Phoenix is in the In-Between [LGBTQ+ NOVEL]

Letter #17

17.

Dear Dr. Hemsworth,

For today I've got good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad news:

The bad news:

Zane was a no show to the try out. I even waited for more than an hour at the soccer field, Scarlett was with me and reading a book. It was honestly really rude that he kept us waiting, only for one of his teammates to approach us and said that Zane called in from his house. Apparently he was sick. Wow, really had to wait until it was way past 2, huh?

As if that wasn't enough, here's another bit of bad news: Miss Helen announced the class project for English, and it's a play! Not only that, it's Romeo and Juliet!

At first I was a little excited, thinking it would be the DiCaprio version with the guns and everything. But no, it would be the original, boring version. The one with all the stiff dresses, wigs, and worst of all, every line would be in old English.

The whole class, except for Scarlett (who apparently is nuts for Shakespeare, for some reason) was less than excited, but it got a little exciting when Miss Helen revealed the casting. I honestly wished that I didn't even get any speaking roles. I would love to have been a tree, or a rock. Or maybe even those people who wear all black and move the sets around in the dark between scenes.

But here comes the shocker, and the good news (in a way): I was cast in a major role—the backup actor for Romeo!

Everyone gasped, and even I did. Miss Helen said that reserves are just as important as the actual actor (a boring, lanky pimply boy named Mark Sanders, son of the Chairman of Agriculture) and that it would be interesting to have me play a male role. Amelia of course argued against it, saying that many of the boys in the class would have been happy to take up that role instead of me.

But that backfired because all the other boys would rather not even be in the play at all. With a huff, Amelia didn't even look at me. And if you were wondering what role she got, no surprise there—she got Juliet.

But here's another bit of good news: Scarlett got cast as Juliet's reserve! So at least I didn't have to practice my lines with one of Amelia's cronies. Since the play is next month, Scarlett and I agreed to practice in my room this coming weekend. She's incredibly excited to see the president's house. I'm just excited to have a friend.

I tried to get in contact with Zane through his teammate/messenger. He asked me if I had a pager, and I said I didn't have one. He then gave me Zane's home number. I tried calling it and Zane picked up after five rings. He was coughing a bit, but it sounded fake to me. He told me that he'll do the try outs for sure by next week. I told him to get well soon and hung up.

I got home and saw Daddy for the first time in a while at the living room, reading a newspaper. I was so surprised to see him that I almost didn't know what to say. But once he saw me, he smiled and beckoned me over for a hug.

I sat on his lap like when I was a little kid, and told him that I'm the reserve Romeo for the class play. He looked surprised but he patted my head and said that I already look the part. He also asked me if school was going okay and I shrugged and said that it was just normal. I didn't want to explain the whole Amelia drama even more.

"No more paparazzi or reporters following you and your friends around?" he asked me, looking serious. I shook my head, and he nodded. "Good. That's good," he said. I don't know either if I should tell him that I only have one friend.

Daddy looks like he got older. He has more silver hair now on the edges of his head than before. He also looked more tired, and for a moment I felt really bad for him. I wonder what it feels like to see people constantly talking about you and what you do every single day.

I started reading Romeo and Juliet, and I'm fighting to stay awake. I already know what happens, but for the play's sake I have to memorize the lines. Already I'm starting to feel like I should back out, and just ask to become Tree #5.

From, Phoenix.