crew. Despite their icy exteriors they’ve been pretty welcoming, doing things like offering to lend me graphic novels they think I’d like. We spend a lot of time in the booth overlooking the stage, and it’s surprisingly fun.
“Check this out,” Taryn says one afternoon as she plays Pink Floyd’s “Money” on the auditorium speakers. She’s set up lighting cues to create a psychedelic show onstage in time with the music.
“That’s awesome!” I say, and I really truly mean it. When the spectacle is over, Taryn drinks from her flask and I work on the lighting cues for the play. Christina sleeps on the couch until it’s time to leave, as usual. Simone is working on knitting a purse, but I don’t quite see it yet. She’s in charge of costumes and props, so she has a lot downtime. She’s even teaching me to crochet.
The most surprising thing about the production is how good an actress Tess is. When she’s in character, she commits herself fully to it. It’s just the way she is with her schoolwork. Sometimes when she’s not onstage, she helps me with my science homework. And by that I mean she does it for me while I pretend that I understand what she’s doing.
Tomas is still Tomas, relentlessly flirting with a senior who’s playing Orsino, but I don’t think the senior understands that Tomas is flirting with him. In any case it’s kept Tomas out of my hair. Saskia has been brilliant, of course, and sometimes I think she must be bored with being so perfect at everything. She and I have been hanging out a lot lately. We walk to class and rehearsal together with our arms joined at the elbow and have inside jokes, though sometimes they are at our classmates’ expense. I imagine this is how Europeans behave, very touchy-feely without it really meaning anything. Still, I like to pretend it’s also what having a girlfriend might be like. Not that my imagination always stops there.
“Christina! Wake up!” Taryn shouts while building a platform.
Christina’s head rises, and she looks disoriented. “Where’d you put the hacksaw? I can’t find it anywhere.” Christina points to a shelf up high and lays her head back down, going to sleep.
“Worst tech crew ever,” Taryn mutters.
“She’s just nervous about the show coming up so soon,” Simone says, coils of yarn piled at her feet. “I was thinking we could get some dry ice for a fog effect.”
“Yeah, let’s add another stupid errand to the ever-growing list,” Taryn says while she measures wood with a ruler.
“You know, Taryn, you’ve been such a bitch since the PETA petition,” Simone snaps back. “So we didn’t get enough signatures. We will next time.”
They argue some more. I leave them to it while I watch the stage. Saskia circles Tess with a kind of predatory look. Is that part of her character?
“Stop drooling over her,” Taryn says, coming over to me. I glare at her, but mostly I’m embarrassed.
“It’s all right, Leila,” Simone says, smiling at me as she joins us. “We don’t judge here.” I’m totally blushing now and glance at the floor.
“Am I that obvious?” I say meekly. Christina has miraculously woken up and appeared like the vampire she pretends to be. She pats my shoulder.
“We’ve all seen this play forty times. Yet you always pay attention to Saskia’s scenes. Every. Time. It’s kind of hard not to notice,” Christina says.
“No, I mean, do I look . . . do I look gay?” They all laugh at me. “Well, you guys have the look down,” I mumble. They all stare at one another. Then Taryn shakes her head, Simone looks at me like I am speaking a new language for the first time, and Christina yawns.
“Sorry, did I—I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Wow. Um, you’ve got a lot to learn,” says Taryn, sawing into some wood.
“We’re not gay,” Simone says. I look at the three of them, my gaze landing on Taryn’s shaved head.
“Wait? What?” I say, flabbergasted. “You’re kidding,
“Check this out,” Taryn says one afternoon as she plays Pink Floyd’s “Money” on the auditorium speakers. She’s set up lighting cues to create a psychedelic show onstage in time with the music.
“That’s awesome!” I say, and I really truly mean it. When the spectacle is over, Taryn drinks from her flask and I work on the lighting cues for the play. Christina sleeps on the couch until it’s time to leave, as usual. Simone is working on knitting a purse, but I don’t quite see it yet. She’s in charge of costumes and props, so she has a lot downtime. She’s even teaching me to crochet.
The most surprising thing about the production is how good an actress Tess is. When she’s in character, she commits herself fully to it. It’s just the way she is with her schoolwork. Sometimes when she’s not onstage, she helps me with my science homework. And by that I mean she does it for me while I pretend that I understand what she’s doing.
Tomas is still Tomas, relentlessly flirting with a senior who’s playing Orsino, but I don’t think the senior understands that Tomas is flirting with him. In any case it’s kept Tomas out of my hair. Saskia has been brilliant, of course, and sometimes I think she must be bored with being so perfect at everything. She and I have been hanging out a lot lately. We walk to class and rehearsal together with our arms joined at the elbow and have inside jokes, though sometimes they are at our classmates’ expense. I imagine this is how Europeans behave, very touchy-feely without it really meaning anything. Still, I like to pretend it’s also what having a girlfriend might be like. Not that my imagination always stops there.
“Christina! Wake up!” Taryn shouts while building a platform.
Christina’s head rises, and she looks disoriented. “Where’d you put the hacksaw? I can’t find it anywhere.” Christina points to a shelf up high and lays her head back down, going to sleep.
“Worst tech crew ever,” Taryn mutters.
“She’s just nervous about the show coming up so soon,” Simone says, coils of yarn piled at her feet. “I was thinking we could get some dry ice for a fog effect.”
“Yeah, let’s add another stupid errand to the ever-growing list,” Taryn says while she measures wood with a ruler.
“You know, Taryn, you’ve been such a bitch since the PETA petition,” Simone snaps back. “So we didn’t get enough signatures. We will next time.”
They argue some more. I leave them to it while I watch the stage. Saskia circles Tess with a kind of predatory look. Is that part of her character?
“Stop drooling over her,” Taryn says, coming over to me. I glare at her, but mostly I’m embarrassed.
“It’s all right, Leila,” Simone says, smiling at me as she joins us. “We don’t judge here.” I’m totally blushing now and glance at the floor.
“Am I that obvious?” I say meekly. Christina has miraculously woken up and appeared like the vampire she pretends to be. She pats my shoulder.
“We’ve all seen this play forty times. Yet you always pay attention to Saskia’s scenes. Every. Time. It’s kind of hard not to notice,” Christina says.
“No, I mean, do I look . . . do I look gay?” They all laugh at me. “Well, you guys have the look down,” I mumble. They all stare at one another. Then Taryn shakes her head, Simone looks at me like I am speaking a new language for the first time, and Christina yawns.
“Sorry, did I—I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Wow. Um, you’ve got a lot to learn,” says Taryn, sawing into some wood.
“We’re not gay,” Simone says. I look at the three of them, my gaze landing on Taryn’s shaved head.
“Wait? What?” I say, flabbergasted. “You’re kidding,
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