Backstage

05

The plan was simple. As simple as it could be. I was going to run away.

No, I wasn't going to run away forever. I was going to run away for only a DAY. Then I would be able to practice the audition with Richard. And no, I wasn't going to jump out the window to escape my parents. I was going to walk through that door, and come back without any of my parents knowing.

This was the plan: My father would go to work early in the morning. He would come back mid evening, depending on the time he could get off work. That would mean basically a whole day without my dad. The problem would be my mother. She stayed home all day, except for special occasions.

Yet my mother would be going with the ladies to have tea and gossip in the afternoon. Which Would mean I would be covered for three hours. Three hours. That would mean I could practice with Richard for three hours. If all went well, It would work smoothly.

"I am heading out" my mother announced as she draped her coat over her body. "I will be back by the evening."

I nod and give her a smile. My father had left early in the morning to go to work, and now my mother was going to leave for tea. This was going well.

"See you later mother." I mutter.

"Do not leave the house!" She ordered. Then with a nod, she left the house.

I waited two heartbeats before I got ready. I bolted to my bedroom, and threw out my closet. I scanned the racks, looking for the perfect one. I found my favorite dress, a blue and gold laced down the back. Cut sleeves and silky material. I got this dress last year on my 15th birthday. I adored it, and only wore it on special occasions. This was a special occasion.

I quickly got dressed, sliding the dress over my corset. I grabbed a notebook (To write down any good details) and a stopwatch, (To keep track of time). I placed them in my pack.

I then hastily opened the door, and stepped into the cool summer day.

I remembered my directions to the elizabeth theater. Different then my usual messed up direction, I navigated the streets with ease. I passed the stall with the plump baker. This time, I stopped and bought some warm bread for me and Richard to share.

Finally, I reach the Elizabeth theater, and find that Richard was already waiting there. He wore a white shirt and a brown coat covering lightly over the shirt.

"Richard!" I yell, and jog over to him.

He turns around, frowning.

"You're late! He snarls. I look back in surprise.

"I'm sorry-" I tried to say, until he cut me off.

"I'm joking, I'm joking," he laughs cheerfully. "You're just on time!"

I stare down awkwardly. He noticed that I didn't get the joke.

"Uh-" he faltered. "Anyway, I got a great place for us to practice!"

"Good! Where too?" I ask.

"It's a surprise," he chuckled. "You have to follow me to find out"

I hit him playfully with my notebook. "I hate surprises" I giggle.

He laughs along and begins guiding me the opposite way, towards the end of the city.

The walk was short and simple, I've walked down this road many times before. Yet being with Richard, I started observing more stuff. Like how a group of children laughed as they jumped between a string the other was holding. I noticed how many more beggars there were on that street.

"Richard, why are there so many beggars?" I ask, as the crowd begins to thin out.

"It's sad isn't it?" he replies solemnly. "They tried to get a job, but life is unfair."

We continued walking, yet what he said still stuck in my head.

We neared the end of the brick building, and into a clearing.

"Here we are!" Richard said happily, spreading his arms to the view. "The great castle of london! Or otherwise, the tree that looks like a castle."

I look in his direction to see a great towering tree that surprisingly looks like a castle, on a green rolling hill.

"This is the place?" I ask. I've been here before, but looking at it again with richard made it feel like I was seeing it for the first time.

"Yup!" my favorite place to go" he said. He then eyed my bread that I was carrying.

"You got bread? Great! We can have a picnic!" he said cheerfully.

We sat down in the shade of the Castle-tree, eating buttered bread. The bread tasted delicious.

"Scrumptious," Richard noted as he took another bite.

"Are you going to teach me how to act?" I finally ask as we finish the bread.

"Of course!" he jumped up smiling. "But first, we must climb the tree!"

"Climb the-" I was going to say, but Richard already jumped on to the lower branches and pulled himself up.

"Are you coming?" he asked playfully, reaching out his hand to help.

I shake my head. "I do not know how to climb a tree!" I fretted.

"Trust me, I can help. It is really fun!" Richard replied, holding out his hand for an offer.

I look back to the town, half expecting my mother to run up the hill yelling at me. luckily, it never happened. So I took Richard's hand.

We climbed up the tree, my dress getting caught in the branches. Yet, it was exhilarating. We made it to the top, Richard pulling me up beside him.

"Look at the view!" Richard said. I follow his eyes and gasp! We were up so high! The town looked so small, the people looked like tiny ants. The sun looked like a coin in the distance.

"Wow" I mutter.

Richard smiled.

"Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy be hea'pd like mine." Richard quoted.

"What was that!" I ask.

"a line from romeo and juliet." Richard replied, then shoved a bunch of papers into my hand. "You want to be juliet, right?"

----

when he gave me the script, we practiced the lines, back and forth. I was nervous at first, but Richard was a good tutor. Soon I imagined myself as Juliet, a rich capulet, being forced to marry a guy I didn't love.

"We have been practicing for a couple of hours in this tree" I begin. "When will I be able to do the actions?"

"Tomorrow when we practice again, I'll teach you!" he replied, than bounced back another line from shakespeare.

"Wait!"I said, stopping Richard mid sentence. "Can we practice the day after tomorrow?" (I still couldn't leave home tomorrow.)

"Sure," Richard answered. "But the audition is in two weeks."

"Two weeks!" I said horrified, Burying my hands in my face. "How can I possibly be ready in two weeks?"

"You will be!" Richard reassured me, lifting my face out of my hands. "You were an amazing actress, I almost believed you were juliet!"

"You're just saying that to everybody!" I prompted.

"No, and only to people who show it" Richard confirmed. "You showed it. Besides, you're even a better actress than Edward!"

I grin a little bit. Richard was good at cheering people up.

"Nobody is a better actor then me." someone snarled down below. Both of us immediately looked down to find Edward, smirking right at us.

"Besides, you're in big trouble, Ellen." he said, smiling at me.

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

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