Miranda was one of those perfect people. She had everything she wanted and more, and if by chance she didn't have something, she found a way to get it. But Miranda was out there, really out there. Her shoulder length brown hair was dyed black with garish yellow highlights with two black curls that hung in front of her ears. Either side of her head was shaved to the quick and is still her natural brown, which looked very odd. Miranda said it was for a mohawk that she has never yet worn to anyone's knowledge. She also stopped shaving, which was incredibly gross, and she was a vegan to top it all off.
Miranda was tiny but curvy and she flaunted what little she had, it was enough to make the guys stare and to make other girls roll their eyes in disapproval. She was also a straight A student in all advanced courses and was almost perfectly fluent in Chinese.
Sara watched Miranda from across the studio. It was warm up during their acting class as Sara and Miranda both were seniors at an elite performing arts high school. Reaching forward in her straddle stretch, Sara rested her elbows on the floor; she was decently flexible, but Miranda full out had her entire torso flat on the floor and was resting her half-shaven head on her hands. Show off. Sitting up Sara discreetly rolled her eyes as she shook out her limbs.
"Miranda?" Jack asked. Jack was their teacher, a graying old man in his early 60's who was once a Broadway hit. He also had a few movie credits to his name and was decently well known but chose to spend his retirement teaching his passion to others. Unfortunately being both an adult and male he was blind to Miranda's shortcomings. "Could you please lead the vocal warm up and then start them on dialect work? I have a few calls to make and should be back by the time you are finished."
"Sure!" Miranda cart wheeled as she stood and started leading the vocal warm up as Sara seethed. Miranda was barely 5'3'' where Sara towered over the other tiny girls at 5'9''. Sara was average looking aside from her height with dark brown hair and blue eyes. She had an average complexion and figure, but she just could not compete with Miranda who constantly threw herself at people unlike the more conservative Sara. On her left Mark, another senior in their class, stumbled as he walked into the circle formation. He was so busy watching Miranda he barely paid attention to where he was going as he knocked into Sara.
"Oops. Sorry Sara. Didn't see you there." Mark apologized finally noticing her.
Mark. He was gorgeous in Sara's eyes. Dark brown hair and extremely blue eyes and he was just an inch taller than Sara herself with the lean figure of a swimmer. Mutely Sara nodded as her best friend Madi jabbed her in the ribs. Sara shot her a withering glare. Madi was only a junior and was the only girl in the class taller than Sara. She was very exotic looking with black hair and a dark tan with brown almond shaped eyes, not only was she gorgeous but she was also genuinely sweet and kind. Madi could have been competition for Miranda but she had had a boyfriend for over a year now and had no intention of usurping Miranda's title from her.
Sara had been head over heels for Mark since their freshman year. Sophomore year things started to appear mutual, but then Miranda turned into hairy vegan flirt and it all went downhill from there.
As warm up finished the class went to work on their monologues in pairs, of course Mark and Miranda were together, and Sara and Madi coached one another. As class ended Jack called them back into a circle to speak with them before dismissal. He passed a paper around the circle and it seemed everyone forgot to remember to breathe for a moment. It had to be their cast list at last. After weeks of waiting and auditioning in class it was the moment of truth.
"Your cast list for Romeo and Juliet." He said. "It was hard to chose, but here is how your auditions went in my eyes. Congratulations."
Sara crossed her fingers as the papers slowly went around. She wanted Juliet so terribly that she already had had the part memorized from reading it so many times during the audition process. At last the list came to her and eagerly her blue eyes scanned the columned paper. It read:
Romeo: Mark Stanton Understudy: Brian D'Avant
Juliet: Miranda Van Glenn Understudy: Sara Callaghan
She didn't bother to read the rest of the list. Understudy. Understudy. She was the lousy understudy to Miranda. The girl had everything already! Not only did she get the past, but she got the guy as well. As all the boys in the class congratulated Miranda…and Mark as well as Madi gave Sara a quick "I know what you're thinking and feeling" hug. Sara tried hard not to cry as the bell rang, dismissing them for the afternoon.
In the dressing room Sara made sure she was the first one to arrive. She opened her locker with a resounding bang. Throwing on her jeans and her mother's old peasant blouse from her teenage years Sara bit her lip as Miranda skipped and flounced in to change out of her rehearsal clothes.
The twerp changed into an orange leathery (not real leather of course, she was vegan after all) cat suit. Sara rolled her eyes in disgust as she slammed her locker shut. She pushed her way out of the now crowded room hearing Miranda call, "Congratulations Sara!" as the door shut behind her.
Muttering under her breath Sara sulked out to her car in the student parking lot, an Oldsmobile that was old but in good working condition. Miranda appeared moments later and hopped into her silver Lexus.
Life was so unfair.
That night Sara absent-mindedly flipped through her already memorized script. "...What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other would smell as sweet; so Romeo would be not Romeo call'd, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title…" she said to herself nearly jumping out of her skin as the phone rang, interrupting her. Sara had her own private line so she knew the call was for her.
Stanton, Mark flashed on her caller ID. Eagerly Sara tossed aside her script and pounced on the phone. "Hello?" she asked breathlessly.
"Sara darling? It's me Miranda!" As if Sara couldn't tell. Her stomach fell to the basement as Miranda's voice filled her ear.
"Hi Miranda, what's up?" Sara asked wearily. Miranda was at Mark's house…joy.
"Mark and I were just going over lines," I bet Sara thought, "and I wanted to call and check up on you. You seemed a bit…distant this afternoon." Was she mad! Or was the twerp intentionally twisting the dagger deeper?
"Um, I was just…tired." Sara said lamely. Her call waiting beeped mercifully and Sara looked up to heaven in thanks. "D'Avant flashed on her ID.
"Oh Miranda I have another call. See you tomorrow." Sara said in a rush as she clicked the call over to the next line.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sara it's Brian." A familiar voice said, Brian, Mark's understudy. Unlike Miranda, Mark, and Sara who were what were called "four-year seniors" having been at their school since freshman year, Brian was only a first-year senior. He just moved from Los Angeles were he had too attended a performing arts high school and knew enough to be in the Level Two class even though he hadn't been in the school previously. Brian was extremely nice to everyone but Sara had only thought of him as the new kid in class. He was cute, with black hair and green eyes and a rather pale complexion for someone who came from Southern California. Plus he was even taller than Madi, which was a rarity in her eyes.
"Oh hi Brian. What's up?" Sara asked a lot more genuinely than she had to Miranda.
"Look, I'll cut to the chase." He said. "I've only known you all for a few months, but I think it was lousy what Jack did. You deserved to be Juliet, not her understudy. It's my first year here, so I am ok with my part, but you were much better than Miranda was and didn't deserve that." Brian finished.
His words made a small grin appear against her will and her mood lifted a bit. "Thanks Brian. That really means a lot to me." Sara replied.
"Hey, no problem. You looked a bit hurt today and I thought maybe you needed someone besides Madi to tell you that." It was indeed what she needed.
"Thanks. It really was."
"Look, I'm going to go memorize my lines. Some of us didn't have them memorized as soon as the script was handed out." He teased. "Besides, you never know. Mark might get laryngitis or something."
"Shut up you." Sara laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow." She hung up the phone with a smile and heaved herself off her bed with a sigh and went to tackle her Trig homework.
Weeks went by and rehearsals grew more intense, both in class and in evening practices. The evenings were full of costume fittings, make up lessons, set building, and of course run throughs of the show itself. Sara and Brian would rehearse alongside Mark and Miranda and they learned the parts as well as the leads. A strong friendship grew between the two understudies and everyone became aware of Mark and Miranda "hooking up" more and more.
Two weeks before the show was to open Brian and Sara went ice-skating with Madi and her boyfriend Nick. Brian was a pretty poor skater and he spent most of the time wobbling and falling and bringing the others down with him in a pile on the ice and holding onto Sara for dear life. Well he was from southern California so he had an excuse for his lack of skills. Sara was having a blast for over an hour before she decided to sit and take a break. Pulling over to the side of the rink she waved the others onward.
"I'll only be a minute. I just want to sit for a bit." Sara called as they whizzed past her. Brian looked back as she let go and made like he was going to stop, but the rush of the other skaters made him have to continue around the rink again. Laughing a bit as Brian floundered a bit Sara made her way to the bleachers off to the right of the rink and heavily sat down. Her skates made walking difficult and sitting awkward, but she was having the time of her life. Suddenly her phone vibrated in her pocket. Not bothering to check who was calling she simply answered.
"Hello?" Sara called over the noise of the rink.
"Sara? It's Mark."
"Mark?" Sara asked surprised, "Are you all right?"
"Yea, but my car died. The tow truck driver is charging an extra 50 to take me home since it is out of the way. My parents are out and I called Miranda but she wasn't home. I'm on Route 374 by exit 10…do you think you can come get me?"
Brian hobbled over on his skates almost making Sara laugh as he was having a more difficult time on solid ground then he had on the ice. Raising his eyebrows Brian mouthed, "What's up?" and sat next to her.
"Mark's car died." She said covering the mouthpiece with her gloved hand. "He wants me to pick him up and Miranda's busy."
Brian paused a moment and Sara couldn't read his expression. "Go ahead, our time is almost up anyway. We can't leave him stranded." He said at last with a small half smile as Nick and Madi came over.
"Ok." Sara sighed. Going back to her cell phone she said "Sorry Mark. Ok, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Thanks Sara." Mark said gratefully. Hanging up Sara stood and went to return her skates as her friends sat and waited for her. Grabbing her bag she said goodbye and began to make her way to the parking lot.
"Sara! Wait!"
Turning Sara saw Brian struggling on his skates to catch up with her. From his massive height now exaggerated by his skates he steadied himself by placing his hands on her shoulders. His hands were large and warm and sent a glow all through Sara of comfort and security. Brian then bent down and kissed her quickly sending a jolt of electricity through her.
"I had a great time. I'll…call you later?" he questioned hopefully. Grinning from ear to ear she nodded yes. "Bye Brian."
Sara's body was buzzing with happiness the whole was she drove to pick up Mark. Spotting his car she pulled over as the shivering teen got into her car.
"Th-th-thanks." He chattered as she turned up the heat for him. The whole way back to his house Sara chatted happily, her mind was buzzing with thoughts of Brian. Usually around Mark she was shy and reclusive, but not tonight. Mark replied to all of her blabbering with some of his own and a few nods to show he was listening.
Pulling into his driveway Sara put her car in park and looked over at Mark. "Good nigh…" she started to say but suddenly Mark leaned in and placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her. His gave a feeling very different from Brian's hands, Mark's were cold and almost pinched her shoulders as if she were caught in his grip rather than safe and secure. Pushing him away Sara squirmed to get out of his grasp. "What are you doing?" she cried.
"Kissing you." Mark replied, his hands still holding her in place. "I know you like me Sara. You have for years." He started to move in again and Sara struggled sideways and pushed at him.
"Stop it." She said coldly. "What about Miranda?"
"What about her?" Mark asked.
"Mark, everyone knows you two have been hooking up since the summer."
"So, it's just hooking up." He shrugged.
"Just hooking up?" Sara repeated dumbly. "Are you nuts? You can't mess with people's minds that way. It isn't right Mark."
"But…Sara I…"
"No. Get out," she said shrugging him off at last as she started her car. "I may have liked you once, but not anymore. I don't even respect you at this point." Sara seethed. "Besides, I am interested in someone else now. You're too late. Have fun with Miranda."
Looking at her dumbstruck, Mark seemed to move in slow motion, almost as if he hoped she would change her mind. She didn't. He eyed her one more time and then got out and slammed the passenger door shut behind him.
Opening night came quickly, almost too quickly. Sara checked her watch nervously for the tenth time.
"Where are they!" she demanded yet again to those around her.
"Sara relax. Try calling them again." Brian tried to soothe her. They had been an official couple since that night at the skating rink and he even knew what had happened with Mark. Brian respected Sara for telling him what happened, but things between the two guys had been tense to say the least.
"I can't!" Sara protested. "Mark's mom said Miranda picked him up over an hour ago."
Mark still didn't have a car since his was in the shop. Sara had stiffly offered to pick him up on her way to the show that night, but Mark had said in a rather forced voice, "Miranda will get me. Thanks anyway." Well, she offered.
Now Mark and Miranda were going on an hour and thirteen minutes late for their call and the show was starting in twenty minutes. Of course Mark wasn't answering his cell phone and Miranda did not have one. She hated to be "a slave to technology".
Jack burst into the dressing room looking harassed, no one could blame him though. "Sara. Brian. Get in costume as fast as you can." He ordered. "You're going on tonight." The show was sold out tonight due to the fact Jack was directing it and Jack was Jack…his career was nowhere near over regardless of the fact that he was a teacher now.
Sara's heart accelerated and rose to her throat before falling promptly back to the floor. "Us?" she managed to squeak.
"Yes us. Let's go." Brian said grabbing her hand and pulling her to the costume closet. Luckily Sara had her own fitted costume; she never would have squeezed into Miranda's.
"Brian." Sara called over the curtain, "You realize the show is sold out, Jack's old cast mates and colleagues are in the audience, and we have less than twelve minutes to get on stage?" she emerged trying to button her dress.
"I know." Brian grinned as her emerged as well and helped her button the ones she could not reach. "Isn't it great?" With a quick kiss they raced off to makeup as someone braided Sara's hair for her from behind. All too quickly Sara was in the wings watching the opening monologue.
The show went by in a blur. From the masked ball to the balcony scene to when Sara drove the dagger into her heart at the end, it went splendidly. Brian and her had a connection as strong and clear on the stage as they did off of it.
The applause roared as the curtain closed. When Brian and Sara later took their individual bows the house rose to its feet and the sound was deafening. In the dressing room Brian picked Sara up and spin her around happily. "You were brilliant!"
"So were you!" Sara cried. Jack ushered them all outside to greet the audience before coming back to clean up. As Sara's family, her parents and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins, then friends, then total strangers praised her and showered her with flowers Sara floated off of the ground. She had not expected her family or friends to come as she was only an understudy, but lucky for them that changed.
Taking a few pictures with Brian the two were startled as a tall, clean-cut man in a suit approached them.
"Brian D'Avant and Sara Callaghan? " he asked without waiting for a response and continued. "You kids were terrific. I'm Garrett Howell, casting director. Here's my card." Garrett said thrusting two cards in their direction as the stunned actors took them. "Call me. You two have got some sparks. I could use people like you. Jack casted you well. Ciao." Shaking each of their hands his large diamond and ruby ring flashed as the man turned, sent them a bleached white smile, and left.
Dumbstruck they looked at the cards, then at one another.
"Oh my god." Sara said softly, hardly daring to believe it.
"Oh my god." Brian repeated a bit louder.
"Oh my god." Sara said louder.
"Oh my god!" Brian shouted.
"OH MY GOD!" they shouted together as Brian once again picked her up and spin her. People looked at them spinning and laughing and talking all at once but Sara and Brian hardly noticed. Racing back to the dressing room they almost collided with Jack.
"I see Garrett found you both." He smiled. "I'm glad you two went on tonight, you were brilliant. I want you on the next of the run. Miranda and Mark can be on standby."
"WHAT?" a voice roared.
Turning in shock the three spotted a bedraggled Miranda and Mark. Neither looked very happy.
"I need to see you both in my office. Now." Jack said sternly, his voice growling like an angry mountain lion. Slamming the door behind them Sara and Brian exchanged a look before rushing off to put their costumes and assorted things away. Both of them left before Jack, Miranda, and Mark emerged from the office, but the whole school somehow knew the story the next day.
Miranda picked Mark up early, and the two drove off the highway to a deserted area famous for hook ups and began an impromptu make out session. After awhile they decided it was time to go. Miranda's beautiful silver Lexus would not start, and of course they were with out cell phones. So not only could they not call to say they were stranded, but they could not call for help either.
By the time they walked about five miles to the nearest gas station, waited an hour for help, and then hitched a ride to the school, the show was over.
Romeo and Juliet received rave reviews for all its performances and Sara and Brian were glowing with relief and happiness. They each called Mr. Garrett Howell and arranged sessions to meet him in New York City in the following weeks.
After the cast party the final night of the run, Brian was driving Sara home. Her head rested on his shoulder in a glad tiredness. The pulled to a stop in her driveway and Sara awoke somewhat dazed.
Brian smiled down at her. Smiling back Sara took her seatbelt off and snuggled against him, too content to want to move. "Well." Brian said at last, hugging her in his arms. "Things turned out rather well. Who would have thought?"
"Who would have thought?" Sara repeated sleepily. Kissing each other good night Sara got out of the car and made her way to the front door. Opening it with her key she turned and waved at Brian's waiting car. He waved back and pilled out of her driveway. Leaning against her front door Sara smiled to herself.
"Who would have thought?" she said again. With a happy sigh Sara shut the front door and entered the warm glow of her home.
Who would have thought?