Stage Fright

Chapter 28 ~ Going Steady

Heather

I'm so lucky. I'd just had the best weekend possible with the best guy I knew. I'd never felt like this before, where I'd start smiling randomly when I thought about him. There was something about Josh that I really liked. Every single night he'd text me goodnight, we'd call when we couldn't see each other. 

I wanted him around all the time but I really had to control myself. I wouldn't have him thinking that I was clingy and incapable of giving him space. Seeing him a couple evenings a week was all I needed, when we could really be together without worrying what people would see or what they'd think.

Part of my heart broke knowing we couldn't be together at school. If somebody saw something word would immediately get around and Miss Young wouldn't be pleased. There were so many times when I wished I could sit with him at lunch, that we could hold hands or steal a kiss.

This was agony, I wasn't used to feeling this way about a guy. Normally guys chased me, I wasn't used to worrying about myself or how I'd come across. I didn't fuss over if I was doing everything right or wrong.....but with Josh, I worried constantly about how he viewed me. If once we really started to spend all of this time together if he'd change his mind.

We were a little less than a week-and-a-half away from his birthday and I still didn't know what to get him. I really wanted it to be special and I didn't know how. I just wanted to be somewhere in the real world with him, not hiding in our houses and hoping Owen was really keeping his secret.

I don't know when I started to feel like this about Josh, but I was falling fast. I'd never had feelings like this for anyone in my life. 

But I perked up slightly knowing I'd see him soon. Today was Wednesday, we had an insanely long practice today and I felt let down knowing my dad was home today and I couldn't see him until after nine. But maybe Josh and I could have an excuse to kiss today. Fingers crossed.

"Heather!" Miss Young says, waving me over and I smile, heading over to her table. "How are you feeling today?" She asks and I shrug.

"Alright." I tell her and she smiles.

"I was wondering if we might be able to give the drive-in scene another shot today?" She asks. "Unless you're still recovering, in which case don't worry-"

"No, I think I'll be alright." I tell her and she smiles.

"Are you sure?" She asks and I nod.

"Yeah, it's just Josh." I assure her and she nods. 

"Well it'll just be the three of us running it in the drama room. Hopefully that'll make it more comfortable." She tells me and I smile. 

"That's great." I tell her and she smiles. 

I put my stuff down and pull out my script, reading through a few lines. Then I feel someone tap my shoulder and I turn to see Josh. I do what I can to keep from hugging him, I just smile instead, feeling my cheeks get warm. I kept forgetting that I'd taken my top off on Friday, I wasn't embarrassed about it, but it made my heart beat faster.

"Hey." He whispers and I smile.

"Hi." I whisper back. "We're doing the drive-in scene today." He nods a bit and then furrows his eyebrows.

"Are you sure you're alright with that?" He asks and I nod.

"Yeah, you know I trust you." I whisper and he smiles.

We all do a large group warm up number and then the rest of the cast practices their dances while Josh and I follow Miss Young to the drama room.

"Okay, both of you grab a chair and set up just like last time." She says and we both nod, taking a plastic classroom chair and setting them down next to each other. Miss Young sits in her chair with her clipboard and looks up to both of us. "Alright, remember that Sandy's not happy with Danny in this scene and Danny, you really want Sandy to forgive you. Ready?" She asks and we both nod.