Young Melodrama

act 4 + 𝑝𝑖𝑙𝑜𝑡

_____• ° ○ ✦ • ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ • ✦ ○ ° •_____

The curtains opened that day. It was the first time I felt my life moving forward and not just me growing up. The opening scene of how it all started began with me writing on a paper about the things I would say to him. I was eight years old, and I had always prepared myself. I didn't know why. Maybe because I wanted everything to go as planned. I didn't want to feel anxious in front of Jimmy O'Neal. He was the whole reason this day felt so special. That was what Dad kept saying, and I wondered why. What did he see in Jimmy O'Neal that got him so convinced?

Dad had everything I would say planned when we approach Jimmy during the book signing. I looked over at the paper in my hand, then back to the mirror. "You have been such an inspiration, sir. My dad and I—" I stopped. I should stutter a little, like Dad suggested. "Make it real."

"My—My dad," I let out a shudder. I swallowed, my eyes still on the mirror. "We are such big fans of your work and it will make me a very happy boy if you sign—" I groaned. "If you'll sign?" I asked myself. "It's a signing, for God's sake." I walked over to the bed and screamed into a pillow.

The door opened and my mom walked in. "What's going on?" She asked, walking towards me. I kept my face buried in the pillow.

I looked at her. "I can't get it right and I have to. What if Dad gets annoyed?"

She sighed and sat beside me. "I think your dad will appreciate that you're trying. But I don't think you need to read a paper to talk to him."

"You're right," I answered, sitting up. "But you also think Jimmy O'Neal is shit."

She laughed. "Language! But I do."

"When did you come home?" I asked her, realising that I never saw her come in last night.

"I did. You were asleep like a little angel on the couch."

"Today is my play date with Hugh and he is gonna get angry when he realizes I'm going to cancel."

She stood up and grabbed the laundry basket. "Well, do you want to go to the play date or signing?"

"I mean, I could have the play date anytime. The signing is only happening today. In Creedlane! And dad—"

"Well, your dad won't be back until the afternoon. So you can still have the playdate."

"I guess so," I said. "Maybe I should ask Hugh if he wants to follow us."

"That sounds nice." She pinched my cheeks. "Y'all better not come back in the night singing the theme song. Come on, breakfast won't eat itself."

                                                                                _____ • ° ○ ✦° • -'ღ'- • ° ✦ ○ ° • _____

I always focused on his freckles. His sandy hair and that rigid frown on his face. He always felt like a brick and that's why playing catch with him was so hard. He would always throw the ball back twice as hard, not caring about my safety.

"So you're going with your dad later?" He finally said, cutting through the silence.

My brows creased. "How did you know that?"

"He's coming to Creedlane, isn't he?" He threw the ball at me.

I caught it quickly before it hit my face. A grunt escaped my mouth. "Yes." I threw it back at him. "Are you coming?"

"To see that joke," he scoffed. "He plays a guy who is friends with a duck. That's stupid." He threw the ball to the ground and let it bounce, then caught in his hands.