Love, Eliot Ch. 03

My phone burned a hole through my pocket as I hurried to class. There was no time to stop and check my emails. No matter how much I wanted to.

I slipped through the large oak doors and walked down the theater aisle. The first four rows of seats were already taken by a seemingly judgmental bunch.

They all shot me annoyed glances as I found my seat and turned back to Ms. Wright after I settled in.

"I trust that everyone here is aware of the kind of commitment that this department requires," I tried to pretend that her statement wasn't directed to me, "Everyone has a part to play and excuses won't be tolerated."

I thought about grade school and how no excuse was accepted unless we were dying or bleeding. That rule stopped around the time we hit puberty.

She clapped her hands together, "Well, let's get this party started. Shall we?"

As if on cue the doors groaned opened and announced another girl's arrival. She marched past the seats until she came to my row and plopped down next to me.

The chains dangling off her jeans scrapped against the plastic as she shifted around.

Ms. Wright screwed her smile back into place and walked off to the side. All the students started to whisper and a few glanced back in my direction.

The girl elbowed me, "Did I miss anything?"

"No idea, I just got here." We both grinned. "I'm Cassie by the way."

"Rosemary," She held out her hand for me to shake. Purple lipstick stretched with her smile and perfectly matched the stud in her nose glittered under the theater lights. "Something tells me you're here on a scholarship,"

"Why?"

Her dark brown eyes settled on my face, "Well, you were almost as late as I was and you don't seem nervous about it.

"Neither do you."

Rosemary straightened out her neon spotted tie, "You don't look like I do without getting used to a few extra stares."

I shook my head and watched all the other students organize themselves. They were busy trying to memorize their lines in five minutes but there was only one thing I wanted to read.

My phone poked against my side as a constant reminder of the unread message. Before I had the chance to cave Ms. Wright called my name off of her clipboard. Rosemary gave me a thumbs up as I made my way to the stage.

"And what monologue have you prepared for us today?"

I glanced around the room. The theater always seemed so much bigger from on top of the stage. "One from August: Osage County."

Ms. Wright scrunched her nose. Clearly she had seen it. She waved me on anyways.

It wasn't a long monologue but it was long enough to drop the jaws of my fellow thespians. Maybe it was the subject matter. My character talking about her dad's affair and her mom going full hymen patrol in response.

I was clearly making several people uncomfortable even saying the word hymen, but not Rosemary. When I finished she was the first and for a painfully awkward minute only person to clap.

"Well," Ms. Wright pushed a piece of her gold shoulder length hair behind her ear. "That was very good."

I smiled, "Thanks, I appreciate it."

She nodded and gave me a weak smile, "Um, I was thinking we could do something new. To warm us all up to eachother."

I suddenly felt like I was on display. Fifty pairs of eyes all focused on me. I agreed hesitantly.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to ask you a basic question." She looked back down at her board, "Why are you interested in theater?"

I stared out to the crowd, then to Rosemary, "I like the feeling of being on stage. Being someone else. Plus I've always been good at faking it."

"Faking it?"

I turned back to Ms. Wright, "Well with my ex-boyfriend I had to be."

The room exploded. Whispers, giggles, and clapping from one girl in the back.

Ms. Wright struggled to get control of the room again but when she did she firmly told me to get off the stage. I obliged.

My seat waited for me next to a new fan. Rosemary covered her mouth, "I can't believe you just said that in front of everyone."

I laughed, "Well he deserved to be a little embarressed."

Her eyes grew three times their normal size, "He's here? Like in this room?" I nodded and she arched her back to look at the crowd. "Which one?"

I grinned and pulled her back, "I'll point him out later." I could see him shrinking down in his seat in the second row. Good.

Before long Ms. Wright called another name. This one looked like he was in the wrong class. His pale green shirt matched his eyes perfectly and the gentle swoop of his light brown hair as he climbed the stairs must have been rehearsed.

Rosemary elbowed me in the side. I coughed to cover up my shock.

Ms. Wright looked relieved to finally have someone normal on her stage, "So, Josiah, what will you be performing for us today?"

Josiah took his black framed glasses off and tucked them into his pocket. I leaned forward in spite of myself.

"A piece from Closer," He appeared completely at home. No nerves. No shakes. I was intrigued. Ms. Wright slumped back, clearly realizing something I didn't.

I figured he would choose a vanilla piece. One with the least controversial subject matter but then he spoke.

"Have you ever seen a human heart? It looks like a fist, wrapped in blood. Go fuck yourself, you...writer. You liar."

My mouth dropped open as the words continued to fall of his peachy lips.

"You were so busy feeling your grand artistic feelings you couldn't see what was in front of you. The girl is fragile and tender. She didn't want to be put in a book, she wanted to be loved." He finished with a bow. My heart stopped as he came back up and met my gaze.

Before I could register what was happening, that we were having a moment, he winked and the class moved on.