehearsals. Her heart felt like it'd sunk down into her stomach like a piece of lead. Of course he was seeing someone. He was wonderful and it shouldn’t have jarred her to learn it. After drawing in a slightly ragged breath, Jade told herself to push through for the kids' sake. She wouldn't need to engage in or even attempt at some semblance of normalcy between Rodrigo. She'd gotten her answer--he wasn't interested in her, and with a woman like that, why would he be? Her focus could go entirely to finishing up her time with helping the kids. She turned to go back around the corner, only to bump right into the woman she'd spied on with Rodrigo. "Sorry," Jade whispered, still clustered but collecting herself enough to get through the next few hours. Jade reached for the handle to his classroom door, only to pause and knock. Strangely, it didn't feel right to automatically let herself into his space anymore.

RODRIGO

As if everything that was already buzzing around in his head wasn’t enough torture, Julia had to turn up again. He didn’t even make any sense of what she had come to say to him. In his mind, Julia was a lunatic and he wanted nothing to do with her. The interaction was enough to boil his blood that Rodrigo felt his mood shift completely. He didn’t want to be this upset in front of the kids or Jade. Not when they were so close to opening day. So he took another deep breath, fingers digging into the edge of his desk as he tried to gather his thoughts one more. There was a knock on his door again and it had happened so quickly after Julia left that he figured it was her again. Jade wouldn’t knock and his kids stormed in every time. Pinching the bridge of his nose he swallowed hard and let out a dry chuckle. What else could possibly go wrong? Rodrigo opened the door, murmuring, “ I told you to get out…” and he cut his words short almost immediately. Jade was at the door and after not seeing her for a full week, he came to understand the whole absence makes the heart grow fonder saying. He knew he was screwed in more ways than one and he had already forgotten about the visit he had just minutes ago. “Hi. Hey.” He pushed his hand through his hair and stepped to the side to let her in. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else and I really didn’t want to see them…” but you? You I want to see always.

JADE

Jade was listening for approaching steps on the other side of the door despite the perpetual self-depricating internal dialogue. It was reminding her that she was no one special and shouldn't have let her budding feelings for Rodrigo go unchecked for so long--nevermind she'd only very recently came to realize them. She flinched at the way he initially answered the door but her face was already largely expressionless prior to his opening the classroom door. "Hi," Jade said just above a whisper, stepping over the threshold and past Rodrigo. She heard his apology but had already been too focused elsewhere to hear the rest of what he had said. Rather, Jade said nothing back and set her tote bag down on the piano bench, taking out the Hamilton piano book to prepare for the rehearsal.

RODRIGO

"Hi." He repeated again, slightly perplexed at Jade's behavior but not entirely. After what her mother had said about her lack of interest and feeling sorry for him, he wondered how much he really knew about her or rather, how much he had allowed himself to believe for the sake of hanging onto a crush. He felt slightly bitter but quickly righted himself realizing that perhaps things have always been like this. He was just being uncharacteristically naive. "Right. So, dress rehearsals this week, and I figured one last one this weekend. If you're busy, it's fine. Just thought we'd get you paired up with the orchestra before opening night so you can tell them of anything you think they'd need to know like um I don't know, any pauses or something." He cleared his throat and kept his distance, by the window, leaning there and wishing he'd understand where they went wrong. He wondered if he was just too much and now things were weird.

JADE

Jade took her time reaching back into her tote bag and taking out her notebook. She already knew the kids' cues and keys that they performed each song in but removed the notebook out of a need to try and occupy herself while trying to push her feelings far down. "Okay," Jade replied, looking outwardly expressionless while internally, she was adamant in trying to focus on anything but Rodrigo. Her heavy heart was aching from the attraction and feelings she'd developed, the pain of knowing he was already involved with someone else, and the embarassment and foolishness she'd felt for not realizing it before--for letting herself think for even a moment that the feelings she'd developed for him would matter, could matter. And it bothered her that her body in mind were reacting so immediately and so significantly, and she could barely do anything to keep any of it from surfacing.

RODRIGO

He watched her every move at the very beginning of their interaction but he quickly became mindful of how that may have made him look. Desperate and probably creepy in Jade's eyes. Even if she had the decency to not break his heart like Julia once did, he would have appreciated it if his friend came clean. The fact that she knew his secret, how he wanted to be with her, and felt nothing more than sorry for him cut deeper than he ever imagined. Still, he wanted nothing more than to be friends, to get over this little hump, and to clear the air. There was only one way for them to do that. They'd both have to come clean. Rodrigo focused on his script a bit longer, staring at the loud corrections, the red marks, the purple highlighted passages, and the little notes for himself and for Jade. It reminded him of times he'd write them in between rehearsals to show her and make her smile. He'd do almost anything to see that again. Now she just seemed miserable, robotic, unbothered. It wasn't her and he was partially to blame for it. he tapped his pencil against the paper a few times, letting a few minutes of silence fall between them. The kids would be arriving soon and this is not how he wanted things to be. "Look." He sighed and placed the script down. "I know I came on perhaps too strong and I can acknowledge how that probably was a huge turn-off for you along with I mean, anything else. I understand. I promise I can take that. I'd much rather we talk about it so we can push and work past it and finish the week off without any hiccups. Sorry if I made things weird between us, Jade but aside from me flirting and wanting to be close to you, I'd like to know if I did anything else wrong. I'd appreciate some honesty."

JADE

Jade was reading the notes she'd already had memorized when she heard Rodrigo address her and sigh. But hearing him say things like, "came on too strong" and then apologizing to her for flirting and wanting to be close to her made her freeze. Inside, her mind was going into panic mode, working even harder to keep his requested honesty shoved down. What good would it do when he had clearly been involved with someone now? Still trying to protect herself, Jade barely looked his direction when she replied, "I don’t know what you want me to say." She turned her body a little from him, similar to how he'd been teaching the kids to 'cheat out' on stage. Her eyes were back on the notebook page. "You didn't do anything wrong," she told him, her voice low but monotonous.

RODRIGO

It really felt like she wanted nothing to do with him and that just added to the hurt that had accumulated over the last couple of days. "do you not want to be friends, I don't understand..." His voice drifted but he shortened the distance between them, taking a few steps toward Jade. "You say that but your body language says differently. I think you've just been very nice to me because you're a nice person. You didn't want to hurt me which I can appreciate but this, I promise you, hurts more. Tell me I was a jerk. Tell me I was overbearing. I'd rather that, Jade than whatever this is. You tell me I didn't do anything wrong but all flags point to you hating me or something." He took a deep breath. "If that's the case. I get it." I think. He didn't get it. He didn't get a lot of things. Did he really play this sick game in his head with himself? Did he really allow himself to believe he'd have a chance with someone as good and pure and kind as Jade? "I know you're not interested in me and that's okay. I just want to know what did for you to no longer want to be friends. I won't make it weird. You're like one of the few people I have in my life I can talk to but I don't want to pressure you to be something or someone you're not and...God, this is very confusing." He's so used to the fight, so used to the argument, the disdain, the pressure, the loathing.

JADE

Jade's face was turning red and the rest of her body was feeling hot once Rodrigo moved closer to her. She closed her fingers around the edges of the notebook to keep from showing the nervous tremble of her fingers. Was she really that transparent? She used to be better at shutting herself off from others, used to be better at going unnoticed and hard to read. Yet Rodrigo was completely right. Each observation of her that he voiced was like taking a shovel to everything she was desperately trying to bury to protect her feelings. "I know you're not interested in me". It wasn't until he said that, that Jade's gaze snapped up at him, eyes wide with fear despite the wobbly defensive tone that left her voice. "How can you know if I'm interested in you or not? And what would it matter?" She stopped herself abruptly, knowing she was letting those feelings surface and she absolutely needed to keep on doing the opposite. Shaking her head a little, she stared determinedly at the notebook again. "It doesn't matter," she answered for the both of them.

RODRIGO

Before he could stop himself, Rodrigo was sitting beside her, facing the opposite direction on the piano bench. It'd be the closest he'd let himself be to her. If she allowed it. When she spoke, he looked up at her, brows furrowing from utter confusion. "Your mother." He said it so matter of factly, not wanting to keep anything from Jade. He was never the type. "She told me everything. You don't have to pretend. It's okay." But the other part of that question made him question just about everything. "What would what matter?" He leaned back slightly to try to gauge her expression without getting too close, without getting too personal, without getting in her space. These were all things he respected. He respected Jade, he cared for her, understood her complexities, took into consideration her nuances and her discomfort, and how far she was willing to go with anything let it be a favor or a task or a conversation. He wouldn't push but also, but he had no idea what was going on and that didn't seem fair or balanced for either of them. "I'm going to be completely honest with you, I'm getting mixed signals here and maybe it's my poor judgment which admittedly gets clouded when I'm around you but I believe it's been established how I feel here." "Everything about you matters. To me. That's all I can add to that I think."

JADE

Jade's fingers were bending and creasing the cardboard front and backing to her notebook as she stood by the piano. Her heart was pounding inside her chest, more so when Rodrigo sat near her on the bench. But it felt like her heart had momentarily stopped when he brought up her mother. Her gaze stilled on him for the rapid passing seconds it took for her to realize when and how he must have met her mother. Her earrings were on the table near the front door of her apartment. And while Jade had a conflicting relationship with pristine and perfect organization, she knew she never left her earrings by the front door. Rodrigo must have brought them by but she hadn't really thought much of it, and her mother never mentioned who dropped them off--not even a description of Rodrigo. Embarrassment flooded her like a bucket of cold water being dumped on her head. She had no idea what her mother had said but knew it couldn't have been anything good, or honest. Jeanette knew nothing about who Jade was interested in. But Jade knew what her mother was like--what she could be like. "My mom doesn't know anything about you," she told him before looking away. And she barely knows me she thought to herself. "She doesn't want me involved with anyone she hasn't hand-picked herself." The less she said about her mother though, the better, but she wanted Rodrigo to know that much. God, this was a mess. And while she was piecing together that Rodrigo was expressing feelings for her, she had no idea why. She knew he was involved with someone. She saw as much that very day, that very hour. Her head shook as she pushed the notebook back into her tote, not meeting his eyes. In 'fight or flight' the flight urge was overtaking her brain, fast. Reaching for the songbook, she shoved it into her tote, only to be caught off guard by Rodrigo once again. His words pierced her heart and prompted a flutter but she couldn't understand why. He kept bringing up friendship before. Maybe that was it. She mattered to him. Everything about her mattered to him. As a friend. That much made sense to her but she couldn't fully swallow that truth and also continue with the rehearsal unfazed. She couldn't push through right now, knowing that her feelings for him were more than friendship. "I have to go," she told him, her voice still shaky. She gripped the handles on her tote, not meeting his gaze as she added, "The kids can use the instrumental recordings today like they do when I'm not available." Jade turned for the door, clinging desperately to what of her resolve was still within her reach.

RODRIGO

And there he was, observing her every move, watching her body language, trying to decipher what exactly was happening here. He wanted to reach for her hand, get her to settle down. Something was bothering Jade and the more he thought he had it figured out, the more he ended up confused. When she said her mother didn't know anything about him, Rodrigo looked at her perplexed once more. "What do you mean? She told me she did. She said you weren't interested, that she knew you well, and that you were nice out of pity. You were a great actress. That's what she said to me." How could she not have known about them unless Rodrigo's smile from ear to ear, his eagerness to see her, and his kindness towards her mother were all indications of what was obvious at that moment? "How did she know? She knew how I felt. I believe you but she knew..." "Wait. Where are you going?" He managed to get up, placing his hand on the door, and hovering over Jade as she got to the exit. "You can sit out of rehearsals. That's more than fine. You can go home if you don't feel well, and you can ignore me another week or so, okay but please you need to hear me out! I like you. I have liked you for a while not and every time I felt like I had a chance, something happened, I felt shut down, felt like maybe you didn't feel the same. The first time it happened, I ignored it because like I told you when we met, I'm incorrigible. I go after what I want. Nothing stops me from doing that but with you, I've taken my time and I've gotten to know you because everything about you screams TLC and I'm okay with that because I want to be those things. I want to be tender and loving and caring and the other night when I almost kissed you? I swear I thought this was it until your mom shut it down. And who better to know you than your mother but you're sitting here telling me she doesn't know about me and I believe it so that's great, we've crossed that hurdle."

He took a deep breath, "Why are you fleeing now, Jade?" And before he can add anything else, he felt the door open against his hand. "Mr. Escobar! Is the door locked?!" His kids were coming in and they were ready to burst through the door as they usually do. "Just a minute, guys!" His gaze burned into Jade's. "Ms. Clark and I are having a talk."

JADE

"That's how she is," was all Jade could bring herself to say in the moment. A conversation about her mom would have to happen another time, if it was going to happen at all. "But it's not true." Of course she knew it shouldn't surprise her that her mom would say that about her, but the truth was that any sort of acting on Jade's part always came from the lifetime of conditioning from her mother. She was her mother's show pony who had succeeded in everything except the one thing her mom wanted her to achieve the most. And when Jade failed at that in her eyes, her mother's played a less hands-on role, but her pricks and critiques of Jade's life and decisions were as subtle as a breeze or as harsh as sea storm, depending on the older woman's mood and personal desires. "Home," she told him, her voice small as she sped to the door. She couldn't stay, couldn't make herself stay. Her mind was reeling from her mom's unexpected yet unsurprising interference. On top of that, she wa edging closer to admitting outright to Rodrigo how she felt about him, even though she knew there wasn't any point. Even though he was startlingly accurate on what he had come to know of her so far. Even though he just admitted that he had in fact almost kissed her. Her eyes stung as she looked down at the handle. Her voice was barely above a whisper, which was as loud as she could control it as she told him, "Because I can't handle this. It doesn't matter how I feel about you. Or how you say you feel about me. You're with someone. Someone I'm sure who's a lot more deserving of you and how great you are. That's not me and I-" Jade choked but forced herself to swallow thickly. "I can't--" Jade jumped, practically out of her skin when the kids try to barge into the room. Running the back of her hand across her lowered gaze she said, "Just let them in, and let me go," she quietly said, reaching for the handle. The last thing she wanted on top of everything else was to fall apart now.

RODRIGO

There were things that Jade said that kept his dimming hope from burning out completely. Maybe he was foolish to do that but Jade never seemed like the type to lie. Great actress, his ass. He should have known nothing from his interaction with her mom made much sense. Jade was always genuine. He couldn't believe there was a bad bone in her. It was why he was so drawn to her. He had never in his life met anyone like her. "You can't handle what?" His eyes searched for answers before she produced them, desperately hanging out to any shift in her expression, anything that gave him the green light to press on. He didn't want her to cry, didn't want her upset but he wanted to know. It wasn't until Jade told Rodrigo that he was with someone that he was completely thrown. He had lost control of the conversation for a moment as he was now surprised at this revelation. "I'm with someone? That's news to me.." He whispered, picking up her chin but the kids were calling both their names out and if he didn't open the door for them, they'd surely get Mrs. Dupont to come and check on them and that was the last thing they all needed. Especially after the education board meeting. "Fuck. I have to let them in. Jade, please don't leave. Okay?" He trusted she wouldn't but he knew how fast she was. At this moment, the kids had to come first. He reached for the handle, never letting his gaze falter, and cleared his throat, allowing Jade to move as well. "Hey! Impatient today, I see! Get to your places and into your costumes!" Rodrigo was high-fiving all of them and Jade was getting lost in the sea of children.

JADE

Now Jade's confusion was growing. She knew what she had seen just moments ago. There was nothing that was strictly friendly about the way that woman had her hands on Rodrigo, or their close proximity to each other. When he lifted her chin, she closed her eyes. She heard his quiet plea but the flight urge was overwhelming her, especially when the students were let in. She stepped aside and kept her gaze to the floor as the kids--most of whom were at or around her height--filtered into the room, chatting excitedly amongst themselves. Jade easily slipped between them and, having already been by the door, passed into the hallway. And ran. Her tote was pinned under her arm but it had taken slowed her in the least. Rodrigo told her he wasn't with anyone. Was that true? It had to have been. He hadn’t been dishonest with her before. In fact he was the very opposite, which was something she liked about him. His honesty coincided with his kindness towards her, which was deeply refreshing for her. Still, even I'd he was single, and was interested in her, what was it that made her deserving of his affections? That was something she couldn't fathom. Her mother's rearing, her father's decisions in how little he was involved in most of her life, and and the piss-poor excuse of the past couple of men she'd dated gave her no reason to believe that she was trult desirable or wanted. Jasper, the twins and the few friends she had were kind towards her, included her in their lives, and showed that they cared for and about her. But it wasn't the same and it wasn't the kind of relationship she was finding herself drawn towards when it came to Rodrigo. And she felt foolish for wanting it when she didn't deserve it. Didn't deserve him.

RODRIGO

He was losing this fight, he could tell but for the first time ever in their relationship, he was willing to keep pushing. It made no sense to do otherwise. Something was bothering Jade and he was on the brink of discovering what it was. If they talked it out, they'd manage. He just knew it to be true. When he turned to make sure she was still among the students, Rodrigo frowned when he didn't see Jade. "She keeps doing that." he whispered. "Doing what?" Leo looked up at Rodrigo, a confused but almost amused expression on his face. Rodrigo pointed at him and decided not to think too much. Jade was fast after all. "We're talking about that look you're giving me later but you're in charge for now. I'll be right back. Make sure everyone goes over the first number." And with that, Rodrigo ran out too, jogging down the hallway, down the stairs, and out of the building, his lungs unable to keep up with the stamina his adrenaline rush was producing. "Shit. Jade! Fuck, I'm quitting smoking today." He murmured as he looked around the campus front lawn for her. "Jade!" If he missed her, he'd run after her after the rehearsals but he really didn't want her to go. Something was telling him not to give up. And that's when he saw her, standing in the parking lot, gathering her things and he took the opportunity to run up to her. "You...okay...give me a sec." He took a few breaths and then exhaled. "You're really hard to catch up with." Rodrigo held up a finger, begging for a minute with his eyes. "Okay, okay. I have Leo in charge of kids twice his size so for his sake, I need you to listen. I'm not seeing anyone. I don't know where you got that idea. The thought isn't even an option because I can't imagine being with anyone that's not you and that's been a CONSTANT thought for days for me." He breathed again. "And if you think that I can just let you leave without me clearing that up, you're so wrong." Rodrigo breathlessly looked Jade in the eyes. 'Because you're all I think about, it drives me crazy."

JADE

At first Jade wasn't sure where she was running to, but logic started to kick in and she'd started towards the staff and visitor parking lot. She'd been delayed by the search for her keys when she heard Rodrigo gaining on her. Some irrational side told her to bolt but log won out and she stayed put, catching her own breath while her fingers finally brushed the metal of her keychain. Her chest heaving was nothing compared to how harsh Rodrigo had been breathing once he'd caught up to her. She started to ask if he was okay but pursed her lips obediently when he held up a finger. Her shoulders fell and she frowned. But she listened to him while her breathing continued to level out. "I saw you with another woman, when I got here today. She looked like-... she's not your girlfriend?" Jade asked, taken aback. It was a bit if an irrelevant explanation at this point though because everything Rodrigo said after that made her hear feel like it was being clutched. Her eyes became glossy and her chest felt tight like she might faint or burst out in sobs. But she smiled. Tears did well up and trickle down her face but smiled sadly at Rodrigo. "Rodrigo, I don't..." Jade lowered her gaze. "No one's ever said anything like that to me before." She drew in a shaky breath and then admitted, "I like you. I always look forward to the time we spend together, and when we're not here, I'm thinking about you. A lot." Cheeks burning, she glanced up at him, wiping her eyes again. "I don't know why you like me. Or want to be with me though. I don't..." Her windpipe suddenly felt very narrow and she turned away, leaning on the side of her car while trying to force herself to breath deeply. "I'm no one special and I haven't done anything to deserve you."

RODRIGO

Catching up to Jade was embarrassingly enough no easy feat. Hopefully, they'd laugh about this moment later. For now, Rodrigo was wondering how much a gym membership would cost and if he could really quit cigarettes because this was not it. When Jade finally spoke, he listened intently, lips frowning as he realized what had gotten her so upset. "Julia? The blonde? Oh, Jade, that's my ex. You know, the one I told you about? She wants nothing to do with me, trust me. She just thought she'd get her kicks because nothing is going her way now or something." He laughed, finally catching his breath. "She is not my girlfriend nor will she ever be my girlfriend. Never again, I promise." When she continued to talk, he listened, his eyes zeroing in on Jade's tears. "Hey..." He walked up to her, this time slowly so that she'd have enough reaction time to smack him or turn him away. Rodrigo cupped her face, wiping her tears with his thumbs. "Is this okay?" He whispered and then listened some more. "You don't know why I like you? I can give you a whole list. Two if you give me time." Rodrigo's gaze met hers, keeping her face in his hands but she turned away to lean on her car. He missed it immediately and so he gently pulled her away from the vehicle and practically into his arms, wrapping them around her frame. "You're the most special person I've ever met and it's me that doesn't deserve you. I'll make sure you're reminded of that. How can I not like someone so kind and loyal and funny and smart and talented and giving and beautiful? Tell me how?" He withdrew his embrace to cup her face once more, leaning in as much as possible and lowering his head so that he could kiss her forehead. "Please...can I kiss you?"

JADE

Jade's lips parted but no sound came out when Rodrigo explained that the woman she'd seen him with was his ex. Her mind recalled some of what Rodrigo had previously told her about the woman, Julia. And then she brought her watery eyes back up to his as he neared her even more. His cooler hands further highlight just how much she'd been blushing but she welcomed his touch, closing her eyes as he wiped away the thin streams of tears. She nodded at his first question and then shook her head at his second. Because she honestly did not know. She wasn't special--her Mom had more than humbled her on that. And in a way, so had her dad. And she hadn’t thrown herself at Rodrigo or done anything extraordinary to make herself seem worth his interest. At least that's what she believed. The discomfort from the foreignness of being shown tenderness, kindness and intimacy from someone who wasn't a sibling, wasn't a friend and wasn't a part of her staff, was a feeling she fought hard to push through. She wanted to embrace it, much like how Rodrigo currently had her tiny body enveloped in his arms. Jade slowly straightened her arm, letting her tote bag slide from the bend of her elbow and hit the ground with a solid 'thud'. And then she returned Rodrigo's hold, hugging her arms around the middle if his back his back. She shook her head at him, knowing that the two of them could argue which of them was the least deserving of the other. And then she lightly smiled at him, eyes still a bit watery, "I can't tell you... I just... I have a lot of baggage, Rodrigo. You should know that now." Her eyes closed again, the moment his lips made contact with her forehead. Without even being aware of it, his closeness, embrace and the kiss to her forehead had calmed her significantly. And when he asked to kiss her, she very nearly could have cried again from the amount of love he was making her feel, just by sharing his feelings for her with her. He was special to her, so special.

When asked if he could kiss her, Jade opened her eyes again and met his gaze. "Yes," she told him, lifting her chin and raising on her toes. It wasn't much to help with their 9-inch height difference but she tried.

RODRIGO

Feeling Jade's arms around his middle made him return her smile. Rodrigo would do anything to stop her crying. He had decided he hated seeing her so sad and never wanted to be the reason she looked like that. "Who doesn't have baggage? You don't have to tell me. You don't have to tell me now. I want to learn about it, want to know everything about you. The good and the bad and we'll figure things out together. If you let me. I also have baggage. Here, my father? He's in prison because he's a deadbeat. Well, that's not the only reason but you get my drift. I'm nowhere near perfect and neither are you and that's all more than okay. I just want you. When Jade gave him the green light, he didn't hesitate, lowering his head to capture her lips, closing his eyes as his thumbs caressed her cheeks. It had been all he had wanted to do for weeks now and everything he had built himself up for just a week ago. The kiss was worth the wait, worth the insecurities, worth all the terrifying moments they had both endured to finally get here. He'd forgotten where they were momentarily and Rodrigo took his time exploring the lips he had been thinking about for far too long.

JADE

"I know, but I have a lot of baggage. You should know that now," Jade feebly argued. She wasn't expecting Rodrigo to share something about himself in that moment and she'd been understandably surprised that what he'd had to tell her was that his father was in prison. Up until then, she couldn't recall a time where Rodrigo had ever mentioned his father. But he'd moved on from talking about it and told her that he wanted her. She wouldn't be able to focus on much else if he kept talking to her in that moment. Her thoughts were swimming, up until he brought his lips to hers and she kissed him back. At that point, Jade felt like some of her fears were melting away--enough of them for her to shut her eyes and enjoy the feel of Rodrigo's lips on hers. Her fingers gripped the back of his shirt a little firmer, and she'd leaned a little into him while on her toes, relishing every millisecond of the moment passing between them. She'd parted her lips a little to grant him entry while angling her head a little to deepen this kiss.

RODRIGO

"That's okay", Rodrigo whispered, his knuckles gently caressing Jade's cheek. He just didn't care about the baggage. Nothing would turn Rodrigo away unless Jade was another Julia and she was definitely not that. His mind had been made up over who he wanted to be with and it seemed like she felt the same way. The English teacher smiled against her lips right before hers were parted. Grateful for the new angle, Rodrigo's tongue found its way to gently massage against Jade's, a soft moan escaping his mouth. He didn't want to stop and if not for a handful of tweens sitting in a classroom waiting on them, he probably wouldn't but alas, they had work to do. He pulled away only slightly, enough for him to drag his thumb against her bottom lip, eager gaze fixated on her mouth. "We could um...continue that later. After class. I promise I'll continue that later..." He chuckled softly bending his head to kiss her once more. "It'll be a distracting hour but I think I can manage..." Who was he kidding? Rodrigo was good as gone. He kept his face close to hers and he left a soft peck against the side of her neck before his lips spoke slightly below her ear. "How does this work? Let me take you on a proper date." He smiled, pulling away once more to capture her features. "And another, and many after that. Am I like...your boyfriend now?" His grin grew from his teasing. He dropped his hands so that one could take one of Jade's, interlacing their fingers together but his eyes never left from admiring her face.

JADE

His comforting touch to her face made a melting feeling run down her from the inside, slow and soothing. And when he kissed her, she found herself quickly deciding that she liked the way he kissed her. And she wouldn't admit it aloud but his gentle moan and his expertise in exploring her mouth made a throbbing start between her legs. It ended up being a small blessing that he'd ended the kiss when he had. He was right though that there were rehearsals to get to and a classroom full of kids waiting on his return. Her fingers curled further into his shirt when he spoke against her neck, light stubble tickling her pale brown skin. "Okay," she said and when he added more dates after she agreed to the first, she smiled at him and chuckled a little. "I guess you are. I'd like you to be. But let's sort out that first date, first. And this rehearsal." Removing her arms from around him, Jade spread her fingers a bit and bent them to his, and then bent to pick up her tote. "The kids re probably wondering what's going on..." she trailed off looking back towards the school, her eyes zeroing in on the windows to the music room, only to see some heads quickly bob out of sigh from the open blinds. Face quickly turning red, she looked back up to Rodrigo. "....Or not."

RODRIGO

Rodrigo chuckled at her words, agreeing to sort out what they'd be after a first date and if they could get through the rehearsal. He moved to take her tote from her with his free hand, flashing her a smile when he did so. Her hand felt nice in hers, perfect even and he silently wondered if she thought so too. "Yeah, they probably think you run track too.." His words trailed off when he followed her gaze with his own. "Oh, great." How would he explain it? Well, he didn't have to. He was the teacher after all. He could act as if everything was fine and not make a mention of anything at all. "Was that Michael Sin holding up Leo?" He shook his head and looked over to Jade, chuckling softly before pressing a kiss against her cheek. "We've got this." He gave her hand a squeeze to reassure her and shouldered the tote on his other arm. He'll let go of her at the very last moment they get, right before they walk into the school. "You look very pretty today, Ms. Clark. I've been wanting to tell you since you walked in but what else is new?" He was glad there were very few staff members left in the building. "How about a burger after?"

JADE

"I did, in high school," Jade admitted. Now she just ran for the exercise and because it sometimes helped with her anxiety. But she was sure the kids would only bring up her running as an afterthought, had they even noticed that she'd literally run off. Her gaze was still at the window though when Rodrigo asked about Leo being held up by Michael. "I think you're right. We'd better get back before he drops him and we're out of a king." The additional kiss from Rodrigo made her smile a bit. Jade was sure that later on, she'd end up thinking more about everything that had transpired between them, but for now, she was allowing herself to live in the present and bask in the good feelings that came with it. Keeping her hand in his felt right--more so than she expected it would. She walked beside him back into the school, and then reached for her tote from him. "Thank you. And please call me Jade," she insisted. While they walked back to the music room, she considered his offer and realized she didn't have much of an appetite right now, likely because her stomach felt full of butterflies. She also hadn't really worked herself up to eating more than half a granola bar or a few bites of fruit in front of Rodrigo but she was doing her best not to overthink. Instead, she told him, "Sure, we could go get something after rehearsals. I wouldn't mind finding a place that has vanilla milkshakes."

RODRIGO

"We need a king and we definitely need a Leo." He laughed and then nodded at her asking him to call her Jade. "I was only teasing." It would be nice to have a proper meal with Jade. He hadn't forgotten her dizzy spell in Mexico or the fact that she once admitted she barely gets the chance to eat when she's constantly running around. He'd take care of her. "Oh, no you're talking. I'm a strawberry milkshake man myself but we can get both. Be all cute, get two straws." His smile grew even more at the very cheesy but very adorable image. He was never the type or at least he didn't think so. That's all changed since meeting Jade. Their entire situation had made him giddy, all smiles, and probably completely impossible to deal with. Fletcher was going to make sure he knew about himself. Leaning against the door, he wanted to look at Jade one last time before going in. It's not that she'd disappear or something, (at least he hoped not), it's just that Rodrigo didn't want to forget anything about this day. "Ready?"

JADE

Jade smiled, "Yes, we do," agreeing to both. Leo was one of the few kids she was especially fond of, not just because of the young boy's charisma, talent and maturity but because he was considered one of the twins' best friends. Talking about a dinner date and hearing Rodrigo share that he liked strawberry milkshakes the best was something that she would keep in mind in the future. Everything about the relationship they'd entered was new now. She'd found herself walking a little ahead of Rodrigo but paused and looked back to him just as he asked her if she was ready. "Yes. Just a few more rehearsals to go, and then, it's you and the kids from there." It was a bit of a bittersweet thought; the rehearsal times would be over soon for her, but it also meant she would get to sit in the audience and watch the production in full, along with Jasper and all the parents and other families.

RODRIGO

"I can't believe it. I'm going to miss having you around. We'll have to make up for that somehow." He smiled and looked down just thinking about it. "The kids will miss you too. But anyway, we should go in there before they really lose their mind." Rodrigo opened the door, hearing the sounds of chairs being peeled away from the door and he couldn't help but laugh at the innocence. "Okay okay, how did we survive?" He leaned against the opened door, smiling as Jade walked in and ignoring the giggles from the kids. "Suprise, Ms. Jade!" Leila appeared with a cake in hand and some flowers. "We all asked Mr. Escobar if we can get you something as a thank you." Leo popped up and nodded. "Yeah! He helped us get everything together." They all looked at their teacher and he shook his head, holding up one hand in surrender. It was their moment. "The kids really wanted to say thank you for all your hard work. It's our last week together. So, you know...can't say no to those faces." And right on cue, they all pouted, puppy dog eyes in full view and Rodrigo joined before clapping his hands. "Jewel, Jett, get the plates and utensils, Michael, get the napkins. Cake and then one full rehearsal before your parents get here." He looked up at Jade and winked quickly before moving to help set up the tables.

JADE

Jade gave Rodrigo a knowing smile while thinking better of voicing any sort of retort that she could think of. She didn't know what the etiquette was like at the school but figured to err on the side of caution in case someone in passing overheard and took issue with hers and Rodrigo's brand new relationship. "Good idea, we don't want to prolong their rehearsal any longer." She passed by Rodrigo through the threshold and took in the kids' rushed attempts at looking like they had been doing absolutely nothing other than sitting and angelically waiting for their teacher/director's return. Jade smiled to them and shook her head, "Nice try. We saw you guys." But her smile fell as her face morphed into one of pure surprise at the flowers and cake. And it as even more clear that Rodrigo knew her well since he had responses ready before she could protest the generosity. She looked to him and while the kids grabbed items to get the cake dished out, Jade was significantly more relieved that the cake would be largely portioned out to the kids. And during the kids giving bursts of excitement over the cake, Jade placed the flowers with her tote near the piano, and then offered to cut the cake slices for each of the kids who wanted some. She'd cut even slices for the kids and a slightly bigger piece for Rodrigo. Her own slice was smaller and she'd set it aside at the piano with her other belongings, deciding to take out her water bottle from her tote for a few gulps. "Thank you all for your kindness. The flowers are beautiful. Be sure to get something to drink so your mouths and throats are cleared to sing," she advised to the kids who could hear her.

RODRIGO

"Yes, Ms. Jade." The student's voices echoed throughout the room and Rodrigo chuckled before taking a forkful of his piece of cake and then leaving it to the side. It would be hard not to steal glances today but he'd make it work. All he knew was that he had a date tonight with the girl he couldn't stop thinking about for days now. Life couldn't get better than that. "Alright, two more minutes and we need to get you in your places. Leo, my man, come here let me fix that wig of yours. Its givinggggg nightmare on Elm Street not royalty." The kids laughed including Leo and he marched over to his teacher to get the wig in place. "Don't worry, we'll have hair and makeup on our last dress rehearsal so you'll get an idea of what to expect with your wigs and mics. One minute, guys." He warned the kids who stuffed their mouths and took sips of their drinks before marching up to the faux stage. "We'll have the theater the rest of the week to rehearse. Start from the top. Ms. Jade?" He looked over to his almost girlfriend and smiled. "Care to do the honors?"

JADE

Jade felt light in her happiness, being in the music room again and helping out Rodrigo and the kids as she'd been for weeks now. She chuckled at Rodrigo and Leo, and then offered to help Jewel pull her curls back into a low ponytail for the beginning of the production, much like Lin-Manuel Miranda had done in the original performances. She knew the style would excite Jewel even more. And after giving a quick adjusting tug to he tan jacket Jewel started out wearing, she whispered, "Break a leg," to her half-sister and then turned to the piano. After throwing a small, quick smile to Rodrigo and then looking to the kids to make sure that they were ready, Jade placed her fingers on the piano keys and got the kids going on their dress rehearsal. It had been a true pleasure to see how much all of the kids had progressed over the weeks, but periodically throughout the rehearsal, Jade's mind would wander back to the plans she and Rodrigo made afterwards today. And she couldn't wait for their first date.

#Clearing the Air para #Rodrigo

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