The Stage Manager

#29

Bea's To Do List #29: Talk to Noah (about everything)

"All right everybody, so we need to get all of these props and sets together right away. Mr. Daniels wants to do a quick run through and we can't do that until everything's in place. Does anyone not know their job?"

"..."

"Good. Now go ahead and get to work."

"..."

"Hey there."

"Jesus, Bea, you can't come out of the darkness like that."

"Sorry but I can't help it, I'm half vampire."

"That explains a lot. How are you?"

"I've been better."

"Will you be okay for the show tonight? Cause I can boss people around okay but I don't think I could handle any real responsibility."

"Don't worry, I'll be here. No matter what, I can't miss a show."

"Good. I'd hate to be the person that ruined all your hard work."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short. You were doing a pretty good job with the crew."

"That's only because they're all underclassmen. They're all still convinced that some football player will stuff them in a locker if they step out of line."

"Oh to be young and innocent again."

"I find it hard to believe that you were ever innocent. Young, maybe, depending on the vampire thing, but never innocent."

"Gee, thanks, you're too sweet."

"I'm here to please."

"Noah?"

"Yep?"

"I wanted to talk to you about yesterday."

"All right..."

"I just feel so bad. You were just being helpful and-"

"And I got in the way. Don't worry about it, Bea, it was my fault."

"It was definitely not your fault."

"Yes, it was. Anyone could see that you were upset but I decided to poke the bear. That's my fault."

"I can't let you take the blame for something was obviously my fault."

"Too bad, I've already taken it."

"Can I at least tell you what was going on with me? And why I was acting that way?"

"There's no need. You don't need a reason to be upset, you're the stage manager."

"But I have a reason and I want to tell you."

"Fine, if it'll make you feel better. But your explanation only further confirms that I am to blame for the whole thing."

"Yeah, we'll see about that."

"Get on with it, then."

"I've been freaking out because it's senior year and my time at this theater is ending. I can't... I can't handle the idea of leaving and moving on. Add that feeling with the stress of the show and things get bad."

"Uh huh."

"So that's what's been going on. It felt like it was going to take a while to explain but I guess that's it."

"Don't worry about it, I understand what you're talking about."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm a senior too, I get that feeling of not wanting to let go. You could have just told me that."

"I guess, but we never seemed like we were in the right place to do that."

"Come on, we both know we're not the same crazy kids who started this show."

"Crazy kids? It's been, like, two months."

"Cut me some slack so I can be dramatic. Besides, you know that I'm right."

"Oh really."

"Really. Remember when I just wanted to piss you off?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"So I think that we've been through enough that we should formalize our relationship."

"Excuse me?"

"We're working together, at least until the show ends in a few days, and we should be able to depend on each other."

"Depend on each other?"

"Yeah, like friends do."

"So we're friends now?"

"We've been friends for a while now."

"I guess that's true."

"So you're okay with the plan? We'll depend on each other until all this shit is over?"

"I'm okay with the plan."

"Good."

"It's remarkable how these things happen."

"That's the magic of theater."

"Don't be cheesy."