Evangeline Lawrence has a secret. A big secret. One involving her birthday, the player, August Griffin, who's (almost) like a brother to her, and a kiss the night before he ran away. No one else knows about it, aside from August, of course, and Evan...
I cough as dust billows up all around me. I try waving my hands in front of my face, but it's useless. The rooms above the D wing are even dustier than they were last year, if that's possible.
I sigh and get back to putting old wood and plastic props into the right bins. If there's any part of a show I hate, this must be it.
We, the Pacific Beach High School drama club and crew, finished putting on the Sound of Music five days ago. As I was part of crew, I had to come today to take apart the set and put the props back. After helping carry the wooden pieces of our used-to-be Abbey out to storage and shutting off the tech boards, I'm up here for the first time in a year.
I've always loved the theater, with its huge, complex sets and scenery, blinding lights, and old, sometimes squeaky microphones. When I was little, my parents used to take my brother, his best friend, and I to shows. Occasionally they were outdoor productions with huge tents covering a stage and lighting rig, but more often they were in a small, dingy theater that you could pass by without noticing it existed. However, as much as I love it, I really never thought about being part of a production until 5th grade.
I smile as I remember what happened.
Nathan and his best friend, August, were in 7th grade when Nathan dared him to try out for the school musical, Aladdin. Nobody except my idiotic brother was shocked when August got the leading role. Nathan was even more shocked when August excepted the part.
August Griffin, my brother's friend for what seems like forever. He was always at our house because, even back then, his family was a mess. So much of a mess that we were more his family than they were. Mom and dad, his parents, Nathan his brother and I, his sister. Almost.
Anyway, as soon as he and Nathan came home after school, he would start raving about the play. He would tell me, "Ann, you can't believe it! The lights shining on your face, the costumes, the music. Your free from all your worries 'cause you're someone else with other problems!" He went on to be the lead in every single play he tried out for.
I entered 6th grade the next year when August and Nathan were in 8th. August told me I should try out but,afraid of getting stage fright, I told him 'no'. I chose to be on lights crew, instead. Nathan decided to do back stage crew that year so it all worked out.
Now, senior year, I just finished doing lights on the last play I will ever work on in PBHS. It always makes me sad when a play ends. It's like something you put so much into is now done and you don't know what to do with yourself. This year the sadness is much worse.
Just ask Lisa, my best friend who I met through crew. She was working sound and had to keep telling me to cry quieter almost the whole last performance. But you could tell she was crying, too.
I shove the last prop in place and close the bin. Soon after, I take a step back and close my eyes. I always need to stop when I think about August. Stop thinking, stop moving, and just breath. I try to think about something else, something happier.
It hurts to think about him. It hurts when I get home and open the door, half expecting to see him, lounging on the couch. Even though I know he would be in college by now it still hurts to know that he...
My eyes fly open as one of the bins from an unknown play falls to the ground with a resounding bang. Great. I'm just about to pick up the now scattered contents, when I see something.
It's an envelope and not the regular type. It's fancier but not by a ton. The thing that really stands out to me is the little red wax seal. It's imprinted with a heart with two letters inside; A and G.
I know I've seen this design before but where? Was it in one of the plays? I mean, it was in a props bin. But on the other hand I have lived in this town since I was two and never has there been a play with a letter in it. Well, there has been but the letter did not look anything like this.
After a few minutes more of confusion, it hits me. Hard. Hot tears spring to my eyes and roll down my cheeks. August. August Griffin. I saw this design before because it was his. He always signed fans' (the girls in our town along with some others) paper with that instead of his signature. He ended up having it tattooed on the back of his right shoulder when he was 17. He also must have made a stamp of it.
I never asked why the design was so important to him. I mean there was obviously a reason as to why it was so important to him. As much as he could be reckless, he never would even consider getting anything else but this tattoo onto him.
But seeing this also gives me something I gave up on; hope. I have hope because for the first time since the day I found out he was gone, disappeared in the middle of the night without a trace, I found something of his.
Slowly, carefully, I turn the letter over. As I do, I try to comprehend that this could be a lead in a case with none. A way to find out what happened; where he went. Because even though... even though he's been missing for two and a half years, I don't think he is dead. I would feel it. I'm positive I would.
I look down at the letter, props and bins forgotten, and everything changes. Everything changes because I see who the letter is addressed to.
In August's slanted, slightly messy handwriting is written To Ann Lawrence. In another words, the letter from August, our potential clue, is addressed to me, Evangeline Lawrence.
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A good first chapter or what? Please review to tell me if you liked it. Please don't be to harsh though. This is my first book.
