Chapter Sixteen: Julia the Angel:

The play production began next week. Wallace would be one of the background extras on the stage. He didn’t have any lines. He would just move around in the background. Nothing more, nothing less. The country boy was okay with this. Just as long as he got to see his Julia. Turned out, they had a class together. It would be at the end of the day with literary studies.

He had the connections. Now, to try and woo her ever properly.

Kind of hard when you barely get any time to speak. Sure, there was that class and the play. But he and his beloved didn’t run in the same circles. It felt like just like in their high school years. Julia was always high above him. He could never keep up.

Not this year.

Wallace swore that he was going to get Julia to notice him. He just had to take the first step. So far getting was too easy, too mundane. He had to try and step it up a bit. The country boy frowned on stage. That part he hadn’t figured out that part yet.

“Places everyone!” Roselyn shouted through her megaphone. “We need to run the scene again!” She clapped her hands above her hands. The actors and stagehands moved into place. Wallace didn’t have to really move. The lead actor was already in place. The director held up her megaphone.

“From the top, everyone!” she shouted. The lead walked back to the side of the stage. He rolled his eyes.

“You don’t have to use the megaphone, Rose,” he muttered under his breath. The director ignored him as she went into overdrive.

“Action!” she shouted. The extras came to life. Wallace stood in a line at where the booth was supposed to be. He moved up with the line as the main lead came on stage. The actor looked at his invisible pocket watch. He pretended to look worried. A “hostess” walked over with her invisible chart.

“Can I get you into your position, sir?” she asked. The lead waved her off. The actress turned and walked towards the back. Wallace timed down the scene. The main actor sighed and looked at his watch again.

“Phillip?” a girl’s voice asked. Wallace and the main actor looked up. Enter Julia from stage right. The country boy could hear angels singing around her. Her brown curls shook as she walked up to the lead.

“Natasha!” “Phillip” said with a gasp. He threw his arms around her in an intimate embrace. Julia pushed him away as in disappointment. Phillip looked like a hurt little puppy. Wallace knew what was coming next. He moved forward in the line, keeping an ear and eye out on the scene.

“What’s the matter, my love?” the lead actor asked. Julia shook her head.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Phillip asked. Julia moved her hands to her chest.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “But I have a confession to make.” She looked like she was about ready to cry. Wallace stepped forward, entranced with the scene.

“What are you saying?” Phillip asked. Julia looked in the actor in the eye.

“I do not love you, Phillip,” she said. “I never have.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I haven’t been faithful to you on earth. You were never the man I loved.” She wrinkled her nose as she spoke. Okay, the dialogue sounded a bit hammy. But boy did Julia sell it well. Wallace had to keep up with his walking as he listened. The lead actor shook his head while looking disappointed.

“Natasha… you… you can’t mean that!” he said. He tried to embrace her again but she pushed him back. She stepped back, shaking her head.

“We cannot enter Heaven without confessing our secrets,” she said. Julia dropped her hand to her side. “I have carried this around in my heart for too long. I even took it to me with my grave. I have hurt you for too long. You were a good man. I just can’t hurt you anymore.”

“Who was he?”

“What?”

“Who was he?” The main actor raised his voice, shaking his fist. Julia lowered her eyes

“Cut!” Roselyn shouted. The magic was over as the actors looked up. Wallace frowned as they came back to reality. It was getting good too. The director pointed to the line.

“Wanda!” she shouted. “What are you doing? Why are just with your mouth open like a fish?” Everyone looked at one extra with short mousey brown hair in a curly cut. She lowered her head.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It was just so good. Julia and Martin’s acting was so good that I got lost in the scene.” Roselyn sighed and rolled her eyes.

“We’re starting over,” she said. “I know the acting is good but you have to remember that you have to be moving in the line. You are being judged at the Pearly White Gates! Take this seriously, people!” Everyone moved back into place. Wallace smiled to himself. In that moment, he fell deeper in love with Julia. If she was amazing in high school, she should be much better in college. Wallace looked at Martin. Right then, Wallace had his way into his crush’s circle.