Illusion

4

The day of dress rehearsal finally came.
The room was full of tension as everyone hurried about.
Props were being placed where they should be, the curtains were being adjusted, the lights being tampered with. General before show jitters showed on everyone's face.

I liked to stay away from the cloud of chaos. I sat backstage on the stairs with Harry as everyone else ignored us for everything that needed to be done.

"Have the nerves hit you yet? I know this is your first time performing" I tried to break the silence with Harry.
"Not really no. It's like the excitement of football. You use the nerves to fuel you"
It's like he had taken the words out of my mouth, I always described it that way.
"I'm really gonna miss being on the field"

"I'm going to miss being on the stage." My best feature was empathy.

"You've got another year, don't sweat it" he replied as he patted me on the head and walked away.

Harry was a senior this year, I was a year younger than him.

I thought it was crazy how everyone in our theatre group ended up becoming friends with him. He made everyone a mix CD and I'll never forget the look on his face after seeing everyone so surprised and happy about his sweet gesture.

I never really expected it to be honest. I thought he was just doing it for the extra points, but he really put his heart into it. He was really similar to the group. He was different. He understood.

After rehearsal everyone was starving and broke off into groups to go get dinner for the night. Harry was left behind and I noticed him wondering out to his truck alone.
"Harry!" I called out to him. "C'mon with us, don't be a stranger."
The biggest smile I have ever seen formed on his face and he ran over to my car.
"Okay, but in riding with you." He didn't even get that whole sentence out before he was in my passenger seat.

I felt the butterflies again. I was scared.

Halfway through dinner Harry's mood dropped completely. He stopped smiling and laughing and grew very quiet. I didn't ask him what was wrong until we made our way back out to my car. "You want me to bring you back to your truck" I asked. I didn't want to intrude. Small talk was best, not getting involved was best.
"Please" he groaned as he slid back into the passengers seat. The ride back was quiet and harry sat with his knees up in the seat and his head resting on them.

I finally built up the courage to ask what was wrong.

"My girlfriend is very upset that I had dinner with everyone"

"You didn't have to come, you could've went and spent time with her" I just wanted to comfort him at this point. I hated seeing him sad.

"I don't want to be with her."

He slammed my car door, walked to his truck, and sped off.

From that moment on I knew I never wanted to see Harry that upset again.