In the Shade of Groves [COMPLETE]

Chapter 9

Songs: Teenagers by My Chemical Romance

"So you really liked it?" Ross beams at me as we walk down the sidewalk.

"I loved it! I've never seen anything like it. It was funny and entertaining and so original. I'm telling you Mr. Hunt could adapt a thousand plays and none would be as good as one second of Belle's performance." I answer, unable to control my excitement.

"It didn't freak you out that Belle was a man?" He asks like he's afraid of the answer.

"I mean I will admit it was a bit of an adjustment at first but after about two seconds, gender had completely escaped my mind." I look up to find him relieved. "Is that the kind of play you want to do?"

"I've had Belle dress me up and practice onstage but drag isn't really my thing. I'm much more comfortable behind the curtain."

I step in front of him making him stop. "You should do drag for the pageant."

He looks at me as if I have two heads and steps around me to keep walking. "Yeah, okay. One, I'm not even a contestant. Two, it's supposed to be your talent."

"Okay, fair. You could do the drag as me."

"I can't. Like I said, drag isn't my thing." There's an edge to his tone.

I shrug and decide to drop the subject. We walk a few blocks in silence.

"Or I could eat an entire pastrami sandwich from Carnegie," I propose.

"Now there's a talent we can use Dennis." The smile returning to his face.

We walk on as the sun slowly sinks behind the buildings. My mother's voice rings in my ears about how late it's getting. The reminder of my absence from school and the phone call from Principal O'Donoghue to my parents creeps its way back in. I start imagining the worst. My mother receiving the phone call then scouring the city for me only to call Captain Daniel at the police department when she can't find me. Then when my dad gets home, which should be any minute now, he'll get angry that he had to take time to address the issue. I remind myself that I am in New York and all of that drama is in Grove. Until I am back in Grove city limits, I won't trouble myself with Grove problems.

We arrive at what I can only assume is the famous Broadway Ross has been nonstop obsessing about. I realize why we're here. A huge hanging marquee flashes in yellow and white lights. The title "Cabaret" is in big black letters. I stop and watch as Ross slowly walks in front of me, taking it all in. The play he's been waiting so long to see is finally in front of him. I take my camera out and snap a photo.

I walk up to him and snake my arm through his. "What are we waiting for? We have a show to catch."

He stares back at me with wide eyes as if he's nervous. We walk up to the person in the ticket booth and hand her our tickets. She hands us two playbills and looks over us to the next customer. Ross stands there for a couple seconds longer than necessary to gawk at the playbill. His eyes are wider than a kid trying chocolate for the first time. In front of the doors leading into the theater, a man is selling "Cabaret" merchandise. I point over to his table to see if Ross wants to buy anything. He looks at me and simply nods. He's more nervous than I've ever seen him.

There's a t-shirt with the word "Cabaret" in red bubble letters with stage lights inside them. Ross just stares at them unable to say a word. The man asks us in a very thick accent if we see anything we like. Ross, still unable to speak, simply points to the t-shirt.

"Wait a minute. I know you." The man points at Ross. "You're Belle's friend, right?"

Ross nods.