Friend
Lola was on a stool looking in the upper shelf of her bedroom closet. She nearly lost her balance when she found what she was looking for. She jumped down with a brown cardboard box in her hands. She blew away the dust ad could make out her handwriting on the box.
High School
She sat on the carpet floor and looked in the contents of the box. It held sheet music, a script, as well as some accessories from her costume. She also had a little photo album in the box. She pulled it out and the first picture was of her and Rodney sitting on the stage.
She smiled and examined the picture closely. His friendship was one of the only things she liked from High School.
"So glad we have our starlet back, you gave us quite a scare missy," said the director
Lola had recovered from her incident and was back in school.
"Sorry…" mumbled Lola
"It's ok, things happen. Unfortunately you missed a lot of practices, I'm afraid you're going to have to stay a little longer after practice to catch up on things."
Lola slouched in her seat.
"Ok you guys, warm up,"
Lola was heading for the stage when Nicole approached her.
"Don't think I can't see through your little scheme…I know you're after MY man! I'm telling you right now blondie, he's MINE! So keep your dirty paws of him!"
"Listen drama queen, I'm not after 'YOUR' man, so quit bitching!" Lola shot back
Nicole stood there, with a shocked expression plastered upon her face.
"Argh!" she finally grumbled
Nicole was even more infuriated than before, since Lola snapped back at her. She thought Lola would have been too stupid and naïve to even mess with her, THE most popular girl in school. Nicole glared at Lola, hoping to intimidate her. But Lola did not even flinch; she was an exact replica of Larry's stern stare.
Nicole turned away in a huff. Lola ignored her throughout the practice; even though she felt the weight of Nicole's glares the entire time.
As soon as normal practice was over, the majority of the cast left. Lola was practically alone in the chorus room, save for the director. He was looking over a practice schedule in the back of the room, while she was on the stage looking over sheet music.
She sat by the piano all by her lonesome, humming the melody to herself. Suddenly she felt someone lean over the piano.
"Hey," greeted the voice
"Hey," said Lola looking up
It was Rodney Raccoon, the male lead. He had just changed after he had his dance practice. He had his towel draped around his neck and his duffle bag on his shoulder.
"I haven't had a chance to talk to you during practice, how are you feeling?"
"Tired…this practice session was exhausting,"
"Yeah, you practically had to learn two weeks worth of practices in one shot,"
"Yeah, not fun…"
They stood in silence for awhile. Lola looked back at her sheet music. Rodney noticed the song she was learning.
"Do you need help with that song? It is our duet after all…"
"Sure but, don't you have to go home?"
"No its ok, I want to help you,"
"Alright,"
He set his duffle bag on the floor and sat next to her on the piano bench. She played their staring notes and they both adjusted their voices. Rodney cracked.
"Sorry…" he said clearing his throat
She smiled and waited for him to find his tune. She then roughly played the opening bars on the piano.
"Do you want me to play it?"
"Sure," stuttered Lola, "I'm no good at playing the piano"
"Ok"
He played the music accompaniment as he sang.
Past the point of no return -
no backward glances:
our games of make believe
are at an end
Past all thought of "if" or "when"
no use resisting:
abandon thought,
and let the dream descend
What raging fire shall flood the soul?
What rich desire unlocks its door?
What sweet seduction lies before us?
Past the point of no return,
the final threshold, what warm,
unspoken secrets will we learn?
Beyond the point of no return
Lola then made her entrance
You have brought me to that moment
where words run dry, to that moment
where speech disappears into silence,
silence…
I have come here, hardly knowing
the reason why,
In my mind, I've already
imagined our bodies entwining
defenseless and silent
and now I am here with you:
no second thoughts, I've decided,
decided…
Lola couldn't help but blush a little after she sang those words.
Past the point of no return
no going back now;
our passion-play has now, at last,
begun…
Past all thought of right or wrong
one final question;
how long should we two wait, before
we're one?
When will the blood begin to race
the sleeping bud burst into bloom?
When will the flames, at last,
Consume us?
Whoa…that's kinda…steamy…
They then sang together in harmony
Past the point of no return
the final threshold, the bridge
is crossed, so stand and watch it burn…
We've passed the point of no return…
Rodney took his hands of the keys and looked at Lola.
"After that," said Rodney, "it's my little solo and it gets kind of…steamy…"
"Hmm?" asked Lola nervously, feeling herself blush again
"Well…I have to…umm…hold you a certain way…."
"A certain way…?"
She could see he was starting to blush a little bit too.
"Well…in a…how should I put it? A…seductive way?" he said trying to laugh off the awkwardness.
They both turned away from each other, trying to hide the rid tint on their cheeks.
Just then the director came forward and addressed the situation.
"Well, we can't have any shyness between our lead characters, now can we? You two have to have chemistry on the stage,"
He climbed on the stage and approached them at the piano.
"To get over this, you're gonna have to practice this scene. I'll give you the stage direction, come on get up you two,"
Lola and Rodney looked at each other then got up and awaited instructions.
"Ok," said the director, "in the beginning of this song, 'Christine' you were already on stage for the Don Juan sequence. The song begins when 'Phantom' in Don Juan's costume comes through the curtain. Now you'll be standing over here when he comes."
He led Lola to the right of the stage.
"You'll have a basket of flowers and you'll be sitting on the floor,"
Lola sat on the floor and pretended to pick at the flowers.
"Now you," said the director to Rodney, "you'll be making your entrance from an opening in the curtain over here."
He led him to the left of the stage.
"When you emerge from the curtain, you notice her over there and begin to sing, alright?"
"Ok," responded Rodney
"Once you start singing 'past all if and when' you start moving towards her slowly, never taking your eyes off her. Lola, you will stay where you are. You'll get up once he's mid stage and begin to back away from him slowly. Rodney, when you begin 'what raging fire…whatever' you rush towards her and grab her from behind."
Lola gulped and turned away from them.
"Alright, why don't we try it from the top?"
He walked towards the piano and wheeled off to the side and sat on the stage. He played the song and Rodney began to sing.
He walked across the stage as he sang, Lola got up keeping her eyes on him. Once he came closer to her, she backed away. Then the specific lyrics came and he rushed towards her and grabbed her from behind at her waist. The director stopped playing, they stood in that pose. Lola fiddled nervously with her fingers.
Let me go…let me go…
"Ok good, so far…except…"
He got off the bench and came towards them. He stared at them then adjusted where Rodney's hands were placed. He put one hand over Lola's neck, and the other wrapped around her mid-section. He then placed Lola's head on his shoulder.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh…let me go! Please??
"That's better, remember this is a seductive song, so the sexier the better,"
Lola and Rodney blushed furiously. He quickly let go of her once the director had turned away from them. Lola sighed in relief. The director continued to speak.
"Ok, now you stroke her as you sing the next two lines, then you let her go. You hold on to her hands now and continue this way until her entrance. Once you start singing, Lola, you turn away from him. You turn towards him, but then look away again. Once you sing the 'decided' part, you keep your eyes on him. Now, on the stage there's going to be a bridge with two staircases. Lola, you take the right staircase, and Rodney you take the left. You should both be up there by the time the harmony comes. Ok, let's try it from 'what raging fire'"
He went back to the piano and gave them their notes. He played the part and Rodney came towards her once more and grabbed her. Lola felt nervous and awkward as he stroked her gently, fighting the urge to elbow him in the gut. She felt relieved once he let her go. He sang to her some more and then it was her turn to sing. She let go of his hands and turned away from him as she sang. Every so often she looked back at him while she was singing. Once she sang the word 'decided', she then faced him and kept her eyes fixed on him. They then walked towards their respective sides of the stage and began to climb the non-existent stairs. They stopped once they reached the 'top'; they were across from each other, at the extreme sides of the stage.
"Ok good good," said the director stopping the music once more. He came between them once more.
"Now, once the harmony begins, you begin walking towards each other. Then at 'the bridge is crossed' you grab each other at the waist. Rodney, you then grab her wrists and turn her around so her back is towards you and hold her towards you."
"Uhh…ok?" said Rodney scratching his head
"You know…another seduction hold,"
Lola and Rodney looked away from each other again.
"Oh come on grow up, we are actors…just don't grab anything you're not supposed to," joked the director
Rodney gulped and avoided eye contact with everyone for awhile. Lola looked down nervously, and folded her arms.
There's…not much to grab…
The director went back to the piano and gave them their notes.
"From the harmony," he commanded
They sang the harmony as they walked towards each other. They grabbed each other and Rodney twirled her around and locked her in his arms once more.
"No…that walk was wrong. Remember this is about seduction; you're not spelling it in the body language," said the director getting up once more, "a little more like this." He demonstrated the walk as though he were a Victoria Secret model. Lola and Rodney chuckled a bit, but soon realized that they were still uncomfortably close to each other. Rodney let go of her, and they both stood apart.
"Alright? Now let's try this again,"
Lola and Rodney went back to their respective spots from before. The director went to the piano and played the song again. This time they took long strides towards each other, keeping their eyes on each other. They grabbed each other once more and he twirled her around again. He stroked her as they sang the last line together.
"Ok, much better," said the director, "now again from the top,"
Oh no…when will it end!?
They practiced that uncomfortable scene over and over until the sun was gone and night had fallen. After that embarrassing ordeal, Lola and Rodney walked out of the school building together. There was a strange silence between them.
"Hey, is someone coming to pick you up?" asked Rodney breaking the silence
"No, I walk home," answered Lola
"It's kind of late, you sure you don't want some company?"
"I don't want to make you even more late than you already are,"
"No its ok, my conscious just wont let me leave you walking home alone at this time of night,"
"Well, ok"
He came next to her and walked with her all the way home. For the most part, the strange silence filled the air between them. Rodney tried to make chit chat but, it usually didn't last very long. Later on, they were nearing Lola's house.
"So how do you like your classes?"
"Bleh…"
"Thaat bad?"
"I can't stand my teachers for the most part, and there's a ridiculous amount of work to do too,"
"That's true, but we have to keep going right? Everybody has to work hard to get by in life,"
"Yeah…but I need a vacation,"
"Oh, amen," he said raising his hands to the sky
Lola laughed a little
"Everybody needs time to relax, right? Life isn't all no work and all play,"
"Huh?"
"I mean life isn't all work and no play!"
"It's confusing isn't it?"
"Quite," he chuckled, "man, I'm turning into Andy…he's always busy doing something. He hardly ever lets lose,"
"He's your best friend, right?"
"Right. He gave me this role, he was supposed to be Phantom originally,"
"He told me that,"
"Show's you how humble he is too,"
They both laughed
"But he isn't so uptight, he does go crazy when it comes to bikes,"
"Like…mountain biking?"
"No, motorcycles,"
"Oh,"
"Yeah, my dad owns a shop, and we always go riding on the weekends,"
"Sounds like fun,"
"Yeah it is, you should join us sometime,"
"Nah, I don't think that's possible,"
"Why?"
"Because of my parents; they would NEVER let me ride a motorcycle,"
"That's too bad,"
"Ah well…" she shrugged it off
There was silence between them again as they turned the corner onto Lola's block. Rodney spoke up again.
"So…that was some crazy stage direction huh?" said Rodney
"Yeah, that was very awkward,"
"It's all part of being an actor I guess,"
"I guess,"
Lola stopped walking.
"Umm…is…a…your house?"
"Yeah, that's it alright,"
She turned to face him.
"Thank you for walking me home,"
"No problem. Well…goodnight,"
"Goodnight, see you tomorrow…"
Lola turned away and walked towards her doorway, while Rodney turned around and went off in another direction.
Once Lola entered the house, she met eyes with her mother.
"Lola…do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Uh…seven-ish?"
"It's 8:35…where have you been!?" she demanded
"I was at practice, where else am I going to be?"
"Practice ends at 4:30…you should have been here at 5 at the most,"
"Yes, but I had to stay longer since I missed so many practices," said Lola through her teeth
"You could at least call and tell me you were going to be late,"
"I don't have any lose change,"
"You could've borrowed,"
"Ok mom, next time,"
Lola took a step to the side, but her mother got in her way again.
"And who was that boy who came with you? Who is he?"
"He's Rodney, my friend. He's the male lead in the musical. He was just walking me home,"
Gladys eyed her suspiciously; then dropped the subject.
"Fine," said Gladys turning away from her, "now go to the kitchen, and reheat your dinner. After that go do your homework."
Without a word, Lola did just that.
After eating dinner, Lola was in her room doing homework when there came a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me…"
"Come in,"
The knob turned and Katie walked in and sat in Lola's bed.
"Hey there,"
"Hey," replied Lola not looking up from her textbook
"How are practices going? Running late huh?"
"Yeah pretty much, I had to stay longer since I missed so many practices,"
"That sucks,"
"Yeah,"
"I remember those days," said Katie massaging her large belly, "the practices were always so stressful and tedious, but in the end it was worth it. You'll see, the final product will be all worth it,"
"I sure hope so; I wouldn't want to feel that I completely wasted my time,"
"Well with that negative attitude, everything seems like a waste of time. Try to look on the bright side for a change. Think of the friends you'll make,"
Lola glanced over at Kate, and gave a half-hearted smirk. She turned back to her homework.
"How far along are you in the musical?" asked Katie
"In the final scenes, the one where I get kidnapped and all that hullabaloo,"
"Oh! I know that scene…did you get to kiss anyone yet?"
Lola looked up from her book.
"No…"
"You are going to, right?"
"No…"
"No?"
"They're stage kisses, not real,"
"Oh right, there's more than one…but either way it's still a kiss, or rather kisses,"
Lola turned back to her book.
"That guy that walked you home, he's one you have to kiss right?"
Lola gulped a little bit
"Yeah…He's the phantom"
"Hmm…he's kinda cute,"
Lola rolled her eyes at Katie's girly comment. Katie eyed her. She struggled to her feet, and stood next to Lola.
"Quiet all of the sudden? What…is he your boyfriend?" said Kate nudging Lola playfully
"No, he's just friend. I'm not looking for a boyfriend," she said blushing a little
"Oh really?"
"I'm not interested in guys right now; I have too many things to worry about. Most guys are losers anyway…"
"I don't think so, there's a guy out there for you. You just have to find him. Maybe if you dress up a bit; you know, wear a skirt, put on some make up…fix your hair," Katie stroked Lola's unkempt hair; which only ended up getting her fingers tangled in the strands.
"Ow!" yelped Lola as Kate pulled her fingers away
"You definitely need to fix your hair; it'll be so pretty if you would just brush once in a while, you'll look like a real lady,"
"I don't want to wear make up and get my hair done just to impress a guy. I'm much more comfortable in a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and sneakers than in a skirt, a tube top and high heels. Screw that,"
"The way you talk about boys, and the way you dress…people will think you're a lesbian,"
Lola closed her book and turned to face Katie with a look of anger in her eyes.
"EXCUSE ME?! Just because I'm not interested in boys right now, doesn't mean I'm interested in girls! That is such a stupid assumption! I'll look for a boyfriend when I'm ready for one, and I'm not ready yet! Second of all, I don't care what other people think of me! I know what I am and I'm satisfied with that. So if people want to talk, let them talk, they're the ones who are going to look like idiots in the end!"
"Ok ok…calm down!" said Katie backing away
Lola crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.
"You don't have to through a fit…it was just a stupid comment…"
"Stupid being the key word…."
Kate stared at Lola, Lola stared back. Kate grabbed the nearest pillow and thrust it in Lola's face.
"Ok miss cranky pants, I'm going to bed…" said Kate as she made her way back to the door.
Lola let the pillow drop to the floor, she continued to look away from Katie.
"G'night,"
"Good night," hissed Lola
Katie left and closed the door. Lola opened up her textbook once more.
"A stage kiss is not a real kiss…" she whispered to herself, "it's only acting…just acting."