Lia
The noise backstage is loud, annoyingly loud. Costumes rustling, voices overlapping, last-minute directions flying. I barely hear any of it. I’m standing near the curtain, trying to breathe, trying to focus, but my heart won’t settle. My fingers are still tingling from where he touched me.
“Places!” Mrs. Low calls out.
Jenna gives me a quick hug, Sutton squeezes my hand, but it does nothing. It’s not their fault but my mind elsewhere. My eyes flick to the crowd, scanning the dark rows until I see him. Front row, just off center. His arms are crossed, but his eyes are searching, watching, and waiting. Everything else fades. I stand off to the side, just out of view. The curtain is still down, but I can hear the crowd settling. Seats creak and voices fade. My hands are cold, even unde
