The Anatomy of a Broken Heart //Completed//

67. Caleb

It was Friday night and the theater nerds (I guess I couldn't deny the fact that I'd inevitably become one of them) were having geek-fits over their first show. Ansel, who I'd never seen so nervous, wasn't even phased by my jokes about his slicked back greaser hair or the bright yellow bomber jacket he had to wear. He just stood backstage, shifting form foot to foot, cracking his knuckles and whispering under his breath. I caught a word or two and realized he was rehearsing his lines.

"Dude, relax," I said. "You're going to be fine. Breathe." Around us, stage hands were busy setting up the opening scene behind the thick velvet curtain. 

"You're not the one who's gonna be standing in front of like a hundred people," he retorted. I didn't have the heart to say that the auditorium housed at least a thousand people and it was a full house tonight. Both my parents and his showed up. Even Marcus and Sadie had shown.

Dad was rather impressed that I'd been "doing something with my time," instead of just sports. He'd have preferred I was involved in school politics, but anything was preferable to nothing.

"I can't believe your parents came," Ansel said. He sounded breathless like his lungs were too full of something else, something thick, which didn't leave room for much air.

"I can't believe your parents came," I said.

"Are you kidding? They're freakin' thrilled. I thought dad would call me a fag and toss me out onto the street when I told him. I guess I forgot how much a fan of the theater dad is. Mom even loved Maria, and they're mostly here to see her."

"They've met her?" I was shocked. I didn't think it was that serious, much less something his parents would love. "And they're okay with it?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "I was honestly as shocked as you were, but I'm telling you, man, this girl can get anyone to love her." He smiled wistfully and I sighed. He actually sighed, like a lovesick puppy.

I punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Get a grip, Romeo."

"Technically Drake over there, who's playing Tony, is Romeo today."

I followed his gaze and saw Maria chatting animatedly with a tall, dark, and (dare I think it?) handsome dude in a sports jacket. His hair was slicked back like Ansel's but a single loose curl fell onto his brow, like a high school Clark Kent look alike. I whistled loudly.

"You're going to let that guy kiss your girl?"

"Don't remind me." He pouted. "I tried pulling the, "you're my girlfriend and you can't kiss another guy even for a play" card, and she was having none of that. Reminded me that the patriarchy was made to be brought down and that the only men in her life who could tell her what to do were her daddy and Jesus, so I gotta suck it up. And that's what I'm doing. Besides I don't think Tony is a huge fan of girls anyway."

Just then, Drake said something which made them both laugh and pushed a loose curl behind Maria's ear. A classic move. "I wouldn't be so sure," I said.

"Excuse me," Ansel said and stomped towards the laughing pair. He pulled Maria away from Drake, who was already busying himself with another girl, and brought her over.

"Caleb wants to say good luck," Ansel said.

"Thanks!" Maria smiled widely and I noticed she looked more like her sister than I'd realized. That, or I was seeing Santana's face everywhere because I hadn't been able to get her off my mind for the whole week.

As if knowing what I was thinking, Maria piped up, "My sister's around here somewhere. She's helping with the makeup. If you want to go say hi."

The lights dimmed then, and the actors started scrambling onto the stage, into position. Maria gave Ansel a kiss for luck and let him go.