Everest, untitled.

Chapter 34

"Sorry, but what are you doing here?"

At first I thought I was hallucinating, but standing in front of Silver Lake Middle School are Kinaaz, Jason, Lailah and Even in flesh and blood. All looking fresh and crisp and dressed up.

They're not here to see Sleeping Beauty... are they?

"Bro, I've heard there is a play going on tonight that cannot be missed," Jason smiles, greeting me and Javi who drove here together.

"Glad you could all make it," my dad says calmly from behind, but he looks like he was in on this.

"You got them tickets?" I can't believe it.

"Emmaline invited us, of course we came!" Lailah beams.

"Then let's go inside," Em says from behind, and I look still dumbfound between my dad and Javi and Em and basically everyone.

Em puts their hand underneath my chin and claps my mouth shut.

"It will dislocate if you keep it like that."

We settle in a row in the middle, and I notice how everyone in our group brought flowers. All in pink and purple.

My family brought a bouquet for Emma as well for the end of the show, and Em holds a few loose flowers to throw on stage for the entourage. I'm really, really touched.

I'm just watching them fondly, when I catch something from my friends' conversation.

"Wait, Even, you did the props? They look amazing."

This evening is full of surprises apparently, even Even Askeland-Porter seems to show layers that I didn't expect.

The man of honour looks really uncomfortable, shuffling in his seat.

"My sister is on the tech crew. She wanted everything a bit, uhm, darker, so I helped her make a compromise." I can see it. It is beautiful, the whole stage looks like a midnight's dream, sprinkled in stars.

"It looks really great," Javi says, also in awe.

"Thanks man. If it were up to Annabel Lee, there would have been a lot more skulls and ravens."

I can see the ravens, but probably thanks to Even, no skulls. I wouldn't have minded it, but well, parents these days. You never know how they will react to literally anything.

Soon enough the chatter fades and the lights die out.

The curtains open, and the spotlight falls on the stage.

It is Emmaline's time to shine.

Not that we ever doubted it.

Whenever I see my sister appear on stage and play her part of Sleeping Beauty, I think the other kids are cloaked in shadows. Emmaline recites her lines with such self confidence and holds her head high, only she and the audience exist. It is like she has become one with the part, and sees nothing beyond the stage. It is incredible to watch her, and I cannot take my eyes off my incredibly talented sister.

I cannot believe the play is already nearing the end, when she lays in the middle of the stage, highlighted on a bed. The Sleeping Beauty is to be awoken from her yearlong slumber.

"I shall wake you with a true love's first kiss, Sleeping Beauty," the prince declares to the audience. I look around and the audience is in awe, not questioning the problematic morale in this.

Javi smirks at me. Yeah, he knows.

I grin back, but I missed something crucial in those few seconds.