worried how he might react when he finally got to her. The red dress had been a total distraction to him on stage. He’d never been so thankful to have his cello covering the crotch of his tuxedo pants as he was tonight. He couldn’t wait to take her in his arms and kiss her. He’d even cleaned his dorm room, bought a bottle of wine and found a candle in the hope she would join him there after the show.
Tom nervously rubbed his forehead as he walked toward Lexi. He was so proud that the beautiful girl in the red dress was there to see him.
“Tom!” Blondie squealed as she threw her arms around him and held on for dear life. “You were so amazing. Like, we all thought so. We’ve been like, whispering about you all night.”
“Thank you,” Tom said, trying without success to pull her arms from his neck.
“I want you to meet some people, Tom. This is Chancellor Gains and his wife Patricia.”
Tom was anxious to get away, but knew he couldn’t be rude. Chancellor Gains controlled the money that came into and out of the music department. “Yes. Very nice to see you again Chancellor – Mrs. Gains,” he said, politely acknowledging them while straining to see Lexi’s face.
“Tom,” continued Blondie. “Come to the chancellor’s home for a drink. My parents and I are going. Please come. You were like too amazing for words tonight,” she gushed as she wrangled him in for yet another hug.
“I’m sorry. I really can’t,” Tom said giving his attention back to the chancellor and his wife. “I—.”
As Tom looked back down the aisle where Lexi had been waiting for him, he saw nothing. The aisle was clear and the one person he wanted to see was gone.
“Son, we won’t take no for an answer,” bellowed the chancellor.
“Will you excuse me, sir, for just a moment?” Tom politely asked as he raced through the concert hall in search of Lexi.
As he rushed into the lobby, he scanned the room frantically, looking for the red dress somewhere in the crowd.
“Shit,” Tom said aloud as he walked back into the concert hall.
“Won’t you join us, Tom?” Blondie pleaded.
“I’m very sorry. I have somewhere I must be tonight,” Tom explained. “But thank you so much for coming.”
Tom rushed backstage to pick up his coat, cello and most importantly, his phone.
As he called Lexi, he had a sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to answer. He saw the hurt look on her face during the entire exchange and it made him feel sick to his stomach.
He called again and voicemail picked up. On the fourth attempt he left her a message. “Lexi, where’d you go? I didn’t want to see anyone else but you after the show. I’m sorry I got stopped. I tried to end it quickly and get to you. Please call me back. Please.”
He paused leaving an empty space in his message and breathed. “I’m sorry, Lex. You were the most beautiful girl in the theatre tonight. You are the most beautiful girl. Anywhere.”
Friday, February 7 th
S arah found her way to the Starbucks earlier than usual the next day. She walked all the way to the counter before anyone noticed she was there.
“Oh,” Lexi jumped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“No worries. It’s really early. I mean, really early.”
“Six-thirty,” Lexi remarked.
“Damn early,” Sarah grimaced, noticing Lexi’s usual smile replaced by puffy eyes and lower shoulders. “Is everything okay?”
“What can I get started for you this morning?”
“Non-fat, no foam latte.”
“Sure. What size?”
“Tall,” Sarah paused. “Are you sure you’re okay? Because I sense that you aren’t. I’m sensing that you really, really aren’t.”
“I’m fine,” Lexi blurted.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with a man, would it?”
“Why?” Lexi said, clearly fighting back tears. “What do you know?”
“I know a girl whose heart is hurting when I see one. Believe me. I’ve dated enough losers in my time to spot it a mile
Tom nervously rubbed his forehead as he walked toward Lexi. He was so proud that the beautiful girl in the red dress was there to see him.
“Tom!” Blondie squealed as she threw her arms around him and held on for dear life. “You were so amazing. Like, we all thought so. We’ve been like, whispering about you all night.”
“Thank you,” Tom said, trying without success to pull her arms from his neck.
“I want you to meet some people, Tom. This is Chancellor Gains and his wife Patricia.”
Tom was anxious to get away, but knew he couldn’t be rude. Chancellor Gains controlled the money that came into and out of the music department. “Yes. Very nice to see you again Chancellor – Mrs. Gains,” he said, politely acknowledging them while straining to see Lexi’s face.
“Tom,” continued Blondie. “Come to the chancellor’s home for a drink. My parents and I are going. Please come. You were like too amazing for words tonight,” she gushed as she wrangled him in for yet another hug.
“I’m sorry. I really can’t,” Tom said giving his attention back to the chancellor and his wife. “I—.”
As Tom looked back down the aisle where Lexi had been waiting for him, he saw nothing. The aisle was clear and the one person he wanted to see was gone.
“Son, we won’t take no for an answer,” bellowed the chancellor.
“Will you excuse me, sir, for just a moment?” Tom politely asked as he raced through the concert hall in search of Lexi.
As he rushed into the lobby, he scanned the room frantically, looking for the red dress somewhere in the crowd.
“Shit,” Tom said aloud as he walked back into the concert hall.
“Won’t you join us, Tom?” Blondie pleaded.
“I’m very sorry. I have somewhere I must be tonight,” Tom explained. “But thank you so much for coming.”
Tom rushed backstage to pick up his coat, cello and most importantly, his phone.
As he called Lexi, he had a sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to answer. He saw the hurt look on her face during the entire exchange and it made him feel sick to his stomach.
He called again and voicemail picked up. On the fourth attempt he left her a message. “Lexi, where’d you go? I didn’t want to see anyone else but you after the show. I’m sorry I got stopped. I tried to end it quickly and get to you. Please call me back. Please.”
He paused leaving an empty space in his message and breathed. “I’m sorry, Lex. You were the most beautiful girl in the theatre tonight. You are the most beautiful girl. Anywhere.”
Friday, February 7 th
S arah found her way to the Starbucks earlier than usual the next day. She walked all the way to the counter before anyone noticed she was there.
“Oh,” Lexi jumped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“No worries. It’s really early. I mean, really early.”
“Six-thirty,” Lexi remarked.
“Damn early,” Sarah grimaced, noticing Lexi’s usual smile replaced by puffy eyes and lower shoulders. “Is everything okay?”
“What can I get started for you this morning?”
“Non-fat, no foam latte.”
“Sure. What size?”
“Tall,” Sarah paused. “Are you sure you’re okay? Because I sense that you aren’t. I’m sensing that you really, really aren’t.”
“I’m fine,” Lexi blurted.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with a man, would it?”
“Why?” Lexi said, clearly fighting back tears. “What do you know?”
“I know a girl whose heart is hurting when I see one. Believe me. I’ve dated enough losers in my time to spot it a mile