scene over and over-every scene except the play scene. That one was
Mrs. Kimple's favorite, and therefore would be left until everything else
was taken care of. So, finally, after everything else in the play had been
perfected, the sets created, and the lines for every scene, (including the play,)
memorized along with the actions that went along with them, Mrs. Kimple
saved an entire day just for going over this scene. Of course, we would be
perfecting it and going over the entire play in the days to come, getting
closer and closer to the day of release-but today was our first day going over
this scene. Peter did his lines perfectly- stumbling as he was supposed to,
pretending to be distracted by my beauty. I was wearing my costume and full
make up, as this was our first dress rehearsal. The spotlight, still being
worked on, came onto me, and I sang. I was swept into the moment. I was lost
in the music. I tried to imagine myself as Jamie- a girl locked in her leukemia
and her fatherly protection-this was her moment to shine, her moment in
which no one would mock her, her moment to forget all about her disease, her
life, her fear, everything-to just sing. "So I lay my head back down, and I lift my
hand and pray-to be only yours, I pray, to be only yours, I pray, to be only yours
I know now, you're my only hope." I walked around to the chair facing Peter's-
Landon's-and sat down. I looked into his eyes, and he was so convincing, he
looked so mesmerized, that for a moment I was nervous, worrying that my
acting was nothing compared to his. Then I hummed to him, and all my
nervousness blew away. Peter looked at me, his eyes searching my face as Landon's
had searched Jamie's, and he cupped his hands around my face and kissed me. And
in that moment, I was Jamie. And he was Landon. And it went against every part
of me, and I was so shocked, but I was so lost in him, I was so in love. I quickly
pulled away, just as Jamie had, and looked at Landon. At Peter. He was staring at
me just as Landon had stared at Jamie. Mrs. Kimple and the students in the
audience broke into applause, and I was Victoria again. I smiled, satisfied that I
had done well, and looked out at the audience. But when I look back at Peter, he
was still Landon. He was still looking at me like Jamie. And I felt this feeling in
the pit of my stomach, this uncontrollable twist inside me, this unidentified longing.
Peter blinked at me and I felt my cheeks grow warm. What was going on?
© 2010
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