Backstage

03

We quickly left the theater in a rush. The afternoon sunlight felt good on my face. The sounds of the city felt distant, as if wary of me.

"So where do you live?" Richard asked as he squinted at the sun.

"You don't have to walk me home," I begin, "I can walk by myself."

"I know you're perfectly capable," He complemented, "But I am a gentleman, and I will walk you home"

"Yeah..." I mutter.

"If you don't want to, I don't have too-"

"No, you can walk home with me. I need someone to talk too." I confessed.

"Great!" He beamed and smiled, like he knew that I was going to say yes the whole time. Why did he seem so intent on walking with me?

I began to lead the way to my house, Richard at the tow.

We stroll down the side of the street, like we were a couple. The sun beamed as bright as Richard's smile. I had to admit, he was fun to be around. He told jokes and hilarious stories. Meanwhile I told heartfelt, more meaningful things I learned. It felt like I knew Richard my whole life, even if it was only five minutes.

We passed a beggar, who fell slumped at one of these buildings. He wore tattered clothes and his ribs were showing. I gulp. I didn't have any coins. I silently begin to walk pass. Yet Richard had other plans. He stopped right next to the beggar and kneeled down in front of him. The beggar looked terrified, for he began to cover his face, but Richard then took out something from his pocket, and it gleamed in the sunlight.

Coins! Richard gave four coins to the beggar. The beggar looked up gratefully.

We began walking again.

"So how did you become an actor?" I blurt out.. I wanted to know how he became an actor, and what role he played on stage, for I didn't notice. Besides, might know about this mysterious boy, and acting at the same time.

"I always wanted to be an actor. Ever since I was young." He began. "There was always something connecting me to the stage. So, when I came of age, I auditioned. I got the part. I have played in over three plays. I was an extra in the one you watched, yet 'I'm planning on getting the main role in Romeo and Juliet. It is hosted again in this town. I would like to get the part of Romeo. The audition is in a week"

"What is that about?" I ask curiously.

"Glad you asked" He grinned. " another Shakespearean play! It goes by the name, Romeo and Juliet"

Romeo and Juliet? I love that play! Well, I've never seen it before. I just heard the story and plot line. It was about Romeo and Juliet, despite their families falling in love. Juliet fights to be in with Romeo even when her family tries to marry her off to someone else. Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a potion that will put her into a deathlike coma for "two and forty hours". The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan so that he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before the wedding, she takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, is laid in the family crypt.

The messenger, however, does not reach Romeo and, instead, Romeo learns of Juliet's apparent death from his servant, Balthasar. Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison frand goes to the crypt. He encounters Paris who has come to mourn Juliet privately. Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris. Still believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks the poison. Juliet then awakens and, discovering that Romeo is dead, stabs herself with his dagger and joins him in death. The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead. The families are reconciled by their children's deaths.

Despite the tragedy in the end, I always wanted to see the play. It would be fun to play as Juliet.

All of a sudden, a crazy idea popped in my head.

"Richard, can anybody try out of the play?" I ask.

"Yes! Richard replied "wait, do you want to try out?"

I stare at the ground. What would Richard think if I told him the truth? That I wanted to be a women actor.

"Yes, I do." I agreed. "It had been my dream since I was a little kid."

Richard stares up at me, into my eyes. I divert my gaze.

"Great! We can practice together! Both of us!" He cheered!

"What- really?" I sputter.

"Yeah! Let's meet up tomorrow at the front of Elizabeth Theater to practice! I have the script and everything!"

"Really! You would do that?" I stare, dumbstruck.

"Anything for a fellow actor" He grinned. "Or actress!"

My heart filled with joy as if it was swollen with hope. This man accepted me as an actress?

We neared my house at the corner of the street. Yet I didn't want to go.

"Thank you for walking me, Richard," I thanked him.

"It was a delight!" he acknowledged. "Fare thee well, Ellen. I will see you tomorrow. I have a feeling that fates are intertwined."

With that, he turned around and left, My heart full of fairy wings. I stood there trying to process the day's event. Of how this random guy thought of are fates. How I felt that this was only the beginning.

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