How To Love An Actor

{V} So It Begins!

I was stuffing my books in my locker and fiddling nervously with the hems of my sleeves. I hear the jangling of bracelets and pounding of footsteps before I finally see Patton run around the corner. His eyes are wide and frightful and there was a bounce in his step that definitely wasn't there before.

"Did your nerves magically vanish?" I asked as I cocked my eyebrow.

"Nope, not at all! But I did ask the director if, hypothetically speaking, a boy could try out for the role of a girl and they said that, hypothetically, a boy could try out!" Patton said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"That really good, right?"

"Hypothetically speaking, yes!"

"Well, soon it won't be so hypothetical... Oh god, that doesn't even sound like a word anymore." I grinned as I removed the crumpled up pop tarts from this morning from my pocket. I hand one to Patton, who takes it gratefully.

"Gosh, I'm about to throw up, but like, throw up glitter, y'know? It's like

excited vomit!" Patton giggled.

"Don't excitement vomit on me," I groaned as kicked my locker shut with

my foot and grabbed Patton's arm. "We're gonna be late, by the way. They start right after school don't they?"

Patton unwraps his Poptart, which is strawberry and frosted because I'm not a monster, and nibbles gently on the corner. I, however, shove the Poptart in my face. A few crumbs fall down, which I try to discreetly pick off my shirt and eat. The rest, I, uh, save for later...

"Thanks for bringing food, by the way. Now when I excitement throw up, it will be with rainbow sprinkles!"

"I feel like the less we talk about you spewing your guts the better you'll be," I grinned.

"Yeah. You're always so smart! When did my little son get so wise?" Patton whimpers as he wipes fake tears away from his eyes.

I grin as walk we walk to the auditorium. Patton keeps trying to slow down as he pretends to admire the fifth crudely painted portrait hanging in the hallway.

"Stop wasting time," I groan.

"Hey now," he grins, "I'm just respecting this amazing piece of... art!

I laugh and shove Patton towards the auditorium. I feel his muscles tense as he pushes open the doors. I place a hand on his back and massage slow circles in an effort to calm him down.

"Are you gonna be ok?" I ask quietly.

"I'm going to be great," he said as he turned to me.

His eyes are watery and his smile is bigger than I've ever seen it.

"I don't mean to cry or anything but I just can't help it! Everything here is so happy and bright and so, so perfect! No one has to deal with bad friends or parents or bad anything! I think I'm so nervous because I feel like I won't get a good role, or I'll have bad acting, and I might lose a spot in this place," he said as he gestured around the auditorium.

"You are going to fit right in," I grinned as I tried to discreetly point to as boy fanning his eyes as a girl dabbed at his eyes with a napkin.

I was about to continue speaking before a loud, silky voice flooded the auditorium.

"Okay kiddos! It's time to get this show on the road! Not literally, of course, because that would be a safety hazard, but you get what I mean," a tall man who waltzed out on the stage in front of the curtains said. "I am Mr. Picani, your friendly neighborhood theater director and I look forward to seeing this all... play out."