| Page 2 Max left weaving his way through the throng of people with Eva at his heels. Left alone together Josh and Claire stared at each other nervously. �Follow me,� Josh growled and took off across the room. Claire followed him watching the people around her. She had noticed for people like Max and Michelle people had gotten out of their way naturally as if by instinct. They�d be having conversations but still know to stand aside when they passed through. No one did that for Josh they wouldn�t even look at him. It was as if he didn�t exist. Except for a few curious stares Claire was treated the same way. They think they�re better than us. After all, they�re performers we�re just the hired help. Claire felt an angry flush creep up the back of her neck. Briefly she wondered if she was going to get paid. She put that thought out her head immediately. She highly doubted she was sent here to get paid. She followed Josh into a small cramped dressing room. The mirrors were smudged, costumes and other articles of clothing were strewn about the floor and make-up and glitter was spilled everywhere. Josh turned to Claire and smirked. �This is your job. For now at least,� he said obviously relishing the idea of not having to clean the room. Claire gulped. This would most likely take her hours. She didn�t notice Michelle sitting in the corner applying lipstick until she turned around. �Oh Josh you shouldn�t have worried,� Michelle said in a syrupy sweet voice. �You thought you wouldn�t find a date for opening night. Lord knows you have no problems finding dates for every other occasion but I don�t really those types of antics would be acceptable at an event of this high caliber.� Josh flushed angrily for the second time in 10 minutes. �Gosh Michelle this whole prima donna act is coming along quite nicely. What do you screw 10 people a week too?� �No, that�s your department,� Michelle sneered. She stood up and stalked over to where Josh was standing and glaring at her. Michelle looked over Claire once and smirked at Josh. �Don�t quit your day job.� She said with a last sickening beauty queen grin before strutting out the door. Josh ducked his head and ran a hand through his hair to avoid eye contact with Claire. �Cleaning supplies are in the closet on your left,� Josh said before hurrying out the door. Claire watched him go with a feeling of anger growing in her chest. Anger at herself, anger at her mother for sending her here, at Michelle for insulting her; at Josh for being somewhat less than civil toward her and just plain anger itself. With a loud sigh Claire opened the closet and went to work. Chapter 3 Two weeks later Claire felt like she was finally fitting in. She already knew to steer clear of Michelle and Max. Eva was quickly becoming like a surrogate mother to her but better because she wasn�t around all the time. Claire spent most of her time with Jayson and Andrea. They danced in the second act of the show and liked to brag that they held the part of closing the show for a whole week. Claire had learned it was THE spot to have. Michelle had dominated it for a year and half. It was referred to as �the spot.� Jayson and Andrea were absolutely inseparable on and off the stage. In fact, they were referred to as JaynAnde by the members of the cast and rarely separate. Engaged for three years and counting they had never gotten around to getting married. But like any married or practically married couple they fought constantly. Claire was worried about being like a third wheel around them but she was surprised and pleased to find that she fit in nicely and was usually called on to referee the frequent fights. Jayson kept her rolling in laughter and Andrea was the like the big sister she never had. Warm, open, funny and full of advice and things to babble about she quickly became Claire�s best friend. Josh was a different story. He was close to Jayson and Andrea because they were the only people that worked with the show when Josh�s father ran it that were still there besides Michelle. Speaking of, as cruel as Michelle was she seemed to know Josh a lot better than she was letting on even though she tormented him constantly. Josh was moody, sarcastic and withdrawn from most people. He could bite your head off one minute and be your best friend the next. His moods seemed to fluctuate according to Max�s whims. When Max was upset about something Josh was too because Max�s frustration was usually taken out on Josh verbally and physically. Likewise when Max was happy Josh was happy because Max was out of his hair. However, when Josh was in a good mood he was actually quite fun to be around. One day several hours before the show Claire wandered into one of the dressing rooms looking for something to do. JaynAnde were making out in the corner and Josh was nonchalantly wiping the mirrors down with Windex and ignoring them completely. Claire bit her lip to keep from laughing and hopped on the counter hoping she caught Josh on a good day. She racked her brain for something to say. �What does the H.A. on Boss�s door stand for?� Claire asked calling Max �Boss� like everyone else did. Jayson and Josh always joked he should get it tattooed to his forehead. �It stands for �Hell, Actually�� Josh said with a smirk. Claire laughed out loud. �No, seriously.� �It stands for Henry Arnold,� said Andrea who was now sitting on Jayson�s lap and smoking a cigarette. �He directed an Off-Broadway play in this space before we used it.� �Did they forget to put Max�s name on the door or something?� Claire asked. �Yup and boy was he pissed.� Josh said. Claire glanced at the two-day-old bruise on his cheek and shuddered. �You know, I always thought he gave you that bruise on your face because you forgot to pack his tutu and his leash for Michelle.� Jayson offered from across the room. Andrea snorted with laughter and immediately started coughing. When she recovered she glared at the lit cigarette in her hand. �I�m quitting right now,� she said throwing the cigarette on the ground and stomping on it for good measure. �And that�s what the 20th time you�ve quit.� Jayson said smirking. �Shut up sweetheart or I just might have to hurt you.� Andrea said. �Quick, Jay. Get the whip,� Josh said. Andrea glared at him. Suddenly the door opened and Eva appeared in the doorway. �Boss is on the way,� Eva said. �Michelle seems to think you kids are up to something.� She left quickly. �I have a great idea,� Josh said grinning. �Let�s like mess up our hair and stuff to make Boss think we were just making out.� �We were just making out,� Andrea said matter-of-factly pointing at Jayson. �No I mean Claire and I too,� Josh said grinning at her. Claire raised an eyebrow. �You want me to kiss you?� �No!� Josh said. �Just smear your lipstick on my face or something to make it look like you were.� �Boss will kill you,� Claire said. �I know,� Josh said and with a devilish grin bent over and shook his head to muss his thick brown curls. Claire and the others followed suit and like most bad kids they waited to get in trouble. Chapter 4 Michelle waited impatiently outside Max�s door. She glanced at the watch around her wrist and tapped her foot on the floor every so often casting glances at the dressing room that contained Jayson, Andrea, Josh and Claire. She�d heard suspicious noises coming from that room and knowing Josh she figured he had gotten to Claire already. Max had a strict policy about cast members dating each other and that included the crew. This was one of the reasons why he hated Jayson and Andrea. The only reason why he tolerated them was because their act was insanely popular. If Max found out that Josh and Claire were together which Michelle suspected they were one of them would get fired. Claire was only a temporary crew member and was leaving at the end of the summer so the one most likely to get the boot was Josh. Michelle hated to admit it but she was eager to get rid of Josh. That way she wouldn�t be thinking about him all the time. She still had feelings for him even though she hated the person he�d become. Every time she looked at Claire she thought of herself three years ago before Josh�s father had died. Things had been so different then. She had changed and grown up and she hated to be reminded of the person she used to be. The door opened and Max emerged. Michelle was tired of waiting, now it was time. Page 3 |