Pop - Ch.6 Part II

                “And what you just saw folks was Alekk Weston, here at the Shakespeare Festival. Back to you, Bill.”

One day earlier…

                “Your virtue is my privilege: for that

                It is not night when I see your face,

                Therefore I think I am not in the night;

                Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,

                For you in my respect are all the world:

                Then how can it be said I am alone,

                When all the world is here to look on me?” I paused, waiting for criticism. Fred, my counterpart, hinted by giving a small smile. Everyone was quiet until Leona, our director, walked on stage. I had been practicing this line for what seemed like hours. I had done a brilliant job yesterday when I tried out for the part of Helena, but for some reason something was off today. Waiting for approval was driving me crazy.

                “Good Helena. Everyone, we are out of time for today. Again, I am so glad your costumes all fit! Get some rest, because I expect you to practice those lines until our showing tomorrow evening!”

                A sigh of relief was followed by everybody. I shrugged my shoulders apologetically as the group gathered up their belongings. Leona made her way over to me.

                “Max, I need to have a word with you.” Whatever she was going to say next could not have been good. I gulped, and walked sheepishly over to her, my mind tormenting me with all the possible things she could say.

                “You were very good yesterday, Max. One of the best that I have seen in your age. That being said, I also didn’t like your performance today. Yes there are times where you’re supposed to upset, weary, sometimes even dismal. But for the most part you’re a peaceful character, who’s also full of love. Are you understanding me?”

                A small “yes” was all I could muster. Please don’t replace me. Please don’t replace me. Please don’t replace me.

                “Good. I know it’s hard and all, being the student of Alekk Weston, away from your parents. But whatever is bothering you, I need it to be resolved by tomorrow evening. I hope I am making myself clear.”

                I nodded, and realized that my fingernails were cutting into my palms. She didn’t replace me. My heart pounded. I needed to get this perfect. Alekk had given me this opportunity, and I needed to do my part. My future was on the line. If I did this successfully, I could take care of me and Wes after this summer, easy as pie.

                I started walking back to the cabin, where Alekk and Niv would be. I had mixed feelings about being there, in the cabin. There was only one someone I liked, yet two someones who liked me. Funny how at the beginning of the summer I would have killed to be in the position I am now. If Alekk had said he liked me the moment I first walked into his house, I wouldn’t have thought twice before the dates and dinners commenced. And it would have been opposite. Niv would have been nowhere on my mind.

                I opened the door the cabin and Alekk was there, perched perfectly on the couch. Ever since yesterday, running into him had been awkward. We both hadn’t told Niv about all that had happened yesterday. I guess we both kind of knew what kind of reaction it would illicit.

                “What are you watching?” I asked, nodding towards the television.

                “COPS. I’m surprised there was actually something on here that was more entertaining than myself.”

“Right,” I replied, “so is Niv awake?”

                “Yes, your knight in shining armor is wide awake. Although probably not as ‘knight-ish’ if you know what I mean. I’ve never met anyone who has looked fantastic being sick.”

               
                 Alekk had that smirk on his face. The one he would always wear, especially before he told me that he liked me. I could tell he was trying to make light of what happened yesterday, trying to pretend that it didn’t happen. However, as I made my way upstairs, I heard a desperate sigh escape his lips.

                 Niv was on his bed, still in his pajamas. He looked more pale than usual, a noted difference I hadn’t wished to see. His lively blue eyes were now tired and lacking of their shine. Like for Wes, I wished that I could help him, but I didn’t know how. He still gave me a weak smile that no matter the occasion made my heart beat a million times a minute. I smiled back as best I could and sat down next to him.

                “I’m so sorry you’re sick, Niv.” Niv gave a slight chuckle, a little life returning to his eyes.

                “Do you know what I wish?” asked Niv innocently.

                “What?”

                “You’re not going to believe it. But guess.”

                “You want to get better and go to the beach.”

                “No,” smiled Niv, “but you were VERY close. That does sound good, actually.”

                “Well what do you want then?” I asked, scooting in closer to him. Niv looked up at the ceiling a bit, and then back at me.

                “I wish that everyone else was sick. Except for us. It’d be just us and we could do whatever we wanted.” Niv gave me this playfully evil grin. I couldn’t help but laugh.

                “Niv, I’ve never heard you wish for a more horrible thing before. I’m thinking that flu got to your head!”

                We both laughed.

                “I’m thinking it got to my head, too,” Niv paused, “But Max if it were only us… I mean if we were the only people that existed, I wouldn’t mind.”

                Niv looked like he wanted to say something else, yet before he had a chance to say anything he was falling asleep. The stars outside were brighter than I had ever seen at Alekk’s beach house. I loved how the trees seemed to seclude the three of us.

I wondered what the next day could have in store. For all I knew this would be my last day being normal Maxine… whatever that meant. But I knew it meant no more seclusion. Privacy. Did Alekk and Niv think like this sometimes?

 

                I made my way back to the living room, knowing that Alekk would come up within the half-hour or so to go to sleep as well. As I turned a corner however, I literally ran right into Alekk, who had been standing next to the couch as if he had been expecting me. I quickly jumped backwards a little, trying to hide the embarrassment on my face.

                “Sorry Alekk, I didn’t see you there,” I said, pretending not to see Alekk’s suspicious facial expression. He wasn’t going to let me go that easy.

                “So you haven’t told Niv yet. Why not?” asked Alekk simply. It finally made sense. He didn’t tell Niv of what happened yesterday because he expected me to. Did he want Niv to know or was he going play off as if nothing had happened?

                “I thought you were going to, Alekk. It’s your fault. You’re his friend, anyways.”

                “But you see,” smirked Alekk, “you’re practically his girlfriend. You didn’t tell him because you didn’t want to hurt him. Simple as that. I was going to tell him either way – one because I am his friend as you professed and two, because I do like you Max. A lot.”

  

                I paced the living room, furious. I had allowed Alekk to burrow through my mind again.

                “No Alekk, you don’t like me. And I don’t like you and-,”

                “LIES!” Alekk interrupted, walking towards me.

                “What lies?” I yelled, backing away from Alekk’s advancement.

                “There is no way that you are not attracted to me Max, much as I am to you. You wouldn’t have stepped foot in my house almost two months ago if that were not the case.”            

 

My heart pounded. Alekk was still walking towards me. My back hit a wall. I had nowhere else to go and Alekk was coming closer. He was inches away from me now.

                “I don’t like you, Alekk.”

                “Do you honestly think that I believe that?” breathed Alekk. He was an inch away from me. Chills surged up my spine, as I allowed him to tilt my chin up, his lips so close to mine that I could now feel their warmth. For a moment my mind almost gave way. Until I remembered.

                “Wes,” I sighed.

                Alekk immediately backed away, a dejected expression on his face. Part of me was glad I had disappointed him; part of me wished I hadn’t said anything. He turned and started walking toward the stairs. Not an inch of him rang out the words “selfish” or “angry.” Just hurt. It was like he knew he was wrong, that he knew my worry for Wes was similar to something he once felt. He looked sorry.

                “Is that what you want – is to see Wes?” he asked quietly, facing me once again.

                “I just want to see that he’s alright,” I replied.

                Alekk paused for a moment, tapping his fingers on the stair rail.

                “Niv. He’s not getting any better. My private jet will be here tomorrow evening to pick him up, just after you finish your play. Take the jet with Niv. When you land I’ll have a driver waiting to take you to Wes.”

                Alekk then turned away and went upstairs. No other words to say. Words wouldn’t escape my mouth either as I sunk to the floor in shock. I was going to see Wes. Finally, Alekk would let me see him. Alekk would let me see Wes, which meant he liked me. He really liked me. Before falling asleep that night, I remembered being entirely still. Except for my heart, which beat louder than I had ever heard before.

 

                “More makeup! Those bags are atrocious,” said Ricky, the actress I had met when I tried out for the play. She gave me a pretty nasty scowl, so I was guessing my eyes really were that bad. And after looking in the mirror again, they were pretty hard not to notice.

                We were getting ready for the play, which was about to show in ten minutes. My mind was racing all over the place. I was so nervous. I hardly slept at all the night before. I didn’t know if it was because of the play, or because Alekk’s outburst yesterday evening. But I had to focus now. Ten minutes from now could be the start of the rest of my life. I started caking on cover-up, with Ricky behind me nodding in approval.

                Not even the start of the play yet, and I knew already that this was going to be one interesting night.

 

                “And now, so you will let me quiet go,

                To Athens will I bear my folly back

                And follow you no further: let me go:

                You see how simple and how fond I am.”

                It was almost the end of the third act. Alekk made his way over backstage. The jet was almost near, and soon would be waiting for Max. She was doing so well. His heart swelled as the audience “ooed” and “awed” to every line she said. Sometimes the audience would just sit in utter silence, perplexed as they soaked up in all of her perfection. Every minute seemed like an hour, until finally Max appeared.

                “Max!” he whispered loudly. She turned toward him. Her hair in curls, she looked like an angel.

                “Max,” he repeated, “the jet will be here soon. You’ll have to go as soon as you are done.”

                She smiled, genuinely happy. She used to only have that smiled reserved for Wes or Niv. Now she was smiling at him, and for once Alekk knew a little bit of what it felt like to be complete.

                “Thank you Alekk, for everything.” And with that, she skipped back to the dressing room to get ready for Act IV.

                “Just wait for the fifth act,” Alekk said to himself, throwing on a pair of sunglasses as disguise before walking back into the audience.

                Helena: “So methinks:

                And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,

                Mine own, and not mine own.”

                Demetrius: “Are you sure

                That we are awake? It seems to me

                That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think

                The duke was here, and bid us follow him?”

                Hermia: “Yea; and my father.”

                Helena: “And Hippolyta.”

                Lysander: “And he did bid us follow to the temple.”

                Demetrius: “Why, then, we are awake: let’s follow him

                And by the way let us recount our dreams.”

                I walked backstage, rushing to retrieve everything of mine so I could make it to the jet as soon as possible. Leona stopped me.

                “What are you doing, Max? There’s a party and poetry reading afterwards!” She eyed my stuff suspiciously. I silently replied with a face full of guilt.

                “Sorry Leona, Alekk has a jet waiting for me to go back to his vacation house. He was concerned that I didn’t get any sleep last night,” I lied. It sounded pretty convincing though, I have to give myself credit. Leona looked disappointed, but seemed to understand. There was to be no arguing as long as Alekk was involved.

                “Well I’m sorry to hear that. You did a very good job today, Max. I’ve already got a couple of critics and movie directors lined up for you, so I’ll call Alekk and give him the heads-up. If a career as an actress is what you want.”

                “YES!” I practically spat out. My smile was so wide that my cheeks hurt. I felt as though I was floating on air. I couldn’t believe it. I did it – I was on my way to a great future, just like that. I thanked Leona and ran towards where the jet would be. I would tell Wes everything. I couldn’t wait to see him.

                “Ma’am. Ma’am you have arrived at 140 Ford Avenue. According to my directions given by Aleksei Weston, this is the residence of Wes McKinley.”

                Even as I got out of the car, I was still waking up. I fell asleep on the jet and apparently didn’t wake up until now. The driver confused me. AlekSEI Weston? Hmm. I didn’t know that “Alekk” was actually short for something. But either way, here I was, in front of Wes’ house. Once I realized how close I was to him, I instantly awakened, still dressed in my play costume stumbling towards his front door as fast as I could manage. I rang the doorbell.

                “Hello?” Wes took one look at me before swinging the door wide open and wrapping me in a suffocating hug. So he was better. More than better – I practically couldn’t breathe! He realized how strong he was and released his grip. I couldn’t believe it. There he was, standing in front of me, healthier than I had seen him in years.

                “Max! Come on inside. I’m so glad you’re here! Did you sneak out?”

                “No,” I replied as I followed him towards his living room, “Alekk let me visit you.”

                “He did?” asked Wes, shocked. He directed us over to a couch. I’m guessing he saw the bags under my eyes and got the same hint Ricky did earlier this evening. I sighed. If only Wes knew… how much of Alekk I didn’t know until now.

                “Yes, he did Wes. Listen, he’s -,”

                “He’s on the news, Max.” Wes pointed towards the television screen, which had Alekk’s face centered on live footage. He was standing on the same stage I performed on earlier today. He held up an old piece of paper, hands shaking. I had never seen him look so nervous before. He looked up to the camera.

                “This is for a special girl – the first to ever take me by surprise.”

                The crowd muttered some whispers in the background. I clutched onto couch. My face had gone white. Wes looked back and forth, from me to Alekk on the television screen. It didn’t take long for him to figure it out.

                “He means you, Max.”

                “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;

                Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;

                If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

                If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

                I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

                But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

                And in some perfumes is there more delight

                Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

                I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

                That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

                I grant I never saw a goddess go;

                My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

                And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

                As any she belied with false compare.”

                My favorite poem. He couldn’t have guessed it, no one could have. But there he was, waiting for everyone’s reaction after reading it. Some scowled. They didn’t get it. Others sat back in their chairs and gave him a warm smile, appreciating Shakespeare’s humor. Some girls looked unsatisfied; curious as to whom Alekk was reading the poem for. I just sat there in silence. Wes looked at the television screen, his jaw still wide open. Eventually the news lady cut in.

                “And what you just saw folks was Alekk Weston, here at the Shakespeare Festival. Back to you, Bill.”

END OF CH.6 PART II