Black screen.
SUDDENLY!
October 2017!
Danville Drama Club, upper floor of the building!
Past posters of past productions of "Mother Goose Rhymes" and "The Wave", polished pictures of founder Mateo Meir, back when he was performing "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" in the finest theatres, past odd knick knacks, brown wooden floors, creaky stairs, cheap carpeting and a surprisingly prominent poster of "Life Is Beautiful" with Roberto Bengini, we can see a small hallway.
It's narrow, and there's nothing really there, except for an entrance to the right, that leads into a small, sweaty bathroom.
Two doors, one for girls, one for boys, a dinky sink that looks… Mediocre, no real soap (the budget is pretty thin here, folks) and a mirror.
Normally, one would find nothing here of note.
It was a bathroom in the upper floor of a two floor drama club with adequate (if not exemplary) budget.
It had tiled floors that were white, it had a slightly cracked ceiling, it had cramped living space like you wouldn't believe.
Not in a million years would you find anything of worth here!
Except…
Except for today.
'Cause today…
A girl, a special girl named Lydia is in there.
And something is very wrong.
Fshh!
The water ran calmly, failing to reflect the internal storm Lydia felt.
She ran her hands through the room temperature water, almost feeling the fluoride.
But right now, that barely functioning sink water that probably had more chemicals than you want to know was her only friend.
She splashed the water on her face, the droplets drying out thanks to the humidity, leaving a wet sensation on her face that hardly felt comfortable.
Well, it was that or the tears.
The tears ran down like crazy, making her cheeks sting red, making her eyes puff up, making her throat hurt, said tears stung them so much.
She hadn't cried in forever.
As a matter of fact, she had been holding them back.
Now, Lydia was normally a cheerful girl.
To be accurate, she was a downright optimistic, happy go lucky Pollyanna.
She was HAPPY.
Life had always felt like an adventure waiting to happen!
Another amazing step forwards!
Lydia loved practically everything!
Some girls felt comfortable in one area, as if they had to be girly or tomboy and that's it!
Uh uh!
Not Lydia!
She loved video games and superheroes as much as she loved shopping and ponies!
She loved all kinds of things, actually!
Books, the internet, movies, games, malls, candy, amusement parks, writing, drawing, rock climbing, poetry, EXTREME BINGO!
She loved her parents.
She loved her friends.
She loved the world!
She loved how when she appeared on stage, she could make people smile and laugh, she could make them relax and forget the troubles of the world!
She could ease their life!
For just a moment…
For just a single, solitary moment…
She made people's lives better by just a tiny bit.
Yes, Lydia loved almost everything and everyone!
That is…
Except for Corky.
Corky was the new Drama Club teacher.
He had a small beard, more stubble than goatee, and it made him look a little silly (not that anyone would dare mention it).
He had a collection of shirts and jackets that all looked rather plain, as if he didn't really care what he put on.
He had a smoking habit, and you could tell that it was one of his few pleasures.
He had a dull bald head, as if light couldn't reflect off it no matter how much it tried.
As if it answered your quarry on whether he had a heart.
Because the truth, dear readers, was that he didn't.
Now, you may say, isn't that a harsh accusation, Mr. Author Man?
We barely know this guy, and here you are literally describing him as heartless?
Well, you're right.
It is harsh.
But if he had a heart, he darn liked hiding it!
Corky was assigned to teach acting, but one would almost think he was assigned to run a boot camp.
He loved pointing out flaws and nitpicks.
A gleam could be seen in his eyes when he did, his perpetual frown would take the misshapen and ugly form of a sneer, a cold, judging sneer that made you feel bad for existing.
At first, he wasn't too bad.
Harsh, judgmental, cold, but not terrible.
But something happened, and the power went into his head.
He enjoyed the game of toying with their emotions.
He'd stop them every second for another "mistake", whether it was a faulty walk, or a wrong tone of voice, or even just "looking ugly".
Yes.
Really.
Lydia couldn't stand the treatment he gave.
Don't misunderstand, she too had received terrible treatment.
But…
She was just Lydia.
She wasn't anything seriously special.
She didn't hate herself, or anything, but…
Seeing her friends get shouted at over and over, their confidence shattering…
She couldn't take it standing.
She could leave, she knew that.
But…
Lydia was many things.
A goofball, a weirdo, a wingnut, a scatterbrain, a slightly bossy girl, a slacker in some senses, an idiot, a knuckleheadmcspazzmatron…
But…
Lydia was no jerk.
Her friends needed someone to remind them that they were great!
Someone who could carry their pain and take the brunt of it!
Someone who would dry their tears, even if it meant ignoring her own!
A shining hero who would smile, no matter what she felt inside!
If Lydia left, the play would collapse!
And her friends would all feel terrible!
So…
She stayed.
Even though every fiber of her being screamed for her to leave, to resign, to rest…
Even though her body felt like it stumbled along, barely holding itself together, only relaxed in bed…
Even though her soul weeped every time Corky yelled at her and her friends, even though he made her feel like…
But no. She would not yield to him.
They needed her.
They needed the hero who smiles and says that all is ok.
Because she is here.
She turned off the tap.
She rubbed her face.
Lydia took a deep breath.
"Ok… I'm ok…", she said.
She would help her drama group.
She would not fail.
She could not.
Lydia once again smiled.
Ignoring the small tear that trickled down on her left cheek.
And So, The First Chapter of Sunny and Grey 2 is out! Stay Tuned for Next Week's chapter!