Free The Fall Musical by Peter Lerangis

The crowd goes wild!”
    He was on his back, holding her above him, rolling from side to side. He was gentle, playful, not what she would have expected. She was in Kyle Taggart’s arms and the fact made her giggle helplessly. Kyle finally rolled them both to a sitting position and feigned exhaustion and defeat.
    The other guys, Kyle’s friends, were averting their eyes impatiently and snickering. “Come on, Taggart!” one of the other guys called out.
    â€œI’m on the temporary disabled list!” Kyle shouted back, tossing them the football. He smiled at Casey. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.”
    She brushed herself off, feeling as if the earth had tilted back in the other direction and it was now mid-August and her fall jacket was making her way, way too hot, while the words “couldn’t resist” rolled around in her head with all the hints of possibility. “No problem. Um, how did you do this afternoon?”
    â€œIn tryouts?” he asked.
    â€œCallbacks. Not tryouts.”
    Kyle shrugged. “I don’t know. They didn’t throw anything at me. You?”
    He had no clue about his talent. She looked into those big-sky eyes and that fearless smile. Absurd as it seemed, this guy who could tackle a strange girl on a dirty field and make her feel good about it, who could tuck an auditorium full of theater geeks into his back pocket, who could throw a football like a bullet, had no clue .
    â€œI didn’t get a callback,” Casey said lamely, checking her watch. “I’m just visiting. Well, uh, good luck.”
    â€œLater!”
    As he limped back to his friends, Casey ran toward the school. Her legs weren’t feeling too steady either. She gripped the handle of the back entrance and pulled the door open.
    Brianna was standing on the other side. “Boo,” she said with a startled laugh. “Hey, you’re here! You got my text message! I’m so glad you came.” She took Casey’s arm. “We already picked the cast. Want to see the list? Listen, there’s a lot you can do to help out. The others will be thrilled—”
    â€œNo, wait,” Casey said. “I don’t want to see everybody yet. Can we talk, just you and me?”
    Brianna let go. She gave Casey a curious look, then smiled. “I am all about talk. My car is in the lot. The red Camry.”
    Casey blanched. She hadn’t anticipated this. “Wait. I was thinking we’d walk somewhere—”
    â€œWe’ll walk when we get to the mall,” Brianna said.
    â€œMall?”
    â€œYou are in for the treat of a lifetime. You’re going shopping with me.”
    Â 
    She was nervous. Brianna noticed it right away.
    On the drive to the parkway entrance, she had given Casey the final cast list and schedule: Kyle as Jesus, Harrison as John the Baptist/Judas, Lori as the “Day by Day” soloist, and Reese, Corbin, Ethan, Jamil, Lynnette, Aisha, and Becky as the other disciples. Rehearsals to begin Monday, September 17, performances November 16 and 17. It all seemed to go in one ear and out the other. Except for the news about Kyle. Casey had seemed interested in that. Judging from the little incident on the football field, which Brianna had seen through the window, Casey had fallen for him like everyone else.
    Brianna put down the windows. Patches of brown and yellow mottled the trees, and if you tried hard enough you could detect a faint salty whiff of the ocean. It didn’t help. Casey looked like she hadn’t ever been in a car before. Her right hand gripped the door handle, her right leg was rigid against the floor. She had barely said a word, and now they were already onto the parkway, halfway to the mall. As Brianna signaled and slipped into the center lane, she noticed Casey peering at the speedometer. Seventy-six miles an hour. Oops. Okay, that was a bit much. Brianna eased up on the accelerator.
    â€œI hope