Life of Phoenix - 7. One for One

Current Time: Nix's POV

Its crunch time in the theater now. The show is in a week, and it feels like we have no idea what we're doing. Well... the actors have no idea what they're doing, except for Oliver, who's owning it. From the soundboard, I can see him doing his part as John dead on, and helping out others in the scene too.

Lyric is doing pretty well as Peter. Yes, she got the lead; no I haven't heard the end of it. She keeps making me act in as John when she and Lakota are rehearsing. Oh, Lakota got Michael; he had a really good 'CANDY!' line.

So here I am in the booth working on the sound cues, headphones in my ears. I'm about half way through my sound cues when Keon walks up to the front of the booth. He says something but the headphones blocked out his voice.

I took them off, “I'm working here, how can I help you?”

He smiled. “I like a working man. I was wondering what you're doing after opening night?”

“Probably going to bed. Since I'm tech crew, I'll be the first one here, and the last to leave.” Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. “So if the actors get out at like 10, I leave here at about 11. If not later.” If Keon doesn't get the hint that he's leaving way earlier than me, he's hopeless.

“I got homework to do too, sorry I have to leave early.” This is why I do my very best to finish my work in my classes. “So you're busy after the opening performance?”

“Yes, Keon, I'm busy.” I went back to my soundboard. Keon stood there awkwardly before eventually leaving me alone. It's not like I hate him... okay I almost hate him but don't? Shut up.

Once the rehearsal was done, I shut down all the tech stuff since Charlotte had to go somewhere. Where do you ask? I have no idea. She went somewhere telling me to make sure everything is shut down before leaving.

When I got the last of the technology shut down, I reported to Mr. Parker. “Everything is shut down; I'm gonna head out now.”

“Awesome, thank you Phoenix. How have the sound cues come along?”

“Almost done, they'll be done tomorrow for sure!” And with that I was off towards home.

When I got out to the parking lot, there was a familiar truck waiting in the parking lot. Max was sitting on the hood waiting for me. I walked up shaking my head at him. “What?” He asked me.

“What do you mean 'what?'?” I mocked him. “You're sitting out here on your hood, an hour after leaving. What are you doing, you could be home right now.”

He laughed and jumped off his hood. “Ya, but you would take a while to get home. I didn't want you walking home in the dark.”

All I could do was roll my eyes. “You're a goof; you know that?”

“Yep! Now get in the truck!” Well, I guess this is one good thing to have Max around, I get rides home.

The ride was simple, just a drive home. We talked a bit about the performance and how everyone is doing. It was a good little hang out for ten or so minutes. Why is it when I'm alone with Max I remember why I had feelings for him?

Just listen for a sec. When Max and I were younger, we hung out every chance possible. When I turned 13, we took the next step and experimented with each other. At the time, we knew everything about each other. All of our dark secrets were out in the open.

Now though... it feels different. Like I know him, but only to a degree. He's more into sports than ever before, and I'm still a little nerd who knows more about electronics now. It just has a different feel when we hang out. It's not best friends hanging out anymore; it's just two friends getting to know each other. Ya, that's what it feels like.

Oh, and as for why I liked him... He was older, wiser... Just a person that knew more than I did. He always seemed to know more than I did. I liked this idea, of someone who could show you stuff that your parents won't. He was always pretty cute too.

Once Max got me home, I waved goodbye and went inside and got started on my homework. I had a few more things I needed to finish up. It's not easy getting everything done in class time some days.

At about 11:30 mom came into my room. “Don't you think it's time you go to bed?”

I had just finished up the last of my homework. “Ya, I'm about to hit the hay.”

“How was school today?”

I shrugged. “It was okay, I guess. Keon tried to ask me out again...”

“And how come you said no?” Mom knows me way to well.

Again I shrugged. “I told him I'd be sleeping. He wanted to hang out after opening night.”

“Does sound like a bad idea. You'd be up late anyways.” I never told mom what happened between Keon and me... just told her that we broke up. “When will you tell me what happened between you two?”

“Not now... it's close to bedtime.” I got up taking off my shirt. This may be awkward to some kids, but I don't mind my mom seeing me strip down a little bit. I'm keeping my pants on, don't worry.

Mom shook her head. “You know, keeping things inside isn't going to help. If you speak aloud, you'd be better off. You'd feel lighter, freer, I promise. Why don't you tell me?”

“Mom not now okay!?” I yelled at her. Irritated and tired I get like any teenager, angry. I didn't mean too... but it happened. “Sorry... I just don't want to talk about it.”

"I know Phoenix.” She got up and went to my door. “You need to get that anger under control, mister. Have a good sleep.”

“Night...” She closed my door behind her as she left my room.

I don't normally get angry, but when I do, I get really angry. And even angrier when people bring up Keon and I. More so when they talk about why we broke up and why not we get back together.

Just a few minutes after lying down I was asleep. My dream quickly went to Keon and me when we were younger. Hanging out together, getting to know each other. Our first kiss... our first time grinding against each other... Our first Bjs. Then came that moment... when we broke up. It's by far the worst I've ever felt in my life.

My eyes shot open as I awoke. I could feel the bedding soaked in sweat; my pillow was by far the worst. I threw it onto the ground, grabbing my spare pillow to use. “How about we don't dream of Keon this time,” I told myself as I went back to sleep.

When I did wake up at the proper time in the morning, I did so with a knock on my door. “Phoenix, Lyric is here for you.”

“One sec...” I groaned, rolling over in bed.

And before I knew it Lyric was opening my door. “Okay, let's go! Only a few more days till the show and I need all the fly time I can get.” A pair of my pants got thrown at me and then a shirt. “There I figured out your clothes for the day. Do I have to grab you a pair of socks and underwear too?”

“NO!!” Do not go in there! That is my private space! “I'll get up now!” I threw the blankets off, jumping up and pushing her out of my room.

“Oh good, you’re up!” She laughed as I closed the door.

“Women..” I groaned.

“I heard that!!” She yelled from the hallway. I rolled my eyes and got changed into actual clothes. Unsurprisingly Lyric had a great choice of clothes, so I put on what she picked out. In a few minutes, I was downstairs grabbing some breakfast. “God, you take forever.”

“I'm sorry I don't take three minutes like Lakota. I actually care about how I smell.” Lakota, as awesome of a kid as he is, doesn't get all the way clean all the time. For example days that Lyric rushes him.

“How long till we can go?” Lyric was started to get irritated.

I finished my daily glass of milk. “I'm good now!”

“Yes! Let's go!” And we were off. Lyric had gotten Theo to drive her to my place, and now he was driving us to school.

When we pulled up, to no surprise, there was only one other vehicle in the parking lot. It was Max's, which did surprise me. “Max his here?” I asked more rhetorical than anything.

“He's one of my fliers I need him here,” Lyric explained as if it was obvious. I guess thinking about it now; it kind of is. He is the main flier... this does make sense.

Max was standing outside the theater waiting for us. He looked really tired as if Lyric had woke him up this morning to either tell him, or remind him. Which if he hasn't changed would probably be the later.

“Why do we need to be here this early?” Max yawned.

“Cause I need practice! I'm going to get changed. Can one of you please find Mr. Parker and get ready?” And like that she was heading backstage.

I shook my head. “It's too early for this...”

“I agree.” We both yawned. “I got basketball practice on top of the crazy amount of rehearsals.”

We both started walking towards Mr. Parker's room. “Man that must suck!”

“Ya, it's okay, it's all fun. How are your sound cues coming?”

“Music is not that easy to work with. I seem to be editing something every rehearsal.” I really want to have everything completed. I may or may not be a completionist.

Max laughed. “You always were like that.” I couldn't help but smile. “Say, what are you doing the Friday after the play?”

“You mean the day of your big game?” If he was trying to be subtle with this, he failed.

“Ya... The team is having a party, and I was wondering if you wanted to go.” I have never been to a house party EVER! To be fair, I've been invited to some but declined every time. “Lyric will be there since Theo is on the team.”

“Will I have to hang out with a drunken Max?”

Max smiled. “I'll drink as much as you do.”

“Deal!!” I guess I'm going to a party in two weeks. That should be fun.

Lakota's POV

Oh god, oh god, oh god! It's opening night, and I am a nervous wreck!! I'm a main actor in Peter Pan! What's gonna happen if I screw up? I'm doomed I tell you, DOOMED!!

“Lakota, calm down.” Lyric stopped applying the stage makeup to my face. “You can't freak out when you're about to go on stage.”

“Well, I'm freaking out!” I gotta say I look ridiculous with half my makeup on. Like, half my face is covered, the other half is... not all that done at the moment.

“Okay, I hear a barmy fellow in here.” Oliver peaked into the change room. “Oh and it's Lakota! Okay Lakota, you're gonna learn how to meditate.”

“How is that gonna help me?”

Oliver smiled. “Well for one, it'll let you get the rest of your makeup on, and for two you'll calm down a little bit.”

“I don't need to cross my legs like they do right? I can't actually do that.” My limbs just won't let me. It hurts badly to cross my legs like people do when they meditate.

Oliver shook his head. “Nope, just closed your eyes and listen to me.” Okay, let's see if this thing works. “Okay, do as I say when I say it. Breath in... And out. Clear your mind and breathe in... and out.”

He went on like that for a while. I did as he said when he said it. I felt Lyric finish my makeup before Oliver was finished. The door to the room kept opening and closing, people spoke, but it's like all I could hear, or focus on was Oliver.

After awhile Oliver stopped talking, and all I could hear was us breathing. Our breaths were in sync, like creepily. Eventually, I opened my eyes, and my breathing changed. Oliver must have noticed because he opened his eyes too. “Wow...” I actually felt a lot calmer.

“Feel better?”

“Much better! Thank you, Oliver!”

“Glad to see you're all hunky-dory now Lakota!”

That's when Lyric burst through the door. “Okay, Oliver, your turn for makeup!”

“Bollucks! I'll see you on stage, break a leg!” And like that Oliver was gone to where ever Lyric was doing his makeup.

I took a quick glimpse of myself in the mirror. If you've ever been in a play or put on stage makeup, you know what I look like. My face looks a little paler than normal except for the cheeks. You have really rosy cheeks. I giggled for a sec and then was on my way to help out with whatever needed to be done.

Backstage was busy with all the actors and techies doing all their final preparations. Random sound cues were going off, and everyone was trying to get one last run through of their songs. Lyric walked by pulling on her harness. She must have been called to do the run through of Peter vs. Hook.

Max and Lacey, the actress playing Wendy, were close to the ladder going up to the fly rail. “I still wish you were making me fly Max.” Max was in charge of the up and down part of Peter's line.

See Peter's line was special compared to Wendy, John, and Micheal's. Our three lines just went up and down. Peters went up, down and side to side. Lyric could legit fly from one side of the stage to the other. It's pretty crazy.

“Ya, it's just that I'm the strongest person for flying. So I got put on the most important line.” Max tried to go up to the rail to prepare for the scene.

Lacey huffed up when he said 'important.' “No line is more important than another. It's all there to create an illusion for the audience. You should know that Max.”

“When I said most important I meant that it's staying in the air the most. It requires the strongest person to hold up Lyric for that length of time. I gotta get up there though Lacey, break a leg!” He quickly turned and started climbing the ladder.

Lacey sighed, then turned and saw me. “If your sister fucks up being Peter she ruins the whole show, I hope you know that!”

“Why should I know that? I'm not Lyric...” She rolled her eyes and shoved by me. “What's your problem?” I said to quietly for anyone to hear.

“She's got a major crush on Max.” I turned to see Cooper; Max's little brother, and my fly man. “She's been trying to get into his pants since the start of the play. You ready for the show?”

“Other than getting my harness and costume on, yes!” Cooper was a pretty cool guy. We've sorta grown up together. We'd hang out sometimes when Lyric, Max and Phoenix all hung out. They would claim that what they were doing was for big kids only, and send us younger kids away. That would lead to Ursula, Cooper and I usually playing together.

“Why don't you go get those on? Show time is in like an hour.” I looked and my watch, shit he was right!!

I quickly made my way into the change room and grabbed my costume. I have to wear a onesies since that is what Michael wears. Luckily I'm pretty short for my age, which is probably why I was chosen for this part.

At 40 minutes before show time Mr. Parker got the entire class together. “Okay people, it's almost show time. House opens in 10 minutes, and that means unless you are doing doors or part of the crew you are to stay backstage. It is also that time to put cell phones in 'the box'” Lyric and Nix warned me about this box. It was there to prevent lights from being used backstage. Cell phone screens being the biggest asset in having lights on backstage.

Everyone put their phones into the box when it came to Lacey, though.... She put up a fuss. “Why do I need to put my phone in this stupid box? It's not like I'm going to use it backstage.”

Mr. Parker sighed. “You do this every year Lacey. It may not be you, but it's better just to throw it all in here so that I don't have to get mad at the class.” Lacey placed her phone in the box and did a hair flip, for whatever reason. “Okay everyone, break a leg! Tech crew in the booth please!”

And like that we were backstage getting the last few things ready. Before we knew it, we heard our Stage manager through the intercom saying that the house was opened. Oliver and I meditated again, cause I started to freak out again. We meditated until like 5 minutes before show time and then we were on stage in a flash.

Break a leg?

Oliver and I rushed off stage after the last scene of the play. Lacey stayed on stage for one last scene with Peter and her 'daughter'. Watch Peter Pan 2 and you'll know who I'm talking about.

Everyone else was getting ready for the curtain call while Oliver and I settled down. Mainly because I killed my performance. “Dude, you're amazing! I'm gob smacked!” Oliver smiled at me. “Like I can't describe how awesome you are right now!”

“Thanks, Oliver. That mean's a lot from you.” I could feel my cheeks warming up.

I mean this is a kid who's done lots of theater before. He's actually been in a few commercials and done some extremely minor parts on Broadway, but that's Broadway nonetheless. Oliver is like the best actor we have for the play, and he's telling me I did an amazing job.

“I still don't get why you didn't take the Captain Hook roll. You were amazing at it in rehearsals.” Seriously, he did amazing and had the best antagonistic chemistry with Lyric. He had really good brother chemistry too, but his Hook was a lot better.

Oliver shrugged. “He's a bit of a wanker. I don't like playing the wankers.”

“Wanker?” That to me sounds like an extremely dirty word.

He gave off a little giggle. “It means jerk, you silly Canadian.” Oliver then gave me a kiss on the cheek. “You're too cute Lakota.” I could feel my face burning away behind this makeup. I don't know if he can see this blush but man I can! Oliver, the Oliver just gave me a kiss on the cheek

What do I do in this situation? I mean your crush just kissed you, you share a curtain call, and you have to see him for another few hours. To top it all off, you can't do anything to settle the growth that is now in your pants. It's a damn good thing that I'm wearing tight underwear under this onesie!

In the midst of my awkwardness, Lyric opens the door. “There you two are, get out here; its curtain call and you two are close to coming up!”

“Yes, ma'am!” Oliver turned, grabbed my hand and booked it towards the stage. I was barely able to keep up; I was still caught so off guard.

The audience was on their feet clapping as we went out and took our bow. I could see a few of my friends in the front row cheering my name. It was an amazing feeling to see how everyone felt about our performance.

And then just like that we went back into the groups of people. Oliver was so cheerful and smiley. Like that kiss meant... like it was some kind of friendly gesture. I think... I think I have definitely found my first major crush.

How do I address this, though!? What if he's not gay or bi, and he hates me after this? What if that kiss was just his English way of saying “Good job” and meant just that? I think I got to ask Phoenix about this... it's the only way I'll know my answer I think.

Oliver does look stunning right now though...