Pop - Ch. 6 Part I

                I picked up the guitar and started to play. Everything happened just as I had imagined it to be. The chords that I had been practicing all this time had become second nature to me. My fingers plucked and glided down the strings, moving in perfect time to way I had wanted them to. I was standing, the ocean breeze pulling strands of hair away from my face. I could feel it! The way Alekk felt. He would be so proud. I was finally getting it. I finally knew how it felt to enjoy knowing how to play the guitar.

                “ ‘Kay, show me what you’ve got.”

                I had been day dreaming again.

                I honestly had been practicing. The callouses on my fingertips could prove it. But the moment I picked up that guitar I knew it wouldn’t have made an ounce of a difference. I still sucked. My fingers didn’t “glide” down the guitar strings. They froze. I could start to “feel” the music, but then I would lose concentration on the chords I was supposed to play, and ultimately mess up. Alekk wouldn’t be too proud.

                In fact, I had proof that Alekk wasn’t very proud at all. He was trying to cover up the scowl on his face. It wasn’t working. The end of the song was coming, that was good. Alekk looked like he couldn’t take it anymore. Okay… one more verse… and done! The two of us looked relieved, oddly. I quickly set the guitar down and looked back at Alekk for some kind of remorse.

                “Alright,” droned Alekk, “let’s pretend you didn’t just suck at the guitar and focus on something else.” He sat down at a couch, trying to think up of what to say next. I followed, trying to think of what to say in reply.

“What do you mean by something else?” I asked.

“I mean, what do you like to do?” asked Alekk, “I mean, there has to be some hobby of yours that rates well above the guitar. Because at this rate, I am NOT going to let you play at some highly populated concert at the end of the summer.”

Alekk laughed. Laughed! And here I was, sitting there in shock. I guess it was a playful laugh, but his comment still kind of hurt. I knew I was bad at playing the guitar, but not that bad. I didn’t know whether to join in Alekk’s comic outburst or to point him out on his snide truthfulness. I started busting up, laughing. We just sat there for a couple of minutes, tears rolling down our cheeks, our sides aching. I had never seen this side of Alekk before. It was certainly refreshing.

“So?” Alekk asked after our laughter had subsided.

“Acting. I like acting.”

                It was Thursday night, which meant that Alekk was going to have his friends over at any minute. Niv and I made plans to bypass the party and go down to the beach to make some smores instead. My mind paced over what had happened earlier today – how I had seen the other side of Alekk. It was a nice change, but whether his act was permanent or not, I guess I would have to find out. I pulled on a sweater and headed downstairs where Niv was waiting.

                What a complete change, this last week has been. Never did I imagine that the outcome of this summer would be me, unofficially dating Alekk Weston’s assistant and best friend, Niv. This whole adventure had become a rollercoaster ride, but out of all of it, Niv was the good. He was cool watermelon on a hot sunny day. He helped reassure me that everything was going to be fine with Wes. Last week opened new doors. We could talk about new things. I trusted him completely.

                He smiled as I came down the stairs and walked over to wrap me in one of his warm hugs.

                “Hey Max,” he breathed. His sweater smelled of his cologne, a new favorite of mine. I could be here, just like this for the longest time, and it wouldn’t have bothered me a bit. I smiled.

                Just as we were parting, Alekk surprised us with his presence again as he descended the steps of his bedroom. I sighed. What did he want now?

                “Well aren’t you guys just as charming as a pair of my grandma’s slippers,” smirked Alekk. He walked up to us, for once not holding up a glass of brandy while wearing a tux. For once, he was dressed in casual, outdoorsy clothes. I didn’t get it. First his laughter from earlier this morning, and now this.

                “Aren’t you going to get ready for your party?” asked Niv, evidently picking up on the same odd clues.

                “On the contrary, though I do enjoy the days when you’re NOT in my house Ms. Maxine, I am not having a party. Thirsty Thursdays are no more! I’ve given up on that whole… drinking thing.”

                Niv and I stood there with shock clearly written on our faces. Alekk pretended that he didn’t even notice. He sighed, smiling in a way that made us look like a part of a joke. Niv and I quickly tried to compose ourselves.

                “Should’ve grabbed a camera for that,” said Alekk, “how long could you guys have stood there anyway?”

                Niv shook his head and held my hand. We started walking across the living room.

                “Wait!” yelled Alekk as he caught up with us.

                “Well, what do you want, Alekk? You didn’t come down from your room for nothing. Especially if you’re not having a party.” Niv looked slightly angry for once. Apparently there were sides of both Niv and Alekk that I hadn’t seen before.

                “True, I gave up Thirsty Thursdays. All of our guests were getting boring. I will, however, never give up my brandy. Also, for which you are inquiring, I am dressed up like this because I have decided to take us somewhere. The Shakespeare Festival. You’ll have to pack up whatever you’ll need in T-minus fifteen minutes seeing as there is a plane to catch and cabin with our names on it. Hope you didn’t have anything planned for this evening.”

                And with a devilish grin, Alekk turned and walked gracefully back to his room.

                BANG.

                The loud slam of the door to Alekk’s room had awoken both Niv and me. We gave one knowing look to each other and bolted, knowing we had only fifteen minutes to pack for only the most amazing festival ever. I was so happy I could have exploded.

                For all the nervousness he was feeling, Alekk was beginning to think that he needed that swig of brandy. If Max was really great at acting, this would be it. This would be her start. No more normal Maxine from the Midwest. Would this make her happy?

                He picked up the old poem that he needed and carefully sifted it into his pocket. He thought of how his dad, calm and wise, gave him the poem those years ago.

                “To be honest, you’ll probably make any normal girl take off running when you read her this. But you, son. You’re not just some normal boy. I didn’t raise you that way. You’ve already taken the world by surprise. So when you read the girl this, the one who has finally caught you by surprise, I guarantee she’ll most certainly stay.”

                “Let’s hope, Dad,” Alekk said silently before turning off his bedroom light.

                The next day I awoke to Niv and Alekk arguing. We were in the cabin, and for once, the space made the whole situation crowded. The cabin was smaller than my house back in the Midwest, and with the addition of the boys, there was really no space for me to call my own.

                “Ugh, I think I got that stupid flu from the lady sitting next to me,” said Niv all the way from the bedroom. He certainly did sound sick. A large sigh ensued.

                “And that’s why you’re going to stay in here until you get better!” exclaimed Alekk in fake motherly tone, “and I love your dimples, they’re so cute.”

                “UGH! She did sound like that, huh?” laughed Niv.

                “What a creeper,” laughed Alekk, “but seriously, if it gets worse I’ll have them come get you in the jet.”

                “I know,” sighed Niv, “it just sucks.”

I was sitting on the couch when Alekk walked into the living room. I didn’t expect him to come in so quickly.

                “Oh, hello there Max. Picking up on our conversation? You know that’s bad manners.” He then resumed walking to the kitchen, trying to find something to make for breakfast. Was it me, or did he forget that I had been making his meals for the past month and a half?

                “You know how to make breakfast?” I asked. It seemed I was the one that shocked him. He looked completely clueless.

                “Uh… duh? Who do you think I was before I became famous?”

                After breakfast, Alekk and Max got ready to explore all that the Shakespeare Festival had to offer. They had only walked a couple of yards away from their cabin when Alekk saw an actress and her director arguing.

                “I can’t believe Nelly dropped. Now we don’t even have a back-up. And I’m afraid with her gone, Fred won’t want to perform either. We better hope someone can fill for her, or we might have to call off Midsummer.”

                Alekk stood in shock. This was Max’s opportunity. He didn’t understand much of the actress’s lingo, except for the part where they were obviously desperate for an actress. He turned to Max, who was oblivious to it all.

                “Max, do you know of something called ‘Midsummer?’”

                “Like the back of my hand!” Alekk’s eyes widened. He ran off after the actor and director he had seen seconds ago.

                “Alekk. WESTON!!” squealed the actress. The director looked pretty surprised as well. This was the typical reaction whenever he greeted new people, Alekk thought. He shrugged off their dropped jaws and flushed faces. He had business to get to.

                “YES. Me. Anyways, I’ve heard that you guys are short an actress. Is that true?”

                Nods from the two.

                “Well, I have a friend who is a really great actress. She knows your play like the, um, back of her hand. Could you give her a try?”

                The director was the first to compose herself. Trying now to act professional, she gave a silent pause, perusing the horizon as if some magical answer were to be found there.

                “I suppose, if it is you Alekk Weston, who has recommended her.”

                Alekk watched as Max performed right there next to the pond just beyond their cabin. All he knew was that she was amazing. She fit right in. She twirled and gasped and cried and laughed all in the right moments. He compared the guitar lesson he had with her a day ago, how he judged how she didn’t quite get it. And now she could surpass him, definitely in this. It was obvious she hadn’t had won that award he found in her room for nothing.

                With every smile that Max had given, Alekk had fallen more for her. She was everything he didn’t have anymore. He didn’t have that innocence. He didn’t have that hope or light-heartedness that Max still reserved for the world. She knew that there was still good in every little thing. All he had known was that she was good.

                “Well Max, you have my seal of approval!” beamed the director, “Meet me at nine tomorrow morning. Looks like we’ve found our new Helena.”

                I about fell to the ground. Me! She wanted me. I hadn’t even been outside the cabin for more than a day and I had a part in one of the most popular Shakespeare plays, ever! Happiness filled my veins. Nothing could have ever been better than what I felt right now. I was going to be in a play. In front of thousands of people. Though I never thought I would act again after high school, this was certainly the golden ticket.

                If only I could somehow show Wes.

                “Why did you do this for me, Alekk? You’ve never been nice to me. I don’t know what to expect from you.”

                I had spotted Alekk admiring the pond. The hours had flown by and it had taken until now for me to realize that Alekk was the one who landed my tryout in the first place. None of it made sense.

                “I know,” said Alekk, walking towards me, “I don’t really know what to expect out of myself, either.” I was confused by what he was trying to say.

                “Well that’s life, Alekk.”

                “No! No. What I mean to say is… I like you Maxine. I know it’s selfish, but I do.”

                The words weren’t sinking in. None of it made sense. Alekk hated me. Or at least I thought he did. I was frustrated… nothing I could think up was good enough. He wasn’t like Niv. He didn’t even like Wes. Instead of happiness, I felt rage. All I thought was that this was some sort of prank Alekk was making up. I couldn’t wait any longer for his laughter at my expense.

                “No, you don’t like me Alekk. You think quitting your parties – taking me here – is going to help? You don’t even know me. Not at all.”

END OF CH. 6 PART I