Alex's POV
"Alex! Alex!" I could hear someone call out my name next to my ear but it felt distant.
"Dude! Are you okay?" I felt a sharp quake in my shoulders and turned around to see what it was.
It was Ben, staring at me hard, his hands on my shoulders.
The stress had really drooped my body downwards, and I was slouching like a shrimp, my head downward. With reality slowly creeping up on me, I raised my head and straightened my back gradually.
Crack!
My rusty bones echoed.
"Wow, that must've hurt," he said, furrowing his eyebrows together.
"Oh... yeah, yeah a little," I replied.
"So... What about the trip?"
"What trip?"
"The snow camp one? With the team?"
"Who knows about this trip?" I asked, getting off the chair.
His eyes darted to left, "Me, Margie and you."
"Exactly, if no one's gonna tell them, no one's gonna know," I said, walking towards the door. I gestured him to come along, "let's go, we have a lot of work."
He complied.
As we were walking through the hallway, we passed by the piano room. I remembered the day he was conspiring against me, talking to someone on the phone. Pangs of curiosity rose in my mind and I turned towards him. He was drifting in his own thoughts.
"Ben!" He looked back at me, "did your dad really not allow you to pursue theater?"
His eyes glittered, "yes. He thinks theatre has no future."
I began to think of the future, the one where we live in. His dad doesn't know, but theatre will become one of the most important aspect of future, as everything is directed and written by someone or other. Even the reality he is in, is in fact, just a wet ink of someone's pen in the future. But somehow, from the corner of my eye, I saw his eyes fluttering.
"Are you speaking the truth?" I said, descending down the stairs to the hall.
"Don't pry," he shot an abrupt reply at me, deadpan eyes. "Keep yourself busy with your matters.
How dare he!
What is wrong with him?
I just asked a random question out of curiosity and he had the audacity to be so rude? Besides, he was the one playing nice guy just few minutes ago, how can a person change so quick?
"Suit yoursel–"
Ding!
Before I could get back at him, a notification popped on my phone. I picked it up and unlocked it, revealing the worst of my nightmares coming true. It was a message from Lee, the Sound department leader.
"Heard we are going to a trip? Margie just informed us, my team will come."
After that, it was only a matter of time before messages flooded my inbox, all talking about the trip. At last, Margie messaged "Informed everyone, have a good one!"
Yeah sure, we'll have a good one indeed.
I threw my phone in my pocket and grabbed my hair, pulling them hard. How much more to tolerate before I can blast out? Is there any end to this mess? I was here only writing plays, now I'm also in HR solving people conflicts.
I ran down the hall stairs to the stage. Naturally, everyone was smiling at me. Ben was already there, he had walked away while I had the mini breakdown.
...
The next morning, I arrived a little later than usual. Everyone was standing near the theatre, since it was our default assembly point. From the Sounds Department there was Lee, Nathan and Sarah, from the Lights department was Kathy, Sally and Dean, while the props department had only Samantha. I went and stood in front of everyone, glancing around to see if that guy would be there.
Why would he be there, he's just an actor anywa–
He came. He came with 2 full bags, with I don't know what he was carrying, walking towards us.
"Since you all love my acting so much and I love you all, I asked Margie for an exception. She said no of course, but I came with my own expenses!" He said, gleaming with joy.
Every single person clapped and cheered for him.
Everyone, as obnoxious it can be, was wearing thick hoodies with "Tiger Theatre Troop" embroidered on it in orange and white. According to Margie, it shows we're uniform and together or something.
Yes, it was horrible.
That punk was dressed in sheer green shirt layered over a vest with turquoise shorts under, and a straw hat to complete the 'Uncle Pedro' look, definitely not fit for a snow-camp deep in the mountains.
'Did he forget we are going to a snow-camp?'
He'll learn when he freezes.
"Okay guys, let's go, we have reserved the rooms from four in the afternoon, and we need to get there by three," I said, glancing at my watch, "let's board the buses, it will take atleast two hours to reach."
Everyone got into the bus and I followed them, stopping at the steps of the bus, holding the railing. For some reason, Ben had not boarded it. I waved my hands at him, and he looked at me.
"Need an invitation or something?" I shouted.
"Will drive and come," he said, cupping his mouth and screaming. He walked towards me, directing my gaze downwards.
He pulled up his hat, "Don't miss me too much," he said as he winked and walked away.
"Will try!" I shouted at him.
'Whatever. His loss. Buses have access to an exclusive tunnel, reducing the distance.'
I got into the bus, took out my neck pillow, plugged my earphones and shut my eyes to relax for the day.
Since the theatre is deep well inside the city, it took us one hour to get out of the urban bounds. The journey into the outskirts was bumpy, with ocassional scenic views of lush green trees covering the mountains, small valleys with colorful houses, tiny sheep frolicking around with baby goats, it was beautiful throughout.
Eventually we went up the hill, into the higher mountain zone where the hotel was located. The colder air began seeping in through the windows, waking me up from my zone out session.
In around two hours, the bus reached the location, stopping near the entrance.
"Alright everyone, let's get off the bus. Make sure you all are covered as the temperatures will drop to -2° Celsius and will drop further," I began to stretch my limbs and yawned.
I looked at everyone and they were covered in woollen scarves, beanies and hats as required. I wrapped myself in a burgundy crochet scarf, and put on gloves I'd gotten as a gift earlier. I giggled from the cold hitting from my legs to my nose, catching everyone's attention.
"You seem so happy today, Alex!" Lee exclaimed, smiling himself.
"Yes! I'm so happy today!"
I got out of the bus with everyone, and stretched my arms further, lifting my toes.
'He isn't here~"
Just as expected, Ben hadn't reached the hotel by then, adding to my happiness.