The Comeback

by Marlene Perez

  I saw a couple of the kids whispering and snickering, and I squared my chin. Let them talk. They were wrong about me, whatever they were saying.

  “Thanks, Sophie,” Angie said. “That’s good advice.”

  “Two minutes to curtain,” Monet said. And I felt my stomach drop to my knees. I tried to remember my own advice and forget about everything, but a lot was riding on this.

  If I screwed up and ruined the opening night performance, Monet would never believe I hadn’t done it deliberately. But chances were good that opening night would go smoothly. Dress rehearsal certainly hadn’t, and it was a stage tradition that if you had a bad dress rehearsal, it meant a great opening night.

  The curtain went up and we took our places. I could barely hear my cue over the hammering of my heart.

  It all started going downhill during the first scene, when Angie stumbled over her opening line. “I—” (long pause) “I pray…” Her face went white.

  “You, sir,” I gave her a prompt without moving my lips.

  “You, sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?” she continued.

  I released a breath I didn’t even know I’d been holding and got ready for my cue. I let myself be transported to another time and place, into another person, a person who was as pliable as a willow tree.

  Then it was time for my exit. Angie was supposed to exit a few lines later and I held my breath, but she remembered her lines and exited when she was supposed to.

  She rushed up to me. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe you did that!”

  Monet’s head whipped around. “What did she do now?” she said in a weary tone.

  “She saved my ass,” Angie said. “I went blank and she fed me the line.”

  I noticed that Dev was eavesdropping on the whole conversation, but when I glanced at him, he looked away. My scene had been going surprisingly well, but the big kiss was yet to come.

  “Really?” Monet said.

  “Don’t sound so surprised,” I said.

  Monet opened her mouth, but then Guy Squires rushed up. “There’s a problem with the sound board,” he said, and she took off to deal with the minor emergency.

  Angie stumbled a couple more times. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she said during intermission.

  A couple of things sprang to mind, but I bit my tongue. Till I drew blood. At this rate, the turning-over-a-new-leaf thing was going to be even more painful than I had anticipated.

  “Relax,” I said. “You’re doing fine.”

  But she really blew it during the wedding scene. Connor said something and then her face went white. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out.

  She looked at him pleadingly, but Connor could barely remember his own lines. He couldn’t come to the rescue this time.

  He just stood there waiting. Finally, he repeated her cue again.

  My mind went blank, too, for a second and then the words came back to me. I bent down and pretended to adjust the train of Angie’s gown and whispered the words to her.

  Her face relaxed and she projected loud and clear.

  The curtain finally went down and we took our bows. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over for the night.

  “What was all that about?” Dev said.

  “Oh, so you’re talking to me now?” I replied.

  “What was going on?”

  “None of your business.” When we kissed during the wedding scene, he had given me a kiss that had thrilled me to my toes, and I thought he might have forgiven me, but I guess I was wrong. He had just been acting.

  How could he have missed that Angie had frozen?

  “Sophie, why can’t you just leave her alone?”

  “Why can’t you?” I said, before stomping off. I took a certain amount of glee in the surprise I saw on his face. I was reforming, but there was no way I was going to let Dev Lucero boss me around.

  I only had two more performances to get through. Saturday afternoon, we were already in costume when Monet came up to me.

  “That was nice of you, what you did for Angie last night.”

  “It was the least I could do after I tried to kill her,” I said. It was a weak attempt at a joke, but Monet didn’t laugh and I couldn’t blame her.

  “Do you want to hang out at the cast party?” she said after an awkward pause.

  I met her eyes. “I’m trying to change,” I said. “But I can’t guarantee that I’ll always be a perfect angel.”

  She suppressed a snort. “Of that I have no doubt.” And that’s when I knew I was forgiven.

  I gave her a hug and noticed Dev watching us. All I saw in his eyes was contempt, but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try to tell him how I felt.

  Before I had time to talk to him and pour out my heart, however, we were called into hair and makeup. I’d corner him at the cast party, I decided.

  Vanessa’s mom used to be a professional makeup artist and had volunteered to help do makeup for the play. I changed into a robe and then took my place in front of one of the lighted mirrors that had been temporarily added to the girls’ locker room.

  While Mrs. Leon applied the thick stage paint to my face, I sat in the chair and mentally ran my lines one more time.

  A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door and Haley, who wasn’t changing into costume or at the makeup table, answered it. She came back with a bouquet of flowers.

  “They’re for you,” she said, handing me an enormous spray of orchids.

  “Who would send me flowers?” I said.

  “Probably your mom,” Haley said.

  I gave her a dirty look, but she smiled sweetly.

  “There’s a card,” she added helpfully.

  I opened the envelope. The card said “Break a leg. Dev.”

  I wondered if he meant that literally.

  Chapter 25

  Every seat in the house is full,” Monet whispered to me. “It’s a sold-out performance.”

  “Did Fanelli promise them they could throw rotten tomatoes at me?” I whispered back. I always made jokes when I was nervous. I was trying not to let it show, but my hands were clammy with sweat. Opening night is always a blur; now this felt real.

  “No, but maybe rumors of your torrid love affair with my brother drew a crowd,” Monet shot back.

  I paled.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” she said. “I was just joking.”

  It killed me to admit it, but Connor and Angie did a good job. She made an admirable Katharina, blowing hot one minute and cold the next. It was a better than decent performance, but I knew my Katharina would have been something special. There was bound to be a college production, if I was lucky.

  I heard my cue and stepped into the scene. I said my first line and Dev replied. My shoulders were incredibly tense, but after a few minutes, I felt them loosen.

  I could do this. As I said the words, it finally became clear. I was a girl in love with a guy.

  When Dev took me into his arms, I thought, despite Fanelli’s directions, he might try to fake it with a stage kiss. Instead, he took me into his arms and kissed me lingeringly.

  I vaguely heard the sound of a wolf whistle from the audience. I was so addled that I could barely get out my next line, but I managed.

  Monet later told me that the look of dazed lust on my face lent my performance a little extra something. I didn’t point out that I hadn’t been acting.

  I said my last line, “The more fool you, for laying on my duty.” I almost tripped as I exited the stage, but I caught myself and hoped nobody noticed.

  When the curtain finally fell, there was a moment of silence and then the crowd burst into roaring applause. Everyone was clapping, even the kids who buy tickets to the shows just to make fun of them.

  Backstage, everyone was talking and laughing at once. Even Dev looked my way and smiled.

  “Go on and take your bow,” Mr. Fanelli said to me. “You’ve earned it.”

  The leads linke
d hands and went forward to take their bows. Dev was on one side of me and Connor was on the other, but I barely noticed him. I was reveling in the sensation of Dev’s hand in mine.

  A strange exhilaration mixed with sadness came over me as we took our final bow. And finally, the last of the applause for Mr. Fanelli and Monet as they came out and took theirs. Then the houselights went up and the audience filed out.

  I found Mom, who handed me a bouquet of white roses. “From your father,” she said. “He’s sorry he couldn’t make it. And this,” Mom said, giving me a hug, “is from me.”

  “Best present ever,” I said, grinning at her.

  “Oh, there’s Mrs. Ambrose,” Mom said. “I need to talk to her about Grad Night. Do you mind?”

  “Go ahead,” I said. “I’ll see you backstage.”

  It was over. It was now or never to talk to Dev. I caught up with him outside the dressing room. He was leaning against the wall, talking to his parents and Monet. He was still in costume, although he’d loosened the tie and slung the suit jacket over his shoulder.

  “Sophie, there you are,” Monet said. She was holding a bouquet of daisies tied with a yellow gingham ribbon. Scott stood on her other side.

  “Nice flowers,” I said. I remembered I hadn’t thanked Dev yet for my orchids, but I didn’t want to say anything in front of his parents. Mr. Lucero liked to tease.

  “Sophie, you were marvelous,” Mr. Lucero said. “But I’m sorry you had to kiss my son. I hope the experience wasn’t too terrible.” His dimples flashed when he smiled.

  He bore a remarkable resemblance to Dev. Dev and Monet got their red hair from him.

  “Thank you,” I replied. “It wasn’t too terrible—acting opposite Dev.”

  “I hope he behaved himself,” his mother interjected.

  “Of course,” I said. Dev seemed to be enthralled with an imaginary spot right over my shoulder.

  We chatted for a few minutes, but his parents showed no signs of leaving.

  Finally, in desperation, I said, “Dev, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  He didn’t move. I was definitely getting mixed signals from him.

  “Son, when a beautiful woman asks you to talk to her, you go talk to her,” his father said. He gave him a gentle shove in my general direction. “Your mother and I will see you later.”

  Monet said, “Oh, there’s Vanessa. I need to talk to her about…something. C’mon, Scott.” She winked at me before she grabbed Scott’s arm and led him away.

  Dev looked at me but didn’t say anything.

  “Thank you for the orchids,” I said. “They’re beautiful.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  This had to be the most awkward conversation in the history of awkward conversations.

  “Dev, about the costume closet,” I said.

  “You don’t have to say anything,” he said. “I know you’re back with Connor.”

  “I’m not back with Connor,” I said.

  My life had been fraught with miscommunication lately. It was time to clear the air.

  “Dev,” I said, “I care about you, but—”

  He said, “Sophie, it’s okay. I saw you two together. You were happy. You don’t have to sugarcoat it.”

  He left before I could say anything else. How could a smart guy get things so backward? And how could he possibly miss that Connor and Angie were holding hands as they passed us?

  I couldn’t figure it out, unless Dev was obviously not interested and was using Connor as an excuse. Anyone with a brain in his head could see that Connor and I weren’t together, would never be together again, and, in fact, were much better off as friends than we ever were as boyfriend and girlfriend.

  Chapter 26

  It was our last performance. I don’t know if it was nostalgia or boy trouble, but I was feeling melancholy as I donned my costume for the last time.

  During the play, Angie didn’t stumble over any lines and there were only a few minor glitches (during the wedding scene, a piece of scenery almost toppled, but Dev had the foresight to grab it and pretend to casually lean against the faux wall until curtain).

  There was no use in crying. Dev was obviously not interested in me. I vowed to give up guys permanently and devote myself to good works. Or something.

  “Did you talk to him?” Monet asked.

  “Your brother is insane,” I said. “I talked to him, but I’m not sure he heard me. It was like we were speaking two different languages.”

  “He’ll come around, Sophie,” she said. “It’s obvious he likes you.”

  It wasn’t obvious to me. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  I was still in costume, although I’d wiped the heavy stage paint from my face. The stuff made you break out if you left it on too long.

  I helped Monet and Vanessa set up the snacks and punch for the parents.

  There was even a real wedding cake that towered next to the punch bowl. I nabbed a Fig Newton and glanced around. I was pretending to ignore Dev, but unfortunately, he hadn’t noticed.

  “Why don’t you go feed your hubby a slice of wedding cake?” Vanessa teased.

  I blushed. “Cut it out.”

  Dev was heading to the snack table. He reached over and nabbed a cookie. He never looked my way once.

  Olivia was standing a few feet away, probably just waiting to pounce. “I knew there was something between them,” I overheard her say. “I saw…” I tuned her out. I’d heard enough gossip lately.

  Evidently, so had Dev, because he abruptly turned away.

  “This is our cast party?” Monet asked.

  “Of course not,” Vanessa snorted. “This,” she waved at the innocent-looking snacks, “is for the parents’ benefit. The real cast party starts later.”

  “For a minute, I thought you’d lost your mind,” she replied. “We’re still all going to Wicked Jack’s for dinner, right?”

  She nodded. “And then to Haley’s. Her parents said we could use the guesthouse, but not to step foot in the main house.”

  Haley’s parents were loaded. Their guesthouse was bigger than my entire house. The thought of smiling and laughing and pretending to have fun made me tired. I just wanted to go home and sleep for about a week. And when I woke up, I wanted to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

  But I had obligations. I had already told Monet that we’d hang out at the cast party, and for once, I was going to keep a promise to her.

  “I dropped off the snacks there earlier,” I said. “But make sure that if Jason Brady shows up, someone frisks him for a flask.”

  “That guy should come with a warning label,” Vanessa replied, “after what he tried with you.”

  “I don’t think he’ll be trying that again,” I said. “I heard he tried to get grabby with Kaley Michaels and her brother practically tore him apart.”

  “Jason’s not too bright, is he?” Vanessa replied. Kurt Michaels was an all-star linebacker with a notoriously short temper.

  I chuckled. “Not very.”

  Dev was no longer in the room. I knew because my heart had stopped thrumming.

  I smiled when I saw that Connor had given Angie a huge bouquet of roses. So predictable. I cherished my orchids, which were more exotic.

  “I forgot to hang up my costume,” I said. I gave Monet a rueful glance.

  “We’ll wait for you,” she said. “Make sure to put it in the right place.”

  “I will,” I said, summoning a smile. I didn’t really feel like going to the party, but I would make an appearance. “Go on without me, but save me a seat.”

  I draped the costume over my arm and headed to the closet. I hung the dress up very carefully and in plain view.

  The door opened and then I heard Dev clear his throat, but I didn’t turn around. “Monet told me I might find you here.”

  “I’m supposed to meet her at the party.”

  “She told me to tell you it was okay,” he said. “She said to tell you she’ll hang out with you on
Sunday instead.”

  “Instead of what?” I was confused.

  “I—you know, I had the biggest crush on you in middle school.” He looked down at his hands.

  “You had a weird way of showing it.”

  He grinned. “I know,” he said. “I tortured you unmercifully. But I had it bad.”

  “And now?” I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t want him to see the hope in my eyes.

  He moved closer. “Now it’s even worse.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything? I just stood there,” I said.

  “I don’t know,” he confessed. “It was stupid. I thought you were giving me the brush-off. I wanted more than anything to—”

  “To what?”

  “To do this,” he said. And then he kissed me.

  Even though I was still mad at him, I kissed him back. What can I say? He was a great kisser.

  A long time later, I remembered that we hadn’t really settled anything between us. I wasn’t up for another long session in the costume closet if, afterward, it meant weeks of Dev not speaking to me.

  “Dev, we need to talk,” I said. “I wasn’t the one—”

  “I know,” he said. “I heard Olivia talking about it earlier. You didn’t spread the rumor about us. I was an ass to think you’d do something like that.”

  I thought about letting it go, but I was the new, improved Sophie. New leaf and all that.

  “I might have done something like that,” I said sheepishly. “If I’d thought of it.”

  There was no sense in pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Not with Dev or anyone else. He had to like me for me, not for who he wanted me to be.

  His face darkened for a moment, but then he laughed. “True.”

  “But that was the old me,” I continued. “I’ve changed. Or at least I’m trying to change.”

  “You’re perfect just the way you are,” he said huskily.

  “No, I’m not,” I said. “But I’m glad you think I am.”

  We engaged in several minutes of silent communication, but then I had a thought and put my hand to his chest.

  “What does this mean, Dev? I’m not going to be your closet girlfriend, someone you can just kiss and leave whenever you feel like it.”