Finer Things // h.s.

Meetings, Fittings and Old Friends

July 8th, 2009

I peek open my eyes as I lay on the paper machete alter that the design crew made for Hamish and I to fall onto when we take the 'poisonous elixir' which is really only cranberry juice in a small jar. I see Dad, Harry, Anne and Gemma sitting down the front watching in awe, but my eyes fixate on Harry who's munching away at the popcorn he must've bought from the confectionary stall run by the canteen ladies before the show. Each year the school's drama group puts on a show directed by our leading drama teacher, Mr. Gibson. This year we did Romeo and Juliet with a modern twist. Meaning we really only took inspiration from that one remake with young Leonardo DiCaprio in the 90's.

"And with that, Romeo and Juliet lay together with the serum seeping through their veins, slowing their hearts to beat as one, until the beating stopped. But alas! They would be together in another world far away from the feude between the Montagues and the Capulets." Millie Burton, who is dressed in an angel costume, announces to the crowd as she takes the centre stage of our school theatre. The crowd erupts and I stand to take Hamish's hand as we walk to the front of the stage and I feel the energy inside the tiny school theatre fill me entire body with pure happiness. I look around at the crowd, making an attempt to analyse each individual face to see how they're reacting. I look at Dad who puts his camera down and smiles at me. Gemma claps loudly and fast with a smile, ear to ear. Anne holds her thumbs up, bobbing up and down on the spot but my eyes go to Harry who stands there clapping wildly, whistling as he places his two fingers between his lips. The ceiling lights illuminate my skin as I'm joined by the rest of my cast.

I feel shivers run across my arms, the hair sticking up like small blades of grass. My heart races and the adrenaline of being on stage courses through my veins. My eyes begin to tear up from pure happiness as the curtain draws, sending the crowd into a soft murmur. A wave of realisation rushes over me as I walk off stage and the cast erupts into applause at the success of opening nights and it occurs to me that I've never felt this happy. I watch as people run about singing songs and chanting the infamous lines from the play. Two girls approach Mr. Gibson whose helping Hamish out of his costume, with a bouquet of roses and a card. This is what I'm meant to do. I'm meant to be on stage in front of people.

******

"I think I wanna act." I say, turning down the radio as Dad and I drive home.

"You already do, what do you mean?" He says as he taps his fingers on the steering wheel, matching the soft beat of the lowered radio.

"No, I think I want to act as a career." I say softly, fumbling at the seams of my white Juliet costume.

"What about teaching? I thought you wanted to teach drama in schools?" He says as he turns down the gravel trail that leads to our house.

"I just feel like I'm meant to be on stage. Mum always wanted me to be an actress and I never really thought of it as a career." I say with a sharp breath knowing mentioning Mum makes Dad emotional. It makes both of us emotional.

"Your Mother was full of wild dreams, wasn't she? You're exactly like her. Never settling for anything less than the absolute best life." He says as we pull into the driveway. Dad turns the engine off, and we sit in the driveway looking at our house.

"Being on stage made me so happy. I just can't explain the feeling." I say to him as I turn to him, watching him play at his beard.

"Well Tilly..." He says as he turns to me with a stern look.

"Acting is a fickle business, and it's going to be difficult. It will take years of hard work, failure and success will be something that won't come easy." He says and I suck on my bottom lip unsure of what he's about to say.