PAS DE DEUX | Dead Poets Society

05.

The group of nervous girls sat three rows back from the very front row of the Henley Hall auditorium. Spread out in pairs or clusters of their own friends, they either chatted quietly to one another or watched the scenes unfolding before them. 

Madeline and Nancy were one of the two to sit in the fifth row of the middle area of seats, just ahead of them a group of three teachers from their school assessing auditions for their school play. 

Nancy sat to the left of Madeline who was nervously poking her nails. "If they were going to do Shakespeare they should have done Romeo and Juliet," she whispered, "I mean, I know they're both about love but still."

Madeline spoke without moving her head, "Maybe it's the ritualistic suicide," Nancy laughed quietly as Madeline finally spoke, "Do you know where Anais goes off to every night? She's been late to almost every one of her morning classes this year."

Nancy shrugged, "Probably to smoke..."

Madeline clicked her tongue, glancing as a girl read out lines expressively on stage, "That's true she does come back reeking of cigarettes," she noted, "I couldn't stand another year of her smoking in the room - even with the window open."

Nancy nodded, a silence falling between them as it usually does. Madeline was far too reserved to herself to spark up a conversation and Nancy was just too shy to try. That's why being friends with Anais was so easy, at least in the sense that she was always there to help will their silent lives. Madeline and Nancy just weren't close like that. 

Madeline muttered a thought out loud, "If this is the version where Odette and Siegfried die in the end then then maybe you should have the part," she joked, noting the similar endings to the Shakespearean play. 

Nancy snickered, turning to her friend, "Are you nervous?" 

Madeline shook her head, "No..."

"Don't lie," Nancy whispered.

"I'm lying to convince myself otherwise," Madeline laughed, "Maybe they should've done The Nutcracker instead," she groaned. 

Suddenly, Anais came up from behind the two, "Move, move, move," she whispered to them, telling them to make room for her to sit beside Madeline, "Help me do my hair!"

Nancy stood up to move out of the row as Madeline squished her legs against the seat for Anais to pass through. Holding her bag and bolero in hand, she shimmied through before falling in the seat next to Madeline sighing. 

"Patrick Jacobs!" one of the teachers shouted, waiting for the boy to come from back stage. 

Anais leaned back as Madeline held bobby pins between her teeth, "Did you eat breakfast?" Anais asked, glancing back at her best friend. 

Madeline nodded, pushing a bobby pin into Anais's hair and grazing her scalp, "Ow!" she exclaimed in a whisper, "Easy on my head, Madeline!"

Madeline shook her head breathing out a response yet saying nothing as Anais spoke again, "I know you're worried you won't get the part but I know you will," she reassured as her friend worked on tightening her bun further. 

"If I don't get this part, Anais, I don't know what I'm to do..."

Nancy leaned over, "You're gonna get it, Madeline."

Madeline bit her lip, finally securing the bun, "I want to deserve it..." she corrected, patting Anais on the shoulder to show that she was done as another name was called. 

The three turned their bodies to face forward, both Nancy and Anais watching the drama auditions as Madeline closed her eyes to imagine her steps. Sighing she imagined the tune in her head, swaying her head as she counted under breath. 

"If we shadows have offended. Think but this, and all is mended..." 

Madeline squeezed her eyes tighter, trying to drown out the voice of the auditoner. 

"That you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear," Anais nudged Madeline with her elbow but she ignored her, "And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream," Anais nudged her again harder making Madeline snap her eyes open, turning to question her before she saw the soft look on her best friends face.

Anais looked at Madeline and back up at the stage raising her eyebrows and Madeline followed, making eye contact with a boy who was auditioning for the play. His eyes seemed to glisten lightly from the spotlight but his mouth was slightly open during his pause. Within a second, Madeline glanced down breaking their unspoken conversation. 

The boy continued on, "Gentles, do not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend..." Madeline raised her head glancing back up at the boy in all his performative glory, "And, as I am an honest Puck, if we have unearnèd luck. Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, we will make amends ere long."

Nancy and Anais glanced at each other as Madeline continued to watch the boy's performance. The two both had the same thought on their mind. 

Madeline swallowed hard licking her lips as her throat was almost desert dry, but the boy glanced back down at her, and for a second she wanted to turn around to see if he was staring at her, but she already knew, "Else the Puck a liar call, so good night unto you all. Give me your hands if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends."

The dark haired lanky boy finished his line, pausing and glancing back down at the teachers, "Thank you, Neil-"

Neil. His name was Neil.

Madeline spoke finally tuning out the teachers' voices, "He was good..." she lightened quietly, "He was really good..."

"Yeah..." Anais nodded, glancing between her best friend and the blonde almost confused, "Yeah, he was..."