Lights, Camera, Action!

Chapter 9

That night when I got home from the theatre, Adam was right at the door, waiting for me.

"What the heck was that all about, Han?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

I so wasn't ready for this conversation. "I ran into Eli," I told him. "Carter just helped me get away from him. That's all."

Adam's eyes widened. "ELI WAS THERE?" He yelled.

"What's going on?" My dad called from the other room. "You guys okay?"

"Eli showed up to Hannah's work today!" Adam explained to dad.

"ELI WAS THERE?" my dad yelled.

I closed my eyes and put my fingers to my temples. "Yes, he was. But I handled it, okay?"

"I swear, if I ever see that boy again..." Adam started shaking his head. He was the only one who knew about everything that had happened between Eli and me.

"I'm going to bed," I told them. "Good night."

"And she went on a date with some dude," Adam continued.

"Oh really now?" I heard my mom call from the kitchen. Soon I had three pairs of eyes all staring at me.

"What was he like? Did he take you out to dinner? Did he buy? Was he a good kisser? Did he ask you out agai—"

"It wasn't a date!" I said, probably too defensively. "Carter just took me out to Amanda's to get away from Eli."

"Oh," my mom said, sounding a little disappointed. "Well how sweet of him to do that."

I smiled and nodded. "I'm going to bed. I'll talk to you in the morning."

The three of them all nodded, probably disappointed in not getting more info, but there was nothing to tell.

I headed up to my room and flicked on the piano. I fumbled in my bag for my sheet music and started aggressively playing "Under the Sea."

The Facebook group message was chiming in intermittently, but I ignored it.

Why would Carter help me out like that? He barely knows me. And after that tampon incident, well, I wouldn't want to be friends with me... or more.

No! No, I would not think like that. He was definitely attractive and all, but I would never date a coworker! Besides, plenty of my friends were practically swooning over him. I already took enough attention away from them when I got the lead role by accident. But it didn't matter. He was just nice.

~~~

The next morning was Friday, the last day of the work week for us. I entered the theatre and was immediately greeted by Ivy, who looked distressed.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

She said nothing, only pointed over to the stage where Ashley was standing. Carter was taking pictures of her, and she was posing like a model in the new red wig that must have just arrived today.

"Why does she have to go after him?" she asked. "I wanted a shot."

I decided not to tell Ivy about the incident that occurred last night with Eli and the events that followed, nor that Carter shouldn't be seen as some type of prize they should be competing over. Also the fact that Ashley was being her normal, vain self didn't necessarily mean she was into Carter.

I looked up at the stage. Carter was showing her the pictures on his camera, smiling, while she giggled and fake hit him flirtatiously. I guess I spoke too soon.

Ivy and I continued to make our way down the aisle between the chairs towards the main stage where everyone was sitting in their seats. Beth waved us over to where she was sitting, and we joined her and Olivia.

"Today," Doug began, "We're gonna be working primarily with the understudies while the main cast gets measured for costumes. That includes Hannah and Noah, got it?"

Everyone nodded or verbalized their understanding, but I froze. I did NOT want to be part of this anymore. Everyone started getting up, and I made my way over to where Doug and Noah were standing.

"Glad to see you back here, Hannah" Doug said, patting me on the shoulder. I looked at Noah, who was smiling at me with a handsome grin. I had confided in Beth last year that I'd had a bit of a crush on him before I started dating Eli. Looking at him now, stronger than he was in high school, I remembered why I liked him.

"Let's get started!"