Forbitten

Chapter 6

I ran off the wooden stage, my cheeks flushed and my heart pounding. As soon as I got behind the dense, blood colored curtain, I hit the bony body of Richothy Linkin. He sneered down at me, his chapped lips spreading in a snarl over his yellow stained teeth with plaque stains. My mind flashed back to a Crest Whitening Strips commercial I had seen earlier that week. An artificial apology was about to escape my mouth when Richothy spoke up.

"Watch where you're going, bloodsucker." His words pierced me with unmeasurable venom before he continued annihilating my spirit. "Your performance was tragic. I'd rather listen to the sound of my own tears. Step aside for the real talent!" He began to pass and then stopped in his tracks. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder and said "B-T-W, I know what you're trying to accomplish, and it's not working. Christopher loves me!"

The curtain fluttered behind him as he stepped onto the stage while placing his mask over his features. I could barely breathe. What I believed before was only a hoax, but now I had proof. Mr. Yoi and Richothy... I could not bear to even imagine it. It made me sick all over again and I peeked out onto the stage as Richie started to sing.

His costume was ineffable. He wore a full body suit, covered in black, white, and grey fur. Covering his face was a faux head with the snout and ears of a bat. Upon the lobes of the huge ears were white gauges and the spotlight shined through them. His long tail followed his every movement across the stage, slithering as if it had a life of its own. I could only imagine the hours of hard work it took to make it and as his song reached the climax, I was brought to my knees in amazement.

"Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on

Once more you open the door

And you're here in my heart and my heart will go on and on"

As he sang, his lifted his bat-like arms and from his armpits came great wings. He continued to sing and I could see Mr. Yoi in the back of the auditorium, in the same exact spot, looking pleased. He was enjoying this and seemed to like it more than he did mine.

As Richothy finished his performance, he removed the head of his fursuit to reveal that he was crying. His chapped lips were for once moistened by his salty tears as they ran down his face. I resented him, pouring his feelings out the same way I had for the same person. I looked into the audience to see their reactions to Richie's performance, just in time to watch Mr. Yoi pick up a bouquet of flowers by his feet and head out the double doors. I thought of Richothy's words: Christopher loves me. Where was Mr. Yoi going? Was he going to meet Richie after the performance?

I could not handle the thought of Mr. Yoi and Richie having a relationship any longer. Listening to Richie pour his heart out for the same man I loved was too much. How could I compete with him? With what he was and I was not? I ran towards the dressing room. I tried to hold back tears, weaving my way through students. I almost knocked over the boy on stilts but I did not care. I was so hurt by the thought of Mr. Yoi bringing flowers for Richothy.

When I got into my dressing room, I sighed in relief. Costumes, feather boas, sparkling shoes, and more were thrown all across the floor, protecting me from the outside world and everyone in it. I was about to let myself cry freely, when I heard a voice.

"Mos, you were amazing out there." I looked up in shock at Mr. Yoi, and in his arms was a beautiful bouquet of apple blossoms. I blushed.

"Th-thanks, Mr. Yoi. I was so nervous," I responded. Why was he here?

Mr. Yoi stood and placed the bouquet down on the vanity. The wrap around them crinkled and I noticed the pattern was stars, like his socks. "You were splendid out on that stage. You took my breath away, Mos." Was he here for me? No way...

My head was spinning from all of the compliments. I could not believe that Mr. Yoi was really saying these things about me. It was overwhelming, but I could not get enough. I started inching closer to him when suddenly the door was burst open.

"Mos! Mos, you won! You got first place!" Terry was stood in the doorway, his dazzling smile reaching ear to ear. I felt my heart swell with pride and I turned to Mr. Yoi, who looked back at me in delight.

"Congratulations, that's amazing!" Mr. Yoi said and my blush somehow increased even more. Before I could respond, Terry began to pull on my arm.

"You have to get your trophy! And then our parents want to go to dinner together to celebrate. Do you like the restaurant Food for the Soul? 'Cause that's where we are going!" He kept blabbering and as he pulled, I looked back at my teacher. Our eyes kept each's gaze before Terry broke it, pulling me too far from him. However, I then remembered the apple blossoms on the vanity table.

"Wait, Terry! My flowers." He quickly let go of me, but did not follow. When I reached the door, I saw Mr. Yoi pick up the bouquet and smell the blossoms. He seemed sad.

"I forgot my flowers," I said quietly, walking towards him. He turned and met my eyes again, the hazel of his gleaming with hope.

"I noticed... obviously, I mean... You did well tonight," he said again as he moved forwards as well. My breath hitched in my throat as he came closer, barely an inch away. "Congratulations, Mos," was all he said before he bent down and prepared to place a kiss on my cheek.

"Mos, hurry up!" I heard Terry yell and turned towards the door. Mr. Yoi's kiss did not land on my cheek, but rather on my lips. My eyes widened in shock.

My first kiss...

We pulled away quickly and I blushed, looking away hastily. He did the same and pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his well sculpted nose.

"I, uh, have to go. Goodbye, Mr. Yoi. Thank you for the flowers," I whispered.

"Goodnight, Bright Eyes."

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