This Diary I Found

27 :: Elephants and Noodle Arms

CHAPTER 27: Elephants and Noodle Arms

"Are you sure girl rhymes with world?" I question London as all three of us snuck in from the backdoor, through a series of winding hallways that led to some of the dressing rooms in the left wing. 

Annoyed, she huffed. "Yes!"

You would not believe the sight of a theater hallway before the curtain opens. It was all running and yelling and nerves.  Chaotic was a word invented specifically for theater geeks.  The three of us didn't even have to sneak in. Nobody would have noticed us anyway, what with all the turmoil of preparing. 

Makeup artists tailed after half-dressed actors. Stage managers kept yelling and yelling and yelling. Props were being dragged everywhere. I must have bumped into at least five people just trying to get to the wings.

We hid behind the curtain, right beside where the guy who controlled the lights was located. He was pretty focused on his job. We might as well have been shadows to him.

"So when do I go on?" I asked, fidgeting with the loose string of my hoodie.  Today's a pretty important day. I should've worn something special. Like bow-or-tie kind of special.  But I admit, I was already pretty antsy. I couldn't have identified a bow from a tie in that state.  So I wore what I was comfortable with.

It's ironic, really. It was the hoodie I had on under my coat when I found the diary. I guess it's only poetic that I'd wear it when I returned the journal. That won't be the only poetic thing...

"I talked to stage manager and she said they're doing two performances tonight. The first one's a musical and the second's a regular old play about screwing up college interviews or something.  Anyway, there's a short break between those two," London informed. "You go on then."

"Yeah, but isn't there like some sort of intermission during that time?" I asked.

London and Louie kinda looked at each other like some psychic siblings.  That got me worried. That got me really worried. Nothing good ever came out from those kinds of stares. "What?" I asked, eyes narrowing.

"Trev." Louie put a hand on my shoulder. "You are the intermission."

I could only stare. My head traveled between the two of 'em. From Louie to London to Louie to London...  My neck was about to twist itself when London stopped me.

"Relax!" she piped. "It's short. You'll go on for a few minutes. You'll do your thing and go down."

I nodded with my mouth opened. A few minutes. I couldn't even breathe during that introduce yourself bullshit during the first day of class.

The lights suddenly dimmed. A single limelight shone on the stage. My attention was stolen by the actors, all dolled up.  Audience members clapped. The music rang up.  

Then, another spotlight flickered on, illuminating one single person on center-stage.  She was dressed in that get-up Louie and I saw when we came asking about Kaye. The blue shirt, the pink jogger jeans, the brown wig. Boy, from afar Sage kinda looked like Kaye.

My frantic nerves were suddenly calmed as I saw her face, beaming up as she delivered her first lines.  All the cowardice and anxiety somehow melted as if they were they were snow. That only meant Sage is the sun.

The funny thing was that she didn't even have a line. It was a freaking musical and all she said was "Smiley face!" during the first song.  She was just sort of dancing a little, with the boys surrounding her.  But I couldn't take my damn eyes off her!

Finally, she had her moment. The second song was all hers.  And, boy, that girl could sing.  She had the audience at the palm of her hand. Certainly had me. The whole theater erupted with laughter when she said something funny.