" DOMINOS " + STENBROUGH

[27]

stage makeup fucking sucks, stanley uris decides.

it's heavy, and drying, and stan can feel his skin breaking out at that very moment.

"quite fidgeting, stanny," beverly mumbles, as she runs a dark pencil over his eyebrows. he frowns.

"that shit's sharp, bev," he complains. he can't ignore the nerves bubbling in his stomach, as he sits in a chair in the dressing room that smells like hairspray, wearing uncomfortable tights and praying he doesn't forget his lines. why the fuck did the show have to be in shakespearean english anyways? it makes it so much harder to remember.

"it's sharpened, so your brows are nice and defined. we don't want the stage lights drowning you out," she explains, giving stanley a look.

"the only thing that'll be drowning is me in humiliation when i go out there and forget everything i'm supposed to say," stan mumbles.

"don't say things like that!" betty says. she's just walking over, her hair, makeup, and costume all ready for the show. her arms are crossed over her long velvet gown, a frown settled on her face. "you'll jinx it."

"i'm kidding, betty. we'll be fine." although, stan isn't sure if he's trying to convince betty more or himself.

"we'll be great," betty says, grinning. she glances at the clock on the wall behind her, and squeals. "twenty minutes until curtain! finish up his makeup, beverly."

beverly mock salutes, laughing as she finishes the tail of stanley's eyebrows, and grabs a large brush.

"i'm going to add a bit more blush, and then you're good to go." stan nods, grabbing his phone and checking it while beverly aggressively swirls her fluffy brush in a blush compact and dusts it across his cheeks.

one new message from bill

stanley gulps, and places his phone face down on the table without seeing what he says.

"everything okay?" beverly asks, raising an eyebrow as stan slides off the chair when she finishes. he nods.

"i'm going to go see how the theater is filling up." beverly nods, and runs off to help lady capulet with her costume, while stanley makes his way out of the wings and onto the stage.

the town square of verona is set, some crew members adjusting scenery quickly for the first scene. stanley stands center stage at the break in the curtain, taking a gentle (and slightly shaking) hand and peeling back a heavy black curtain.

nearly the entire audience is filled, faces of parents, and faculty, and students all coming to support the production of romeo and juliet. stanley's nerves go from a simmer to a boil, as his eyes gaze the audience. he notices his parents taking their seats just at that moment, his sister beside them. at the back of the theater are ben, richie, eddie, and mike. no bill. he's almost entirely relieved.

"stan? you're not supposed to peek! it's unprofessional!" he turns, letting the curtain fall shut, and is faced with an irritated betty. "take a deep breath, okay? promise me, you won't freak out tonight."

"too late," he mutters. the feather on the edge of his hat falls in his face, and he blows up with a breath of air, pushing the feather up.

"you will be great no matter what. you do amazing every rehearsal. just put your all into it, and it will go smoothly."

"promise?"

"promise," betty says, with a wink. "we are the best two people for this, so let's go out there and show them just how good we are."

"thank you." stanley grins, taking betty's hands and kissing her cheek lightly. she smiles, and he goes backstage for a moment, as he hears mrs. donovan call five minutes until curtain.

the dressing room is nearly deserted, the last few stragglers who aren't in the first scene touching up their powder, or crew members frantically looking for prop pieces that the respective cast member who was supposed to keep track of it lost. stan goes to the counter, searching until he finds his phone.

he unlocks it, opening his messages.

"stan? what are you doing in here? you should be on the other side of the stage, that's where your cue is from." stanley turns to face mrs. donovan, with a hand on her hip, red curls up and wild in a loose bun.

"i–"

"no excuses! go, get, you are the star, after all." stan drops his phone, not even bothering to look.

he makes his way to the other wings, and all while he waits for mrs. donovan to give her introduction speech and the curtains to open, stanley uris can only think about his best friend and love of his life hating him. and texting him just that. how much he is disgusted by him. and so that is what stanley uris decides he should use to fuel his emotions today.

even when the text from bill isn't even close.

in fact, stanley uris' phone in the dressing room is sitting fave up, his messages open, and on the screen,

bill: break a leg, stan x

——

sorry for such a long time away!!

i needed time for myself emotionally, and i'm even seeing a therapist now, so i should be getting somewhere.

i have a little less than two weeks of school left and then i'm free for the summer and can update more!!

- m