255 To the Stage? (2/2)

”...” Muria frowned. On her face was a look of reluctance as she glanced over in my direction as if seeking for my help. However, I was caught by surprise as well, so I was unable to formulate anything to help her out. So, I shrugged and shook my head, notifying her that I got nothing.

”Please,” the director begged once again, bowing and lowering his head. ”Do it not for me, but for Irina. She needs this event to succeed, and we need it to. If this movie works as intended, it'll win plenty of awards and Irina's fame will be boosted even further. We might even end up leaving our mark in the history of films.”

Damn, I thought to myself. How special is this movie?

When the director raised his head and I caught a good glimpse of his face, I recognized this face. He's a well known director in Vilheim, someone that even someone like me who doesn't pay much attention to movies would know despite the fact that I do not know the names of his films.

Muria peered over her shoulder at Irina, frowning as she contemplated something. When she turned her gaze from Irina and redirected it back to the director, she let out a sigh. That frown on her face still remained, but from the look in her eyes, I could sense that she has changed her mind.

”Fine,” Muria sighed. ”I'll do it for Irina.”

”That's great!” the director smiled and exclaimed. ”What about you?”

He turned and looked at Alvelyn.

”I'll do it as well,” Alvelyn answered. I could sense that she initially wanted to decline as well, but after hearing how it might help Irina and the fact that Muria has agreed to help, Alvelyn changed her mind as well. I suppose she wanted to protect Muria if anything comes down to it.

”Great,” the director smiled in a pleased manner and nodded. ”Go to that woman over there,” the director pointed towards a woman in her early thirties that barked orders into her radio. ”She'll tell you two exactly what to do. Go talk to her, get your makeup and hair touched up by our stylists, and prepare. Got it?”

Muria and Alvelyn simply nodded their head as they were unable to match the director's fervor and energy. This man, with bags underneath his bloodshot eyes, was the epitome of sleep deprivation. However, he still moved with great vigor and spoke with much enthusiasm. It was easy to tell that he is passionate about his film. Even when he walked away, he walked at a fast pace and communicated with the different departments.

”I guess we'll go now,” Muria sighed and said.

”Yeah,” Alvelyn nodded. ”We should hurry.”

”See you two in a bit,” Irina waved after them as she got up and watched as the two girls made their way towards the doorway of the dressing room to make contact with the woman that the movie director had instructed them to speak with.

”So what do I do?” I asked as I watched Irina walk over to the other door in the dressing room that I suppose lead up to the stage.

”Hey you!” a familiar and yet alien voice of enthusiasm and vigor called on me. Looking over, I saw that it was the director once again. ”You want to be part of this as well? We need a teenage boy for the interactive game. You want in?”

”I—”

”Stylist!” the director commanded a stylist that was on standby. ”Fix him up.”

”Wait!” I cried out as my heart vacillated in my chest by this sudden turn of events in this frenzy of a backstage. ”I haven't agreed yet—”

”We don't have time for you to change outfits,” the director said, ignoring my complaints. ”You'll have to just improvise. Just do as the host says and you'll be fine. We're all counting on you.”

The director then walked away, finally leaving the dressing room. I remained standing still, recovering from this frenzy shock that I had just endured as the stylist sat me down on a seat facing a mirror and began styling my hair while a makeup artist applied light makeup onto my face.

”Sorry,” Irina apologized to me.

”It's not your fault. But just exactly do I do?”

”I don't know,” Irina shook her head. ”All I know is that there's an interactive game, and when I asked what the game will be, the director board told me that it would ruin the effect if I knew beforehand. I'm hoping it won't be something bad like having me feel a snake or a frog of some sorts while blindfolded.”

”Hopefully it's not like that,” I chuckled.

The stylist and makeup artist freed me from the seat as the light layer of makeup was applied and my hair was fixed and tidied into a more stylish and fashionable style.

”It's almost time!” someone called in the dressing room, and following that prompt, Irina started making her way over to the other door in the dressing room and exited.

The road from the dressing room to the stage were blocked on either side with the temporary walls that had been erected in the plaza, and as Irina walked from the dressing room towards the stage, I decided to walk her there and see her off. Besides, I don't really know where I am supposed to be so I was deciding to stay on standby.

”Alevian,” she stopped just a few steps before the stairs leading up the stage and turned around to face. ”How do I look?”

”How do I look?”

She was blushing somewhat, maybe from nervousness. However, I suppose a part of it was that...this is the first time that we are alone together, and...it's not everyday that she would wear such an outfit. She probably just want my honest opinion about it, like a girl trying to appeal to her crush. But...why would anyone ever have those genuine feelings towards me, I do not know. What I do know is that in this situation, there is only one right answer.

”Pretty good,” I said calmly in response. ”Cute and pretty...”

”...”

Her face turned even more red as she gazed at me with widened eyes. She seemed to be rather flustered right now by my response, but...I suppose this will simply become her fuel and lead to her performing even better while on stage.

”Thank you,” she smiled, turned around, and continued towards the stairs and up onto the stage.

Author's Note:

(Too long to be put in Author's Thought)

I just want to point out, some of you do not know what a First Person Perspective is. This story is told in Alevian's perspective, so it is told through what Alevian sees and what he knows unless otherwise specified.

One of you are just fucking complaining and continuing on with shit that the character relationships aren't developing at all. I just want to say, you take shit way to literally and don't even stop to think about the diction used, syntax, and the more subtle stuff in the story. You just skim through the book and don't miss all the fucking hints I've put in the book to show the subtle changes in the way Alevian perceives the other characters and the way other characters act when around Alevian and you fucking blame me for all this? Fuck out of here with that bullshit. If you can only take what is written literally and just fucking miss everything about the first person perspective and the concealed messages in the arrangement of character behaviors, I suggest you stop reading this book. I don't need you to keep complaining bout shit that you fucking missed and then trying to justify that you're right.