Author's Note: Okay so I'm trying to update more often, but its kinda hard to do what with my broken leg and all. But Please review! And thank you to those of you who have been doing so. As a little FYI, this chapter is being told from Jason's perspective.
Its only a few days before opening night, and I'm finding myself at square one again. Kind of. You see I'm still on the verge of wearing a hole in my bedroom floor, and although I've memorized most of my lines with Elizabeth's help, I'm still trying to tie some lose ends. So with my pencil behind my ear, I stare at the pages once more, only to start thinking about her again. God why does she have to be so different. Why does she have to be everything that I'm not? And why do I find myself more angry at myself because of it, instead of her?
I look through my old bookshelf, and find last year's yearbook that Emily convinced me to buy. Of course Elizabeth was on the yearbook committee. Actually, flipping through the pages, I realize that Elizabeth is on almost every committee. I stare at her picture, and something inside of me just feels different. Something that I can't quite put my finger on. I look at the life goals under her picture. Instead of a normal phrase like becoming a basketball player, or a news anchor, hers says "to complete everything on my list." Mine was blank because I didn't know what I wanted to become. I still don't come to think of it.
The next couple of days at school, I'd run into Elizabeth in the hallways, and she would go right on ignoring me. I guess I can't really blame her. I just wish that she would here me out. I've been looking forward to our last rehearsal, because in my logic, surely she would have to talk to me then. But even her lines thats she's always been good at putting emotion into seem colder to me now. Even Ms. Garber noticed, but she chalked it up to nerves.
Emily came into my room that night. Which was unusual, even for her. She must've realized how much this whole thing has been bugging me.
"Hey, just checking to see if you've gotten rug burn on your feet yet," Emily joked.
"This isn't funny," I said.
"I take it she still isn't talking to you," Emily stated.
"Yep."
"You know that this isn't going to be easy," Emily pointed out.
"Obviously," I answered.
"I mean she gave you her trust, and you denied her in front of your 'friends'," Emily continued.
"I get it," I said.
"Do you?" Emily asked, and I could only stare on in bewilderment.
"Why do you think Elizabeth is my best friend?" she prodded.
"Because you both are so annoyingly stubborn?" I chimed in.
Emily ignored me and continued, "It's not because she's popular, and certainly not because she's just like every other girl at PCH." She laughed. "Elizabeth is funny, and quirky, and innovative. She's also compassionate, understanding, and loyal. She's an outcast. But most importantly Jason, despite all of her imperfections, she doesn't care. And I think that's why you love her."
Those words echoed in between my eardrums all throughout the hustle and bustle in getting the stage ready for our first performance. The girls were someplace else getting themselves all dolled up before getting dressed, while the rest of us made sure that the stage looked absolutely mint.
Those words stayed with me when the curtains opened for the first time, revealing an auditorium nearly full of people.
They caressed me and comforted me through the first few scenes when it was just me and Lainey.
And they took my breath away when she came onto the stage for the first time.
I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt as if the breath was knocked out of them when she nearly glided into the spotlight; you could hear the silent "whoosh" escape from all of the audience members almost simultaneously. Elizabeth looked...well, heavenly. Ironic I know, but its the only adjective that makes any sense at the moment. Without sounding unmanly, she wore a form-fitting baby blue halter dress that made her dark blue eyes that much more striking. Her long arms and exposed back were completely bare, and shimmered mercilessly. Her thick dark brown hair tumbled for miles down her back. She wore make up, but with subtlety. What drew me in most was her full, pinker than pink lips.
I sat there staring at her for the oddest length of time until I saw Ms. Garber whispering furiously from behind the curtains. Jostled out of my daze, I delivered my next line.
"You look so familiar," I said. "Yet, I don't think we've met before. I surely would've remembered a face like yours."
"Oh?"
"You remind me of this girl, I knew once, in a dream at least. Or maybe that's just what it feels like," I said.
"Tell me about this dream girl," Elizabeth said.
"There isn't much to say," I said turning away from her like I was supposed to.
"Its okay, you can trust me," she said, placing her hand on mine. Like she was supposed to.
"Its hard for me to find the right words," I began.
"You'll know," she said.
"Well, all I know is, that you're beautiful."
I had nailed that line for the first time.
"Help me remember," I told her. "Will you sing for me?"
Someone began to play her song, who I didn't quite care for at the moment. She began to sing, softly at first, but after she worked into it, she seemed to loosen up. She belted note after note; a sound surprising coming from such a small frame. Her voice echoed throughout the auditorium. A voice and a song that would haunt me long after this night, and this performance was over. I glanced into the audience while she sang, her form never leaving my peripheral vision. Seeing my friends and a decent chunk of the student population, I grew somewhat apprehensive. But I knew what I had to do.
Elizabeth sat back down across the table from me. She sang the last few words, looking directly at me, through me. The last mote was barely out of her mouth when I had done what I'd been waiting to do since the night started. I kissed her.
Okay, so maybe it wasn't in the script, and I could almost envision Audrey's distressed expression as the curtain closed; but at that moment, I did what Elizabeth would always do, or not do in this case: I didn't care.
In the darkness behind the closed curtains, the audience roared and thundered with applause. i felt her begin to pull away from me, somewhat startled. She looked at me, her eyes wide, full of a dozen different emotions at once. The most obvious one, fear. She got up shakily and ran away from me, until I could no longer hear the soft "click" of her heels against the stage floor.
The lights backstage came on, and I sat there staring at the empty space in front of me. The crew whooped and hollered at a job well done, and several congratulated me on my greatly improved acting skills.
But I wasn't acting.
I gave them an empty smile and multiple thank yous . Then I dashed off looking for Elizabeth. I nearly ran over Emily in the process, and decided that she would probably know where she is.
"She's changing," Emily said, without me having to ask her anything.
"Thanks," I said, taking off again.
"I'll be in the audience if you need me," she called after me.
After a fruitless search, I figured I might as well go into the audience and see my mom. She nearly chocked me with all of her hugs and kisses, as I blushed furiously. "Okay, mom," I said.
"Ah, you were so great!" she exclaimed. "And so handsome," she added taking in my dress shirt, pants, shoes and tie.
No way they'll get me to do that again.
"Honey, your father came to see you and-"
"Mom, I'd rather not," I cut her off.
"Jason he's still your father," she said.
"I'll see you at home later okay," I said, kissing her on the cheek.
"Okay, just don't be too late," she said, as I left.
I walked towards the exit and saw Elizabeth talking to Emily. Just as I was about to reach them, I was intercepted.
By none other than the devil himself.
"Jason, son, you did great!" he smiled.
I ignored him and kept walking.
"Jason don't walk away from me," he said, grabbing my arm.
"Well you taught me how," I spat. And when I turned around, Elizabeth and Emily were gone.
I spotted Lainey, and decided to ask her if she knew where they went.
"They're probably on their way to Elizabeth's already. That's where I'm heading too. We're having a sleep over to celebrate," Lainey said, as I frowned. "I would tell you to come with me, but its a girls only thing."
"Thanks," i told her.
"My advice," Lainey said, putting her hand on top of mine, "is to give her some time to think, and figure out what she wants to do."
How did she know? I was about to ask her when she smiled and said:
"I know everything."
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