Blue Kisses

Chapter 6

Lucy had Joshua, Alice and I come to the school's auditorium, bright and early, six in the morning. She started writing at 7pm last night and just now finished. They're other groups here also participating in the play fest. Lucy is wearing the same clothes as yesterday, her eyes are half open and she's speaking incoherently. Lucy handed us our scripts with our characters lines highlighted, mine is highlighted pink, Alice's is blue, and Joshua's is yellow. My character's name is Veronica and I play the tall sexy actress. Joshua's character Bradley is a douchebag who attempts to cheat on his wife and Alice plays Angie who is Bradley's wife.

"Lucy, I'm not too sure I can play as Veronica," I say.

"No, shut up. You're perfect for her. I literally wrote her for you." she explains. I stop speaking because I'm now scared of her.

"I can play Bradley well but why exactly did you write a character for me that is a complete douchebag?" Joshua asks.

"Shut up. Trust me you're perfect for him." Lucy replies and then glares at Alice, "Do you have anything to complain about?"

"No, I love my character." she trembled.

"Okay, then let's get started!" Lucy shouts.

Bradley stars in a soap drama that he writes himself. He fires the actress who plays his wife because she's too ugly for him and that's when he hire's Veronica, the sexy tall actress, to play as his wife who just got major plastic surgery which explains the major face change for the audience. Angie is Bradley's real wife off screen but on screen she's just his assistant he's having an affair with. In Bradley's show, Veronica's character Rose, finds her husband having an affair with Cat, Angie's character. And the two girls start fighting over him and it gets physical. After Bradley calls CUT Angie compliments Veronica's acting skill and they start flirting with each other. Then Bradley starts flirting with Veronica in front of his wife, which causes Angi to slap his face. Then Veronica kisses Angie and they run away together starting their own show.

Lucy has explained the story three times so far and I think we almost understand it. The only thing that is keeping her up and not ripping our heads off is the coffee in her large thermos that she hasn't let go of since she got here. "We've practiced the lines and have 10 hours until the curtain opens, let's start rehearsing." Lucy says.

"Lucy, I don't want to play Joshua's wife," I tell Lucy.

Lucy sighs of annoyance, "You're not, you're playing Veronica, who's only acting as his wife" Lucy replies.

"Do Alice and I have to kiss?" I ask her. Not that I'm opposed to it but I want our first kiss to be real.

"Yes but if you two are not okay with that then you can do a stage kiss." Lucy explains.

"What's a stage kiss?" Alice asks and then Lucy grabs me, puts her hand over my mouth and kisses her hand.

"Alice plays my wife but we don't have a kiss scene?" Joshua asks.

"No, you do, it's when Rose finds Bradley and Cat are making out during the show." Lucy replies. Great now I have to watch Joshua and Alice kiss? I can't do this!

We start rehearsing, Joshua has already perfected his character's personality and remembers most of his lines. Alice is almost there but is lacking confidence. I on the other hand can't remember my lines or my cues. Every time we get to mine and Alice's kiss scene I stammer. I freeze with our lips only inches apart and we stare at each other with no kissing getting done. Lucy lets us skip the kiss scenes and continue with the rest of the story "just make sure you're all kissing when you're in front of the audience." I can't do it though, I can't even pretend to kiss her. Eventually Lucy noticed the scenes were not working. She had me and Alice switch our roles so now I'm playing Cat-Angie whatever her name is. Now Alice will no longer have to kiss Joshua but that means I do. Alice will be the one initiating our kiss not me, maybe this will be better.

"Can we take a break?" I ask after the seventh time failing to kiss Alice and Joshua.

"Okay, everyone take five!" Lucy shouts.

"Thank god, I've had to pee for the past hour." Alice says and runs to the restroom.

"Me too," Joshua follows.

I sit down on the floor against the wall. Why can't I kiss them? Why can't I get my lines right? I'm not meant to be an actress. Lucy comes over with a disappointed look on her face and sits down next to me?

"What's going on," she asks me.

I put my knees up, "I can't do it lucy?" I hide my face into my knees.

"Kissing? I get it, they're your friends and it's awkward but it's just acting." she replies.

"It's not just that, I can't do it. I can't act or be on the stage in front of everyone." I reply. She looks away from me and doesn't say anything back, "Do you hate me?" I ask, afraid she's going to say yes.

"Are you saying you don't want to be in my play?" Lucy asks.

"No, I can't be in your play. I want to but I just can't do it." I say.

"I don't hate you, I wished you told me before so I could have found someone else to replace you. I'm going to have to withdraw my play from the festival." she says disappointingly.

"Why don't you replace me?" I ask.

"And be in my own play?" she rebuts.

"Yes, you know the lines, Right? You can play as Angie and then everyone will still be able to watch your play. It's a great play and people need to see it." I say.

"You think so?" she asks.

"Yes but then you would have to kiss Joshua," I say with a disgusted face.

"Yeah I would," she says monotone, "I think Alice and Joshua have good chemistry, I'm gonna have Alice play as Angie again."

Great now they're gonna kiss, I hope they do the stage kiss at least. "you're the most talented person I know and everyone is going to love your play." I hug Lucy.

"Thanks" she says, hugging me back, "will you help direct it then?"

"Yes," I reply.

Show time. I'm in the front row waiting for Lucy's play but first I have to watch the other plays that other students worked on. I sit through a play about an apocalypse and another about sad clowns, the next two are only dialogue with no action. Lucy's play is next and I pull out my phone to record it for her. I know she would have loved to watch her own play and see everyone's reactions. Lucy, Alice, and Joshua are performing so well, everyone is laughing and on the edge of their seats. Joshua kisses Alice and it looks so real. Did they actually kiss? When they finish everyone is cheering and my best friends are bowing. Lucy looks so happy and beautiful, I'm so happy for her.