Damsel in Distress

Chapter 18 - The show goes on

            Today was the opening day of Beauty and The Beast, and I was already freaking out. The showing started at seven today, and I wasn't prepared at all. My hair was still atrocious, my makeup undone, my costume had gone missing, and I couldn't seem to find my other shoe.

            It was currently six and I was supposed to be on stage reviewing my lines in ten minutes.

            Life was chaotic at the moment.

             I ran frantically around my dressing room until I found my hair brush. I brushed my tangled hair as I walked, still searching for my dress. I didn't really need my makeup done yet, but it had to be done by 6:30. I had put myself on a schedule, which I was almost running behind of.

             I jumped a little bit at the sound of thunder. There was a raging storm outside, which was only going to get worse as the day continued. I hope the storm doesn't scare away people wanting to see the musical.

             I finally spotted my other shoe and my dress hiding in a corner behind some extra props, thank god. I squeezed the shoe on and slipped on the dress. I then rushed out the door, throwing my brush behind me. I made it to the auditorium just in time, Mrs. Cunningham had just entered the room.

            "Thank you for joining us, Arabella." Mrs. Cunningham said in a straight voice. I knew that she must've been worried, it seemed that I hadn't been the only one who hadn't done their makeup, or lost a shoe.

             "We're just goanna go over a couple of the last scenes, seeing as it seems that most of you still need to get ready." She stares distastefully at everyone, like me, who were still disheveled or missing a part of their costumes.

             By 6:30 we were finally allowed to leave and finish getting ready, which for me meant rushing back to my dressing room and finishing my makeup. Belle was supposed to have a natural look, so it obviously didn't take long to put it on. And yes, I knew how to put on makeup, just because I chose to not wear it didn't mean that I didn't know how to use it. Lacey made sure of that in countless sleepovers.

             Speaking of Lacey, she knocked on the door, using a secret knock that she insisted we needed, and rushed into my personal changing room.

             "Oh, you look just wonderful!" Lacey exclaims.

             I turn to look at her, a faint expression of doubt on my face, "Lacey, please tell me why you rushed in here?"

             "No reason really," she said casually, roaming my dressing room and touching various things, "I just think that it's unfair that you have, like, your own changing room while every other girl is stuck in the gym. And, let me tell you, just because the windows are covered and the doors locked it doesn't make it any less creepy when you hear the boys walking by in the hall."

             "Oh," I didn't think of it that way, "well, the only reason I get to change here is because this is closest to the stage, and apparently some of my entrances and exits are hurried. I actually fought to be in the gym with the rest of you, you know."

             She looked accomplished and got up from the spare box of costumes that she had found to sit on, "I probably need to get going anyway, Mrs. Cunningham is going to check up on us in a couple of minutes to make sure we don't accidently leave a curler on like Meredith Hamilton did last year."

             And with that she left with a little skip in her step. It took a lot to get that girl to become unhappy.

             I heard the door's secret knock again and sighed aloud. "Lacey, I thought Mrs. Cunningham was going to check up on you guys. What else could you want?"