“Hey, it’s me. I’m going to pretend you’re here to say break a leg or promise me cheese fries, but I can’t wait to see you tonight.” I swallow my nerves. “Thank you for helping me with this. I couldn’t have done it withoutyou.”
I leave the phone out, face up, while I go back to the dressingroom.
“Fifteen minutes!”the stage managercalls.
I go to grab mycostume.
It’s notthere.
I ask the other actors and the stage manager, but no one’s seenit.
Then my gaze lands onCarly.
“I think I saw it over there.” She points to thecorner.
Relief has me sagging as I run to get my tail, its garment bag draped over achair.
I hold up the plastic bag and notice red liquid running down thebottom.
“No.”
I get the tail out of the bag and open it, seeing the inside stainedred.
I gingerly reach out to touch it, and it’swet.
Panic rises up in my throat. “What did youdo?”
“Me? Nothing. Jenna was drinking wine a little while ago. She must have spilled. Or maybe it’s that time of themonth.”
Jenna looks toward me in shock. “That’sbullshit.”
But Carly turns and walksaway.
My breath sticks in my chest.Shit.
“Tenminutes!”
“Annie!” Jenna calls me over to her dressing table. “Do you want mine?” She bites her lip, trying to hide thewince.
I find a smile. “No, but do you have your garbage bagstill?”
She helps me put it on underneath my real costume. It’s still gross, but at least I can perform without being distracted bystickiness.
“Does the fabric smell?” Iask.
She sniffs near my waist. “Only up close. If you can ignore it, Carly and Kellan are the only other ones who’ll get awhiff.”
“Perfect.”
I’m not about to let this stopme.
I take my spot in the wings as the curtain rises on the first scene. I watch it before the lights go down, and I take mymark.
When the lights come up once more, I look out at the audience. I recognize Pen’s pink sweater. She’s in a row with her parents. I find my dad and Haley. I’m pretty sure there’s an empty seat next to mydad.
I try to hit all the notes and the words, but my body feels heavy, as if I’m performing in water. My forehead’s damp from thelights.
Then partway through the first act, my gaze lands on a shape at the back of the seats, by thedoorway.