Once upon a time...
Despite being someone everyone wanted to be, I still got a thrill out of pretending to be someone else, and so I picked up the hobby of theatre. Not just theatre, but musical theatre. This particular one wasn't my first audition, nor my first production, but it was the one that mattered.
The audition wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Neither was the call back. Until he walked through the room. He showed up halfway through the call backs. He had almost black hair, dark blue eyes, and very white skin. I had to remind myself to breathe, he was so striking.
I was absolutely thrilled when he got paired up with me to read lines. Then he was paired up with me to dance. And then he got paired up with me to sing. During the song, we hit all the notes with perfection, but it wasn't until the eye contact was made at the final four words that the sparks went flying. I knew it was the start of something new. And I was praying that I would get the lead alongside him.
Monday came and the list was to be posted at one o'clock. I paced my chambers anxiously watching the clock. I begged my mother, the queen, to cancel my princess training for the day. She wouldn't do it, but she allowed it to be postponed until two o'clock so that I could see the list. At a quarter to, I climbed into the carriage and was taken to the courtyard outside the theatre to see the list.
We arrived, but the list hadn't been posted. I crawled back in to the carriage disappointed. We waited. And waited. And waited. About 35 minutes later, someone arrived and posted the list. I practically leaped out of the carriage and ran to the door. "Brailee," I whispered, finger sliding through all the names until I saw it and my finger came to a stop. I was cast. I got the lead. I looked at who would be playing my costar. "Marius," I said aloud. I didn't know who the name belonged to, but I crossed my fingers that it would be the boy I'd been paired up with.
Rehearsals weren't going to start for another couple of months, but in the mean time, we had appearances in parades and festivals and had to work with music directors on our songs. I knew I'd see my mysterious costar soon enough.
Parade number one came around, and my costar was missing. So was the boy from callbacks. I put two and two together, and knew that the boy from callbacks was indeed my costar, Marius. At first I was so excited, but quickly became frustrated. Marius did not show up for any of the parades, appearances, or festivals we were in. We would have to substitute another actor to take his place. He also did not show up for our appointments with the music director. Our duets were being sung solo.
I was offended. He was cast alongside a princess! I was taking it all very seriously. I was busy quite often with duties, but I made time to memorize and to be at everything I could. And Marius didn't care enough to show up to one thing.
Finally, rehearsals began. I pretty much expected him to not show up at all, but there he was, in all his beauty. The excitement hit me again, full force.
The director called Marius and I in to a room and had us run through our lines. We were extremely awkward. It was nothing natural, as it was at the callbacks. The director had us stop. "Alright, here's your assignment," the director said. "The next week, you two are to become friends. Then we will continue working the scenes." I tried to hold back the grin creeping on my face.
We left the room and went to watch the other actors who were working on choreography. "I'm Brailee," I said holding out my hand. "Marius," he responded and took my hand. "We missed you at the parades and festivals," I continued. He looked down at his feet. "I was really busy with some things." Being friends was going to be harder than I thought.
Despie our talks and time we spent together in the next week, we still couldn't be classified as "friends." But we couldn't postpone any more time and had to start reading lines.
We were in the middle of a break up scene, when the director shouted, "Cut! Marius, have you ever liked someone or loved someone and hurt them? Or had someone hurt you?" He looked at his script solemenly and nodded. "That's what you've done in this scene. And now you're putting yourself out there hoping for her forgiveness, but also preparing for rejection. Think back to your experience and lets try it again."
We ran through the scene again. This time, he performed to perfection.
When we walked out, I was too curious not to ask. "So this girl you thought of in there, what happened with her?" He shook his head, "You don't want to know." I pushed him for more information. "We are supposed to be friends. You can talk to me. What happened?" He sighed, "She and I have been friends for a really long time. I ended up falling for her and told her. She goes back and forth about whether or not she likes me and whether she wants to date other people or not." I looked at him. "I'm sorry," I said truly meaning it. "I know how that is."
Our friendship blossomed after that. We talked about everything and on rough days, would build each other up.
Opening night came and we were backstage, butterflies in our stomachs going crazy. The whole land far far away would be coming. We had our pep talk and the lights dimmed on stage. "Break a leg!" We whispered to each other. Each scene started and ended. We took our bows. The entire show ran flawlessly.
Show number two came. Before the show, the directors came up to Marius and I. "We want to add something to the show," they began. "We want a kiss at the end." Marius looked like he'd just seen a dragon. My eyes widened. "You two can either practice now or save it for the end." Neither of us moved. "Alright, we'll save it for the show! Break a leg! You two are doing fabulous!" They left us standing there in silence.
Marius opened his mouth and spoke, "I've never kissed anyone before." I stared at him, not sure I'd heard him right. "You what?" I asked. "I've never kissed anyone," he repeated. My stomach flopped. How was that possible!? He was beautiful, kind, sweet, talented, and overall mirrored perfection. Physically, he had every trait of prince charming.
"Ok," I took a deep breath. "Ok this is what you do. You'll come up to me," I said grabbing him and positioning him in front of me. "You'll put your hand on the side of my face." He lifted his left hand. "Other hand, Marius. The one not facing the audience." He lifted the right one and put it on my face, almost horizontally. I laughed. "You really haven't kissed anyone have you?" I straighted his hand so it followed the line of my cheek. "Then you'll lean in close and put your lips on mine. It's a stage kiss so you don't have to pucker if you don't want to." He nodded and put his hand back down at his side. "Don't be nervous, it'll be ok," I reassured him and walked backstage.
The show started and we went through the scenes, one by one. Then came THE scene. The scene we would kiss. He stepped close to me. His right arm rose and he rested his hand on my face. He was shaking terribly. He leaned in and our lips met. The directors hadn't told the rest of the cast, who stood there stunned. The music began, breaking the spell that had captured everyone and the rest of the show continued.
I had to do that every night for two weeks?! Well, if the directors insist! I smiled to myself.
Closing night came and I had to fight back the tears so that I didn't ruin my voice. We performed again with no mistakes. The show ended, we took our bows, and the audience gave us a standing ovation. I grinned knowing that if Marius wasn't holding my hand right now, then it would not have been the same experience.
Afterwards, the city was having fireworks and the cast was going. I was so excited to spend time outside of the show with Marius. Except, much to my disappointment, he didn't go.
I saw him the next week at our party for the cast. It was held in the most suitable place, my castle of course. We played games and awards were handed out. At one point, Marius was sitting outside in the garden. I strolled over to him and took a seat beside him. We began to talk.
We shared secrets, dreams, values, and ideas. It was so personal and deep that no words I share in this story will do it justice, so I won't even try. In the thirty minutes we talked, Marius changed my life. He made me want to be a better person, a better ruler. He opened my eyes to new perspectives. I saw him in a different light. I respected my costar in a way I never had before.
And before he left, he told me he liked me.
It was all I could think about until the next time when I saw him. I attended a jousting match in which he attended as well. When he saw me, he ran over and gave me a big hug. I was so happy to see him. He was with a group of friends, but sat with me for almost the entire match. "Don't you need to get back to your friends? I don't want to take up all of your time," I finally said. "Brailee, right now, there's nothing in this world that I care more about than you," he said smiling and wrapping his arm around me.
I foolishly thought "right now" meant more than its literal meaning of "right now." Our busy lives caused us to grow apart which resulted in our friendship dying.
And we lived happily never after.
