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((haha alright... will do.))

"This stage?" Gray asked, her face contorted with confusion. "But this place is so... so abandond!" Gray thought it was almost impossible to believe that such a place could get even the slightest of an audience.

Just then the two double doors at the top of the theatre auditorium flew open, bringing lots of city light in with it, and the Silhouette of a rather large and tall man. The doors shut with a loud banging sound, and Gray could hear the tapping of the man's stepps on the tile floor, realizing just how big he must be to be making such noise on these floors when Gray herself had barely made any walking up and down the aisles.

"How are my lovely ladies today?" The man asked in a booming voice as he came up to Ricky and Gray, also noticing the others. "And I see we have a new comer today, do we?" He said, looking at Darren, and then Gray.

He was a tall, rough man. He had dark black hair and a goatee on his chin. If he didn't come off quite so friendly, in an adult sense of the word, he would have looked totally frightening to Gray. No, this was New York, of all places. Get used to it, Kid!

She looked up at him in slight awe, wondering what to do. "I.. i'm Gray," She stammered before getting her name out. He looked at her a smiled. "Nice to meet you, my child," he said before turning to Ricky. "Have you told her anything? She looks so confused!"

(Cool entrance )
Ricky rolled her eyes at the dramatic way he had entered, and his slightly off charm. She doesn't know why, but she never finds herself liking him. Maybe it was the way he thought he was 'the man' or something. Taking his question as an offense, Ricky replied, "She wants to join us. I did you a favor in encouraging her, so you shouldn't get your attitude on me..." She made sure she gave off the hint that she was once again 'put off' by his personality.

((hehe, thanks. I liked it myself, as well!))

"Hey, hey now, Little one," Mr. Johnson said, patting Ricky on the head. He knew she was a bit of a spit-fire, but none of them put him out of his mood. Or at least when they did, he hoped he made it where they regretted it. He hated to put himself out of his way, when all he was doing was trying to help them.

Gray watched them, a little confused. If he had done all this to help them, why was Ricky so put off? Was it Mr. Johnson's persona? He did seem a bit cocky, but she knew that this was New York. "Now, Sweetheart," he said, turning to Gray. "What is your story?"

Gray explained to him that a while back she left her family to become an actress, hopefully getting a chance at Broadway. She told him that her parents never understood or supported her, always wanting to be a business woman, owning a huge company, or a successful lawyer. Gray had only wanted to act, and not even for the fame. It was her passion and she was willing to do anything to get there.

"Well, darling, I believe that I can help you a little. I'll give you room and board, free for this week. Can you sing or play any instruments?" He asked her after listening to her story. Gray shook her head slightly. " I can sing, a little."

Mr. Johnson looked a little pleased as he folded his arms up to his chest. "Belt something out for me." Gray thought of a song, and began tosing quietly, a part of 'Im my arms'.

"Here's the deal," he said, stopping her from singing. "You sing your little heart out and get some money and you can stay here. I'll take care of you. In the meanwhile, I will try to help you get some auditions. Deal? And Ricky, you can help her, too."

Ricky looked at him, weirdly. "Why don't you let her sing?" She then decided to just leave it, and help her good friend herself. She knew Mr. Johnson, and he never really helped anyone with their skill. He never tried to encourage them to get better. Atleast, that was her opinion.

((Sorry my posts are getting uber-long.. can't help it, lol))

Mr. Johnson raised an eye-brow at Ricky. He hoped that was enough to put her into place. "Sweetie," he said, turning back to Gray. "The way things work around here.. Well, lets put it like this. I'm the business owner and you are the employee." He said, trying to explain it so that someone as young as her could possibly understand, though Gray understood very well.

Great, he's a musical pimp, Gray thought to herself. She continued to listen.

"You work for... money, and then you bring it to me. I take care of you and we all get along. Now I'm not going to force you to go out and sing tonight... we actually have a little... talent show going on here in just a little bit," he said even more loudly.

Gray figured that this is what Katie ment by showings here. He probably stuck fliers everywhere in the city and forced everyone he knew with money to come and 'enjoy themselves' as his little 'chick-a-dies' entertained them all.

"Don't we, Ricky," Mr. Johnson said, turning back to Rick and putting his hand on his hips, expectant of a good attitude from here on out.

(It's ok. I like reading long posts. For some reason, I can't always pull off a long post, LOL)

Ricky groaned inwardly as she listened to his rules, though she had already heard them quite a few times before, they never stop bothering her. She looked at him as he said her name. She got the hint that he was coming out a bit, but couldn't help her current temper. She muttered under her breath, "If it was the other way around, and you paid us then I wouldn't argue." She tried to be loud enough for only Gray to hear, not Mr. Johnson.

"Ha," Mr. Johnson roared as he heard Ricky's comment. Of course it wasn't going to bother him, knowing that that would never happen in a million years. "Ricky, what will you be doing tonight for the show?" He asked her. He wanted to find someway that he could put Gray up there, though she hadn't in the least bit expected it.

Mr. Johnson wrapped his large arm around Ricky's shoulders and led her around, a slight bit away from Gray, their backs toward her. "Is there anyway I can have Gray with you up there?" He asked, though he knew Ricky hadn't a choice.

Katie climbed back onto the stage and nervously watched Mr. Johnson.

"And who's this mug, I thought it was just kids around here why is a adult here" Darren looked angrily at Mr. Johnson.
"Or are you just some old man who stumbled upon us then?" Darren walked off without hearing any explanation and went back stage.

((OOC:going to my nans for the night be back on later))

[have fun.]

Katie watched Darren, shocked. "He's gonna hurt you," She said quietly.

Mr. Johnson let go of Ricky, knowing that she had no choice but to let Gray perform with her that evening. He turned to face Darren, who he felt had just stepped out of line. Forgiven of course because of his ignorance of being a newcomer. "Young sir, I believe that I house these young ladies, and a few other boys like yourself, and help them make a living after their unfortunate misdealings in the past," he corrected Darren, having his arms folded neatly across his chest in authority. "You are more than welcome to join us in our happy little home," he said with a very persuasive and almost frightening smile.

In the background, Gray shuddered, listening to Mr. Johnson's everyword. It seemed like a nice thing he was doing, but it seemed odd to her still. But, if he was going to help her find her dream, why not?

"And tonight you can perform... whatever at the show," he said to Darren, before turning back to Gray. "And you, my darling, will be singing with whatever Ricky is doing, alright?" Mr. Johnson was completely clueless as to who did what around here lately, and obviously, he couldn't care less as long as he got his money.

Ricky eyed Mr.Johnson, and his ignorant comment. "I'm gonna play my saxophone..." She said angrily to him, though she tried to not to let her voice rise. She walked back over to Gray, and watched as Darren had left backstage.

"Right, right. Saxaphone. Good. Go rehears or something and find a way that Gray could perform with you," Mr. Johnson said cooly before he swiftly took off towards the double doors at the top of the auditorium, casually stomping up a storm with his large feet on the way. "I'll be back in an hour to start opening up!" Then slipped out without another sound.

Gray looked at Ricky. She hadn't been expecting to perform anything at all just yet. "What exactly are we going to do?" she asked, completely clueless herself.

Noel watched Mr. Johnson leaving, shuddering. She looked back at Darren. "We all do something musical and pay him.. and he lets us stay." She glanced quickly at Ricky. "We don't have to steal that way." She added i a quieter tone. She knew it was kinda a habit of Ricky's and Noel didn't want to upset her.

Sighing softly, Ricky plopped down next to Gray. "I was gonna play a solo with my sax,", she said, staring into space, then smiled friendly and looked at Gray, "but, I'm sure I can play and you sing beside me. Right now, I can't think of a solo song that also happens to include a saxophonist..." She looked down at her walkman, trying to think of one. (Is 'Saxophonist' even a word? LOL) "We all do something musical and pay him.. and he lets us stay.", Ricky heard Noel's voice. ""We don't have to steal that way." Ricky shot her eyes up at Noel, and gave her an "I can't help it" look. She mouthed to her, "Please keep it a secret, I don't my Gray to find out..." She didn't wanna risk Gray friendship with that. Not many people'd like to hang out with a thief.

Darren watched Ricky play her sax mesmarised by her finger work and the way it sounded, A tear came to Darrens eye "I don't care if he hurts me, Ive felt worse pain" Darren, eyes still fixed on Ricky, asked to the room "Is there any drums around here i need to let off some steam"

Gray caught on that she was suddenly listening to a private conversation between Ricky and Noel, even though it was mostly silent and she had no idea what they were saying. She figured it wasn't her place anyways to listen or butt-in on the quick conversation. "Oh," Gray said, waiting for Ricky to continue. She hadn't a clue how she was going to be able to do this without messing up everything horribly.

Noel nodded. "I won't." She mouthed back. She didn't like it but Ricky couldn't help it. Must be a habit. She smiled, letting Ricky go back to her conversation with Gray.

Darren stood after watching Ricky play her sax and asked "Isnt a drum kit around here is there?"

Ricky smiled warmily at Noel, and saw Darren walk over. "Isnt a drum kit around here is there?", He had asked. Ricky glanced around, pensitively. "Um, there's one over there." She said, as she pointed at the drumset near the stairs that led off the stage. The stairs weren't far from where they all stood right now. She looked at Gray, and said, "We can just think of a favorite song, and we can add the saxophone." She smiled.