Part 11 (2/2)

”Excellent. Had me fooled.” Beth reached her hand up, and I grabbed it to help her stand.

”Cool.” She took the script from me and read it over to make sure she had everything.

”Your character is such a lunatic.” I laughed as we began to head toward the swings. She glanced over at me and smiled.

”I know. Isn't it great? She is such a hoot to play, too. I love being crazy.”

”Hey, what was that you said once about being type-cast?” Beth looked down at me as we walked, and stuck her tongue out.

Beth not only starred as the villain, but also co-wrote, and a.s.sistant directed the thing. She had certainly found her niche, and Ms. White had found her helper for the next four years.

Opening night came before we knew it, and I could tell that Beth was nervous as she paced back and forth in my bedroom as I got ready. Her mother had disappeared for two days with her newest boyfriend, so she had no way of getting to the school. My mother had always supported Beth in whatever she did, so she would take us, and stay to watch the show.

”Okay,” Beth whispered, having a conversation with herself it seemed. She stared off into s.p.a.ce as she paced, her hands running through her hair, or burying themselves into her pant's pockets, or waving dramatically through the air as she mumbled, and rambled on like a crazy person.

I sat at my mirror, and gave my hair the last finis.h.i.+ng touches, glancing at her reflection off and on as she pa.s.sed by. Beth had always been that way when it came to her art. Sometimes I thought she'd run a bare trail in the carpet as she concentrated. That night was a big one for her, showing the world, well, the school anyway, how well she could act, direct and write all in one shot. I knew in my gut that she would blow them all away, leaving them begging for more. I just with she had that confidence in her own abilities.

I stood from the floor, dressed in a long skirt, and s.h.i.+rt with a sweater over it. It was a cold night in November. I watched her for a moment before I got her attention by calling her name. She glanced up at me, looking like she had forgotten that I was even there.

”It's time.” I said happily. She let out a long breath and nodded.

I sat in that dark theater and watched with unimaginable pride as my best friend pranced across that stage, looking bold, unbelievably intimidating in her part as a ruthless villain, and utterly beautiful. Over the past year Beth had filled out, her body catching up with her long legs, and lanky features. Now she carried herself with pride, and a nonchalance that made you stop and watch her go. Her features were chiseled, her eyes burning an incredible incandescent blue that could burn with just one look. Her hair was long, black and s.h.i.+ny. She had gotten away somewhat from the practice of wearing baseball caps all the time. She had threatened to cut her hair at times, but I would've been surprised if she would have. She was striking.

I glanced around me to see other's reactions to the show, and especially Beth who took that stage, and made it her own. I knew her like no one else there, and at first I could tell that she had been terrified. Her eyes wondered often to find me sitting in the very first row. But as the show went on, she gained momentum, and had not tried to find me for some time. She was at home up there.

”You know what I like about the stage the most?” I had shaken my head. ”I can go up there, lose myself in my character, and their problem, and forget my own, knowing that whatever is happening to my character, by the end of the thing, everything will be okay. There's nothing like it.”

The last scene of the play, and Beth's Nadine was fighting with the lead, Dylon, played by Collin Adams. His gun was out, and with a deafening bang that echoed throughout the auditorium, Beth fell to her knees, reaching for him as he took a step back. She falls, her last breath coming loud and strong before all is quiet. As the red curtain began to close, I could feel my eyes stinging with the unshed tears. Amazing. She was utterly amazing.

Pride surged through me once again as I stood with the other members of the audience, and clapped for all I was worth. The curtain opened again, and the more minor characters ran out onto the stage to take a bow, followed by more important characters, finally Collin Adams, and last, but certainly not least to this audience, Beth Sayers. The clapping was wild, interlaced with shouts and whistles. Beth smiled from ear to ear, her face flushed with excitement. Her eyes scanned the crowd for a moment, then settled on me, and I tried to tell her everything that I could in that look as our eyes locked for just a moment when she stepped back to allow the director, Andy White, to step out on the ap.r.o.n of the stage. The teacher reached back, and grabbed Beth's hand, pulling her out front with her, and raising their joined hands as they bowed together.

I looked over to my mother who looked as proud as she would had Beth been her own daughter. She leaned over to me.

”Nora Sayers should have been here to see this.” She whispered. I nodded. ”That was incredible!”

My eyes opened, and I found that we were still flying through the air, headed for Colorado. I had no clue where we were, or how far into the flight we were. Only that I was sick of it, and really, really wanted to feel the ground below my feet.

I glanced over at Rebecca to see that she had also nodded off, her unread magazine still open on the tray in front of her. I took a deep breath, and unbuckled my seatbelt, headed to the tiny bathroom.

The door clicked behind me, and I stared into the small mirror above the even smaller sink, and marveled at how the strange, bluish light could warp my features. Running a hand through my hair, I thought of the cast party after the show that Beth had invited me to. I had not wanted to go, the ”Drama people” not my group, and I had found them very strange, albeit very accepting. They had enfolded me into their group as one of their own for a night, simply because I was a friend of Beth's. Even though Beth had only been a Freshman, she had made quite a lasting mark for herself already. Many of the seasoned actors were looking to her natural ability for ideas.

The party was held out behind one of the cast member's family farm. An open field with a huge bonfire built up to light the darkness, and warm the chilled air. Loads of beer, and other types of heavy alcohol were abundant. I felt out of place there, and did not like it. I wondered how I had agreed to go in the first place.

I sat off by myself on someone's open tailgate, and watched, an untouched cup of beer in my hand. Beth talked, and laughed with the other's, she even danced off and on with a few. It was obvious to me that she was definitely in her element.

”Hi.” I turned to see a guy standing next to the truck, half his face in shadow, the other half dancing orange from the light of the fire. I smiled shyly, but said nothing. ”Mind if I sit?” he asked. I thought for a moment. I really did not feel like company, but what the h.e.l.l. I nodded toward the tailgate. ”Do you talk?” he grinned as he sat, the truck shaking slightly with the added weight.

”Depends.” I said, looking back to the party.

”On?” He asked, sipping from his own cup.

”Who I'm talking to.” He grinned, and nodded.

”Fair enough.” He was silent for a moment as he watched the party goers. ”Why aren't you out there?” he turned back to me. I just shrugged, really wis.h.i.+ng that he would just go away. ”You here with someone?”

”Beth.” I said, and turned to him. He really was a good looking guy with short, brown hair, clean-cut, mature, angled features. I couldn't tell what color his eyes were.

”Beth” he asked, his brows drawn.

”Yeah. Beth Sayers. She's my best friend. She asked me to come with her.”

”Oh.” He nodded understanding. ”Hey, you want to go take a walk, or something? I don't know about you, but I really don't like parties.” I stared at him for a moment, and without a word hopped off the tailgate, leaving my cup where I had been sitting.

”So why are you here?” I asked, as we made our way toward a thicket of trees off to the right. He shrugged.

”Kind of the same reason you are, I suppose.” He smiled at me, and reached down for my hand. I glared up at him, taking my hand from his. ”Sorry.” He said, and tucked his hands into his back pockets. ”Wow, look at that.” He said after a while, pointing toward the full moon that was directly ahead of us. It was huge and gold, looked like if we were to walk just a bit further, we could touch it. ”Let's stop for a sec, and look.” He said, placing his hand on my arm. I stopped, and did as he said, my heart pounding slightly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. I glanced back over my shoulder and realized that I could no longer see the party, only the light from the bonfire above the trees. I turned back to the moon, only to find that I was staring directly at this guys chest. I looked up into his face with questioning eyes. He smiled. ”You know, I don't even know your name.”

”I think we should be getting back now.” I said, starting to turn back the way we'd come, but he tightened his grip on my arm, keeping me where I was.

”Why? Come on, what's your name?”

”No, look, let's go back to the party, and I'll tell you anything you want to know, okay?”

'Nah. I think we should stay here.' He bent down, and before I knew it, he was trying to kiss me, one large hand on the back of my head, holding me to him. I pounded on his chest, trying to get away, but he was a lot bigger than I was. I was suddenly being pushed back toward a tree, his weight holding me against it. I tried to scream around his tongue in my mouth, but it only came out as a muted groan. I was stuck, and realized just how much trouble I was in as I felt how excited he was getting, against my lower stomach. His free hand was all over the place, groping what he could, trying to get under my s.h.i.+rt when suddenly I was met with nothing but the cold night air. I opened my eyes in confusion as I saw him being slammed into the tree across from the one I still leaned against. Beth was in his face, his s.h.i.+rt entwined in her fist.

”I should have your b.a.l.l.s for doing this.” She hissed, one hand reaching down to grab his crotch. His eyes squeezed shut in pain as his arms waved uselessly through the air.

”What are you doing?! We were just-”

”We weren't just doing anything. You were just trying to do something very stupid to my best friend.” His eyes opened, and he glared at Beth, then over at me, as I stood, and ran a shaking hand down my sweater to try and calm myself. ”Look at me, you f.u.c.ker, not her.” Wide, frightened eyes turned back on her. ”You do anything this stupid again, and I will have your b.a.l.l.s. You got it?” he nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. She let go of his s.h.i.+rt, and punched him in the stomach. He doubled over with a groan, then turned to run. I watched him go, my breathing heavy, yet labored as the fear of what almost happened turned to the shock of what could have happened. The next thing I knew, I was enveloped in a strong, warm embrace. I clung to Beth, the tears finally coming to wet the front of her s.h.i.+rt. She caressed my hair, whispering soothing words into the late, quiet night.

Finally getting myself under control, I pulled away from her, wiping my eyes with the backs of my hands. She held me by my shoulders, staring down into my face.

”You okay, Em?” she asked, running her finger under my eye to catch a last tear that was trying to slip out. I nodded numbly. ”I had seen you talking to him, then when I saw you were gone, your cup on the tailgate, I had a bad feeling.” She whispered, fear was.h.i.+ng over her features. ”If anything would have happened to you, I never would have forgiven myself.” Her voice broke on the last word. I reached up and cupped the side of her face.

”Nothing happened, thanks to you. I'm fine, Beth.” She nodded, but I could still see the guilt written all over her face. ”It's okay.”

”That guy is known as an a.s.shole. I should of gone over to you sooner. I'm sorry.”

”Hey, it's okay.” I drew her to me, this time comforting her. ”I'm okay.” I whispered into her shoulder.

I stared at myself again in small mirror as the toilet whooshed to life behind me. I had always wondered just what Beth had done to that guy later. Whenever I saw him in the halls at school, he had gone out of his way to go down another hall, or duck into a near-by door. I chuckled to myself, and opened the bathroom door, headed back toward our seats.

”Everything okay?” Rebecca asked as I sat down, and re-buckled my seatbelt.

”Yeah. Fine.” I smiled. She returned the smile, and placed her hand over mine, squeezing it gently before she entwined our fingers in her lap, and shut her eyes again.

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