stage

the day it all started/prologue

Her head tilted as she looked at what she could see. She went in and shut the door behind her slowly.

The large room was bright and had a very artistic twist to it. Some art easels were in one corner of the room while one side of the room had an obviously self-made stage. On the wall to the left of the stage, instruments and pieces to support said type of art were leaning against the wall, another door pushed off into a corner as well.

She furrowed her brows as she thought about what the room could be.
Her thoughts were cut short as a voice made her turn her head, "Uh, hey," a guy said from someplace near the stage.

Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth to speak, being cut off by him again, "Are you a stagehand or something?" He asked. The guy was wearing a plain white shirt with a somewhat oversized jean jacket on top, dark jeans accompanying the look. Each article of clothing seemed to fit well with his tall stature and fit build.

"I—" she started, but was, once again, cut off by the boy.

"Cool, so could you help with these instruments then? The musicians get the room today, actors and artists are outside." He said, running a hand through his ginger colored hair before grabbing a large instrument and moving it to the middle of the room.

The girl hesitated and looked at him and the instruments. He looked back to her, "Come on, girlie, we have about five minutes." He said, grabbing another instrument.

She furrowed her brows before she walked over to the instruments, dropping her backpack by the door on her way. She grabbed an instrument, which looked to be a trumpet, and moved it to where the other instruments were.

They both did this for a few minutes in silence before they both grabbed the final items and moved them.

The girl moved some hair behind her ear, "Who are you?" She asked slowly, looking to the ginger boy.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and cast his brown eyes towards the door, to where it lead, the girl didn't know, "I'm Alfie," he introduced with a smile, eyes now glancing down to her. In the moment, she noticed the height difference between the two, said difference being at least a foot.

She nodded, opening her mouth to introduce herself, only being cut off again by the opening of a door. She turned her head to the one door she didn't know what laid behind it. Chattering people started filing out of it. She furrowed her brows as she saw everyone start to fill up the room. They were people of all different age, sex, race, specifically people who she hadn't seen in the halls the past week.

Most of them stopped speaking as they saw her, questioning looks on their faces. Multiple pairs of eyes looked her up and down, taking in her dark hair and eyes which lightly contrasted with her slightly tanned skin.

The ginger, Alfie, spoke up to their confusion, "Oh," he started. He glanced at the unnamed girl, to the instruments, and then to the stage, "This— this is Stage," he said with a smile. Some confused expressions vanished from the group, a few still remaining, "Ironically," Alfie added, "She's our new stagehand."

The people all exchanged glances and a few nods before she received multiple welcomes and a few questions.

She blinked and looked at Alfie, her brows still furrowed.

He simply shrugged before clapping his hands together, "Okay, we all know the drill. Actors and a few artists outside, along with any musicians who need some space," he motioned to the instruments, "Band group and musicians are inside today!" He finished.

A light chatter floated around the room as people picked up their items and equipment before heading to their designated area.

The girl, now named Stage, watched as Alfie picked up his backpack and a guitar case. He looked up at her and nodded towards the door, "Let's head outside so I can explain a bit about this place without the band practice interrupting," he said with a grin.

She nodded uncertainly, grabbed her bag and followed him to the door everyone had just come out of. He used his free hand to open the door, letting her go in first. She started up the stairs, which were concrete, surrounded by concrete walls, once again not being very well lit. He followed her up as she continuously glanced back at him, completely uncertain as to what she was doing or where she was going.

They reached the top of the stairs, where a flat part of concrete and another door was. She turned the handle and pushed it open, being greeted with sunlight and the view of the school's field.

She was glad to be greeted with the slight familiarity. She stepped out onto the field, not having to even wait a few seconds before Alfie was making his way out to a certain spot out in the field. Stage followed quickly.

Alfie placed down his guitar and backpack on the grass, the spot being in the shade of a tree. He sat down next to his things and looked up at stage, patting the grass near him, "Come on," he said, "I should probably explain how this all works then."

Stage glanced at the grass for a second before sitting down, putting her bag down next to her.

Alfie opened his guitar case, pulling out the instrument and laying it in his lap, looking at it fondly. He looked up to her again, "The art department here literally gets no funding," he said simply, "Mostly, this school has forgotten we even had an arts department in the first place."

Stage nodded, "I didn't even know until today." She said, even if she had only been at the school for a week.

He moved his legs to sit criss-cross, "Which is what most people say when they find the department."

She glanced at his guitar after he spoke, "My name isn't stage," she stated.

Alfie looked up, "I know," he replied, "Be glad I gave you a nickname that nice. Even if you told everyone your actual name, you could've gotten the nickname of beach face or music escort," he said with a grin, "Stage is definitely a lot better than those two." He concluded.

She leaned back on her hands, "You seem to know a lot about this arts department." She commented.

Alfie nodded, "It's become quite important to me."

Stage nodded and watched as he adjusted the way he was sitting. He moved his guitar slightly before he glanced up at stage with a grin. He began plucking some strings, the guitar producing a few different notes before he started bringing it together. She didn't recognize the song he was strumming, but she knew immediately he had quite the talent there.

Stage wore a smile as he played through the song, enjoying the sound.

this was the day where it all started.