Theater Cubicles

Curtain Call

It was breakfast time and I feasted on some Sunday french toast and strips of crispy bacon. Germaine and I had started sitting at breakfast with each other again, which meant I finally didn't have to take my food to the park escaping awkwardness. Nevertheless, Germaine and I conversed the bare minimum.

I couldn't help but spy Nolan at the theater directors' table. His legs were stretched out and he seemed detached from whatever conversation the group was having.

Breakfast was much longer and leisurely on weekends so everyone took their time in talking and eating. Nolan started a conversation with Kasi, who was obviously glum from her break-up. Edith, with next week being homecoming on her mind, glanced at Nolan and Kasi with her piercing, cool gaze. Nolan, realized this and became uncomfortable, looking around the cafeteria. As soon as his vision flitted in my general direction I looked down at the pool of maple syrup and butter on my plate, suddenly becoming very interested in it. Germaine was oblivious to the world around her as she slowly devoured her gluten-free granola in her fat-free yogurt.

"The viscosity of the butter and syrup and how they don't combine in more than swirls is very interesting," I think to myself. 

Then, all of a sudden, Nolan sat up and walked in our direction. My face became hotter and my heart started racing. A director had stood up from his chair at his elite table and was coming in our direction. Calm down. Calm down! Nothing is wrong besides the fact that all of the theater department would be staring at us. Nope, not a problem at all. 

"Be normal," I told myself.

"Hey, there. Juliette. Germaine." Nolan nodded in each of our directions.

I pretended that I didn't know he was going to sit down until he had and replied, "Good morning, director. What a surprise."

"You know my name?" Germaine asked.

"Uhh. Yeah. We do have first period for two hours everyday with each other. Plus you're Juliette's friend. A friend of Juliette is a friend of mine. Right, Juliette...friend..." Nolan said.

"Right," pinching myself under the table to make sure I wasn't in a dream which took place in a parallel universe where Nolans called themselves friends to Juliettes. 

"Well, young grasshoppers. I best be off. See you at our final performance tonight. Both of you and all of the cast is going to do great!" Nolan said then left the cafeteria.

Germaine coughed in a very obvious manner.

"Uhh...what was that? First a valuable birthday present and now a special call to your breakfast table. I think he has a crush on you," Germaine loudly whispers.

"That's not the case," I attempt to close the subject.

"Number one: he's a senior. Number two: he's like the top director here. Why else on earth would he sit at this table? You're a lucky girl and don't even know it."

"No!" I retorted rather loudly and more defensively than I should have, "He just tutors me for theater. He's taken it upon himself to show me 'the right way' and talk me out of being a multipath like he was. Additionally, he implied quite obviously that we're just friends. And that't I like it. Frankly, I don't even like that. His demeanor irks me."

Her look still didn't persuade me that she was convinced.

"Gosh, Germaine. I don't like him. He doesn't like me. Period."

Germaine lowered her voice down to a loud, enthusiastic whisper, "Nolan is the best looking and most talented guy in the whole theater department in the Academy!"

I glared at her, "Get it in your head. None of the things you are making up are true. Now if you'll excuse me we'll resume the no-spekaing policy we've established as I leave the vicinity."

"Big words means flustered!" she called out way too loudly for a cafeteria packed with scrutinizing people.

—-

Another performance was about to be completed. It was our last showing of Hamlet and my heart swelled with emotion for our hard work and the fact that it would be over. I peered from the stage right curtain. I was careful not to be seen by the audience but able to see the entire show and the audiences reaction to the happenings. It was the ending of Hamlet and Shakespeare tragedy endings were notorious for one thing. Death. 

Fortinbras spoke his final lines, "'Let four captains carry Hamlet like a soldier onto the stage. He would have been a great king if he had had the chance to prove himself. Military music and military rites will speak for his heroic qualities. Pick up the corpses. A sight like this suits a battlefield, but here at court it shows that much went wrong. Go outside and tell the soldiers to fire their guns in honor of Hamlet.'"

Blackout! 

There was a roar of applause from the audience. Being that it was time for curtain call, characters went to the front of the stage and took their bows in order from the smallest role to the largest.

I correct myself: there is no small role in theater. Everybody in the production counts.

I entered the stage with Claudius a.k.a. Simon second to last. There was a standing ovation. Hamlet entered last. The audience whistled. The entire cast formed a long chain of arms ready to take a bow. We raised our hands and swooped down. We then clapped to the box up ahead that did our lighting and set. We clapped for the backstage crew. Then we went for our second and final bow I looked up into the lights that lit us and curtsied eyes directly looking at the black floor of the stage. 

Blackout again.

A little while later Germaine came up to me with an apprehensive look on her face.

"Juliette, please forgive me. I honestly suck for being unnecessarily jealous. Let's be best friends again like the old times?"

I hugged her reassuring Germaine that our friendship was back on track.

Author's Note: Ahh your love of food Juliette! And finally, Germaine got her act together. Let me know what you think and vote :)

Also, the following is the citation of where I have been referring to for my Hamlet quotations thus far: Crowther, John, ed. "No Fear Hamlet." SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 6 June 2015.