Staged Relationships

Chapter 7

Paige woke up with a stiff shoulder. She checked her phone. Eight o'clock. They had an hour before rehearsal started. She shook Fen awake. He jerked up with a snort.

"I'm going now. I'll see you in an hour," she said.

Fen rolled himself out of the makeshift bed. He yawned. "Alright."

At five minutes to nine Paige ran into the hall. Fen was already sitting in the auditorium in a knit sweater.

"Ready to finally get through the play?" Paige said, dumping her bag on the green chair.

"I've memorised my lines," Fen said.

"When did you have time to do that?" Paige asked.

"Between basketball and you coming over," he said.

"Oh can you test me on the epilogue?" He nodded and she handed her script over. "It is not the fashion for a woman-"

"-Lady Paige."

"Close enough."

By nine-fifteen everyone had arrived. They started from Act 4.

Once Paige was onstage she promptly forgot half of her lines. With prompting from Fen she was able to recall them.

Although she was beginning to understand how annoying she'd been as a director. The merciless criticisms of the Year 9 girls was grating on everyone's nerves. While Paige had picked up their mistakes she had never been personal. After commenting on her weight (would you mind not waddling?), her hair (haven't you heard of a hair straightener Rosalind) and her clothes (you shouldn't wear skinny jeans if you don't have skinny genes) Paige was swallowing and blinking profusely. They were lucky to hit Act 5 by ten o'clock.

Cynthia squeezed her hand and held her. Until they attacked Cynthia (Black and black is a fashion don't) everything was under control.

"You know what, if you think you can do a better job you should take over. Paige has done everything to get us to where we are. You have successfully proven that Year 9 is the bitchiest year. I speak for all of us we're taking five," Cynthia said.

One of the Year 8 girls was crying. Alex was holding back Jason who was ready to punch them. The linoleum floor looked very comfortable to lie on.

Paige denied her urge to lie on the floor and calmly walked out of the hall. It was only when she got out of the hall that she lost it. She kicked the wall before breaking into a run.

It took fifteen minutes for someone to find her. She was tucked up under a desk where the garbage bins usually sat.

Fen moved towards the crying Paige. He pushed the recycling bin out of the way and crawled under the table.

"Hi Paige," he said.

She turned her red face away from him. He shifted closer.

"Are you a spotlight? Because your beauty is blinding," he said.

She looked up a little.

"You excite me more than the cast list being posted."

She started to wipe her tears away and search for a tissue.

"Are you opening night? Because my heart races when you're near."

Paige propped herself up against the desk legs.

"Are you hairspray? I can't get you out of my hair."

"What are you doing Fen?" she said.

"Proving I spend too much time on the internet," he said. He pulled her into his chest. "You direct my heart."