My Fictional Boyfriend

Chapter 31 ~ Signs

There's so much in between sunrise and sunset, introduction to credits, life and death. What more from the first word to the last punctuation, from the front to the back cover?

Despite the need to badly finish the tasks from my props and costume team which were due on Thursday, two days before the play, I still tried to push the article I would have to submit weeks after. I couldn't help it, my mind was buzzing around the topic that suddenly came in to my mind, thanks to Marvin. Call me a slacker of priorities but you see, this is the second step in writing: When the words call, you don't have any choice but to write them down, else you wanted to have a migraine from haywired thoughts. Besides, my friends were busy for the practices including James and Alexa who were also helping in the practice.

"So can I read the article now?" I called Marvin after I saved the article and closed it. I decided to keep it from him and from anyone until the article was published. The topic was still a mystery for him.

"Nope," I said, even though I was thinking that he already knew because of our special mind connection. "I want to surprise you." I smiled and visited our story in my website. "Congrats, we have more reads!"

Marvin peeked behind my study chair and we browsed through the comments section. We saw familiar positive comments but there were also negative ones like how they seemed too perfect despite several arguments I wrote about them. They were nothing for me, really. Though I value my readers' thoughts and opinions, I also value my intellectual and emotional decisions when it came to my story. This is my story, I got a whole lot to say about what would happen.

The latest comment struck me the most so far. It was posted just a few minutes ago.

Hi, gracella, I really love your story, we're waiting for how it will end.

Then someone replied on the comment, making it a thread in my latest uploaded chapter.

Sad but true. As the saying goes, leave the party before it gets boring.

"But I don't want it to end," I said as if they're talking to me personally.

"Ella," Marvin rotated my study chair to face him sitting at the end of my bed. "Maybe these are signs to remind you it's time to think of how our book will end, but that doesn't mean we will end too, the book is just a part of our story but not the story itself."

I forced a smile but I just cant.

"The decision is still up to you. Just don't forget that I'll just be here either way." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I want this, just this everyday. I was so scared then  of what might happen to him, to us, if I would finish the story.

"Remember what's in between..."

I quoted a phrase from my article. Yes, the beginning and ending were important, but what's in between too did, there were even  times that they're more important.

But how?

I couldn't express my emotions and thoughts on how I would like to end our book. Words weren't enough, they never could...

A knock came and the door opened before I even asked who it was. "Are you decently dressed?" Aly peeked her head, opening not nearly half of my door.

It seemed strange but yes I was dressed decently enough because it was in the afternoon. "Gladly I didn't just wake up."

Aly fully opened the door to reveal Liam was in the other side too. "Sorry, Els, we're really nervous about the play. We need an audience who knew the scenes."

"Even better that us," Aly laughed.

"Me?" I stood and tried to awkwardly cleaned my room by discreetly picking things up to put it somewhere else.

"Duh." Liam sat and bounced on my bed.

"Sorry for not knocking, though. Liam forced me not to knock." Aly rolled her eyes. If Aly didn't have Sean as her boyfriend, I realized that they actually look good for each other. Ofcourse I wouldn't say that aloud because I didn't want to raise any suspicion or awkwardness.

"Alright, give it a go." I folded my arms and watched them. I looked for Marvin, wanting to watch with him but he was no where to be found.

They practiced some scenes in front of me, both individual and dialogues. I even had to act like Cosette for Liam and Eponine's mother, Madame Thenardier for Aly.

I rested when they had their solo dialogues. I simply listened, the script lingers in my mind that I actually can follow their flow already from hearing their lines for like a hundred time.

"Marius, I haven't seen you lately. I'm sure that you're planning to change the world? Or..." Aly seemed to trailed off the script. "Or..."

"Or thinking ways on how to overthrow the state?" I suddenly supplied for her. They both looked at me and were surprised that I didn't have a script on hand, I just memorized the lines passively.

"Yes!" Aly said, preventing her laughter. "Or thinking ways on how to overthrow the state?" After the last word she couldn't control it and we laughed.

It was a sign for a short break. I asked Neri to bring snacks for us, cookies and orange juice. We crossed-legs sat on one corner of my floor.

"I hope you're in the stage during the play, to supply me with missing words." Aly told me in between bites.

"Don't be silly! I believe in you! You can do it."

"Well, I honestly think you can do it better."

I looked at her strangely, "Except the singing part."

Liam who was busy with his phone agreed to tease me, "Indeed! Or else we might experience severe tropical storm."

I nudged his arm as he went back to chat someone. "I accompanied you in the auditions! Be thankful! Anyway, why are you so busy with your phone?"

Aly laughed. "He also can't share to me who he was chatting all the time even in the org room."

Aly and I leaned closer, ready to grill my bestfriend. Since the rehearsals, he spent more time with Aly, but instead of getting jealous, I understood that he needed his time too, though I had a massive catching u to do after this play.

Liam defensively hid his phone and focused on the cookies. We slowly leaned back and sighed. "Come on, Liam, share!" I insisted. I should also mention that if Aly wasn't there with us enjoying the cookies, I would definitely think it was her.

"It's nothing, come on, we still have three more scenes to practice." He abruptly stood to the other side where they were practicing. Aly followed after a moment. "Alright, let's end this!"

End this.
End.

As crazy as it sounds, that word haunts me. I just wanted my mind to free from it.

"So," Marvin appeared beside me, right in time to save me from my thoughts. "Not regretting that you didn't pursue with the Cosette role?"

"Part of me does, actually." I stared at Liam and Aly who were then busy practicing. "But I honestly think there's a reason why I didn't, not just sugar coating," I looked at Marvin and smiled. "I just felt."

"Whatever that is I pray it's for the best." He smiled back.

I was being honest when I said that part of me regrets not getting the role, it would be more exciting if I wasn't here on the sidelines, simply watching my friends wear the costumes we made. It would be more fun if I was with them on stage, during rehearsals, and slacking in Org Room 7. But I was also being honest when I said I really felt there was a reason why I didn't got the role or I chose not to. I was expecting for signs or whatnots, or maybe it already came; it might be the letter from the publisher where I belonged. Whatever it was -- they were -- I was happy for my friends and how amazing they'd become.

But yes, later on I would find out why.