Chapter 4 No.4

'Great' Aubrey clapped his hand together. 'Oh, we're going to have so much fun!'

Haru blinked nervously back at Aubrey, before glancing away towards the others. He was surprised to see them smiling.

'Are....' Haru began, 'are you sure I won't cause any trouble for you?'

'Don't be silly' Sasha waved at him laughing. 'We could do with an extra member, you're helping us out, and in turn we can help you out. This could really help you come out of your shell.'

'Oh' Haru hunched his shoulders. 'You're making me feel like there's something wrong with me' he mumbled. 'I don't mean to be so shy...I wish I was more confident...'

'Oh no don't take it the wrong way' Amelia said quickly. 'We're only trying to help.'

'I know' Haru smiled, a little more relaxed now. 'I know I need to change...and I want to...'

Aubrey smirked at him. 'Well come on' he said clapping his hands loudly all of a sudden. 'Let's get this show on the road!'

'What's going on?' Haru asked Sasha as the others moved over towards the stage at the back of the hall.

'Practices' Sasha smiled. 'We've only just decided to start a play recently, and we're doing all this in our spare time so it can be a little tricky to get together to work. But we managed it last year so we'll manage it this year too.' She grinned. 'We're still deciding what play to do.'

The lights shut off suddenly, and Haru jumped, glancing around nervously.

'It's ok' Sasha said to him, taking a seat in a chair that faced the stage, 'sit down.'

Haru did so, sitting in the empty seat beside Sasha. On her other side was Ben, he glanced with a smile towards Haru, before looking ahead again, towards the stage.

Haru realised suddenly that Aubrey and Amelia were missing, and he glanced about for them, but couldn't see them.

The heavy black curtains of the stage drew slowly apart then, and Haru blinked as he watched, seeing, Aubrey standing there, still wearing his black cloak. The spotlight from above focused on him when the rest of the stage was in darkness.

Aubrey took a step to the side, and the spotlight followed him. Haru realised then that Amelia must be controlling the levers, hidden somewhere backstage.

Haru's attention drifted back to Aubrey who stood now centre stage with the spotlight on him. Aubrey bowed his head, hands clutched at his chest.

In one dramatic move he threw the cloak off suddenly, revealing the glittering purple trousers and long sleeve top he wore.

Haru's eyes widened, and he drew a slow gasp.

Upon the stage Aubrey gestured, a dramatic pose, sweeping his black hair back. He turned towards the audience, arms pressed over his heart now, he began to speak loudly and clearly, his voice resonating around the empty hall.

'All I wanted was to be loved...to be accepted.' Aubrey bowed his head then, shoulders hunched, his body began to tremble. He raised his head suddenly, teeth gritted, tears in his eyes. 'You were the only one who ever cared for me, and you left me, abandoning me to suffer my trials alone!'

Haru glanced nervously to the side of him, seeing Sasha smiling at him and holding something in her hand. They were eye drops, tears in a little bottle.

'It's ok' Sasha smiled, speaking in a whisper as she noticed Haru watching her. 'He knows what he's doing, he's done this before...'

Haru smiled awkwardly back at her, feeling a little embarrassed for panicking slightly, for thinking that Aubrey was actually crying.

He raised his head, watching Aubrey as he continued to act.

'When you were gone...' Aubrey continued, '...I felt as if I could not go on any longer...I felt as if my heart had been ripped from my chest...as if I had already died...though I kept on breathing and moving.'

He paused then, for several seconds Aubrey did nothing. And then he grasped his chest again, drawing a shuddering breath.

'Not a day goes by when I don't miss you.... why did you have to leave me...? Your loss...your absence.... has left a permanent scar on my heart.... mother...'

Haru gasped then, his eyes wide with shock.

'It just takes one act of bravery' Aubrey recited, 'a single breath, a heartbeat......just one small push.'

He moved his hands forward then, as if to push an invisible object before him.

'And then....' Aubrey breathed, 'you are free.........'

Aubrey lowered his hands, smiling down at those before him as Sasha and Ben began to clap, Amelia stepping out onto the stage from behind the scenes, clapped also as she approached Aubrey.

'That was wonderful' Amelia told him, 'you recite very well.'

But Aubrey was not listening, he was staring at Haru in shock.

'.....Haru...?'

Haru who had been fighting back tears, biting the flesh of his hand so hard it hurt, could no longer control himself.

He hunched forwards, bawling into his hands, to the alarm of Sasha and Ben beside him.

'Haru!'

Aubrey leapt off the stage, rushing up to him.

'Haru! What's wrong?'

Haru raised his head then, looking Aubrey in the face.

And then, through all his tears, he smiled.