My First Short Story (I)

An Act I Will Never Forget

Sometimes, I just can’t believe that I’ve rolled Fate’s dice. True enough, it never played fair and square with anyone.

PART I

I have been in Teatro y Teatra - the Theatre Club of our college - since my freshmen year. Roughly six years has passed since I auditioned for the club, and it actually came as a surprise for the auditioners seeing a Political Science student in the stage. Political science majors in Theatre were quite a rare find, you see. Back then, I readily told them that I will take up Law. In full confidence, I expressed my conviction of being the first lawyer they will have in the organization. With the guts I showed and the above par talent I have in the performing arts, I got in the club. I am not only to fulfill my promise of being a lawyer-actor, but I also am on my way to brushing elbows with people from all over the university. I also knew that the stage would be my escape from the stress I am sure to have. Stress relief, above all, is the main purpose of my venture in Teatro.

Now that I am one of the senior members of the club - even the oldest, I believe - I've handled a lot of one-act and full-length plays already. Once a member of the club, you are not only exposed to the field of your forte; rather, you are challenged to be as well-rounded as you can. As for me, I can do dancing and acting with no sweat at all, but I was also trained to be a singer, a director, a props man - you name it. Being the veteran that I am now, I handle trainings for the neophytes, and I am also in-charge of directing and managing the annual shows of our university.

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I am having a great time in Teatro, but after last year's incident, I might leave it soon.

She was Glenda, a Biology major. I remember meeting her for the first time in the auditions during her sophomore year. In auditions, we take into consideration not only the talent of the applicant, but also their looks. In that line, I must say that nothing was really striking about her. Yes, she had the looks, but it was all concealed because of her simplicity. Her talent in acting was also of the average, but we still got her in because of her skills in ballet and also because of her striking academic record - straight A grades during her first year. We had a few occasional talks and meetings, but besides that, nothing was special. None until last year.

The past 12 months were busy months for Teatro y Teatra. The university celebrated its 75th founding anniversary, and as the only organization catering theatre performances, we were tasked to do series of shows in accordance to the celebration. The senior members of the organization - well yeah, that includes me - discussed about the performances we will have, and we decided to have a show of talents every month. I was assigned to manage the trainings for the three dance shows and also be one of the main casts in the final show. I had to manage all those tasks and Law School. It was a hectic schedule, and I was having a hard time, but it was nothing compared to the series of events I had with Glenda.

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It was the first rain of June.

My memory of her dancing in the stage was so vivid. I was there, at the back of the auditorium, hiding by the towering doors, afraid of being seen by her. My emotions were mixed, and I did not understand the sensation I was feeling. All I knew was that I adored every movement of her legs, whose strength and grace I never knew, and so were her arms, flailing in the air like a bird adieu. Her long wavy hair was also loosened from its usual ribbon tie, adding to the complexity of her beauty. I was dumbfounded, and all I could do was stare as she radiated a glow that both blinded and attracted me. I never looked away from her, afraid that any moment, I would lose sight of the beauty I was seeing.

It was in my dream that I realized the comeliness in her. Her face was narrow, complimenting to her lean figure. Her cheekbones were high, her lips full, her nose perfectly carved. The whole of her features were sculpted like that of a goddess', regal and angelic beauty in one. But something bothered me. Her eyes, yes, it were her eyes. Those chestnut eyes of hers were full of sadness, of gloom unknown to me. And that glowering melancholy in her eyes reflected in her dance.

The end of her spins were perfect, her leaps as fluid as water. From the lithe ballet choreography she was doing, it gradually shifted to jazz; but her stances were harsh. It was unlikely for someone like her, someone who was trained the classical school of dancing, to execute such routine. My heart pumped as I saw her face lined with an emotion bordering grief and anger. She is likely to get this dance wrong, I said to myself. And something I feared happened - she fell so hardly from doing a twist and jump.

I ran towards the stage, the fear of being seen already forgotten. But as I was dashing towards her direction, heavy, foggy air clouded my sight. Then someone held both my arms and placed them back, as if to put me unconscious. My mouth was covered by a strong fist, and air was hardly reaching my lungs. I suddenly heard her moan in pain, and before I knew it, I awoke from my dream, my body sweating all over, the mist left by the rain cooling me off. From then on, there was never a night without a dream of her.

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August was the first month with a dance performance.

Being the head of the dance acts of Teatro, I started jotting down themes the past month; it had to be prepared early on because the first dance presentation was set for the end of August. The first two weeks are scheduled for the practices, the third week to furnish the choreography, and the last week, only the university publications can tell. Our performances were written in the school paper.

That month's theme was modern hip-hop, so I summoned all the members - old and new - whom I thought were fit for the presentation. Glenda was one of them. I would be a hypocrite to tell that I called for her just because of her dancing prowess. Of course, after all the recurring dreams I had, I wanted to know more about her. I vowed to myself that I would settle this budding feeling I have for her before it gets too late. I didn't want to be involved with anyone, especially now that I am three years away from being an attorney.

It was the end of the first week, and we were ahead of our schedule. We were almost done with the whole performance, so I decided to give the team the next three days to rest. The next week was midterms, so it was just proper for me to give the three days off because everyone had to prepare for their upcoming exams, myself included.

"Randy, are you sure you'll call the next three days off?" Anton, a junior Communication Arts students, asked.

"Yes, but if you want to practice, then -"

"Oh no, oh no. We are taking it, yes we are taking it. Right guys?"

A unanimous "Yes" busted from the crowd, and cheers of happiness were hurting my ears.

Everyone was rushing to leave the dance floor while I was left in the room doing last minute arrangements for the back-up audio of our performance. To my surprise, Glenda was there, her lips red contrasting her pale face, her eyes bridging a message still unknown to me. My hormones were in a rage. I had to keep my back turned and act that I didn't notice her presence just to suppress the strange feeling I felt that time.

"Randy?"

It would be impolite if I didn't look her way...

"Oh. Hi there Glenda. What made you stay? Are you having a hangover of the practice?" I joked meekly.

She answered with a laugh. If I could just taste the sweetness of her timid giggle, for sure it was as sweet as honey...

"Well, I was actually here to invite you to a cocktail party. Uhm, how do I say this..."

"Just shoot it out."

"What?"

"I mean, just say it. You have nothing to be shy of. We're one big family here in Teatro."

I felt like stuttering, I didn't know what right words to say. My sanity was put to test.

"Truth is, the BiOrg - the official organization of Biology majors - is having an acquaintance night this weekend, and we need to be with a partner when we get to the event. And..."

"And..."

I was pushing her to speak.

"And I wonder if you can come with me. I know of no other boys except from those of my block mates and Teatro. Of course, my block mates would have to invite their own partners, so I'm just left with Teatro. I asked Jim if he could come with me, but he has something to attend to. That's why I'm asking you if you could come. If not, it's definitely fine with me, but I would very much appreciate it if you went with me. And I can spend my spare time for Teatro, if that would make you go with me. Practice more than the rehearsal schedules. And -"

"Sure, I'll go with you, just don't stutter."

She blushed.

I thought it was rude of me to tell her not to stutter, but the subconscious tactlessness I have made me say so. Glenda started stuttering at the last sentences, but, truth is, she looked so beautiful when she was speaking so fast and eating her words. When her cheeks glowed red, she looked even more beautiful. I had to turn my back and act like I was busy fixing some papers just to control whatever sensation I had that time. She left, and when I heard the door close, I slumped on the floor, the memory of her flushed cheeks still printed in my mind.