Double Take: Under Understudy Attack

A/N: Gonna be dealing with a bunch of one/two-shots a lot more often now! I found this prompt online, and thought it'd be really fun to test out a PJO-esque POV.

Bug Out!

The first kiss I had (not counting the one I shared with Chat Noir during Dark Cupid) with someone on the lips was not as romantic as I had originally pictured it. No, it didn't have us dancing in the moonlight or watching shooting stars at the back of an SUV. It was due to the fact my own jealous self couldn't stand the sight of another girl stealing my man, and because Alya was so talented when it comes to peer-suading me into doing recklessly romantic things.

Collège Françoise Dupont was hosting its annual theatre production, and surprise surprise, they were doing Sleeping Beauty. Romantics like Rose were ecstatic due to the play's romantic nature, but people like Chloe and Lila were excited for different reasons. If you haven't read the tale- actually scratch that, don't read the tale because it's less G-rated than the Disney film. Don't say I didn't warn you. Anyways, if you haven't watched the Disney movie, Prince Philippe (that's the obligatory knight in shining armor if you haven't guessed already) broke Maleficent's curse with a kiss to wake Aurora up. But instead of altering the script to prevent hysteria and fighting over who gets to play the main couple, our ever-realistic theatre teacher, Mr. Kyle, decided to keep things the same- minus the non-G-rated bit.

I take that back. Mr. Kyle was smart enough that during auditions, he didn't let us choose which roles we'd audition for. Sure, we could write down a suggestion, but everything was ultimately up to him. As Alya and I fill out our paperwork, I can hear Chloe and Lila berating Adrien to sign up (and try to get the prince, of course), before arguing amongst themselves as to who would be a better princess.

"My daddy can buy me a princess dress! Yours can't even afford a prom gown!"

"My parents have met princesses and got them to sign peace treaties, thus saving the world. Obviously I was the main factor in persuading them to choose peace, which is why they built a statue of me in the palace. Unfortunately, there are no cameras allowed!" Lila scoffed.

"Ugh, this Sleeping Beauty thing is a bad idea. It's just gonna end up with Chloe and Lila yanking at each other's hair."

Alya nudged me. "You should totally audition as Sleeping Beauty."

"Did you not just hear me?" I sighed. "I'm not going to audition for the same role the two brats of Paris are fighting for. I am going to sign up as Townsfolk #3, get one line, and be done with this for the year."

"Come on, it'll be fun! After all, Adrien will definitely get the role as the prince, so you two might end up kissing…"

While my heart swells at the sheer thought of Adrien's lips touching mine, I flash back to the time I was about to kiss him before Mylene got akumatized. The entire reason I didn't want to play the lead was because kissing him just because the plot calls for so would feel fake. After all, it's not like we live in some pandering romantic drama!

"Not like this." I say firmly, before scribbling 'Townsfolk #3' on the sign-up sheet.

After what felt like a millennia of waiting in line, I finally hand Mr. Kyle my sign-up sheet as he gestures me to grab a paper which had a paragraph typed onto it and walk onto the stage.

"Townsfolk #3, eh?" he raised an eyebrow as a sweat drop rolls down my face. "Go ahead, read the paragraph."

I inhaled. "Friend, can you show me the road that will lead me to heaven? And if I don't get through those pearly white gates, can you show me how to go on living? Can you show me the secrets to this life, help me avoid the mistreatment to my nervous system? Can you show me the tools to make the incision? If I was blind to the truth maybe then I'd be forgiven. If I didn't have a tongue maybe then I'd stop sinning. There is no rhyme or reason to this voice I've been given…it's just a given."

Mr. Kyle paused, for a brief moment, before he smiled. "My dear, you have so much more potential than a mere background character! Sleeping Beauty longs for something more, which leads her to being provoked into pricking her finger onto the spindle and falling asleep! That right there, is your inner Sleeping Beauty shining through."

After thanking the brown-haired director, I quickly exit the room, running into Alya.

"How'd it go, girl?"

"He wants me to play Sleeping Beauty!" I whisper shouted, making sure neither Chloe or Lila could hear me.

"That's great! With Adrien as a shoe-in for the prince, you'll be able to kiss him on the lips once the night's over!"

I laughed nervously. "I still don't think my being Sleeping Beauty will end well for either of us."

And despite my desperate pleas for Mr. Kyle to forget about me and choose someone else to play the title lead, I almost cried when I saw the cast list posted outside the theatre room.

Sleeping Beauty - Marinette Dupain-Cheng

"WHAT?!" Chloe shrieked, pushing past everyone to get a much better look at the list. "Dupain-Cheng got Sleeping Beauty?!"

"What's wrong, Chloe?" Alya teased. "Mad

you got cast as a fairy?"

"No! I wasn't even given the satisfaction of that! I'm her… understudy!" Chloe growled.

"You think that's bad?! At least you were cast as the good guy! I'm playing the evil witch!" Lila yelled. "And I'm still the understudy!"

"Aw yeah!" Alya punched her fist to the sky. "I got the witch, baby!"

Despite everyone's constant yelling, I found myself more focused on the line below mine.

The Prince - Adrien Agreste

"Looks like you and I got the lead." Adrien smiled, appearing next to me.

"GAAH, oh hey Adrien! Y-yeah, guess we'll be spending lots of time at practice!" I stuttered.

"Don't worry, if you're nervous. You'll do fine." he reassured before walking away.

"Fine… yeah…" I trailed off before Chloe snapped me back into reality.

"I forbid you to play Sleeping Beauty, Dupain-Cheng! My daddy's the mayor, and once he finds out his daughter didn't get the lead role, he'll shut down this entire production! And you don't want that on your shoulders, do you?"

"No one's shutting down no one's production." Mr. Kyle interrupted tiredly, emerging from the room. "If you're an understudy or not in the cast at all and still want to help, you can help with the tech behind the scenes."

"Behind the scenes?!" Chloe and Lila shouted simultaneously.

"And would you two for the love of Rao stop shouting?!" he groaned.

"I'm way more fit to play Sleeping Beauty than Marinette!" Lila argued. "I've been doing the Performing Arts since I was three!"

"You'd think someone who'd been performing all her life would've given a more in-character performance than last week." Mr. Kyle remarked. "Marinette was as good a Sleeping Beauty as I've ever seen."

"But she didn't even want that role!"

"I believe I explicitly said I only took your choices into consideration; they would play hardly any role in the final decision. Besides, Mlle. Rossi, you have all the makings of being the manipulative villain we need."

Before Mr. Kyle could close the door, Chloe wedged her flat between the door and frame. "Wait! Sleeping Beauty and the Prince have to have good chemistry in order for it to work!" Chloe reasoned. "How about we do a quick screen test to see who's a better actress. Moi, or Dupain-Cheng."

Mr. Kyle nodded. "Fine, meet me here this afternoon. All of you. Might as well teach you understudy's the basics to Theatre Tech if Mlle. Bourgeois insists on making the show a competition."

Before I could interject, Chloe whispered into my ear. "Good luck, Marinette. You're gonna need it."

And if I'm being honest, I would've just given up and handed my role to Chloe on a silver platter. But if she insists on being such an insufferable brat, I best beat her at her own game.

"So are you, Chloe." I smiled. "So are you."

A/N: Just so you all know, I based off Mr. Kyle over my Theatre Tech teacher who goes by the same name!

Final chapter... coming to you soon!