I escorted Orange to a seat in the front row wanting her to have the best view possible. Azore and Saber came at the same time and the latter sat next to Orange with excited eyes:
"You will be amazing, Poehina! I can't wait to see your play.
-Thank you!"
Azore only showed me thumbs up and I smiled before leaving. I only had a few minutes left before the beginning and I wasn't ready at all but I had so much fun with Orange that I didn't see time pass. It was okay, I didn't need a lot of time so I kept my calm. At least I tried. The excitement slowly turned into stress and I had a hard time calming my heart. I loved what we did but that didn't mean I wasn't dying inside. I continued smiling, however being used to hiding my stress and no one noticed a thing except for Astéria somehow. She walked up to me at some point and bent down to be at my eyes level:
"Are you okay?"
I was surprised by her question. No one ever noticed when I was stressed. People always said that I was a natural at speaking in public. Seeing the female lead read me so easily was a bit frustrating. Was I this bad at acting? No, I was good but she was too good. I had to start working on this.
"Yes. Of course. Are you?"
Astéria frowned:
"You don't have to be stressed. I am here and will save you if anything happens."
I couldn't hold back my laugh in front of her serious gaze and seeing her frown I quickly covered my mouth:
"Why are you saying it as if I was going to war?
-I would protect you even there."
Seeing how serious she was I slowly lost my smile. The intensity with which she was staring at me was starting to make me uncomfortable and I had to move on so I just coughed:
"Why aren't you in costume yet?"
I grabbed her arm and pulled her to the changing rooms.
"Do you need help?"
Astéria went red and shook her head:
"No, it's okay."
I nodded and let her go before grabbing my own costume. I didn't waste time and took my shirt off but stopped striping when I heard Astéria hiccup. I turned to her with a frown:
"Are you okay?"
Having hiccups right before a presentation wasn't good. I wanted to help her but Astéria was really red and I had no idea what was going on in her female lead head. Was she ashamed of hiccuping or was she stressed? Maybe both. Who knew the almighty female lead could feel stress?
"Are you okay?"
Astéria didn't dare look at me and only nodded quickly. However her hiccups came back immediately and she hid her face turning redder and redder.
"Hold back your breathing. It helps sometimes."
Astéria did as she was told and I stared at her silently for a few seconds. When I thought it was enough I bent towards her face to see her and asked:
"Is it gone?"
When our eyes met, Astéria hiccuped again and I never saw her that color before. Could a human blush that much? What happened? Was she poisoned?
"Astéria?"
She couldn't stop hiccuping and I had no idea who she was anymore. The strong, scary female lead was gone and she just looked like a stressed kid. This made me smile. In these moments she really reminded me of Orange and that was why I couldn't stop liking her even if I was supposed to be scared of her.
"Do you need water?
-T-turn...
-What?
-C-could you t-turn around please?"
I tilted my head not understanding but turned around anyway. She must have been shy for some reason so I gave her some privacy.
"Okay."
I heard Astéria change and decided to do the same but as I wanted to take off more clothes I heard Astéria scream:
"Wait!"
I turned around surprised by her scream and Astéria hiccuped again looking down before looking away from me immediately. I finally understood and covered my chest with a smile:
"Sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable? I just wanted to change too. We don't have a lot of time.
-I-it's okay.
-I'll turn away so you can change.
-That's not...
-Yes?
-Nothing."
I turned away waiting for Astéria to change and when she was done I could turn back ready to change too. But just at that moment someone tried to open the door and I noticed that it was locked. I frowned:
"Did we lock the door?"
Why would the changing room be locked right before a show? People needed to get ready. Astéria didn't say anything but as I walked up to the door she suddenly placed herself in front of me with panicked eyes.
"Astéria?
-I..."
What the hell was going on with the female lead? She was acting way too weird. Where was her composure? That was one thing she never lost in the book and I was so surprised that I felt her forehead to make sure she didn't have a fever. Astéria froze and she lost all colors suddenly. She looked so much like Orange that I would have thought they were the same person if I hadn't seen them at the same time at the ball. Despite having fuzzy memories, I remembered that clearly. Maybe they were twins separated at birth.
"Don't you have to change?"
Astéria's voice was shaking.
"I'll just open for others to change too.
-They left. Maybe you should change now."
I frowned but didn't see any reason to argue so I went back to changing. Astéria kept her back turned to me the whole time and we only came out once ready. People were waiting in front of the door and I frowned looking at Astéria. Did she just lie? No, why would she lie about such a thing? Astéria didn't dare look me in the eyes and I moved on not having time for this.
The presentation went smoothly. It was a full house and some people whispered hearing what the play was about but for some reason no one got up. I was feeling my stress leave my body and excitement take over. I could finally enjoy the moment and I felt as if I was where I had to be. I did feel stressed about the fact that I didn't feel Orange but I was sure she was there. Why wouldn't she be? I couldn't see the public but I knew she was looking at me.
The last scene was coming dangerously closer and I could see how fidgety Astéria was. She couldn't stay in place which was very different from when she was on stage. Every time she appeared, the place would immediately turn hers. She was owning us all and we couldn't look away from her for a second. I could feel my heart beat faster every second our eyes met and smiled. So this was the power of the female lead? It was way different from the flushed woman back in the changing rooms and seeing her charisma I had a hard time breathing.
The last scene came before I even noticed. Astéria got her revenge, she thanked her friends for always being there for her and as we were leaving the stage, Astéria called my character to stay a bit. I turned to her and we stared at each other until it was only us two left. Astéria was standing on the left of the stage and I was on the right. We were a few feet apart and Astéria walked slowly closer as she was talking. I could only see her because of all the lights shining in my eyes. My whole world consisted only of the female lead and seeing her walk towards me I felt somewhat hypnotized:
"You were always there for me. Even when I gave up on myself. I always knew I could count on you."
I smiled:
"That's what friends are for.
-No..."
Astéria shook her head and gently took my hands finally at my level. She slowly rubbed the back of my hands with her thumbs as she was talking and I could feel my skin tingle but I focused on what I had to say.
"I don't want you to see me as a friend."
The public gasped.
"What do you mean?"
Astéria lifted my right hand to her lips and kissed my fingers softly. Was that in the script? Astéria was taking liberties and it was making the scene very natural and real. I liked it.
"I want to be special to you..."
She slowly looked up to me and I smiled:
"You are special to me."
This was supposed to be the last line and we were supposed to leave the stage together but something was missing and I pulled Astéria into a hug. What if people didn't understand? I did say she was special to me but people could be quite dense. Me first. I never noticed romance until people said it clearly. Astéria froze but quickly enveloped me in her arms in return. I could feel her smile as she whispered:
"This wasn't in the script.
-I just felt like something was missing.
-I think it still isn't enough.
-What do you mean?
-Our characters should kiss."