Page 140 of The First Time
"Go ahead."
Piper scoots over enough to make room for Jane. The two of them are fast friends. They're already whispering back and forth.
They chat until the teacher rises to his feet to address everyone.
He's in his 40s with brown hair and leading man good looks. He takes in the class of twenty. His eyes fix on me for a moment, but he's not starstruck. It's moreoh, a new student.
"Looks like we have some new faces. For anyone who doesn't know, I'm Adam. We'll handle the paperwork and payment after class." He looks around the room. "Everybody, find a partner and come to the front. I'll assign scenes before we start our improv."
Jane grabs Piper. "Let's do one together, huh?"
Piper shoots me a curious look.
I nodgo with her.
She nods backokay.
Seeing a smile spread over Piper's cheeks make me warm all over.
* * *
Everything about acting is torture.I'm stiff as a board in warm up games. I can't remember lines. And performing—fuck that. This is a tiny theater with only twenty people, but I'm more nervous than when I get on stage to play an arena.
I know what I'm doing with my bass in my hands.
Here... all I know is that I'm fucking awful.
I'm immensely relieved to step off stage and take my seat next to Piper.
She squeezes my hand and leans in to whisper. "You seemed like you tried hard."
"I was fucking awful," I whisper back.
She smiles. "You were."
We fall silent as the next duo takes the stage. Then the next. The next. Then it's the second to last, and Piper is staring at her script, poring over every line.
Her chest heaves with each of her deep breaths. She taps the inside edges of her sandals together.
I'm watching her so closely, I don't even hear the teacher call her name. But I do see her pupils dilate as she jumps to her feet.
She and Jane make their way to the stage. They rearrange the furniture, placing props on the table and chairs around it.
Jane takes a seat at one of the chairs. Piper goes behind the curtain.
"And scene," the professor says.
A moment later, Piper enters from behind the curtain. Only she isn't Piper anymore, not exactly. The way she moves is different. She's tough, professional, in control. She doesn't look nervous. Not a hint.
She's cordial to her scene partner without being cold. I can get a lot from their body language. They have a professional relationship. Piper's character is the one with more respect, more class. But I can tell she's frustrated too.
Jane's character is more surface with her anger.
It takes me a few moments to recognize the scene as one fromThe Accused. Piper is playing the lawyer and Jane is playing the woman pressing charges for sexual assault. And the two of them are nailing the scene.
Don't get me wrong. I can tell they've only been practicing for an hour. I can tell there's more room to grow. But I can also tell Piper has the potential to be fucking amazing.
I get lost in her performance. Then in the way her expression changes as she takes in the teacher's criticism. In the way she bounces next to me and squeezes my hand.
Now that she's done with nerves, there's joy all over her face.
This is what makes her happy, where she belongs.
And I want that for her.
I want the fucking world for her.
