Inspiration

23) Her

Everyone is shouting, throwing orders around, and I feel like I am one shout away from losing my mind. The play is a couple of hours away, and the whole stage and backstage are upside down. George and Blake are supervising the workers. Workers are everywhere putting things, making sure that things are in the right place. Us actors are dressing while rehearsing our lines. All the girls share a room while the boys share the room next to us. Now, I get why Justin told me not to get excited about the changing rooms.

We are all clothed, but we are rehearsing our lines with the nervousness of the first day. When I make the same mistake on the line for the thousand time, I sigh and slam my face against the table in front of me.

"Hey, you will ruin your make-up," Mary shouts at me.

I glare at her, and Samantha rolls her eyes, "seriously, that's what you care about?"

Mary shrugs and comes closer to me with Samantha. Samantha put a hand on my shoulder, "nervous?"

I close my eyes and sigh, "I can't say a line right, and I feel like I am forgetting everything and all of that without the eyes of the audience staring at me."

"I still remember my first play," Mary says, looking at the distance, "I couldn't open my mouth for half an hour before the play."

My eyes grow wide, "Then, what happened?"

She smiles and holds Samantha's hand, "I looked at Sam, and she gave me a reassuring look that I needed to learn how my mouth works."

Samantha smiles back, and they share a moment. Cute, but I am still having a breakdown.

I sigh, then a knock comes on the door. Samantha tells them to enter, and Blake is at the door with a wide smile. I look into his eyes, and I see nervousness and happiness dancing.

"Looking good, ladies," he says with his usual smirk.

"Thanks, Blake," Samantha says with a sweet smile then she signals for Mary to leave. Mary nods, and they leave us alone, but not before Mary whispers, "and here is your Sam."

I smile and look at Blake. We both share a quiet moment, staring at each other. "Looks hectic outside."

He rolls his eyes and sits on the chair beside me, "you have no idea. You know how everything falls before it goes back to normal?"

I nod, and he snorts, "We are in the falling apart, and it doesn't look like it will go back to normal any time soon."

I smile and put a hand on his cheek. He sighs and puts his hand above mine before he plants a kiss on the inside of my palm.

"Everything will be alright," I whisper with a smile.

He smiles back and whispers, "Everything will be alright."

We share another moment of silence as we appreciate each other's presence.

He sighs, "my father was a theatre enthusiast."

I smile widely, "I didn't know that."

He smiles back and nods, "I think he went to every play that had ever been played in this theatre."

He signals around us, "this is the first time I have entered a theatre after his death."

He chuckles, "if I ruin this, he will kill me... I want to make him proud."

I pull him for a hug, and he welcomes me instantly. I tighten my grip around him, and he kisses my shoulder. I pull away and cup his face between my hands, "you have put your everything into this play; your father is already super proud of you."

He smiles gratefully and tries to kiss me, but I move away. He pouts, and I giggle, "you don't want to ruin my make-up."

A knock sounds on the door, and we hear George shouts behind the door, "Hey, lover boy, isn't it time to help me out a little?"

I laugh out loud and Blake groans, "I will see you later, beautiful."

His hand is on the doorknob when he turns around and smiles, "you know that I came here to calm you down and not vice versa."

I smile and look him in the eye, "once you came here with that smirk on your face, I calmed down."

He stares at me for a while, then groans before opening the door, "you are killing me!"

I laugh again as he closes the door behind him.

I take a deep breath and look myself in the mirror.

"I can do this," I mumble. I close my eyes and continue rehearsing.

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When I come out of the room, things are less chaotic, but everyone is still so busy. I move to the curtain and open it slightly, only to close it as fast as I opened it. The whole theatre is full of people, and I feel nauseous.

"Have you seen how crowded the place is?" Mary chirps next to me.

"I don't feel so good," I tell her truthfully.

She grabs both my shoulder and looks me in the eye, "you are not going sick on us, now."

"For all those months, I have let you take the lead and was contempt with my secondary role," she says louder than needed, "I am not gonna let you leave now after I let you be the leading lady."

I take a deep breath and nod, "you are right; this isn't the time to chicken out."

I move away and open the curtain again only to feel weak in the knees. Mary chuckles and holds me straight, "oh there, tiger."

Damn my weak legs!

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The play is five minutes away, and everything is in place. I stand in my place backstages since I don't appear at the very beginning, I swear that if everyone stops shouting, they will be able to hear my heartbeats.

I feel hands on my arms, and I don't have to look around to know to whom they belong to.

"I think I am about to faint," Blake whispers in my ear.

I snort and act shocked, "faint? You are so overreacting."

He snorts, "Yeah, like you weren't going weak in the knees a few minutes ago."

I groan, "oh, don't remind me, my heartbeats are sky-high right now."

He rests his chin on my shoulder, "I feel you, Harp, I feel you."

The curtain is drawn, and the whole theatre goes silent. Everyone starts to act their roles, and then it's my cue to come out.

Blake kisses my shoulder and whispers, "you can do this, Harp; I believe in you."

I take a deep breath and move to the stage. The audience starts to clap, and I curtsy. When I look at them, my breath hitches... so many people. I feel dizzy for a second; I feel like I forgot all my lines. I gulp, and the clapping ceases, which is my cue to talk. I try to open my mouth, but I can't. I look away and close my eyes.

I am here because of my talent.

I am not gonna let you leave now after I let you be the leading lady.

I want to make him proud.

I believe in you.

I came a long way for this... I am not gonna chicken out, now.

I sneak a look at Blake, and he smiles at me... Mary is right, he is my Sam. I look at my co-actors and start my lines.

Tonight, I am the leading lady. Tonight, I am Dory.

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