Meaningful Silence

Chapter Three

It has been exactly one month of practice and I have been working hard on this play. I felt as if I was the only one taking this seriously.

"You guys, Juilliard School is coming here. Does that not mean anything to you guys!?" I yelled at my group.

"Nathan, I think you're taking this a little too seriously. It's only the second week," Adrian said calmly.

"Yeah, Nathan. You need to relax a little bit," Alina fixed her hijab and pinned it back in place.

"I need everything to be as flawless as me. Which means all of you need to be perfect!" I gripped my script tightly as I stared at them.

They said nothing and just stared at me.

"Lets start again!" Ms. Rhea announced.

We all got into our places and went through scene one. It was going very smoothly until my costume change.

...

I quickly went out through the side doors where I began to unlaced my puffy shirt. On the sides stood Amelia, Hassan, and Emily. Amelia and Hassan quickly went to work with my mask and vest, but Emily was being very slow. Her hands fumbled with the arms of the black jacket which irritated me. I scowled, walked over to her, and took the jacket.

"Emily, I don't care if you're new here but hurry up!" I put the jacket on myself.

Hassan spoke up, "Dude, back off okay? She's new to this."

I looked at him, "I don't care. Get it through your head that these changes have to be quick like this."

I snapped my fingers in front of his face and he frowned. I then turned to Emily who rubbed her arm.

"Emily, work faster or get out," I said turning on my heel and leaving.

...

I laid on my stomach in my bed trying to do some physics homework which I did not understand. I tried over and over with the math but gave up and crumpled my papers in frustration. I turned on my back to rest but heard a soft 'ding' noise.

I looked at my phone to find a text message from Adrian.

"Not cool, dude."

"What?" I responded.

"What you said to Emily. Amelia told me the whole thing."

"It was her fault. She was too slow," I justified.

"She's new. Of course she would be. Not to mention she's also mute."

"That doesn't matter. She can still use her hands."

"You're really being a dick you know? You need to apologize to her ASAP."

"What??? No way!" I responded.

"Could you stop being a selfish prick for one second and be nice."

"Fine." I grumbled and slammed my phone down on the bedside table.

This was gonna be hard.

...

The next day during practice, I found Emily helping Hector paint some props for the show. Her hair was put in a bun held by a large clip, and her hands were smeared with black paint. She was smiling to something Hassan showed her on his phone.

"Hey, Emily." I said behind her.

She turned around and dropped her smile.

Hassan also turned and muttered, "Sacre bleu..."

"Ha ha," I said sarcastically before looking to Emily, "Can I talk to you?"

She looked at Hassan with a raised eyebrow before looking back to me and gesturing with her hand.

I cleared my throat, "I wanted to say sorry for yesterday. Do you forgive me?"

She crossed her arms and looked up at the ceiling like she was thinking, before looking back at me. She dropped her arms with a sigh and nodded.

I smiled, "Thanks, Emily."

She shrugged and turned back around to paint.

I was just about to leave when I heard Hassan speak, "You're lucky Hector wasn't here, because if he was and she said 'no', he would've kicked your ass."

"Can't argue with that."

...

Practice when by a little easier now that we started to get our act together. Pun intended. Emily started to move quicker after my apology and we've been able to work better as partners. Amelia and Parker have also helped Emily with stage crew and taught her how to move easily. Once in a while there would be a slip up, but I learned to hold my tongue and try not to react too quickly. After practice I went to find that group to praise them for their work.

I found Amelia and Hassan, "Hey guys, good work. We're doing great so keep at it."

Hassan looked shocked, "Since when do you compliment someone other than yourself?"

"Ha ha, very funny. I can be nice...sometimes."

"Those very very rare times when you decide to be a decent person and not an asshole," Amelia added.

I rolled my eyes, "Where's Emily?"

"She walked down that way I think," Amelia pointed towards the side door of the stage.

I walked to the side of the stage and through the doors. I heard a voice and saw Emily and...Zack?

He seemed a little too close to her, and Emily didn't look very interested in the conversation.

I walked over to them, "Hey, Emily. I was looking for you."

Zack turned my way then back to Emily, "Oh hey, Nathan. Don't you have some practicing to go back to?"

"Don't you have a girlfriend to go back to?"

He turned around and walked to my face, "Watch yourself Nathan."

"Watch yourself, Zack. That's my stage crew partner. Got it." I eyed Zack.

We both glared at each other before Zack shoved me out of his way and out the doors.

I looked towards Emily once the doors closed, "Don't get caught up with Zack. He flirts with anything that breathes. Good work during practice today."

She smiled warmly at me.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," I waved at her before going out the doors.