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During dress rehearsal, I dabbed my wet palms on the beautiful white dress I’d be wearing. Mr. Krebbs sat in the audience, watching us as he wrote notes on a grade sheet.
As usual, Grayson was calm and collected. Dressed in a loose white shirt and black pants, I smiled when I checked him out. I swore he could wear anything and look good. He saw me walk out from the dressing room and beamed at me.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
“I don’t know about that. I just...”
Taking my hands in his, he squeezed them. “Don’t downplay yourself. You’ll be the star of the shows tonight.”
“What if I mess up?”
“Just improvise, like you usually do,” Catrina stated. Her dress was red and sparkly.
With a deep breath to gain the courage to rehearse, I nodded. We took our places and began the first act, and then the second. I invented lines a few times, but remembered the rest for the most part, which was a huge improvement. However, when the kissing part with Grayson neared, my heart thundered, my hands trembled.
“Just one kiss. One kiss to prove to you that I’m the one,” Grayson spouted his line.
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Instead of waiting for my line, Grayson marched forward, grabbed my face, and crashed his mouth against mine. I felt breathless from the kiss as if he’d sucked the air straight from my lungs.
When he pulled away, he still held my face in his hands, and said his next line, “And how do you feel?”
“Speechless,” I whispered.
With a quick grin, Grayson and Chris worked on their part next, but I still felt Grayson’s lips on my mouth. The kiss had branded me and left me wanting more. Catrina whistled and I jumped into movement and met her off stage.
“Girl, that kiss wasn’t part of acting,” she said. “That boy loves you.”
“So he says,” I replied with a sigh.
“Then what’s the problem?”
I shook my head. “We’re from different worlds, Catrina. It would never work.”
She laughed. “I think I know the reason he wanted to do this story for our play.”
“That’s not...” I began, but she cut me off.
“He heard the rumors. Heck, we all heard the rumors, and we don’t believe them, but he still wants to kiss you. See the way he keeps glancing in our direction?”
I chose that moment to look back at the stage and watch the two guys work on their act. Grayson’s eyes met mine and he smirked. Of course, I smiled because I had to. I couldn’t help my reaction to his proximity.
After dress rehearsal and our parts were over, Grayson encircled an arm around my waist and said, “We’ll save that last kiss for tonight. That way I can kiss you even after the curtain falls.”
“Why?” I breathed.
His eyebrows rose. “Because, New Girl, that’s all I ever want to do.” He kissed me on the cheek, and then lifted my hand to his mouth. “Until tonight, my love.”
When he left, I was breathless for the second time today. God, what was I going to do if he was a murderer?
*****
The rest of the afternoon crawled by. Left to my own devices until I had to dress again for the play, I went to get a snack. Since we were the last act up, I could dress and get ready without interruptions. I had about thirty minutes before the curtain was to rise and I could get ready.
As I was debating my choice from the cafeteria vending machines, Kate strolled in.
She loaded change into the soda machine, and then said, “Are you ready for your big debut?”
“Not really.” A bag of chips fell to the bottom and I reached in to grab them.
The soda machine clanged as her selection fell into the holder as well. “Well, I want to wish you luck. Just know that whatever happens, I want you to be strong and courageous.”
I blinked and said, “What do you mean by that?”
“You know, for acting on stage tonight.” Her hands shook as she held the soda and opened the lid to take a drink. After she screwed the lid back on, her arms wrapped me in a warm hug.
From the force of the hug, I had to take a step back to gain my balance, but I hugged her back.
“Thanks,” I said, removing myself from her arms.
My parents walked by, glanced in the cafeteria, and then walked in to give me a hug as well.
“You’re going to be fabulous,” Mom stated, her voice wobbly. She sniffed.
Dad squeezed me. “We love you and will be watching from the front row.”
I blinked back tears, thankful for my friends and my parents for being here today. Sure, I still wanted to chuck up my food and not even eat the chips I had gotten, but I was determined to succeed.
With a kiss on my cheek from my dad, my parents and Kate said goodbye as they went to take their seats.
I took several slow breaths and released them with a count of ten. My heart pounded, my stomach revolted, and my body shook. However, with Grayson on stage with me, and my parents and friends in the crowd, I may be okay.
The small dressing room at the back of the auditorium appeared well used, but still immaculate. Slipping into my white dress, I listened to the muffled first act take the stage. I sat at the vanity and placed a napkin over my chest to be sure I didn’t get makeup on my costume. Then I focused on my concealer, eyeshadow, and mascara. I assumed because of the budget, or maybe because it was our own plays, we didn’t hire a makeup artist. So, I fought with a pair of fake eyelashes and glue for ten minutes.
There was a knock on the door, and Grayson poked his head in. Dressed in black dress pants, an unbuttoned white shirt, and barefoot, he looked every bit of the god he was to portray. I swallowed. Hard. With his hand behind his back, he smiled and came forward to inspect my makeup.
“You look stunning,” he said, and then stumbled over his words. “I mean, you look gorgeous without makeup, but today, well, you look amazing.”
“Thanks, I guess?”
His hand whipped out and he held a single red rose in his outstretched hand. “This is for you.”
Grabbing the rose, I inspected the note attached to it. The card read Believe in yourself. I love you. However, despite what the note said, I observed the handwriting and realized it wasn’t the same as the ones in my locker. Closing my eyes, I let out a much-needed exhale in relief.
Grayson’s fingers touched my cheek and I opened my eyes to look at him. “Don’t be nervous,” he said with a small grin, “you’ll be great. I know you will. And I get to kiss you again. I’d do it now, but I don’t want to mess up your lipstick.”
I wanted to tell him about the notes, about the threats, and about Sophia. I opened my mouth to do just that.
“Grayson...” I started, but he cut me off.
“Don’t ruin the moment, okay? I’ll see you on stage, New Girl.” He kissed me on the cheek and then walked toward the exit, glancing back one more time. “I meant what the card said.”
Then he closed the door behind him, leaving me reveling in the confession and the fact that the handwriting wasn’t the same. Maybe I did love Grayson, and he honestly loved me in return. I felt reassured about that for the first time since I’d met him.
Now I just had to figure out who was threatening me, and why.
*****
The second group went on stage after introductions, and I wiped my sweaty palms on the white dress as I stared at myself in the mirror of the dressing room. My makeup was done, fake eyelashes and all. I didn’t even look like me.
I was beyond nervous, and I took a deep breath to calm my beating heart. This group of actors had music, and the piano drowned out their voices from my perch in the dressing room.
Sophia appeared behind me in the mirror and I had to keep from screaming in shock. I turned to face her and said, “Why are you here? Why now?”
“Don’t trust anyone,” her echoing voice said.
The pinky ring went cold on my finger and I held it up to her. “Why was your ring in my locker? Why isn’t it at the bottom of the lake with you?”
Her face went sad as she flickered in and out. “I had to...” her mouth moved but nothing came out until, “warning.”
I knew I missed something she’d said, and as if she struggled to stay corporeal, Sophia closed her eyes in what I thought was concentration.
“Who is the robed figure you tried to show me?” I asked as she began to fade. “Who was it?! Don’t disappear on me, Sophia! Not now.”
It was too late. She was already gone, and only a slight mist remained where she had stood. I grunted and tossed my lipstick on the vanity in frustration. I’d never know who was behind everything, and I knew beyond a doubt that I had to tell my parents. When the play was over, that is. Why ruin the evening now? Even though I felt terrified, for both my acting skills and the threats, I had to make a good impression for the crowd and my fellow group. Our grade depended on it. Talk about pressure.
Lifting the script, I carefully went over my parts again. I had about fifteen minutes to remember my lines in front of the packed auditorium. My stomach growled and I stared at the bag of chips still sitting next to my makeup. I wasn’t sure if I was hungry or if I wanted to vomit. Probably both.
A knock interrupted my practice with the script, and thinking it was Grayson again, I said, “Come in. You’ve already seen me once, and I thought you were going to wait until we were on stage to see me again.”
“Hey, cupcake,” Derek said, sneaking open the door to my dressing room. He wore dark jeans and a nice, black, button-down shirt. He looked dapper and handsome.
I smiled, stood, and gave him a big hug. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be sitting with Allie and Kate?”
“Yeah, but I wanted to see you first. You look fabulous, Jazmin.” As he wrapped an arm around me, his mouth attempted to meet mine for a kiss, but I avoided it by tucking my face into his shoulder. There was an awkward pause; however, he recovered and hugged me tighter.
“Thanks, but I feel awkward and all fumbly,” I groaned. “You shouldn’t be in here, you know. You could get in trouble if they find you.”
Derek grinned and laughed. “Please, me? Not a chance.”
“How did you know I was in this dressing room? There’s three back here,” I said, removing myself from the hug.
“Honestly? This is the second one I tried. I think I scared Catrina as she stood in her panties and screamed at me to get out.”
I doubled over in laughter. “You did not!”
“I so did. Pretty sure it shocked us both,” he replied, chuckling.
“Man, I needed that laugh.” I wiped my eyes, and then fixed my makeup in the mirror. “You have no idea how nervous I am about tonight.”
“You’ll be wonderful.” He winked and then whipped out a bouquet of white lilies from behind his back. “I wanted to give you a sendoff you wouldn’t forget. Tonight’s a big night for you.”
“Derek! That’s so sweet of you!” I took the offered flowers and set them on chair beside me. “Thank you!”
“Nah, it’s a special night. You deserve it.”
“Well, thank you anyway,” I said, wiping my sweaty palms on my dress again. “Having you as my friend means the world to me.”
Derek shuffled on his feet, his face a mask of... anger, confusion, fear? I wasn’t sure. Maybe he’d felt awkward when he’d tried to kiss me. Then, as if he realized I noticed his facial expression, he cleared his throat.
“Don’t you want to read the card, babycakes?” he asked, pointing to the flowers with a huge smile.
“Oh, yes, I almost forgot.”
Swishing the bottom of the dress around so I wouldn’t step on it, I snatched the card from the bouquet. I held the card in my fingers. “Derek, you don’t have to stand here while I read it, you know. I’m worried reading this before the play will be bad luck. Maybe I should wait until the end and celebrate with you, Kate, and Allie?”
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder with a smirk. “Read it. The suspense is killing me.”
“Okay, okay,” I said, tearing open the little white envelope. I beamed at him and held the card to my chest. “Are you sure you want me to read it while you’re here?”
He nodded. “Of course. I know you’ll be surprised. It took me a while to think of the right words.”
I giggled and said, “Well, thank you. Again.” Then with a grin the size of the Grand Canyon, I glanced down at the card.
Jazmin,
Can’t wait to have company.
Love,
Sophia
My smile fell as the world shifted. My knees wobbled and the blood drained from my face. My heart stopped as I read it again to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks with me. The handwriting was the same as the threats. I whispered, “Derek? What in the...”
“I’m so sorry, Jazmin. I really love you, but you ask too many questions.” Derek’s arm tightened around me, and before I had a chance to scream, a cloth went over my mouth and nose. A sickly, sweet smell hit my nostrils before everything went black.
