𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 • Neil Perry

Chapter 18

"ARE you sure it looks alright?"

Milly smiled at Ginny Danburry primping her hair in the dressing room mirror. "I should know, I made it. There's not a flower out of place."

"I know, I'm just nervous," Ginny turned to face her, dressed head to toe in her Hermia costume for the first time outside of a dress rehearsal.

Chatter ran through the entire building as families filed their way into the theatre.

"Well, you're going to do phenomenal. You worked your ass off for this."

Ginny's long face morphed into one rather gleeful. "I did, didn't I?" Then the apprehension flood right back into her system. "Oh, god. But there's going to be a whole room of people looking at me. Judging me."

Milly grabbed ahold of her hands. "And by the end of it, they would have concluded you were, as said, phenomenal. Stop worrying yourself silly."

"Okay, okay," Ginny rolls her eyes. And after a short moment, she catapulted into Milly's arms. "Thank you for everything."

"It's my job. Make it worth my while on that stage, okay?"

Ginny pulled away, nodding.

She headed for the door, Neil having to step aside to make room for her to leave.

"Break a leg," Ginny says in passing.

"That's insulting," Neil looked over his shoulder at her.

"It's a figure of speech!"

"I bet!" He was only teasing, and that's what made Milly smile more. As if the sight of him in his monochromatic costume wasn't enough. A brown turtleneck, brown leggings, brown socks, and then a bird's nest on his head.

He smiled after Ginny, heading into the room next.

"D'you wanna see something nifty?" he asks Milly who was stood with her backside against the vanity table.

"Try me," she says, crossing her arms.

Neil lifted up his shirt, revealing a glove taped to his chest. But it wasn't just any glove, how could it be? It was Milly's white glove.

She belly laughed ecstatically. "You're crazy."

He let go of his shirt. "About you? Absolutely."

"That wasn't an invitation to cripplingly unoriginal, buster."

When Neil stopped in front of her, he let out a long sigh, his smile no more.

Milly had been on edge all night, so it was enough to get her to truly worry. "What's wrong?"

"I'm terrified."

She brushed off her silent relief. "You shouldn't be. If your audition and those rehearsals provided any insight into tonight, I wouldn't break a sweat in your shoes. It's a great testament to your talent."

The corners of his lips upturned. "When you say it I almost believe it."

Milly's head tilted. "I can't imagine it'd be hard to believe the truth."

Those words made Neil realise he had never felt more in love. "Where did you come from?"

"I'm not entirely sure you're ready for the birds and the bees talk just yet."

"I'm ready to do a whole lot more than talking."

Milly felt the heat rush to her cheeks and up to the tips of her ears, and she suddenly wished she was seizing the night again with him so he couldn't see it.