We'll Start All Over

Chapter 7: The Feeling is Real

Aly knew then that her feelings for Michelle were love.

Aly woke to her alarm, and pulled herself from her bed. It was early afternoon, and she had slept late knowing that the production would keep her up until early the next morning. She showered, dressed, ate and left the house with mixed feelings of dread and anticipation.

What would she say to Michelle when she saw her? But she knew she had to face it, she wouldn't let Michelle down by leaving the production after all the work they had put in and all the faith Michelle had had in her.

She arrived at the theater and went backstage immediately, calling her assistants into her dressing room to help her get ready. She wanted to be ready before she saw Michelle, so that she wouldn't be able to back down from playing her role.

Once she was ready, she left and went out onto the stage, where the final preparations were being made. She had expected to find Michelle there, but she was not around. She searched the whole theater looking for Michelle, but she was nowhere to be found.

Would Michelle leave her own role because of her? The thought made her upset, and she made her way up to the apartment where Michelle lived. She knocked on the door, but there was no response.

"Michelle, if you're in there, I want to talk to you," Aly said, "Please, I'm sorry about what I said, I never meant to upset you. Michelle, I... please don't leave this role because of me. I can't do this without my Princess Mitch."

She waited at the door, thinking she heard a sound, but there was nothing, and she left, returning to the backstage area to read over her lines and get in character before the evening show.

People started to arrive and be seated, and Aly continued to worry as there was still no sign of Michelle. She saw Michelle's father running around, but he was busy and she couldn't get a moment to talk to him. She sat backstage, trying to relax and center herself.

She knew she had to focus now on getting her lines right, regardless of whether Michelle showed up. But she couldn't imagine herself playing her part with anybody else but Michelle, and the thought that she might not show up broke her heart.

Before long, the other cast members were all backstage with her and ready to go. She wanted to ask them, because they all seemed unconcerned, but they were busy talking amongst themselves and she never found an opening.

Finally, nervous and afraid, she realized the show was about to start. She heard the narrator begin to tell the tale, and got up to go on stage, putting away all but the slightest vestiges of herself and getting in character.

When she stepped out, Michelle was waiting there, and smiled at her. The relief and joy that Aly felt nearly overwhelmed her, and it took all her courage to focus herself and deliver her first line. It was Princess Sasha and Mitch's first meeting, at the peace talks between the two enemy kingdoms, and Sasha and Mitch liked each other the moment they met, talking at length in private while the men discussed peace and war.

Weeks passed in the story, and Sasha and Mitch came to their first love scene, as Mitch was about to depart, the peace talks having broken down.

"Oh, my dearest Mitch, please don't leave me again!" Aly said, and they came together for their first kiss, only it wasn't just a stage kiss, she put all her heart into it.

She wanted to tell Michelle how she felt now, not wait until after the play, and so the only way to do it was through the story. They parted, and Michelle smiled, tears coming into her eyes.

"We will meet again, my dearest Sasha, of that I am sure," Michelle said, her voice charged with emotion.

At the interval, however, Michelle rushed backstage and disappeared, and Aly searched in vain for her, returning to find Michelle waiting for her. Michelle took her hand in hers and clasped it tightly, leading Aly out onto the stage before she could say a word.

The rest of the production was a complete success, and they received a standing ovation from the sizeable crowd. Many in the audience had tears on their faces from the final scene where Mitch sang her song in mourning for Sasha, and Aly felt on top of the world.

They finally went backstage, and Aly could see that Michelle was having the best day of her life. Her father hugged her, the cast congratulated her, and they dispersed to pack up and go home, leaving Aly and Michelle alone together.

"Michelle, I..." Aly began, but Michelle silenced her.

"It's all right, Aly," Michelle replied, "I was in my room, and I heard what you said. I'm sorry you couldn't find me before the play. I have to be alone to center myself, because of my intense stage fright. Being around all the hustle and bustle of the cast and crew makes me nervous, so I usually stay alone in my room and come down right when it's time to go on stage."

"I wanted to talk to you so much," Aly said, hugging Michelle, "I'm so sorry. I was afraid."

"It's all right," Michelle said, "I've been there too." They were walking down the hall to Aly's dressing room, and they went inside and threw everybody out before closing the door behind them. Aly dived into Michelle's arms, kissing her passionately, letting all of her emotions overwhelm her completely.

Michelle kissed back with fervor, and they became more adventurous, groping at each other's breasts and breathing heavily.

There was a knock on the door, and they parted as Michelle's father walked in.

"I want to thank you two," he said, "You did a splendid job. I appreciate it."

"Do you think the theater will be saved?" Aly asked.

"I don't know," Michelle's father said, "We'll have to see. But regardless, it was an amazing performance."

"We'll do it all over again tomorrow," Michelle said, "Thank you, Father, for giving me this opportunity."

"Thank you for writing a good script," he said, and left.