“BREAK A LEG!” Patricia called out as they dropped Alex off at the rear entrance.
“Yeah! Break a leg!” Jennifer shouted, giggling.
Alex looked at Amy and shook her head. “I have no idea who came up with that saying, but it’s just not right.”
Amy laughed. “Wouldn’t it be better to say don’t break a leg?”
The two girls went inside and met their fellow actors, most of whom looked as nervous as they felt. They milled around, whispering their lines and cues. Alex and Amy managed to find a spot in front of a mirror for one last primp. One of her fellow fairies had some glitter and encouraged Alex to put some on. She had to admit it added a little something extra to the look.
Mr. Reardon clapped loudly. “Places everyone! The show is about to begin!”
Alex tried to focus solely on the play but found her thoughts wandering. She felt drained. Teenagers weren’t supposed to be involved in life and death situations involving time travel through mirrors into the past. She wished she could pass this duty on to someone else. All she wanted was to be normal and worry about normal stuff.
When it was her turn, she and the three other fairies flitted onto the stage. Alex lost herself in the character of Mustardseed, forgetting to be afraid of the future, the evil time traveler, and the three handsome lads with the captivating eyes.
After the show, her friends and family met her backstage. Simon and Paul had brought both her and Amy flowers. Alex’s heart swelled as she sniffed deeply of the red roses. Her aunt and mother were both ecstatic, wondering what show she would do next.
“I really love the costumes! The glitter looked fantastic under the stage lights!” Karen said.
Alex mentally thanked Emily for the glitter. The night still felt so magical, as if she were still in the forest. A part of her never wanted this night to end. She had noticed Beau sitting with his family at the end of the show, and had been thankful she hadn’t noticed him before the performance. She doubted she could have even gone on stage knowing he was watching.
“I can see it now! My daughter, on Broadway!” Patricia beamed.
“Mom, it’s one play! Let’s not get carried away.” Alex rolled her eyes.
Mr. Reardon grinned from ear to ear, beaming at his performers. He told them they had been superb and that he was looking forward to working with them on another project. He reminded them of the rehearsals at the college for Wicked. Alex and Amy had already decided to try out for that play.
Alex was excited to meet Amy’s parents and siblings. They told the girls they loved the show. Amy’s oldest brother teased her, but Alex could tell that he was really happy for his sister. She wished that she had brothers or sisters. The others always told her they envied her being the only child.
“You don’t have to share.”
“You don’t get blamed for stuff they did.”
Alex would happily give up all of that just to have a sibling. It would be so nice to have someone to confide in, to hang out with, to share things with. She thought that maybe a sister or brother could help her figure out why she was traveling back through time and how to stop the mysterious man bent on changing history.