Soloist #Wattys2015

Chapter Eleven

"Ten minutes to curtain!" Reminded Khloe as she rushed around carrying out her duties.

"Andy, can you help me with my gloves?" Julia begged as she wrestled with the unyielding fabric.

Helping her quickly, I tied up my shoes before heading out to the changing room to get into position.

As I passed by the various cast members, I offered the small smiles and a few quick 'thumbs ups' as I hurried to the second floor of the mansion's set. After the scene of Cinderella's mother's death and the marriage of her father to her stepmom, I would have to come out and start dusting the stairway.

"Andy!" Eli whisper-yelled from backstage.

I moved over.

"You look stunning." He praised.

"I'm in rags."

"Radiant all the same."

He plants a chaste kiss to my knuckles.

Straightening, Aellius stands tall and regal in his royal attire. I grin as I messed up his hair.

"Adrianne!" He protested.

"Plenty of time to fix that." I tip-toed to kiss his cheek, leaving a deep red lipstick stain on his skin.

Giggling, I went back to my post, waiting the last minute for the curtain to go up. I hope my parents came.

ϗ

The lights blinded me as I launched myself onto the stage, gracefully dusting the railings of the grand stairs. The audience welcomed me with a huge round of applause, but I ignored them, moving through my steps just as we rehearsed.

Once I finished my introductory solo, William – the mail boy – sprints onto stage, his stack of letters slung on his shoulder. He displayed the four invitations clearly as he did his last few jumps before knocking on the door.

Pretending not to know who was there, I put my duster down, the time taken for me to do that allowing the two stepsisters onto the stage.

They pushed past me in a flurry of stick curls and hooped dresses. With a few excited twirls, they snatched up the invitations, grappling to hold on to the majority.

Then, the music changes, Arabella Brooke appearing at the top of the staircase. William Hawley dashes off while the three of us froze.

With one last point, Arabella gives me the cue to leave.

On stage, the stepsisters prepared for the ball, combing their hair and applying their make-up. Then they found the dress.

Their hands grabbed both sides of it, yanking in the arranged, comical method. When the Velcro on the dress rips, they freeze again, letting the lights dim down.

At that juncture I returned to the stage, broom in hand. Using my hands, I pretended to cry as I launched into the aptly named 'Broken Dreams' solo.

Moving listlessly, I felt the pain as I danced. The turns and leaps in this piece was made even tougher by the fact that everything was slowed down.

Finishing the last slowed-down turn with a low leg that was slightly bent to give the step a little more flow, I felt the cool lick of the smoke machine on my ankles.

Julia appears, her soft tutu bouncing as she leapt around nimbly. Trent lifted her with ease and made it seem like she was floating. I watched with wonder as she glided around me.

We had a small exchange in sign language, me telling her my sorry plight – a quick summary for anyone who missed the first part of the show.

Then she steps forward, a sheer screen tumbled down as she waved her wand. Behind the screen, the younger students helped me to change while the other swapped the set behind the screen.

ϗ

An intermission was announced as I got out of the silver carriage. The younger students went up to pat the horses as I left to redo my make-up and get more rosin on my shoes.

"You were great out there." Eli pulls me into a hug.

"Wish we could stay like this forever." I muttered.

He hold me tighter, saying, "Well, we can try."

I break away as Khloe, our stage manager, drags me away. She sits me down at one of the make-up corners and does my touch up personally.

As she leads me past Eli again, I blew him a quick kiss, giggling as he pretended to catch it.

Once again, the lights blinding me as I stepped out of the carriage, the corps dancers taking the stage. Aellius is at the other end of the stage, waltzing with Kiana – who was a ballerina from his level.

When the dance ends, I pretended not to notice him as he weaves through the crowd. He steps before me and bows, asking me to dance.

I complete the balance perfectly and my smile grows even wider as his hands find my waist.

After the two dances, the clock begins to chime and I run off, leaving Eli to do his favourite solo. He called it 'Finding Andy'.

ϗ

Backstage, I strip off my ball gown and pulled on the earthen dress – my favourite one since it had a chiffon skirt. Julia yanks out my tiara and passes me a broom before shoving me on stage.

I pretended to clean, ignoring the stepsisters and their mother as they 'chattered' about the ball. They paid me no mind as well, moving up the stairs to their rooms.

With one more short dance as I relieve the memories of the ball, I retreated backstage.

"Alright, people! Last round! Look alive, everyone!" Khloe ran past me with her clipboard and walkie-talkie spewing out random calls from the other stage managers.

Jumping up and down to stay warm, I bunny-hopped to where Eli was.

"Cold, isn't it?" He smirked, comfortably snug and warm in his winter gear.

Childishly, I wrapped my arms around his waist, stealing his warmth.

"Last round," He repeated, giving me a tight squeeze as he cheered me on. "Give them a good one."

"See you on stage." Grinning, I walked over to curtain two.

ϗ

Arabella – the stepmom – calls me out and I enter running, only to be hauled by her and shoved into a room. Acting, I 'pounded' on the door and looked around for an escape as Aellius enters, William Hawley holding onto a pillow with the cobalt blue pointe shoe.

Finally, after all the shoe fitting, William points out my existence. They let me out and sheepishly, I took the other side out of a fold in my skirt.

 With one last duet, we end the show. The lights flood the stage as the deafening applause filled the grand theatre.

The characters come out, lining up to take their bow.

I beamed to the crowd before stepping back.

Eli plants a swift kiss to my knuckles as he leads me off. Perfect.