No Reason But Us

Chapter 27 : Masquerade Dance

It was Monday. Oddey had mixed emotions after the damaged set, being told by Courtney in front of her crush, and in the meantime, she had to face the music by talking to Madame Vestia.

There was a costume check since she was also playing the extra. It was just a headpiece, to be exact, not the outfit. "I'm so so sorry about the balcony," she apologized hard to the professor while her hair was being styled for the play. "I should've checked what I did..."

"Ms. Empirio, it's alright," Madame Vestia replied, and to the art student's surprise, she did not seem mad about it too. "Mistakes happen. Let's just be glad that you did not get hurt."

"Sorry again, Mrs. Vestia."

"Listen. Don't beat yourself up. I know you didn't mean it. So now, just focus on how to fix it, and don't forget to discuss it with me."

Oddey felt a little bit better than Madame Vestia and did not get as angry as she expected, but still guilty that it happened. "I will. Thank you."

"No problem, Madame Empirio."

Once the forgiving professor got back to work, the girl looked at herself in the vanity mirror at the backstage dressing room. "That was close," she sighed in relief.

"Don't stress. It's over," said the stylist as she placed some pastel tiny fabric flowers on her dark wavy bob hair that was let down with some gold chains hanging around her forehead like she was wearing a flower crown. "Look at that, what do you think?"

Oddey admired her reflection in the mirror. "I love it. Great job."

"This is for the townsfolk, wait til you see what I did for the Juliet. I just wish you were the one that's wearing it. It looks better on you."

"Stooop. She's still Juliet."

Gage arrived in time in the auditorium and went straight backstage. He was about to be with some of the actors but then instantly spotted Oddey, still wearing the headpiece, because a few female casts wanted to check it out and also gave her a compliment.

The Romeo decided to go to her first when the girls were called to rehearse their parts on stage. That was when Oddey turned his way and saw him with her wavy hair swaying elegantly. "Gage."

"Hi!" He said to her, then pointed at the headpiece. "What's that?"

"Costume check."

"Oh. Uhm... sorry about Courtney yesterday."

"It's okay, it's my fault anyway," Oddey admitted. "I already talked about it to Madame Vestia."

"What did she say?"

"Well, she didn't get mad, but told me to talk to her about the solution before making it."

"Cool, that everything turned out fine. If you want, I can help you," Gage offered.

"Uhmm..." she stammered and gave it a brief thought about it. "Sure, I think I need the help I could get."

"Great." He then gazed at this girl with the headpiece on her.

Oddey noticed how he was just staring at her, so she touched her cheek. "Is there something in my face?"

Gage returned to reality. "Nothing, it's just that... that looks great on you."

The Oddey's cheek got red and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Really? Thanks."

They just looked at each other, but the moment had to be interrupted when they heard hands clapping. "People, people! rehearsal time!" Madame Vestia told her actors loudly. "Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio, we need you here on stage. NOW."