The next afternoon, I found myself back in the theater, camera in hand, waiting for the rehearsal to begin. The cast and crew moved around me, voices echoing in the vast space, but I stayed in the shadows of the wings. That's where I felt most comfortable—on the edges, observing.
My eyes scanned the stage as the director gave instructions. Olivia was already there, walking through the set like it was her domain, every movement purposeful. She pointed at a hanging backdrop, and two stagehands rushed to adjust it. She didn't shout or bark orders; she didn't have to. Her presence commanded attention.
It was impossible not to watch her.
I wasn't the only one. People gravitated toward Olivia, casting nervous glances her way as if waiting for her approval. She had that effect—like the sun in a room full of shadows, drawing people closer whether they wanted to or not.
"Is this how you always work?" Her voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I looked up to find her standing beside me, hands on her hips. Her eyes flicked to my camera.
"Silently lurking?" she added, the corner of her mouth curling in amusement.
"It's how I get the best shots," I said, lifting the camera slightly. "People forget I'm here."
Her gaze lingered on me, thoughtful. "You don't like being noticed, do you?"
It wasn't accusatory, just an observation. But it made me bristle. "Not really."
"Interesting." She didn't elaborate, just turned and walked back toward the stage, leaving me with the unsettling feeling that she'd seen more than I wanted her to.
The rehearsal started, and I focused on my work, snapping pictures of the actors as they stumbled through their lines and blocked their movements. But my lens kept drifting to Olivia.
She was magnetic, even when she wasn't trying to be. Her voice carried over the chaos, sharp and clear, directing the crew with precision. At one point, she climbed a ladder to adjust a light herself, her movements confident and unhesitating.
I couldn't help but admire her. She was everything I wasn't—bold, commanding, completely at ease in her skin.
"You're staring."
The voice startled me, and I almost dropped my camera. It was Madison, a tall girl with dark hair tied back in a ponytail. She smirked at me, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"I wasn't staring," I said, too quickly.
"Sure you weren't," she said, crossing her arms. "Let me guess. Olivia's got you under her spell already."
I frowned, not sure how to respond.
"She has that effect," the girl continued, lowering her voice like she was letting me in on a secret. "You're not the first to fall for it."
"I'm not—" I started, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.
"Relax, I'm just messing with you. But seriously, watch yourself. Olivia can be... intense."
Before I could ask what she meant, the director called for a reset, and the girl jogged off to take her place on stage. I watched her go, her words echoing in my mind.
***
When the rehearsal ended, the theater emptied quickly as students were eager to leave campus, leaving me alone with the sound of my own footsteps as I gathered my gear. I was about to leave when I heard her voice.
"You're still here."
I turned to see Olivia standing in the aisle, her hands tucked into the pockets of her leather jacket.
"I was packing up," I said, lifting my bag as proof.
She walked toward me, her footsteps deliberate. "I saw the photos Jake printed on the paper today, they were really good"
"Thanks," I said, unsure why her compliment felt heavier than it should.
"You're not half bad, that's rare around here." she continued, stopping a few feet away. "You've got an eye for things most people miss."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I didn't.
Her gaze lingered on me, and for the first time, I felt the full force of her attention. It was like she was peeling back layers, trying to figure out what made me tick.
"You should come to the after-party tomorrow," she said suddenly.
"After-party?"
"The cast always throws one after our first full run-through. You'll come." It wasn't a question.
"I'm not really a party person," I said, shifting uncomfortably.
Her lips curved into that enigmatic smile again. "I figured. But you should still come. Consider it... a chance to get out of your comfort zone."
Before I could respond, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, the weight of her words feeling heavy on my head.
***
That night, I lay awake in my dorm room for a while, in the dark staring at the ceiling. Olivia's voice echoed in my head, her words curling around me like smoke.
"You've got an eye for things most people miss."
I didn't know why it mattered so much, but it did.
And I couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, this assignment was about to become more than just a few photographs.
YOU ARE READING
Tethered Light
Romance"Before the chaos, there was quiet. Before the darkness, there was light." This story is a prequel to Echoes of Us and Through the Lens of You, where Heather takes us back to her college years - seven years before that fateful night when she met Bil...
