Borrowed Time

Chapter Seventy Seven

Directing the stupid fucking Christmas play was so ridiculous, something that Juliette had never really seen the point of having.  She could remember being in it as a child, she could remember that the only reason that she was in it was because her father was the pastor, him being the pastor meant that she was always Mary.  Constantly.  It was fucking exhausting, and it wasn't as though this was any different... They were told who was playing what, they were just supposed to help them learn their lines... None of them wanted to be there, that was clear...

But no one wanted to be there less than Shelby wanted to be there, which Juliette found to be a little funny.

"You know, I've had a nightmare like this before, and I woke up and I thought 'huh, if I ever agree to direct the Christmas play, I sure hope someone drives a stake through my skull-." Juliette cut her off, giving her a look... She understood what Shelby was saying, she felt the exact same way, but that didn't mean that she could say it right now.  Juliette had been beaten by a bible before, it wasn't fun and she didn't want the same thing to happen to Shelby.

"Graphic.  Children." Juliette reminded her, and Shelby shrugged, sighing as she rested her head on her shoulder, crossing her arms across her chest.

"They don't know what I'm talking about, they don't pay that close attention."  Okay, she had a point, but that didn't mean that Juliette could let her say it.  Her father would have her head if she didn't present 'as the adult that she was so intent on being so young'... That was what she'd said the last time that they fought, that she was trying to grow up too fast... Like she didn't deserve to be grown up.  Like she hadn't fucking proven that she deserved freedom... She deserved some fucking leeway, right?

"Maybe not... But I still have to act mature, and so do you." Juliette reminded her, and Shelby sighed, sitting up as she rolled her eyes at her... Rude.

"Boring." Maybe it was boring, but it was needed.  Esme chuckled, nudging her lightly as she gave her a small smile.  God, if she wasn't so fucking pretty...

"She's right.  That's boring." Really?  Juliette would've thought that Esme would be on her side with this one. "Carly, don't you agree?" She asked, but Carly didn't look up, she was too busy scribbling things down in her notebook.

"Uh oh.  She's channeling her mother, we have a real director on our hands." Shelby squeezed Juliette's shoulder as she stood up. "I should go get the scripts."  Oh.  Shit, yeah one of them should... and the thought of digging through dusty boxes made her skin crawl.

"Thanks." She said, squeezing Shelby's hand.

"Mhm." And then she was off to the first box in the corner, the one that Juliette was pretty sure contained costumes and nothing more, but who was she to stop Shelby?

"Well, I'm grateful for a real director." Becky sighed, and Juliette nodded... Yeah, no one knew just how much of a shitshow this could be more than Becky, Shelby, and her.

"Same." She nudged her lightly, giving her a hopeful half smile as she watched Esme lean over to peer over Carly's shoulder. "Maybe it'll actually be good this year, huh?" She asked, and Becky shrugged.

"We can hope." Well, she was hoping for a little more than that.  Juliette glanced at the ground and saw one of the little kids, Vincent, walking up to Esme with a determined expression on his little face... Okay... "Oh!  Vincent, what are you doing over here?" Becky asked, using an excited but calming tone as she smiled.  He barely even looked at her.

"Nothing..." Damn. "What's your name?" He asked, sounding absolutely infatuated as he looked up at Esme who turned and bent down to extend her hand to the little boy.