14
Oscar Believes
Olive entered into the stage right wing, where the majority of the ensemble were huddled together and buzzing, as were the crowd.
‘Awww man, I hate that sound,’ said Doug, running up the wing to try and get a peek of the audience in the gap betweenthe gauze and the edge of the proscenium arch. People were jostling past one another in rows to get to their seats, sweet packets were being rustled and there was a steady murmur of people discussing what the evening might hold. But what made Olive’s stomach churn the most was how dressed up everyone seemed to be. No one dressed up to come to the theatre these days unless it was a really big event.Olive liked to pretend that opening night was just a dress run or even just another performance of a show she’d been in for years. However, seeing all those suits and dresses and sparkling jewellery gave her skin a sweaty sheen.
‘You and me both,’ Olive said, following him and peering over his shoulder. ‘Is there anything going on between you and Sammy?’
Doug laughed. ‘That was subtlyasked!’
‘Sorry! I know you well enough not to beat around the bush, don’t I? So… are you beating around hers?’ Olive gave his ribs a jab with her finger and enjoyed the laughter that bubbled in her throat when he flinched and grabbed her wrists to stop her from doing it again.
‘Eww, don’t do that,’ he laughed.
‘What?’ She wobbled in her heels, trying to release her wrists.
‘You’re too sweet to say things like that!’ he said, holding both her hands in one of his.
‘But it’s fine when you say them?’ she said, giving him a slight tap on the shin with her foot.
‘Well, yes! I’m disgusting! I’m saving you from being like me. And oww!’ he said, letting go of her hands with a push.
‘You’ve still not answered my question!’ she said, her index fingersoutstretched as a warning.
‘No! Of course nothing’s going on! Have you asked her this yet?’ said Doug, straightening out his waistcoat.
‘I saw you first.’ Olive checked herself over for any ungainly creases in her dress.
‘Stand by, everyone! We have front of house clearance! Stand by!’
‘You might wanna fix that,’ Doug said, pointing at her chest, and when she lookeddown he swiped his finger up, catching her nose.
‘Very funny, loser! How old are you?’ she said with a smile and with a deep breath, she thought about how pleased she was to be starting the show on a good note with someone at least.
‘Pssst. Olive!’ She didn’t know where it was coming from, but she knew immediatelywhoit was coming from. She squinted from her little pedestal on centrestage into the stage left wing and there was Oscar, waving his arms about. ‘Break a leg!’ he whispered, giving her a double thumbs-up. He’d caught her in a good mood and she couldn’t help but smile back, returning the thumbs-up gesture, and even laughing at how lame it was.
You okay?she mouthed. Oscar held his hands out in front of him so they hit the lights and even from the middle ofthe stage she could see they were trembling. ‘You’ll be fine! Just imagine everyone naked!’ She winked.
‘He probably doesn’t have to imagine too hard for you.’ Sammy snorted through the curtain behind Olive’s pedestal, at which Olive tutted loudly. Oscar tried to pretend he hadn’t heard but Olive caught him smiling as he gave her one final thumbs-up and disappeared into the darkness ofthe wing. Olive took another deep breath to compose herself, and as the audience fell silent, the music began and the curtain rose.
‘Not bad, TV!’ said Doug, ruffling Oscar’s hair as the cast filtered outof the wings and into the corridor behind the stage. Oscar was far sweatier and more exhausted than he ever thought imaginable.
‘We have to do this eight times a week? I don’t even think I’m gonna wake up tomorrow!’ Oscar said, unbuttoning his shirt with one hand whilst needing the other to hold himself steady against the water cooler.
‘You’ll get the hang of it, gorgeous.’ Sammywinked as she ran ahead of him up the stairs.
‘You coming for a drink tonight, Oscar?’
Tamara was already out of her costume, in her underwear and holding her dressing gown loosely to her front. Olive and Doug came through the double doors, Doug expertly averting his gaze and Olive… not so much.
‘Erm… no thanks, Tamara. I’ll be giving it a miss.’
‘But it’s the pressnight drinks!’ she whined.
‘At least show your face, mate!’ said Doug. Oscar looked at Olive and she gave him a vague sense of a smile, and something in between a shrug and a nod.
‘I’ll go for one, but only if Olive has that drink with me.’
