Starlet

5. Bayden

I take a bath and stare at myself for so long in the mirror. I really have no more scars. No marks.

On Monday, I go to dance class. The ballet class stretches me in ways I forgot about. I do remember ballet though. The instructor for aerial does another demonstration. She's hooked to a harness from the ceiling. She does all kinds of jumps. Then she dances on a bar and with a ribbon. It's amazing to watch.

We get fitted to the harnesses. She calls them safety's a bunch. I do fine until she hooks it to my arm. I have a full on breakdown. I couldn't get away from it. Marcus gets me calmed down though and keeps it, so I can get used to it being on my arm.

A few weeks later, everything is going good. I've made it to all the classes and I can use the safety's on my arms now. Omar brought me fishing this afternoon.

"I want to test you for magic Starlet."

Not sure what to say. I don't have magic.

"We're beginning a school of magic and I need to test everyone."

I guess that makes sense.

"Hold out your hand, palm up. Close your eyes. Magic flows all around us. I want you to try to collect it in your hand."

I open my eyes and there's a blue orb in my hand.

"Throw it into the river."

It makes a big splash.

"You'll take classes in the afternoon. I'll see what I can do. Give me a few days to sort your schedule out."

I spend another hour enjoying the sunlight. It's warm today.

Omar never lies. A couple of days later, Marcus takes me to Dipak's office after dance class. Marcus, Dipak, and Omar are the only people here. I sit in my seat beside Thora's. I wish she was here too.

Omar starts, "She has dance in the morning. She gets out at 11:30. Her classes at the school are going to be 1 to 4. I suggest she comes here for lunch before the afternoon classes."

"Well she doesn't..."

"A man from the village is here to see you. Something about the stage, sir."

"Send him in. We're about done."

Omar glances at me. "The man is going to sit at that end."

I jump up and run to the seat between Dipak and Marcus. This seems fine.

Dipak stands up. "Please have a seat. What can we do for you?"

"My name is Bayden Harper. I just moved here. I'm a director. I direct shows for the theater. I went over there to see what was playing and nothing is. You don't have a theater group. I want to make 1. Some people in the village told me the theater is castle owned. So here I am. I want to put together a cast and crew and then put on shows in the theater."

"What would we have to do?"

"I have no idea. I've never seen a theater that was castle owned like yours. How do you use it?"

"If a director wants to put on a show here, he contacts us, and we schedule a show for him. Or if a conductor wants to play something there, we schedule that. Or book readings, whatever. We schedule them. The villagers like the shows. They charge for tickets and give us 10%."

"I want to put on plays by the villagers. A theater club if you will. People can try out for different parts of a play. I pick the best actors. Then we practice on the stage for a while. Usually a couple of months. Then we do the play 4 or 5 times. Then we begin a new 1. It's something for the villagers to do. It keeps them happy, and they can see their neighbors on stage acting."

I start shaking. I want to be an actor. I want to do that.

Marcus gets a paper. "What are you asking for exactly?"

"The use of the stage. We would have to have it to practice. And then the ability to put on our show 4 or 5 times before we start on another 1. We would, of course, skip practice if the castle had something scheduled. And we could schedule our plays with you 2 or 3 months in advance. We have to have it to practice an hour or 2 a day all the time. It takes a lot of time to get plays ready."

"Most of the stuff we will do in there is on Friday or Saturdays. But there is a schedule in there." Dipak catches me from face planting the floor. I am so excited.

"You can not write your practices on the master's schedule. We only use it for the people who pay us to use the theater. But if it's not being used, I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work."

Omar looks at Dipak. "He's a conductor but for plays instead of the band."

"Yea, but the conductor doesn't practice on our stage." Marcus fixes me in the seat.

"I understand now. Yes, you can use the stage. However, you can not write anything on the master's schedule. If something is scheduled that day, you can not be there with your group. Whenever you know when you'll be putting on a play, let us know, and we will put it on the master's schedule, so you're guaranteed to have those days."

"That would be perfect. Thank you for this. This is a big village. I know there's going to be talent here." He stands up. "I'll go announce it and get some auditions scheduled."

I jump up and shake.

"Do you want to be in a play?"

I nod.

"I'll send word when the auditions are." He smiles. "Thank you again."

"Our pleasure."

The man goes in the elevator and I run for it. I get in with him. I'm going to audition. I'm can't stop wiggling.

Marcus comes in and picks me up. "He's not doing auditions right this second."

He carries me back in as the elevator doors close.

Omar smiles. "You going to try out?"

Marcus puts me on my feet. "I knew by how excited she was that she was going to follow him. She's still shaky. We'll have to see when the practices are."

I run for the elevator.

He catches me. "We'll tell you when the auditions are. You can try. But you have to calm down. He is only making the schedule right now."

I throw myself on the floor and cry. I want to do that.

"Enough." He pulls me up.

I jump up and down. "BUT." I point at the elevator. "AAAHHHH!"

"No."

"BUT."

He crosses his arms and puts up his eyebrow.

I stomp my feet all the way back to my seat and slam myself into it.

He sits down and rubs his eyes. "Where were we?"

Dipak looks at me. "In the middle of a temper tantrum."

I cry and hit the table. "BUT."

"This is actually a good thing." Omar writes a bunch of stuff.

"ENOUGH."

I jump out of the chair and climb under the table. I curl up in a ball. Dipak is going to hurt me. I try to be small.

"Come here."

I hear chairs moving. I hide my face. Please don't hit my face. It hurts so much.

"You're alright." Dipak picks me up. He carries me to his seat and sits in it. I lay against him. He's so warm.

"She wasn't boundary pushing you, Dipak. She was pushing Marcus. You scared the hell out of her."

"I didn't mean that. I'm sorry." He rubs my back.

I shiver so hard. I miss touches and hugs. I relax and my eyes close.

"She probably hasn't eaten yet."

"Marcus, she's sleeping. Just wait now. Let's figure out what we're going to do..."

I wake up on the couch. Everyone is at the table now. I run over and sit by Thora. Kane moved so I can.

"Welcome back."

I smile at Dipak and put a piece of cooked pineapple in my mouth.

2 men come in and sit somewhat across from me. The girl at my end turns into a wolf and jumps on 1 of them. The chair breaks and they fall to the floor. I stand up so I can see better.

Luke runs over from somewhere and jumps on him. "I'll save you."

Someone else jumps up. "No, we're not going to attack Corbin. Why did you jump at her, Corbin? You did it."

"I didn't know a 200 pound wolf would body slam me."

She plops over on him again.

"I GOT HIS ARM."

I wiggle and go right under the table to them. I can help. I jump on his free arm and hold it down.

"They are multiplying."

"You did it yourself."

The wolf plops on him again and Luke loses it.

"Ok. Come on, babygirl." Someone picks up the wolf and carries her out.

Marcus pulls Luke off. Then the man picks me up with his arm. "I GOT ONE."

I laugh and he wiggles me all over.

"I'LL SAVE YOU." Dipak grabs me and puts me over his head.

I laugh so damn hard.

"Thank you. Now I can get up."

He flips me and puts me to my feet. I jump up and down and climb his back. "AGAIN."

He flips me 4 more times. "That's enough. My back needs a break."

I try to jump on Corbin and Marcus grabs me out of the air. "Let's get you something to eat."

Marcus carries me to another office and puts me at the conference table. Him and Omar sit with me. We get taco's.

"Was that fun, Star?"

"I helped."

Marcus smirks. "You sure did. We need to ask about your age."

"322."

"We can only find your medical records for the last 63 years. Were you born in that castle?"

I stop chewing. 63 years? I was there for 63 years? I knew it was a long time, but I didn't know that long.

"Why is there nothing before that, Star?" Omar has a paper.

63 years.

"Can you give us your full name?"

"You need to eat." Marcus fixes my plate.

63 years. I'm 385 if that's right. I see red.

"She's done. I was there for 63 years?" I shove some tacos together and stuff them in my mouth. "We're hungry."

"We found her medical records, but they only go for 63 years. What's before that?"

"Somewhere else."

"Where?"

"Not important. If I was there for 63 years, I'm 385."

"You were in the mountain for a year."

"386."

Omar motions for something. "How old is she?"

"391."

"Lost a few years, I guess." I shrug my shoulders and take another bite.

"You were taken at 322?"

"I don't want to talk anymore." I release the power.

I open my eyes with Omar shaking me. "Finish your lunch. We talked to your dragon. You're 391. Eat."

I take a bite. "I'm 322."

Marcus rubs my hair. "That's fine too. Eat your food."

"She said you were taken from somewhere when you were 322. Where was that?"

"Home."

"Why did they take you?"

I shake my head. I don't want to tell.

"What is your dad's name?"

I see my dad on fire and shake.

"That's enough. Eat lunch."