The Show Must Go On !
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DOMINIQUE WAS TERRIFIED of performing on stage tonight, and she'd have to improvise all her lines since she doesn't know the script. She'd accepted the role, and knew it was a key part of actually doing it, but the day of actually going to do it, made her want to throw up. Lexi had a someone for the role, but their Grandmother died.
Dominique shakily reaches for her meds, and takes one pill out. 5mg of fluoxetine, she plops it in her mouths and sips her water. It's like the same thing as Xanax but it won't knock her out like that.
She applied a bit of lip oil on, and she felt a looming presence of someone behind her. She swiveled around and saw Lexi.
"You ready? Show time's in the 10.", Lexi asked and Dominique's heart dropped. Her eyes went wide and she sprung up and ran to the nearest trash can.
"We'll get you a mint...", Lexi muttered to herself.
☹ ☹ ☹
DOMINIQUE WORE A black lacey dress with a black microphone clipped into it, her hair is down like how she actually wore it to Rue's fathers funeral and she popped a mint in her mouth.
"Why would I ever agree to this bullshit...", She whispered to herself.
"It's showtime people!", Lexi yelled announcing herself to Dominique.
☹ ☹ ☹
DOMINIQUE NERVOUSLY STOOD next to the fake 'Marta', 'Luna', and 'Hallie' with a cup with nothing in it in the stage hallway waiting for Lexi to come in for her scene.
"Is Jade in her room?", Lexi asked the girls and Dominique sighed.
"Yeah.", Hallie she responded to her fake sister.
"She hasn't opened her door.", Marta informed Lexi's character. Dominique crossed her arms and sadly stared at the door much like she did that day. She just wanted Rue to feel good.
"Do you think she's okay?", Luna asked.
"Don't just stand here and gossip it's rude.", Lexi told them. "Come on, Sarah."
Dominique came in with Lexi and they walked into 'Jade's' room.
"Jade?", Dom quizzed, knocking on her door.
"Jade. Hey.", Lexi greeted her.
"Yo, what's in the cup?", Jade asked.
Dominique swished nothing around in the cup and nervously glanced at Lexi who stared her down.
"Uh, cranberry...", She improvised and Lexi scoffed. That was actually her drink she chose for the wake.
"Vodka at a funeral, really, Sarah?", Lexi asked annoyed at her bestfriend and Dominique rolled
her eyes.
"Are you actually reprimanding me?", Dominique muttered signaling to 'Jade' who watched them.
"Yeah, you're right, uh... I... found this poem and I thought of you.", Lexi told her and sat in 'Jade's' bay window. Dominique plopped down beside her and pretended to drink on her cran and vodka.
"If it's C.S Lewis, I can't.", Jade replied.
"No it's not. I promise.", Lexi promised her.
"Every hospice nurse says that 'Grief is a long valley.", Jade recited. Dominique bets the actual Rue has heard that too many times to count on one hand.
"Yeah, but that's not the full quote.", Lexi informed 'Jade'.
"Yeah, well, it's enough for me.", Rue muttered.
"Well, the second part is kinda sweet, right Sar?", Lexi asked Dom.
"Uh, yeah. The sweetest. You'll like it, Jade.", Dominique said sarcastically trying to make 'Jade' like it. She could hear a small laugh from the audience. That was totally Rue.
"Over doing it.", Lexi mouthed to Dom and she looked to Jade.
"What is it?", Jade asked.
"Uh, 'A winding valley where every bend... may reveal a new landscape.", Lexi recited and Dominique smiled.
"See so sweet, huh, Jade?", Dominique asked and Jade chuckles softly, trying to keep the sad thing going on.
"Yeah, thanks.", Jade muttered back. "That's not that bad."
"Can I read this to you?", Lexi asked Jade.
"Uh, yeah, I'd love that."
"Uh, it's called 'Let this darkness be a Bell Tower' by Rainer Maria Rilke. 'Quiet friend who has come so far, feel how your breathing makes more space around you. Let this darkness be a bell tower and you the bell. As you ring, what battles you becomes your strength. Move back and forth into the change. What is it like, suck intensity of pain? If the drink is bitter, turn yourself into wine. In this uncontainable night, be the mystery at the crossroads of your senses, the meaning discovered there. And if the world has ceased to hear you, say to the silent earth: I flow. To the rushing water, speak : I am.'"
Lexi got up as Jade slumped over and blew the rest of whatever 'Jade' was snorting. Which 100% did happen.
Dominique stood and linked her arm with Lexi's as they make their exit.
A old recording of Lexi played since everything was so chaotic and it plays throughout the theater, "I knew Jade had been doing drugs, but it wasn't until that day, at her dad's memorial, that they were a greater comfort than Sarah and I ever could be. Maybe that's just a silly observation, but I was only 13. It was the summer before I started ninth grade back when we thought we'd all be friends forever."
Dominique got into a baby blue hoodie and slid on some ripped jeans, Margie one of the girls who do hair and make up puts her hair up in a half up half down hairstyle and she made my way over to the area she entered.
☹ ☹ ☹
ALL OF THE girls lined up for 'picture day'
"There were five of us. There was me, Grace.", Lexi got her picture taken, and got off stage.
"My sister, Hallie... Her bestfriend, Marta. Marta's best friend, Luna. One of my best friends, Jade. And then, my other best friend Sarah."
Dominique walked on stage and smiled. Her 'picture' got taken and she walked off stage.
"And this is life.", Lexi's voice narrated over the speakers, "Not everyone's life..."
"But our life!", Lexi said earning a single cough from the audience.
☹ ☹ ☹
DOMINIQUE CHANGED INTO black leggings and a light green hoodie, preparing for her scene with 'Jade' and 'Grace'.
She texted Fezco again. No response. Dominique huffed out of frustration, she grumbled before tossing her phone to her side.
He promised he would come, but he's a busy guy. If he's a no show, he's a no show. She'll see him after.
☹ ☹ ☹
THE CURTAINS OPENED and Lexi and Dominique sit on the stage roof as 'Jade' climbed onto it.
"I think before high school we should think about all the things we don't like about ourselves and then change them so we can be like, like, different cooler people.", Lexi suggested and Dominique scoffed.
"I am cool.", Dominique replied and 'Jade' laughed.
"I don't think we need to be cooler.", Rue told Lexi and Dominique nodded along dangling her feet.
"Well, we should at least try and know what's cool.", Lexi offered.
"Yeah, but that shit, like, changes all the time.", 'Jade' added.
"That's what makes it hard to follow.", Lexi reasoned.
"Yeah, but I think that's a good thing.", 'Jade' admitted. Dominique tilted her head and kicked her feet a bit.
"But... if we get excluded from things?", Lexi asked 'Jade'.
"That's also a good thing.", 'Jade' added.
"Yeah, minus missing out on the good parties and booze.", Dominique improvised and the actual Lexi gave her a dirty look, although that was definitely something Dominique would've said going into highschool.
"Well, my dad says that he refuses to be apart of any club that would have him as a member.", 'Jade' added.
"Cool.", Dominique replied with her typical playful smirk.
"Yeah, don't tell anyone. They'll fuckin' ruin it.", 'Jade' told 'Grace' and Dominique chuckled.
"Yeah, Grace, don't be making any play about it.", Dominique joked and Lexi laughed along with some of the crowd.
'Jade' and Dom lay back and the spot light went onto Lexi.
"Jade was the first person who made me feel okay about not being cool. Sarah on the other hand... was cool. She always made me feel included though, she was very thoughtful when it came to me. This was the last time the trio was together though. School, boys, and drugs completely abolished the trio. Sar was always there though. The majority of times.", Lexi narrated as the curtain closed.
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THE MAJORITY OF the time? That really made Dominique think. She had to be a shitty friend. That worried her, she always feared being a bad friend.
She sipped the clear liquid next to her and let's it slide down her throat with a slight burn. She drank so much that night her throat had been used to it.
☹ ☹ ☹
THE LIGHT BLAZED down on Dominique as she stood scrolling on her phone. Lexi entered from the side of the stage and sat down on her stage bed. She sighed looking away from Dominique.
"Sarah had always had a rough growing up, she may of had it all, the family, the house, and the beauty, but she was deep down not as perfect as she perceived herself as to most.", Lexi narrated. Dominique sipped from a cup giggling while scrolling on her phone.
"What are you laughing at?", Lexi asked and Dom looks up at her.
"Life. How many shots does it take to make your body 100% alcohol?", Dominique asked Lexi with glossy eyes. Real tears begin to form in her eyes.
Her cup fell, and this time it had water in it. It falls and Dominique's smile faded. Actual tears began to fall.
"Lexi, what's wrong with me?", Dominique whimpered. Actual emotions flood to the surface.
"What do you mean?", Lexi asked in a calm voice.
"I-I can't even leave the house without thinking of this bullshit.", Dom spat becoming more angry. She kicked the red solo cup stage right, and sat next to Lexi.
"Sar...", She muttered and put her arm around her.
"I hate myself.", She whispered painfully beginning to cry.
"What?", Lexi asked as she started to sense how real this act Dom preforming is.
"My father moved out.", Dominique blurted out and she sees her brothers face drop from the audience glancing around.
"What?", Lexi asks.
"I don't know. I don't know.", Dominique replied panicking and she ran off stage.
This is why Dominique does not act. She sucked. Let alone improvise, and now she just exposed something she wasn't ready to expose yet.
"That was just one of the many interesting talks Sarah and I share on the daily. God, I love her, but could she be anymore random?", Lexi quirked as the curtain closed and as soon as they are completely shut Lexi made her way over to her best friend who was panicking. Dominique absentmindedly pulled at the roots of her hair with tears in her eyes.
"I cannot believe I said that! I just spewed out the most random shit, and then I said that!", Dominique panicked and Lexi put her hand on her shoulder.
"Maybe you should go relax, I know you wanted to see the big Jake scene but maybe you should, like, I don't even know, just chill, okay? You're my rock and I need you. Take whatever micro aggressions out on...", She reached into her pocket. "This."
She handed her a stress ball with a pig face on it.
"Thanks?", Dominique said as more of a question.
"Now just relax.", Lexi said and Dom shrugged and goes into Lexi's private dressing room, she plopped down on one of the oldest sofas ever and prayed to god there are no bedbugs and stayed there.
to be continued...