《THE COUNT》

the opera

Marya lead the two cousins to a small hallway.
It gave them claustrophobia as they headed into a smaller room,
narrow edges.
"The opera! The opera!" Marya yelled,
waiting for the cousins to walk out onto the balcony.
"Stop mooning and moaning, we'll miss the curtain!"

Justin was the first one to be shoved out, his breath skipped.
It was high up above the stage.
He hoped his cousin was there to help him,
she was but had a different view.
Natasha had a smile while Justin had a panicked frown.

"Welcome to the opera!" A man said loudly as he gave the three a program.
Justin used his to fan himself off.
It was cold, but Justin felt embarrassed.
He felt many eyes on him.
It had been many years since Justin stepped foot into Moscow,
a child before,
now a young adult.

Justin, Marya, and Natasha sat down in the middle row.
They kept quiet as they stared down at the stage.
Justin felt sick staring down,
it was too far down.
The young boy had a fear of heights.
It gave him anxiety,
so the boy clutched onto his cape.

Marya looked at her godson and snapped her eyes.
Justin gasped quietly, trying to not bring attention.
"Justin, smooth your cape."
Marya ordered.
Justin let out of his cape and adjusted it, smoothing it out behind him.
He could feel it hitting the floor, but he didn't mind.

Justin looked into the glass a few feet away,
he smiled.
He felt and looked pretty.
His confidence had rosed and didn't mind any stares. His looks were good enough for the opera.
It was just sitting down for 2 hours and that was it.
No opinion wouldn't stop Justin.

Justin stayed sitting, fanning himself with the program.
It was too high up,
too closed together.
He didn’t try to clutch onto his cape,
Marya would know without even looking.
The poor Count decided he would suffer.

It was obvious the attention was going to be on the two cousins,
for the two remarkable pretty cousins hadn’t been seen in London in many years.
They knew many about the cousins’ lives now.
Justin was engaged to the Prince Andrey.
Natasha was about to marry soon.
They knew Justin was engaged to one of the finest matches in Europe.

The relatives sat down,
staring at the stage below.
Justin gulped as he saw more guests arrive on the balcony,
it made him paranoid.
So much weight…
The Count thought,
We will fall to our death.

Soon, more people came onto the balcony.
Justin felt like it was going to fall,
and everyone was going to fall to their death.
Marya knew everyone who had come inside,
Justin and Natasha tried their best to catch up.

“Ah, look!
There’s Alex,
He’s finally home from the war,
…at last!” Natasha gasped, smiling.
Alex was a good friend of the family,
though the man had quite a temper.

Marya talked along too,
pointing at more people,
who were good friends of their family.
“Alex has changed!
Dear me! Michael has grown a bit stouter!”
They all giggled quietly, covering their mouths.
Justin noticed that his godmother did not smile as she giggled.

Marya nudged Justin,
pointing at a familiar man.
Justin gasped, covering his mouth.
He tried not to look, but did anyway.
The man who was supposed to be his betrothed.
Boris…
and his new betrothed.
Justin tried not to pay any attention,
for he was waiting for his soldier.

“Ah look!” Marya nearly shouted out loud,
“Boris and Julie,
engaged.” She said quietly once she noticed the look on Justin’s face.
Justin raised his chin up high,
snapping his eyes at the older man.
He felt like it was wrong now,
Natasha knew it all too well.