Theatre Kids

Chapter 5

We sat, buzzed off of wine coolers and shots of tequillia, on the beige carpeted floor.

"Alannah," Sean slurred, "truth, or dare?" Everyone giggled, although we'd been playing for at least an hour.

"Truth!" I chirped, the liquor playing with me, making me feel free. I actually felt happy, and I relaxed. Sean slung an arm around me.

"Don't be biased because you love me, but who in our theatre are you D T F with?" Sean teased. He turned cocky when under the influence, and very confident in his sexual appeal.

"Um," I stalled and looked around, at Matt and then at Sean. I was giddy as everyone cheered me on. I giggled, not myself and feeling zombie-like. "I choose Matt!" The group laughed, without Sean joining them. Matt leaned in and our lips met as our friends hollered. And, that's when Matt and I became us.

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Two and a half months later, Matt and I were still going strong, along with Rocky Horror.

"There's a light!" we belted one day in a dress rehearsal with little microphones strapped to our chins.

"OKAY that's enough!" Jamie called into her bull horn, God knows why anyone would sell the town loud mouth a bull horn, and we froze. "We have an hour before tonight's show, just go mingle!"

Everyone ran backstage and Matt took my hand.

"You're fantastic," he whispered.

"As are you," I commented with a smile.

"A little pitchy on that last note, though."

"Excuse me?" I asked, taken back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just trying to help," Matt said convincingly and I nodded. "Hey, you know I love you." I smiled and he kissed me. I told myself Matt was right, and he was only helping and I pulled back as Matt walked to Henry who was calling enthusiastically for Matt.

Nobody seemed to hear Matt, and I dragged away to practice at one of the vanities. Tyler sashayed over to me.

"Hey, hottie," he joked.

"Hey there, sexy," I threw back.

"What's up?"

"Practicing. I went to high on that last note, so I'm trying to fix it," I explained. Tyler wrinkled his nose.

"I don't think so."

"Well, I do, okay?" I snapped.

"Jesus, I'm sorry?" he apologized and stood up from the little desk he was resting on.

"It's alright, I'm just tired," I lied. I didn't know what I was, but I wasn't sleepy.

"Tyler!" Liam's voice called. They began dating shortly after Matt and I.

"The boy-fee's calling, gotta go baby," he said and kissed my cheek. I waved goodbye and picked up my water bottle. I had a bloody mary hidden in the darkened canister and I took a long sip of my dirty little secret. I sighed in relief and slunk lower in my seat.

I needed a couple drinks to get me through the day. I didn't think I was an alchohalic, no, I just needed a boost here and there. Nobody noticed, or cared, and my parents were too caught up in their deteriorating marriage to know I existed. One of the extras, Ivy, appeared on my side.

"What you drinking?" she asked.

"Wat-"

"Don't lie to me, I know that shit isn't water," she lectured. I was scared for a minute, and then she smiled. "Can I have a sip?"

I didn't know Ivy. I mean, I knew her, but I didn't KNOW her. She was in my grade, and she was a cheerleader, but not the popular kind. The kind that actually loved the sport. And she could dance extremely well. I didn't know, however, her last name. Or her friends. Or, why the hell she wanted to drink from my canister of smuggled alchohal. And, it didn't matter.

I finally saw the beauty of this. She didn't know my friends, or my last name, or why the hell I was drinking from a canister of smuggled alchohal. She just wanted a friend, or just a drink. Either way I was okay with sharing. I passed the red aluminum to her.

"Bloody mary. Hope you don't mind."

"My favourite," she eagerly accepted. She passed the bottle back to me and breathed out a sigh. "Sorry, I forgot mine." She grinned and then giggled. "Ivy Takenson."

"Alannah Kerrings," I replied and dipped my head.

"CAST! FINAL CALL! FIRST SCENE!" Jamie boomed.

"Fuck," Ivy muttered.

"Goddamn," I said at the same time. We laughed loudly, but like children.

And, looking into Ivy's big brown eyes that hid under her side bangs, I saw a friendship start to bloom.

Matt raced to me.

"Didn't you hear her Alannah! God, you can be so stupid!" he shouted. I stared dumbfounded. "I'm kidding, I love you." Matt kissed my lips. I nodded and looked back to Ivy, but she was gone. Matt took my hand and dragged me tword the blue curtain where I waited anxiously.