hobbledehoy

Glory And East

"Once you enter the theater, you're not Merlynn Park and Hyrum Aniston anymore."

Roland spoke very seriously. This was no time for fun and games. The show opened in a week and a half.

He adjusted his fedora, an impressive one at that, and continued lecturing the cast. Mainly Merlynn and I, because out of all the scenes, ours was the worst.

"Once you enter the theater... You become your characters. You're Glory and East now."

I nod quickly, I really did want to get this right, I owned him that.

But things have been a bit strange between Merlynn and I. Sure we still hangout, but only in groups with our other friends, there isn't as much one on one time.

"Want to run through it again?" She asks me, her tired eyes fluttered shut.

"We've been at it for three hours now," I smile sympathetically, I knew how tired she was, "Why don't you stop by my place tomorrow, we can run lines then."

"Um, Wes is actually taking me out of town tomorrow," Merlynn stuffed her script into her backpack, "Special date, he says."

"Oh." I nod quickly, and shrugged it off.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course. Are you?"

"Always. I miss you, by the way."

I suddenly felt like someone had punched me in the gut. Or those times when your stupid friend (Tatum) yanks a chair out from under you, and leaves you embarrassed and sore.

"I feel like we've been growing apart, you know?" She steps a bit closer to me.

My stomach drops. This is my fault, I've been the one avoiding the one-on-one times, all because I didn't want to end up in a awkward conversation.

"You're still my best friend, Merlynn." I say, then reached out and rubbed her arm.

"My favorite person." A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.

"The... The Glory to my East." I pull her into a hug, a tight one.

"I thought you hated hugs..." She said into my chest.

Not when they're from you...

"I've trying to change... Hugging isn't that bad."

Just tell her now. Admit it, tell her that you don't want her to date Wes, because she should be dating you.

She should be dating me.

"Merlynn, I need to say something--"

"Henry!"

A groan escaped my mouth as I turned around and saw Wes jogging up to the stage. Frustrated, I took a step back and let him embrace Merlynn, his girlfriend.

"It's Hyrum." I mutter quietly.

"Babe, just came to return this," Wes hands Merlynn a wadded up shirt, "You left it in my dorm the other night."

Wes winks at me, and I mentally begin ripping his limbs off and beating him with them.

"I will see you both later." I say coldly, and that was unnecessary and immature, but I didn't give a crap at the moment.

I turned my back to them and walked back stage, where Roland was working with Suzanne and Parker, who would be playing Phil the working man, and his hardworking wife, Marci.