My Life After Now - By Jessica Verdi Page 0,76

already occupied, but I sifted through the dense crowd until I found my people. Dad and Papa, having bought their tickets months ago, were sitting fourth row center, an enormous bouquet of roses laid across both of their laps. Lisa was a few rows behind them on the far side aisle. Papa kept glancing back every few seconds to make sure she was still there.

My attention shifted up to the balcony, where I located Roxie, her little brother Alex, June, Ahmed, and at least six or seven other members of the support group. Roxie had canceled tonight’s meeting so they could all come support me. My stomach turned over with a swell of appreciation as I watched them eagerly reading their programs and chatting.

“Cheater,” said a voice from behind, making me jump.

I quickly pulled the curtain closed and turned to find Evan standing there, a smirk on his face. Something stirred in me as my eyes drank him in. His white shirt was unlaced at the neck, his hair molded into deliberate disarray, his sword slung coolly over his shoulder. But I quickly told myself to snap out of it. So he looked good in his costume. It didn’t mean I should jump right back into a relationship with the guy.

“What?”

“You’re not supposed to sneak a look at the audience before the curtain goes up,” he said. “Takes all the fun out of it.”

“Speak for yourself,” I said, grinning. “I think knowing how many people are out there makes it more exciting.”

He rolled his eyes.

“So, break a leg tonight,” I said.

“You too. Or should I say ‘pop a stitch’?”

“Don’t even think it!” I said, instinctively checking to make sure my stitches were secure. “More bloodshed on this stage is the last thing we need.”

“You’ll get no argument from me there,” he agreed.

Max and Courtney joined us then. They looked so cute, in their matching powder blue Capulet and Lady Capulet costumes.

“Damn, Luce, you look hot,” Max said, eyeing me with raised eyebrows. Then he got a little mischievous glint in his eye and conspicuously turned to Evan. “Doesn’t she look hot, Evan?”

“Max!” I hissed, before Evan could say anything. I shot Max an I’m-going-to-kill-you look. “Cut it out,” I mouthed.

Max just batted his eyelashes and looked back at me innocently.

“You really do look good, though, Lucy,” Courtney said. “Way better than this contraption I’m strapped into.”

I giggled. Her dress was pretty huge. But it looked good on her, in a stately sort of way. Perfect for the character. “Steven Kimani won’t be able to take his eyes off of you,” I assured her with a grin.

At the mere mention of Steven’s name, Courtney’s eyes got all dreamy and she was beaming like a love-struck schoolgirl. Which, I guess, was what she was. “He sent me flowers backstage,” she said.

“Good!” I said with approval. “He’d better keep it up too, or he’ll have the wrath of me to contend with.” I patted my sword meaningfully.

“Ooh, scary!” Max said mockingly.

“Places!” the stage manager yelled, crossing the stage with an authoritative stride while simultaneously adjusting the frequency on her headset. “Places, everyone! Right now!”

The four of us took a second for a pre-show group hug and then dispersed to our respective places in the wings. I didn’t have to be on stage for a few scenes yet, so I stood off to the side and closed my eyes, letting my head fill up with the beautiful sounds of flats being wheeled out and the flurry of heels clacking against the wooden floor and scores of excited whispers and the stage manager murmuring cues to the light booth and orchestra pit.

“Break a leg, baby,” a disembodied male voice interrupted the peaceful drone of stage noises. I squinted through the darkness and was just able to make out the outlines of Ty and Elyse a few feet in front of me. They must not have noticed me standing here.

“You too,” she responded, tapping him playfully on the nose. “I love you.”

“Love you more,” Ty crooned.

“No, I love you more!” Elyse countered.

“I love you the most!” he said right back, and Elyse giggled.

Hmph, I thought. Guess they made up. But the observation was wonderfully free of any bitterness or animosity. Those two could have each other for all I cared.

It did fleetingly occur to me that, now that they were back together, Elyse might tell Ty about my being positive. But I couldn’t worry about that now because all at once the orchestra began playing and