Misfit Theater Company 2

22. Okay, Thespians, Let's Smile

The whole Ensemble Theater Company group meets at Sean's house for pictures and limo pickup. Well, the whole Ensemble Theater Company group minus Moth, Patti, Layla and her little posse, and a few others. Otherwise, we are a pretty huge group that stretches all the way across Sean's front yard for photos, all of us with our patches either on our flowers or our corsages. The patches look cute. I mean, they achieve their purpose of uniting us, but given the tension between me and Thatcher, the patches seem to mock me. Look at you, idiot, didn't you want to unite everyone? Yet, here you are, fighting with your boyfriend instead of enjoying every possible moment with him before he goes off to Hollywood.

"Okay, thespians, let's smile," Sean's mom calls, obviously impersonating Mrs. Permala. I recognize his mom now that I see her. She comes to the school to volunteer during school performances. She passes out programs and welcomes people at the doors, so she is definitely familiar with Mrs. Permala's eccentricity.

A wave of laughter rolls over us, and Sean's mom captures the moment with her phone.

"Great, just a few more," she says as more of our parents step forward to take pictures. With our entire group, there are about twenty parents. It's like we're all on the red carpet and they are the paparazzi. I remember feeling like this at Snowball, back when everyone was still here and we were happy.

"You look beautiful," Thatcher whispers to me. I'm wearing another dress Mom and I found at the Goodwill store. This one is light blue, satin and floor length, with a few pick-ups throughout the skirt. It reminds me of a modern, blue Belle gown from Beauty and the Beast.

We are the only couple not matching, since Thatcher probably didn't have many options to choose from when he borrowed from Moth's father's collection, the only suit jackets with sleeves long enough to fit him apparently. His suit jacket is red velvet, just like Moth's Snowball jacket for an indigo velvet. It must be the style in the Boone household.

I don't care that we don't match. Not really. Or, at least, I wouldn't if everything was totally fine between us, but since it isn't, Thatcher's suit jacket seems like another piece of fabric mocking me.

My phone is in a little blue purse Mom bought for me at Goodwill, and suddenly, all I can think about is pulling it out and making a call.

"I'll be right back," I say. "Sean, I'm going to use your bathroom."

He leans back from the line of thespians posing to remind me where it is inside and to let me know I'm free to use it, but I'm already on my way. Inside, up the stairs to the main level, and then down the hall to the right. I almost catch the bottom of my dress in the door as I shut it, and then I press myself against the cool wood and slide to the floor.

Facial ID unlocks my phone.

I find her name in my contacts.

It's ringing.

"Hello?" Patti answers after only two rings.

"Patti," I say, but when the second syllable comes out, so do my tears.

"Janie, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Are you lost? This is Homecoming, isn't it? Have you been abducted?"

That makes me giggle long enough for me to regain composure. "No, no, I'm safe, I'm okay, we are all just taking Homecoming pictures at Sean's."

"Phew." She takes a beat. "Then what's wrong? I know when something is wrong."

"I really wish you were here Patti. I miss you. I miss all of us together."

"I know." I swear I can hear her frowning. "Where is Thatcher?"

"Outside."

"I love you, you know that. But why aren't you talking to him? Moth and I got coffee this morning before one of his auditions, so, like, I pretty much know what's going on, but... I want to hear it from you."