Jessica and I became great friends over the summer. We studied, and she cheered me on during my physical therapy. Learning that I had taken dance classes as a child, she told me about the great dance group they had at the school. She used that for extra motivation when I was frustrated and tired.
Before we knew it, it was the first day of school. Things were a little rough at first. I’d come home so exhausted, I’d need to take a nap before I did anything else. Then, all of a sudden, everything started to click. I started to get my energy back. I was working hard with my classwork, and I even signed up for the dance group that met twice a week after school.
One afternoon I was sitting at one of the back tables in the library during my free period, which also happened to be the last hour of the school day. I always chose that spot in the library because it was quiet there, and I was able to concentrate.
I was thoroughly absorbed in The Scarlet Letter, our current literature assignment, when someone slammed their hands down on the table in front of me. I jumped out of my chair, finding myself face to face with Jessica.
“God, I wish you wouldn’t do that. I’m way too young to have a heart attack.” She looked over her shoulder just in time to see the librarian scowl at her. She shrugged, pulled a chair over, and sat down across from me.
“You know that new outfit you bought last week-end?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“I’ve got the perfect place for you to wear it.” She unfolded a flyer that had been stuffed into the back pocket of her low rise jeans.
A quick glance told me what it was. I had seen them all over the school. It was an 8x11 badly copied sheet of paper advertising the upcoming, casual school dance. “Jess, no. I really don’t want to go. Anyway, I’d feel stupid without a date.”
“Who said you wouldn’t have a date?”
“Please tell me you didn’t fix me up.”
“Well, you don’t seem to be putting much effort into it yourself.”
“I’m just not ready, and you know I’ve had a lot on my mind.”
“Oh, come on, Penny, you’re just scared. I happen to know there are a lot of great guys who’d love to spend time with you.”
To be honest, I hadn’t even thought much about dating. I had so many other things to deal with. Nevertheless, my mind began to wander. Hmm…There is this one guy, Brian, in my English lit class. I noticed him the first day when the teacher had him read a passage from Our Town.
“Oh…Pen…ny…” Jess whispered, then snapped her fingers in front of my face, bringing me back to earth.
“Oh, um, actually, I was thinking of going to the play tonight.”
“Hey, that’s great. You need to get out more.” She looked at me sheepishly. “It’s that Brian guy isn’t it?”
I couldn’t help but smile. I probably only mentioned him once or twice, but Jess remembered.
“I knew it! He’s playing the lead isn’t he?”
“I think so,” I said, knowing very well he was.
“The talk is, Penny, he’s God’s gift to the stage.” She put the back of her hand on her forehead and tipped her head back in a melodramatic fashion.
“Yeah, and that’s coming from the biggest ‘drama queen’ I know”, we chuckled.
“Besides, I’m sure he has no idea who I am.”
“So, let’s go to the show and introduce ourselves.”
The bell rang saving me from any more talk about it.
* * *
We bought our tickets and made our way into Quintan Theatre. The school had a regular auditorium where larger events and assemblies were held. But this intimate little theatre had been donated to the school about ten years ago. It was where the drama club held all their performances.
“Come on, Pen. this one’s self-serve, so let’s sit up front. You want to be as close as possible don’t you?” Jess said rather loudly as she looked over her shoulder and winked. “This theatre still looks surprisingly new”, Jess added, as we walked down the carpeted, center aisle, toward the stage. We turned the corner and chose two seats in the middle of the very first row. The stage was so close you could prop your feet on it from where you were sitting.
Literally, sitting front and center, I felt myself continually looking from one side to the other. “I’m feeling a bit conspicuous here, Jess.”
“You’d think you were going to be on stage instead of being safe and sound in the audience,” Jess said, with her usual sarcastic tone.
We’re so close we might as well be on stage!”
The lights began to dim slowly. As a kid, I always got an overwhelming sense of excitement when that happened. Just waiting for the curtain to open and for the performance to begin, I felt a fluttering in my stomach. Was it sudden panic from realizing it was the first time I was back in a theatre since the “accident?” Maybe it was that old excitement of anticipation. Or possibly, could it be the thought of seeing Brian?
I was immediately whisked away by the story and the entrancing music. Brian was amazing. He carried himself with such confidence. Then, he began to sing one of his solos. It was a love song that showed off his beautifully deep, smooth voice. As I watched him, I noticed his eyes suddenly locked with mine. He didn’t look away. Oh my God, I must be imagining this.
When Jess elbowed me rather hard, and I saw her ear to ear grin, I knew it wasn’t just my imagination, even she could see it was definitely real.
Brian’s fluffy brown hair was just a shade lighter than those dreamy eyes that were gazing into mine. How could something so public feel so private?
He finished the song and winked at me as the rest of the audience showed their appreciation with loud applause.
After the show, Jessica insisted we wait outside the theatre, so we could “accidentally” bump into Brian. We sat on the three foot high wall that ran the length of the building. I casually looked away every time I heard the door start to open.
“Jess, it’s been almost twenty-five minutes. I’m hungry. Let’s go to Alberto’s.”
Alberto’s was a regular hangout for the local teenagers. Its location was handy, even for those who didn’t drive. It was much more sophisticated than the fast food restaurants without being a lot more expensive.
As we walked through the front door, Jessica took in a long exaggerated breath. “Oh, that smells heavenly!”
“Let’s take a booth,” I suggested, heading for one that was covered with a red checkered tablecloth. It didn’t matter that the tablecloth was plastic. It felt classy to us.
I sat down, and Jessica slid in across from me. “So, what shall we have this evening?” She said from behind the large laminated menu.
“I’m not really hungry.”
Jess glared at me over the menu.
“I think I’ll just get something to drink.”
She lowered her menu and her glare became a smile. “Too many butterflies in the stomach from watching Brian?”
Before I could respond, a group of kids from the play came through the door and of course, Brian was with them. My stomach dropped so hard, I felt as though it hit the floor.
“Easy, girl,” Jessica said, obviously noticing my reaction.
Brian said something to the group as they continued on to the take-out counter. Then, he walked away from them and started towards our table.
As a kid, I was around actors all the time and they never flustered me. Why was this guy affecting me like this?
I could’ve sworn it was a dream. As he reached our table he smiled and said, “Did you ladies enjoy the show?”
“Oh, um, yes.”
Jess finished for me. “We had a great time. You guys did a wonderful job.”
Brian said “thanks” without looking at Jess. He ever so smoothly took my hand as though he were going to kiss it. “You know I was singing to you.” I glanced at Jess for a second, and could tell by the face she was making that she didn’t think much of that last line. She may have been extremely unimpressed with this guy, but Jessica always had my back.
“I think that’s my cue to exit. Pen, I’ll be in the ladies room.” Jess slid out of the booth and started to walk away, turned back and yelled, “Hey Brian, got a date for the dance?” She smiled at the attention I was getting and kept on walking. I tried not to react to Jessica’s obvious shout-out as Brian broke our eye contact. “Well, are you two going to the dance?”
“I’m not sure.” I was thinking clearly enough to keep my options open.
“I guess they don’t want us actors to have a social life. They scheduled a performance for that same night.”
Though I should have been disappointed, I was flying too high from the events of this night.
“Hey, Brian!” One of the guys from the group yelled over to him. “Ready to go?”
“Be there in a second.” He called back, then turned to me again.
“Hey, would you like to go to a movie next week?”
“Sure.”
“Do you like thrillers? There’s a great one playing at the Mall Multiplex.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“We can finalize plans on Monday in English Lit class, okay?”
“Okay.”
“See you then, my fair lady.” He lifted my hand and kissed it.
“Brian, Come on!” One of his buddies yelled from the door.
“Gotta go.” He blew me a kiss and rushed off with his friends.
Staring down at the tablecloth and smiling, I thought, he did notice me and he knew I was in the same class all along.
Jessica rushed back over to our booth and scooted in on her side. “So, what time is he picking you up for the dance?”
“Huh?” I wasn’t quite out of my happy trance.
“Dance - what time?”
Looking toward the door I answered, “Oh, he can’t go. There’s a show that night.”
“Damn. I really thought this was a sure thing.”
I turned back to Jessica. “But it is. I have a date. We’re going to the movies next week.”
“Way to go! I knew you’d get the hang of this dating thing.” Then she added, “Actually, he’s a bit too dramatic for me, but if he does it for you, that’s great.”
“Jess?”
“Yeah?”
“Want to order a pizza?”