Fraying at the Edges

The next morning felt quieter than usual.

The drama room, normally buzzing with energy, was subdued as the cast filtered in, the high from yesterday's dress rehearsal having faded. Ria could feel the weight of it hanging over everyone—the knowledge that they'd just performed for the entire school, and the cracks that had formed during that performance.

Ms. Reyes stood at the front of the room, her usual clipboard in hand, though her expression was softer today. She greeted them with a small smile, but Ria could sense the intensity in her eyes. This wasn't going to be a simple debrief.

"Alright, everyone, let's gather up," Ms. Reyes called, clapping her hands gently to get their attention. Slowly, the cast and crew circled around her, taking their seats on the floor or leaning against the walls. Ria sat down next to Olivia, her notebook resting on her lap though she wasn't sure she'd need it today. Kael hovered near the back, arms crossed, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

Ms. Reyes took a breath, her eyes sweeping over the group. "First of all, I want to congratulate you all on yesterday's performance. It was a dress rehearsal, yes, but in front of an audience like that? You all handled yourselves beautifully. For many of you, that was your first time performing in front of such a big crowd, and you pulled it off."

There were murmurs of agreement, small nods and half-smiles exchanged between the cast members. Ria could feel a flicker of pride at Ms. Reyes' words, but it was quickly swallowed by the memory of Kael's hesitation on stage—the silence that had stretched too long, the panic in his eyes. She glanced back at him, watching as he shifted uncomfortably, his face pale.

Ms. Reyes continued, her tone still encouraging but with a hint of seriousness now. "That being said, there were a few moments where we could tighten things up. Timing, especially. There were scenes where we missed cues or lost momentum."

Ria's heart sank as she watched Ms. Reyes avoid looking directly at Kael. She wasn't singling him out, but the subtle implication was there. Everyone knew what had happened.

"Olivia, Alex, your lighting and sound work was fantastic," Ms. Reyes said, giving them both an appreciative nod. Olivia grinned proudly, while Alex gave a small smile, clearly pleased but not one to boast.

"And to the rest of you, I'm really proud of how far you've come," Ms. Reyes added, her tone softening again. "But we're not done yet. Districts are still ahead of us, and we need to keep pushing. I want us to run through those key scenes again today—make sure we've got everything locked in."

There were nods and murmurs of agreement again, but the air felt heavy. Ria could sense the fatigue creeping into the group. They'd given everything yesterday, and now, the weight of what lay ahead felt even more daunting.

"Alright," Ms. Reyes said, clapping her hands. "Take five, then we'll start running lines."

As the group began to disperse, Ria noticed Kael slipping toward the back of the room, clearly avoiding any conversation. He hadn't said a word during the debrief, and Ria could see the strain in his posture, the way his shoulders slumped forward as if he were carrying an invisible weight.

"Hey," Olivia said, nudging Ria lightly. "You okay? You've been quiet."

Ria blinked, turning her attention to Olivia. "Yeah, just... thinking about yesterday."

Olivia rolled her eyes, though there was a teasing smile on her face. "You're always thinking, Ria. But seriously, I think it went pretty well. There were some hiccups, sure, but we pulled it off. The crowd loved it."

"Yeah," Ria agreed half-heartedly, glancing again at Kael, who had settled into a chair in the corner, flipping through his script without really reading it. "But... I'm worried about Kael."

Olivia followed Ria's gaze, her expression softening slightly. "He'll be fine. He just had a rough day. You saw how Ethan stepped in—it all worked out."

Ria frowned, tapping her fingers against her notebook. "It's not just that, though. He's been struggling for a while. I don't think it's just nerves."

Olivia shrugged, clearly less concerned. "Kael's tough. He'll figure it out. Maybe he just needs to blow off some steam. He's probably overthinking everything, like always."

Ria nodded, but the knot of worry in her chest didn't ease. Olivia didn't see it—she didn't understand how deep this went. But Ria had been watching Kael closely, and she could see the way the cracks were growing. He was slipping, and she wasn't sure how to help him.

Across the room, Ethan was chatting with a few of the newer cast members, his voice bright and upbeat as he recounted yesterday's performance. Ria couldn't help but notice the way Ethan seemed to carry himself now—there was a new confidence in him, an ease that hadn't been there before. He was starting to step into a leadership role without even realizing it.

Ria sighed, pushing herself up from the floor and making her way over to where Kael sat. His head was bent low over the script, but he wasn't reading it. She could tell by the way his eyes stared blankly at the page, his fingers nervously tracing the edge of the paper.

"Kael," she said softly, standing beside him.

He didn't look up right away. When he finally did, his expression was guarded, like he was trying to put up a wall between them. "Hey."

Ria hesitated, unsure how to approach the conversation. "You... doing okay?"

Kael's jaw tightened, his eyes flicking back down to the script. "I'm fine."

"Yesterday was—" she began, but Kael cut her off, his voice low and sharp.

"I know, Ria. I know I screwed up."

Ria flinched at the bitterness in his tone, her heart aching for him. "You didn't screw up. You had a moment, that's all. It happens to everyone."

Kael let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head. "Not to me. I'm supposed to lead this group, Ria. I'm supposed to keep it together. But I can't even remember my lines anymore."

Ria's breath caught in her throat. This was the first time he'd said it outright—the first time he'd admitted what was really happening. She had seen the signs, of course, but hearing him say it felt like a punch to the gut.

"Kael," she said softly, sitting down beside him, "you don't have to carry all of this by yourself."

He shook his head again, the frustration clear in his eyes. "That's the thing, though. I do. I'm the president of this club. I'm supposed to be the one holding everything together. And yesterday..." His voice cracked, and he looked away, blinking back whatever emotion was threatening to spill over.

Ria placed a hand on his arm, her voice gentle but firm. "You're not alone in this. We're all in it together. You don't have to be perfect."

Kael didn't say anything for a long moment. He just stared at the script in his hands, his knuckles white as he gripped the pages tightly.

"I don't know if I can keep going like this," he whispered, so softly Ria almost didn't hear it.

Her heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice. She had never seen Kael like this—so unsure, so broken. And it scared her, because she didn't know how to help him.

Before she could say anything else, Ethan's voice broke through the silence, calling across the room. "Hey, Kael! You coming? We're about to run that big scene again."

Kael flinched, his expression tightening as he glanced toward Ethan. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

Ethan flashed him a grin, completely unaware of the weight Kael was carrying. "Cool. We're gonna kill it this time."

As Ethan turned back to the group, Kael stood up, his movements stiff and mechanical. He forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I've gotta go."

Ria watched him walk away, her chest tight with worry. She wanted to stop him, to tell him that it was okay to step back, that they would figure it out. But the words caught in her throat, and before she knew it, Kael was already gone, blending into the crowd of the cast as they prepared for their next run-through.

Ria sat there for a moment, her hands clenched in her lap, her mind racing. Kael was slipping, and if something didn't change soon, she was afraid he might break completely.

But what could she do? She couldn't carry his burden for him. All she could do was be there, waiting, hoping he wouldn't let go before it was too late.