I laid in bed until my alarm went off at seven thirty, just scrolling through social media. Mikey had had a VERY fun night based off of his Instagram. With a sigh I turned my alarm off before rolling off my bed to land quietly on the main floor in a crouch roll. I used the rolls momentum to stand easily and pocket my secret personal phone.
The phone that Momma gave me that she has outside access to as well as my wallet and fully charged wireless headphones were on my kitchen island. I pocketed both items and wrapped the headphones around my neck before grabbing a grapefruit from the basket in the center of the island and a protein shake from the fridge. 'I think I'll polish the banisters and railings today. Yeah really get them to shine as I work my memories from tonight into the grain.' I thought as I pulled on my hightops and tied them.
A clap of thunder shook my apartment walls and I sighed as another echoed from the memory that I've been fighting with all night. I managed to force it down, for now, as I ripped into my grapefruit. I grabbed my deep red, almost black, hoodie from the coat rack near the door once I was finished with my snack. I pulled it over my smooth and slightly scaly head and checked that my keys were in the pocket as usual. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before shoving it into my pocket and leaving my apartment.
I locked the door and set the security alarm from the phone that Momma gave me. She put me up in a prestigious apartment complex in the middle of NYC and makes me treat it like some shack in Harlem. Without a sound I made my way down the hall to the elevator, it's my only day off this week and I had it all planned out. While I was waiting for the elevator I got a call from Momma.
"Da?" I answered.
"Kuda ty idesh?" (Where are you going?) She asked.
"V teatr, gde ye vsegda uyezzhayu." (To the theater where I always go.) I replied flatly. I could hear her growl in annoyance as I stepped onto the elevator. Personally, I was tired of the micromanaging from her, but I don't feel like dying just yet. So I shut it and suck it up.
"Vy znayete, chto vy dolzhny skazat mne kuda vy napravlyayetes', prezhde chem uyti." (You know that you must tell me where you're going before you leave.) She stated.
"Ya znayu, no moya rutina nas tol'ko predskazuyema, ya predpolagal, chto vy uzhe znali." (I know, but my routine is so predictable that I thought you already knew.) I returned in an innocent tone.
"Yeshche net. V sleduyushiy raz, kogda vyskazhete mne, kuda idete." (Not yet. The next time you tell me where you're going.) Momma growled.
"Okay Momma, I will. I love you and will talk to you later." My English reply an indicator that I was now in a public space as the elevator opened and I stepped out.
"Stay safe." Was the last thing she said before hanging up. I pulled my phone away to see that I had a text from Mr. Moon that the doors were unlocked. With a sigh I put my phone back in my pocket and crossed the lobby. The rain outside was a dark wall with refracted light flashes every now and then.
I pulled my hood up and stepped out to make my way to the subway station to get to the Moon Theater. It made me smile a little to know that I've built such a strong trust with Mr. Moon. I've been cleaning his theater for free ever since I followed a target there and fell in love with the design of the place. Plus Mrs. Crawley was struggling when I had been watching my target perform horribly in the rehearsal so it became the perfect cover. It was so relaxing just ignoring the world and cleaning that I made an arrangement with Momma that I could keep going back.
'I know that Momma means well. She really has started seeing me as her actual daughter again...It's just sooo annoying that she has to monitor me and even went so far as to bug my apartment!' I fumed silently as I walked the three blocks to the subway entrance. I had to remind myself that she was starting to genuinely care about me again so I don't do something stupid...again.
Before I knew it I was out of the rain and on the train headed for lower side NYC. It was in these crowded tunnels that I could check my personal phone, so I did. No messages from my "friends" so I occupied my time with a fashion game on my "work" phone. The train pulled up to a stop and bodies were moving around me, quickly I moved to my favorite spot. The pole along the wall in front of the doors.
I ignored the animals moving around me until my stop was called. I then made a casual exit from the station and traveled the remaining blocks to the theater in semi-peace. My hoodie was cold and wet in the wind but the sun rays were nice and welcoming. At least it kept things mostly easy to move until I got to the heated theater.
I was climbing the steps to the doors when they busted open with Mr. Moon jumping onto his bike. I only smiled slightly and shook my head at the sight. Walking in however caused my smile to disintegrate as the loud noise of complaining animals reached my ear holes.
'Mr. Moon is VERY lucky I VOLUNTEER here.' I thought as I made my way up the grand staircase.
The balcony was spotless, thanks to me, with vacuumed red velvet seats and dusted wall sconces and molds. The growing volume in angry animals was the only thing keeping me from smiling in pride at my work. I had removed my hoodie and hung it over a chair arm when the animals entered the stage. Sure enough, it was the stage crew from Mr. Moon's last show stomping their way to the exit. That is until they noticed me near the railing watching in amusement.
"Hey you! Lizard! Where's Moon?!" An angry penguin shouted up to me.
"Do I look like I know, clown?" I snapped with a frown.
"Moon likes you, he trusts you! I bet he even paid you!" A giraffe accused as she she marched over to me, her head barely reaching the railing. I was done with this lot at that point.
"Listen up, long neck," I spat angrily while jumping up and balancing on the railing, "I just got here. I haven't seen Mr. Moon since the last time I was here. I strictly volunteer because I know better than the stupid lot of you. Now, if you want to keep accusing me of taking money from him, I will happily meet you out back and show you why I don't need it. No? Then get your slack jawed mugs out my face and out of my theater!"
The animals started getting their fur raised so I rolled my eyes and gave up on being polite. Using the railing, I flung myself over the edge and their heads. I dropped dramatically behind them in the "superhero" pose, which really hurt my knees, tail twitching I hissed from the back of my throat. It did the trick as the hippo picked up the beaver and penguin, the monkey hanging onto his back while ushering the giraffe out the doors.
I sighed in relief that they didn't force me to backup my bark, I really liked coming here. Looking up to the balcony I decided I needed a cup of coffee before starting. I turned towards the stage and made my way up to the manager's office on the second floor. I could hear Mrs. Crawley humming to herself as I reached the top as she started the coffee pot.
"Good morning Mrs. Crawley, you are an angel!" I cried as I entered the office, I'm only twenty one, mornings are not my friend no matter how long I've already been awake.
"Good morning Ellie, coffee is almost ready." The senile, old Iguana greeted with a small giggle.
"Thank the gods, I don't think I can work straight with the mood those animals left me in." I groaned as I sat at the piano, the heavenly scent of coffee filled the room.
"Yeah, Mr. Moon needs to get funding and soon." Mrs. Crawley snapped in a forced cheery tone. My eyebrow ridge rose in shock from her tone and felt myself holding back a bit of laughter.
"Wow...Mrs. Crawley I didn't think there was an angry cell in your body." I commented with a big smile.
"I don't normally, but that Judith can throw a big fuss at the wrong person." Mrs. Crawley told me in her normal tone as she started to make a cup of coffee for me. I let out a dramatic breath and made a big scene of showing my relief. "Aight, I just don't want you joining the Dark side is all Ma'am."
That got a laugh out of the innocent woman as she handed me my wonderful magical potion. I thanked her and said that I was going to drink this on my way to getting supplies. Which I did, the warm creamy and barely sweet beverage was almost gone by the time I crossed the stage to the cleaning cupboard. I grabbed two towels and the polish tin and threw those into a bucket to carry them in while I finished my cup. I then worked on connecting my headphones to my personal phone as I walked up the "service" stairs that lead to the box seats.
I played a random song from a video game that Mikey had sent me and just shuffled the rest of the playlist. I put my coffee cup and bucket down just outside the royal box, grabbed a towel and the polish tin and got to work. The song I was listening to was a nice mix of english and korean about woman power. 'I can see why Mikey thought of me when he found this.' I thought with a smirk.
I was humming to myself on the other side of the auditorium balcony when I noticed Mr. Moon enter. He was also humming to himself, until he heard me and he stopped walking to find me nearly finished with the box I was in. I had stopped paying attention to him and had thought he left for his office, so I had started fully singing.
"I was fine, with the men, who would come into my life now and again. I was fine, cause I knew, that they didn't really matter until...you." Good memories of when Raph and I were dating started to surface. "I was fine, when you came, and we fought like it was some silly game." The smile that had come with those memories faded as they did into the one from this morning. "Then there's her, she made me choose. After all those years, I never thought I'd lose...you." I made myself stop singing by pulling my headphones out as I threw the towel into the bucket to wipe my face.
"Ellie! That was beautiful!" Mr. Moon shouted up to me.
My heart froze as since I was caught singing and my cheeks burned from the embarrassment. I forced my tears to stop as I walked to edge, reminding myself not to lean on the railing. "Oh, hey Mr. Moon! I'm sorry, I thought that you had gone into your office." I apologized.
"Are you seriously apologizing? Ellie that was the most beautiful and emotional song I ever heard! Please join my singing competition?!" Mr. Moon begged.
"I'm sorry Mr. Moon, but I can't. I'm not as you good as you are saying that I am." I tried to counter, the truth was that I couldn't step into the spotlight. I can't be noticed or recognized and a singing competition might actually draw a crowd.
"Oh but please? If you do then I might actually have a chance at saving my theater." Mr. Moon told me. He didn't say it with a manipulative tone or any hint of a guilt trip. He was being genuine in his statement, and it was killing me.
"Let me think about it? When are the auditions?" I asked.
"They are in two days Ellie, please consider it? I mean what I say, you are truly talented and exactly what I need for this show." Mr. Moon answered with the biggest smile. He then took off to his office with an excited cheer, no doubt to tell Mrs. Crawley. I couldn't help but smile at the enthusiastic kholah and felt my personal phone go off. It was a text from Mikey and a message from Raph.
1:27 p.m. "Hey Angelcakes, you volunteer at the old theater in southside right?"
1:27 p.m. "Hey Ellie, are you cleaning the theater that you volunteer at today?" Yes, Raph and I still talk, but he doesn't know that he's been talking to ME. He thinks that I'm a turtle named Ellie with a micromanaging FATHER that is a bar waitress, not a mob assassin. Everything else about me I've kept true towards him so that we could still be connected without him hating me or either his brothers or Momma finding out.
"Yeah, why? What's up?" I sent back to both of them and then stuck my phone back in my front pocket. I picked up the bucket and polish tin, moving over to the final box seat on this side of the auditorium. I couldn't feel a reply so I started working on the railing, I was halfway done when my music cut out for Raph's messenger ringtone. I hesitated in answering but knew that I'd raise suspicion if I didn't
"Hello?" I asked in a lighter, much more feminine tone.
"Hey, you weren't replying to my messages so I figured this would be easier." Raph told me with a smile to his voice.
"I'm sorry, I didn't feel my phone vibrate, I've been cleaning." I answered in an innocent tone. I could hear him chuckle lightly and Mikey in the background was asking who Raph was talking to.
"None ya business Mikey." Raph snapped at him, " Sorry bout that, little brothers are annoying." He told me, only I heard it over my headphones and from down the hall.
"Raph? Are you here?" I asked, fear rising in my throat as the auditorium doors opened.
"Surprise! You would have been able to greet us at the door and guide us to the manager's office if you had gotten my messages. I could have also gotten you that hug you've been promising me." He teased, walking in with Mikey right beside him.
I blushed furiously at the sight of both of them as Mikey looked up and immediately found me, standing out in the open. I dropped so fast as Raph started to turn in my direction and he asked Mikey what he was looking at. "So, where are you?" Raph then asked me.
"Um, the bathroom. But, hey the manager's office is just past the first rehearsal room and up the stairs, I'll be there soon. I need to wash polish off my hands." I told him after I had crawled my way into the bathroom.
"Aight, I look forward to seeing you." Raph told me and I had to stop the sob that was starting to form in my throat.
"Me too." I whispered, hoping I had come across as shy or nervous and not heartbroken and terrified. I then hung up and waited a few minutes, actually washing the wood polish off of my shaking hands. I needed to get out of here and soon, I know that Momma has a watch on this place and that this will raise flags. It hurt to type up the same text to Mr. Moon and Raph but I needed an out and this father figure I've created to be so cruel and controlling is my best option.
"I'm very sorry to leave but my father just called me and he's drunk and wants me home to make him food." With that I bolted out of the bathroom to the grab my hoodie from the seat near the exit to the grand staircase. I smoothly slid down the railing, crashed out the front doors and took off at top speed to the subway station.