by Julia Day
People jammed the space. It took about two seconds for my gaze to meet Micah’s. He stared back boldly, his face settling into stern lines. How could I have ever thought of him as ordinary? He might not be tall or ripped or gorgeous in the classic sense, but it was hard to imagine him being in a room and not being the center of attention.
He was surrounded by a small fan club, yet his unwavering focus remained on me. I turned away first, walking to where some tables had been set up for food. I slid a jug of lemonade in with the other drinks and hunted for a spot to set the macaroons.
“Three shows down,” a voice said behind me. “One to go.”
I looked up. “Hi, Lisa. It went well tonight.”
“That’s what the others have been saying. Tomorrow will be good, too.”
“The edge will be gone.”
“Knowing it’s the last performance always adds an extra kick.” She took a sip from her bottle of root beer. “How are you doing?”
I knew what she was really asking, and I might as well be honest. I wouldn’t see her again after tomorrow. “I didn’t want this, Lisa. I miss him.”
“Have you told him that?”
“I can’t find him alone. He won’t let me get near him.”
“Well, if it helps any, he misses you, too. Okay, it’s time for my final pep talk.” She turned, then said over her shoulder, “If you ever need a reference, let me know. You’ve done a fabulous job.”
Wow, I hadn’t expected that, but I would happily accept the offer.
Lisa had reached the front of the hall and was standing on a low dais, banging a spoon against a metal tray. “Can I have everybody’s attention?”
The noise decreased. “We’ve been rocking this show. Give me a moment of complete silence.” She waited until they did. “I love guest directing jobs. It gives me a chance to discover talented teens—some who don’t even know they’re talented yet. I’m reminded how amazing it is when everyone comes together to create something remarkable. I love how a different cast and crew can take a well-known script, inhabit its world, and make the show their own. I leave Azalea Springs a better director than when I arrived. So that’s it, everyone. I’ll join you to strike the set tomorrow. Find me before you leave the theater. I would like to thank each of you.” She scanned the group. “Would anyone else like the opportunity to speak to the company?”
“I would.” The actor who played Will Parker ran to the front and launched into a monologue that was as funny as it was vain, the same way he was at the high school whenever he could find a captive audience.
Wait. A captive audience?
Excitement buzzed in my head. Maybe I should go up there. Micah would have to listen. Right?
What would I say? My brain had turned to mush. It held no coherent thoughts except I wish I had him back and He leaves Monday.
It would be humiliating if he walked away while I was speaking. But would he?
Probably. I’d really hurt him.
What about Natalie? Would she freak? I looked across the room at her. She was talking with Channing, acting relaxed, but was that enough to prevent something bad?
I had the car. If she melted down, I could take her home.
“So, guys,” Will Parker was saying. “It’s been cool. See you this fall.”
My chance was slipping away.
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone and texted my stepsister.
I’m going to talk in front of everybody and make Micah listen to me
“Anyone else?” Lisa prompted.
It was quiet. Some looked around eagerly, wondering if there was another ego in the house. Others looked down, hoping she wouldn’t go crazy and call on them.
“I will.”
The crowd turned to me, surprise rippling through the room. I’d been mostly invisible to the cast until a week ago. As I wove through them, they parted, forming an aisle. Micah half-sat on a table, hands gripping the edge, scowling at the floor.
I sucked in a shaky breath. I preferred being behind the scenes. Standing there in front of everyone, with all of those eyes staring at me, was scary. But if it was the only way to get Micah to listen, it would be worth it. I grasped my hands together and let my thoughts flow. “The theater has always been something I attended, not something I did. This production was the first time I’ve ever been involved. So, at tech rehearsals, when the show seemed like a complete mess, I didn’t see how it could possibly come together…”
My audience laughed.
“… But then something magical happened.”
With fluid movements, Micah straightened and slipped around the back of the crowd. His destination, the exit.
“Micah, don’t leave yet.”
He paused, his body in profile. Everyone shifted, angling to see what he would do.
“Please stay until I’m finished.”
He hooked his hands into his pockets and faced me. “Why?” The word was soft. Hurt.
“Because you’re the magic.”
There was a respectful moment of silence, then the company turned to him, applauding and cheering. He inclined his head, watching me steadily.
“I’d like to say…” I hesitated.
He radiated intensity, the air between us electric.
“When I joined the show, I didn’t know what I was doing. You really made me feel like part of the team. Even when I made mistakes, you would patiently show me how to be better. I’ve learned so much and…” I paused and looked at Lisa, who smiled with encouragement. My gaze swept the audience until it landed again on Micah. “I’m grateful. For everything.”
He drew his hands from his pockets and walked toward me, his steps deliberate and purposeful. He stopped two inches away and said, for my ears only, “Why are you doing this?”
“I miss you, and I’m sorry, and I want you back.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m only here for two more days.”
“I’ll take whatever I can get.”
An eternity passed—or maybe just an instant—before he reached for my hand, his fingers closing securely around mine. “Let’s go.”
Noise broke out around us, but I didn’t care. I was with Micah. I might be getting a second chance. Nothing else mattered.
We ran from the hall. He led me over to a walled brick courtyard and into its farthest corner, plunging us into shadows that the moon struggled to pierce.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“I can’t believe you did that.”
Me neither. “Does this mean we’re good?”
“I want it to.” He released my hand and took a step back. “Just give me a moment to take this in.”
So much had to be discussed. Natalie. His departure. What kind of us there could be after tomorrow. “I need to finish my apology.”
“I’m listening.” He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. His tension felt wary, instead of angry. A hopeful sign.
“I’m sorry that I hurt you and that we’ve lost so much time.”
“I sense a but in there.”
“Yeah.” The truth was a risk, but lies and secrets were what had brought us to this point. I owed it to us to go with honesty. No omissions. “I don’t regret my choices.”
“Dumping me was the right thing to do?”
“No, choosing Natalie was. She told me that she thought about quitting a couple of weeks ago. If she’d known about us, it would’ve thrown her over the edge.”
He looked at his feet and swallowed hard. “If we get back together, is this what I’ll have to look forward to? Waking up each morning, hoping that today isn’t the day you sacrifice me again?” Pain and fear colored his voice.
I moved closer to him and rested my hands on his arms. “From tonight on, only you and I are in this relationship. Only we decide where to go next.”
He gave a tiny shake of his head as he raised his gaze to mine. He wasn’t convinced.
“You’re still Natalie’s mentor or friend or whatever it is
you want to call it. She knows that her relationship with you isn’t threatened by what we have. If that’s not enough for her, then my family will have to help her learn. But I won’t let it affect us.”
“I want to believe you.”
“Then please give me a chance. I’ll earn your trust all over again.”
He closed his eyes, breathing slowly. Carefully. I wanted so badly to hold him. To fill him with my confidence. But he had to do this himself. It was his turn to choose.
When his eyes opened again, they shone with decision. Which one?
The tension eased from his face. His arms slipped around my waist to pull me against him. “I want to be with you.”
“Really?” I held myself still, almost afraid to believe him.
He smiled. “Yes.”
The pain faded away, replaced by relief and joy. I locked my hands behind his neck, stood on tiptoe, and planted an I’m so grateful kiss on his lips. He took over, changing the kiss to I’ve missed you.
From the fellowship hall, a door squeaked and a group of cast members burst out, their loud voices fading into the direction of the parking lot. The party was breaking up. Our last show was only a few hours away.
“It’s late, Micah.” Nope, that was not a whiny tone in my voice.
“I know.” His lips brushed my temple.
“What about…?” We spoke in unison.
He laughed. “Tomorrow, after the show, you’re mine.”
“I’m yours now.”
“Yeah, but tomorrow, I’ll have a plan.”
I nodded, too happy to speak. This evening had turned out so much better than I could’ve imagined.
“Okay,” he said, “let’s find Natalie.”
35
Chaos to Quiet
Natalie and I left the cast party around midnight. It was hard to say good-bye to Micah, but we’d agreed to go running together early in the morning. Tame and wonderful.
As soon as I got home, I went to my room and got ready for bed.
A shadow appeared in the door. “This has been a decent summer.”
Okay, late-night chat. “It has?”
“Yes. It’s not as tedious as I expected. This house feels like a place I don’t mind being in, and you and Jill are fine that I’m here.”
“Can’t understand why you ever thought we weren’t.”
“Nai Nai. She says I’m a lot of trouble and that Jeff’s new family would lose their patience fast, because I’m nothing to you.”
“Your grandmother is not a nice person.” I sat on the end of my bed. Neither Natalie nor I had won the grandma sweepstakes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say that out loud, but it’s true.”
Natalie leaned against the doorframe and stared at the ceiling. Her fingers tapped lightly against her thighs as she struggled with whatever it was that she wanted to say. “Are you and Micah a couple again?”
“Yes.”
“How will that work?”
“I don’t know.” Confusion clouded her face. Well, I was confused, too. “We’ll spend as much time together as we can before he goes home on Monday. We haven’t talked about what will happen after that.”
“You can see him every night on Skype.”
“Not the same.”
“So what if it’s minus touching. Is that such a big deal?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“I’ll try to tolerate how this turned out, but don’t tell me any details. I don’t want to know.” She darted from the room, her footsteps thumping down the stairs.
I wiggled under the covers and smiled at the world. Natalie might not be the best friend/sister I’d imagined, but we were getting close, and that was good enough.
* * *
As I drove Natalie over to the arts center on Sunday, she couldn’t stop talking about her mom.
“She’ll be here today, right?”
“I hope so.”
“She said she would last night.”
“That’s good, then.”
Natalie sighed. “But she hasn’t texted today, and neither has Terry. What do you think that means?”
I wouldn’t tell her a lie, and I couldn’t tell her the truth. “If she called you last night, then she really wants to come.”
“I agree. Can you hold on to my phone while I’m backstage? Just in case they call?”
“Sure.”
Two hours passed, and there was no sign of them. No texts. Micah had given the fifteen-minute warning. We had a nearly full audience, with a heavier volume of little kids than previously. This could be a wild performance.
“Brooke?”
I turned. Mei and Terry had walked in.
“Thank you for coming,” I said, trying to filter out the squeal of joy. “Natalie will be so happy you’re here.”
Her mother frowned. “I told Natalie I would come.”
Okay, not responding to that. Mei’s irritation could be a reaction to how annoying she found me. I exchanged glances with Terry. He winked.
“Did you bring Luke?”
“No,” Terry said. “He’s at home with his grandparents.”
Mei had always been thin but was even more so now. There were dark circles under her eyes and a grayish tint to her skin. When she placed her fingertips against her lips, her hand shook from a faint tremor. She looked physically ill, but she’d come here today anyway, and I was glad.
I pointed to the right side of the auditorium. “Why don’t you sit over there? You’ll have a clearer view of Natalie during her solo.”
Terry said, “Thanks.”
They walked down the aisle, Mei clinging to her husband’s arm. For a moment, I debated whether or not to tell Natalie. She could become so agitated that she wouldn’t calm down. Really, though, she ought to know. She might do badly if she thought Mei hadn’t made it.
The ushers were in good shape. I headed to the green room to tell her. Micah was standing in the wings as I was walking by. I tried to slip past him.
“Hey.” He stepped into the spot I’d intended to be.
“Hi.”
He muted his mic. “Anything I can help you with?”
“Maybe. But not in public.”
His smile wrapped around my heart. “That can be arranged.”
I sighed in anticipation. “I have to speak with Natalie first.”
“Can you meet me in the booth during intermission?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good.” Looking around, he clicked the unmute button and spoke into his headset. “Ten minutes everyone.”
* * *
The entire cast showed up for strike except Natalie. She left to hang out for another hour with Mei and Terry.
It didn’t take long before everything was done and people had gone. Only a few crew members remained. We went from chaos to quiet in a matter of minutes.
There was nothing but an empty stage now. I strolled into the center of it and looked out at the silent theater. Micah joined me. No headset. No binder. Just my guy, dressed in all black. Looking hot.
“Hey.” He slipped an arm around me.
“I can’t believe the difference.” I leaned into him. “Is this the way it always feels after a show ends?”
“Sort of anticlimactic—mixed with a sense of victory and sadness?” His hand tightened against my waist. “Yeah.”
“When do you get started on your next production?”
“I have to let go of this one first,” he said with a laugh. “Not until October. Or maybe nothing this fall. I might be too busy being a senior.”
“Really? Branching out?”
“Catching my breath.” He turned me in his arms and kissed me. “Stage kiss.”
“I like it.” But my smile faded as a wave of regret sloshed over me, stealing the moment.
“Is something wrong?”
“No. It’s just…” I stared at my hands, pressed to his chest. I felt shy about explaining, but I would. No more secrets. “I missed you so much last week, and I almost
lost you. If I hadn’t spoken up at the cast party, you would’ve gone home and—”
“You did speak up and made me listen. And now we’re back together. Let the rest go.” He kissed my forehead and tightened his arms.
I yielded to the embrace, loving the strength of him and the sweetness of having things right between us again. “How much time do I get you today?”
“How about an all-night date?”
“All night? Really?”
“Yeah.”
A delicious excitement filled me. “What will we do?”
“A picnic in the park. A midnight movie. Breakfast at a Waffle House. Watching the sunrise together.”
“That sounds like four dates.”
“It is. They were listed in this dating guide I found online, and I’d been planning them separately before. I was hoping—”
I kissed him, silencing the words, silencing the pain of our days apart. “Whatever you want,” I whispered.
“And your parents?”
“I’ll text my mom. She won’t question it.”
“So one last suggestion. Can we ask Natalie if she wants to go on the picnic with us?”
I smiled at him, surprised and touched and in love. “Perfect.”
* * *
Our all-night date had been wonderful. Every. Single. Moment. But now it was over. He pulled to the curb in front of my house as the sun streaked the eastern sky with pinks and purples.
In three hours, Micah would be driving home to Elon.
My body felt flushed and stretched. Saying good-bye had been a guarantee before we’d even met, but the actual moment was pure misery.
He shifted on his seat to face me and reached for my hand. “It’ll be okay.”
“Sure about that?”
“Yeah. A ninety-minute drive isn’t that far.”
“It is when you don’t have a car.”
“But I do, and I know where you live. Since it’s too late to talk me out of wanting to be with you, we have to make a plan.”
Okay, yeah. I liked plans. “We can trade off on Friday-night football games.” I would figure out a way to schedule Mom’s car when it was my turn.
“You can stay over sometimes and experience the fun of helping Dad harvest on Saturday mornings.”