Page 72 of Love Me Not
“But you were in plays? You were on a stage and didn’t tell me?”
The smile never faltered. “I took up space, more like. Junior year, they needed someone to wear the uniform and deliver a package. I didn’t even have a line. Senior year, I pushed a cart across the stage and got to say ‘Get out of my way’ before disappearing into the wings. Both were done because I liked a girl in the drama program, and she was smart enough to put my devotion to use.”
Unable to quell the curiosity, I asked, “Did you date her?”
Trey shook his head. “Please. She wanted an artist, not a jock shooting above his level.”
Ignoring the relief in my chest, I got back to the point. “But you’ve been part of a production. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Lindsey, I got the parts literally the day before each show and went in with almost no rehearsal. The audience played a bigger part in those shows than I did.” As if sensing my annoyance, he added, “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it. The only reason I told Miles was because my helping out with the play came up and he asked if I knew anything about acting.”
“How do you know that’s where I heard about it?”
He leaned close as the kids began to file onto the stage. “Because the guys tell the girls everything, and then you all tell each other what they tell you.”
Tensing, I asked, “Does that bother you?”
His lips curved up in a grin. “Not at all.”
The blush burned my cheeks, forcing me to clear my throat to cover the smile I couldn’t contain.
“You good, Ms. P?” asked Burke.
I coughed one more time while nodding. “I’m fine.”
Looking up, I was surprised to see him carrying Kandace’s bag along with his own before dropping both into the same seat. She tossed a long curl over her shoulder and I feared she might have taken the date his best friend to make him jealous tact, but when she turned Burke’s way, the adoration in her eyes looked quite genuine.
To Trey I whispered, “Did you know about that?”
“No idea,” he whispered back.
Another five minutes passed as the rest of the cast arrived and everyone took a seat on the edge of the stage. There was a low murmur among the group and an unexpected tension in the air. We still had two and a half weeks before dress rehearsals and the nerves didn’t typically set in this early.
Proceeding as usual, I said, “Okay, guys, let’s start by practicing the scene we re-blocked last week.”
No one moved and Emma said, “Are we losing our funding?”
Confused, I shook my head. “What makes you think that?” I knew the threat was there, but how would they know?
“The French club trip to New York got pulled today,” said Madison.
“Our Movie club got shut down entirely,” added Nick.
Last week marked the end of the first quarter, but Carole had given the impression decisions would be made mid-year. Guess that changed.
“I haven’t been told anything,” I said, giving them an honest answer. “No matter what happens, this play will go on. As for after that, all I can promise is that this club will not go down without a fight. I’ll do whatever I can to keep us going, okay?”
Not that I had any idea what I could do if the worst happened. We’d have the profits from this production that might get us through the spring. Especially if we chose a stripped down production that needed very little in the way of sets and wardrobe. Beyond that there wasn’t much I could do without the backing of the school.
The mood remained somber as they rose to get started.
“Do they do that a lot?” Trey said.
“Do what?” I asked.
“Cut funding. Is the school in trouble?”
How did I answer that knowing they’d made him promises that they likely couldn’t keep? I had no desire to be the bearer of bad news, and, quite selfishly, preferred not to give him a reason to look for a new job somewhere else.