Starlet

11. Mate

There are probably 40 people sitting in the seats. Most of them are in the center section. Thora and I roam over to the side and sit 2 rows behind Andy. He's the only person on this side.

Thora whispers, "So what is this?"

"I have no idea. They only told me it was the first meeting, so we had to come."

"Fair enough. Probably so we can see each other."

Bayden gets up on the stage. "Thank you all for coming. We have lots of information for you tonight. We have our practice schedule ready to go as well. The dates for the shows are not chosen. Once we get going, I'll know more about when we should schedule it. I think everyone knows by now, I'm Director Bayden. I want to get some introductions out of the way. It helps if you know how everyone fits in. Katie, stand up please. Katie will be playing the part of Lucia. She is the leading actress. Lynn is the understudy for Lucia."

Thora sits back. "This is going to be a long meeting."

"We should have brought something to do."

She nods. "Like wine."

Andy chuckles and stands up.

"Andy is Arnold. He is the leading male actor." We clap. "And Arnold." Another guy stands up. "Arnold is the understudy for Arnold. So if he forgets his name, we have an issue."

Thora and I crack up laughing.

"Now anyone else who has an acting part, please stand up. We can't go through them all. We'd be here all day."

I stand up and Thora says, "I like him more now."

There are probably 25 people standing up. I clap for us. We're amazing. "I'm an actor."

"You're an actress dumbass."

"I don't care what I am. I'm something."

"Now we still need volunteers for the other departments and to run the sales. So, if you know anyone, please have them come up and volunteer. Right now we have 8 people in the props department. I would like to double that. But props department, stand up."

8 boys stand up.

"We have Lindsey doing hair." Bayden motions to us.

Thora looks at me. "Who the hell's Lindsey?"

"You dumbass. Stand up."

She stands up and Andy cracks up laughing. "I like the name Lindsey."

"You did this morning too."

"This is a lot of hair though."

"Have servants come in and help."

Andy turns around. "Servants don't work in the theater."

Thora rubs her eyes. "You're ruining my life Andy."

"And the last department is the cleaning department. All of you stand up. That's you."

We all "Ugh."

"We don't have that yet. So it's going to fall on everyone until we get that department."

Thora leans forward and says to Andy, "Too bad we can't make servants do it."

He turns around. "Do you 2 have any servants to volunteer?"

She busts out laughing.

Bayden looks over. "What's funny?"

"They think servants should be the cleaning crew."

"I could request servants from the castle. But then they would request money. Do you want to give them your money from the show?"

I shake my head.

"Does anyone here have servants they can volunteer in those spots?"

Thora points to the back. "HE DOES."

Tye is sitting in the back. "I didn't even know he was here."

"He's never far, and then he wonders why the rumors won't go away."

"What rumors?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Ah Prince Tye. Nice of you to join us. Are you sure you don't want to volunteer for a department? We could use the help, and you seem to be here a lot."

Everyone in the crowd starts whispering.

"Sadly, I am too busy. However, how many do you need for a full cleaning crew?"

"50."

"I will volunteer 50 servants for this production. You won't owe the castle anything."

Everyone cheers.

Thora rolls her eyes. "It was my idea."

"I'm sorry he took your idea. But at least we don't have to clean."

"That's true."

Then Dipak, Frode, Marcus, and Mason walk in.

"Why are they here?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "I'm sure they'll make something up and then drag Tye out with them."

"Commander Dipak. We seem to be drawing a crowd tonight."

"We need to check the sound for the royal box. Ignore us."

"Will do. We are passing out the practice schedules now. The practices will be either an hour before dinner or the hour after dinner. Sometimes they do run over. But this is a good guide. It gives you our meeting times. This theater is castle owned. If the castle rents it out for another show, our meeting will move or cancel. The show schedules are posted by the door. If there is a show going on, our practice will not be here. It is up to you to figure out where it is or if it was canceled. Most likely I will be able to inform you early, as the castle does list the shows early."

I check, and the boys are gone. "You were right."

"Yep."

We get our papers. "Wow, they practice 5 times a week."

"Now we are going to pass out the script books. I would suggest that you write your name on it and then mark your lines somehow. You also need to read the whole thing, so you understand the play. If you are not acting in the play, do not take a script book. These are for them to learn their lines."

"Aww, I wanted to read it."

"You can read mine."

"Ok."

An hour later, we leave the theater.

The next day is more of the same. Dance class all morning. Fishing in the afternoon. Then I go to theater practice with my water from the restaurant. The brains will not bring me water for some reason.

Lynn runs over and sits by me. "Did you learn your lines?"

"I barely read the script. People kept talking to me. I had to hide on the balcony to read it. It was funny though."

"It was amazing. I learned the first pages of lines I would have to say."

"Wow. That's a lot."

"I can't help it. I'm so excited."

Bayden gets on the stage.

"Oh, Andy is sitting by Katie. No surprise there. Usually the leading actors end up dating for a while."

"I guess if she drops out, you're his new girlfriend."

"Well, he is cute." We giggle.

Bayden gives us a look, then he talks about the play. He goes for about an hour. What the main idea is about and how the characters are from the different timelines and don't understand each other. Then they come together at the end and figure everything out. It is a funny play. I'm glad I get to be a part of it. After he's done talking, I run to my house. Then Dipak shows up and takes me to his office.

Marcus is sitting in it.

Dipak sits behind his desk. "You need to watch yourself around Andy."

"Why? He seems nice."

"We don't think he'll hurt you. We think he likes you."

"Well, no. He's a boy. And he's with Katie anyway. He doesn't like me."

"Who the hell's Katie?"

"His girlfriend."

"I'm telling you. He likes you."

"He doesn't like me. Why would he? He's not my mate." Even my mate didn't like me.

Tye walks in. "What's going on?"

Dipak stands up. "That actor over there wants her."

"Yea, I saw that."

"No."

"He likes you."

"HE HAS KATIE."

Marcus puts his hand up. "Be careful but we're going to keep an eye on the situation."

"Fine. What's on your neck?"

He moves his hair. "Mate mark."

"Was that there yesterday?"

They chuckle. "No. My mate is young. We can mark each other, but they fade off with time."

"How do you do that?"

Tye chokes on air. I jump up and pat his back.

Dipak hands me a paper. "We'll come back to that. We need to give you your schedule for now."

"Ok."

"You'll be dancing from 8:30 to 11:30. Lunch at 12. Magic school 1 to 3. After that, the theater is booked for you to practice aerial from 3:30 to 4:30. Then theater practice is at either 5 or 7. Dinner is at 6."

"I haven't seen the magic school."

"It's not open yet. It'll be a couple of days before we get you over there for a tour." Marcus gives me another paper. "This is your schedule of classes over there. You're only in the beginning 2. I didn't want to overwhelm you with that. So, 2 classes a day."

"Thank you. Are Saturday and Sunday still open?"

"Yes. School does not go on the weekend. Also, do not try to practice aerial in the theater on those days. They get booked out on the weekends."

"I get it."

"Go eat something for dinner. Then it'll be time for bed. Stay in the castle tonight."

"Ok." I guess they forgot my question.

I go to my apartment and have dinner. Then a woman comes in.

"I'm Mary. I've been sent to talk to you. Do you know what a mate is?"

Not really. Everything I ever heard about mates is wrong. I shake my head.

"Sit on this chair." She combs my hair. "A mate is someone who you will spend your life with. They will love you forever and never want you to hurt."

The tears fall out of my eyes. She can't see them.

"You will start a family with him. You'll love each other more than anything."

Every word she says hurts that much more. "Do you get more than 1?"

"No. Most people will only ever get 1."

I really am going to be alone forever. No family. No mate. Just me.

"Once you find your mate. You will love being in his arms. You'll love it when he touches you." No I didn't. "Other things will start to happen."

She goes on for an hour, she tells me about s*x and how babies are made. She tells me to wait for my mate. But my heart is broken. I don't get love. I'll be alone forever. Only me. Always alone. I feel myself getting picked up, but I don't care.

I get put in my bed.

"There's more to this, Marcus. I can feel sadness coming out of her dragon too."

"I know. I'll talk to her later. Thank you for helping."