Chaos part 1
Sam’s POV
Sam walked down the road to the theater, her heart pounding harder than it should have been.
She had done this before. Plenty of times. Walking into a new rehearsal space, meeting a cast for the first time, stepping into a role—it was second nature by now. And yet, as she neared the building, her nerves were unrelenting.
Maybe it was the sheer weight of it all.
She wasn’t just in another show. She was in this show. A production that already had a die-hard fan base, a fresh Broadway run that could cement her as something bigger than she had ever been before.
She was about to become Broadway’s first Katherine Howard.
Breathe, Sam. Just act normal.
The heavy door creaked as she pushed it open, and a wave of voices crashed over her.
“Sam! Everyone, over here!”
Lucy, one of the show’s creators, called out from across the room. Sam barely had time to process before Lucy was already gesturing wildly.
“This is Sam Pauly—she’ll be playing Katherine Howard.”
It hit differently, hearing someone else say it. The words settled into her chest, thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
Before she could overthink it, another voice chimed in.
“Not everyone is here yet,” Toby, the other creator, added. “But those four over there are the other queens. Just waiting on Adrianna. Take this time to get to know them! We’ll be setting things up if you need us.”
Sam followed their gaze toward a small group standing near the rehearsal space.
Oh, thank God.
She recognized Abby immediately. They had met before, and in a room full of strangers, seeing a familiar face was like finding solid ground.
Abby grinned when their eyes met and waved her over. “Come join us! This is Dre, Britt, and Anna.”
The three women waved, though the energy was still slightly awkward. First-day jitters, probably.
“You can call me Dre,” Andrea said, tucking her phone into her pocket. “Andrea’s way too formal.”
Sam smiled. “I’m Samantha, but you can call me Sam.”
She took a moment to let it all sink in. The theater itself was gorgeous, filled with that buzzing energy that only came with a first rehearsal. There was something magical about standing in a space like this, knowing it would soon be packed with people, lights, and sound.
She was actually here. She was part of something big.
“It’s gorgeous, right?”
The sudden voice beside her made Sam’s stomach lurch.
She turned sharply, coming face-to-face with a woman she hadn’t noticed before.
Sam’s brain stuttered.
The first thing she registered was curls. Dark brown ringlets that framed a stunning face, smooth brown skin, high cheekbones, full lips. There was an effortless confidence to her, the kind that made it impossible to look away.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” the woman added, placing a hand on Sam’s shoulder.
Her shoulder.
Sam fought every urge in her body to react.
Instead, she forced a laugh, praying it sounded casual. “It’s fine.”
The woman studied her, head tilting slightly, before offering her hand. “I’m Adrianna. You are?”
Oh. No.
Sam’s brain went completely blank.
She had experience with this—working with talented, beautiful co-stars. She had learned the hard way that developing crushes on coworkers was a terrible idea.
And yet, standing here, looking at Adrianna?
She was so screwed.
“S-Samantha Megan Pauly!” she blurted out.
What the actual hell was that?
“O-or Sam for short,” she added quickly, her voice cracking.
Adrianna’s lips curled into a slow, amused smile. “Your cheeks are awfully red. Are you running a fever?”
Sam wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
"N-no, you’re really fine—I mean, REALLY, I’M FINE!"
Adrianna’s expression shifted, amusement flickering into concern. "...Okay."
She turned away, moving to introduce herself to the other queens, and Sam let out a slow, silent exhale.
Get it together, Sam. She’s your coworker. You CANNOT develop feelings for her.
No matter how ridiculously beautiful she was.