The Actor and the Shoe
On Set
"You should come see my band play," Jena said softly with her eyes on Jake, who was watching as the crew put the scene together.
"You're in a band?" he questioned, not taking his eyes off the crew.
"Actually, it's more of a solo thing... but I have people who set up for me, play instruments in the background... You know. I'm definitely lead," she explained with a nonchalant shrug.
"So what do you call yourself? Jena and the Malones, or something?"
"The Shoe," she said with the awe of a child.
"The Shoe?" he questioned, unimpressed. "Why?"
"Oh, um, it's a funny story, actually," she laughed nervously before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, you see, I was on campus and my friend was, like, 'Jena, what's on your shoe?'"
"And... what was it? What was on your shoe?" he turned, expecting something that would make her alias worth it.
"Chewed gum. I was wearing a pair of flip flops and my right one kept sticking to the ground. It was some serious gum. Then my other friend was all, 'We should call you Sticky.'"
"Who are these people?"
"Brian and Carlos. They're my friends. They're in the band too. Brian plays the drums and Carlos shakes a tamborine sometimes. Anyway, Carlos thought 'Sticky' wasn't good enough and suggested 'The Shoester', but Brian thought that it was too flashy and decided 'The Shoe' was classier. And it stuck ever since," she couldn't help but giggle and looked to Jake for his approval.
"In high school drama they used to say, 'Hey, Jake! You could be a professional actor.' And if they meant it, their delivery seemed all wrong. It bothered me, so I would just ignore everyone around me. After performances, they'd gather 'round and congratulate me, smile. But what did they mean, you know? Could they really like me? Or do I not like myself?"
Jena stared at him for a moment, unsure how to respond. So she continued with what she did know. "You know how bands have groupies and they're all girls? I have groupies too, except they're all men. But I don't like them... I don't have a boyfriend."
"Yeah," he finally said.
"Yeah, what?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.
"Yeah, I'll come to your show," he clarified with the offer of a small smile.
"Cool," she said, trying her best to remain casual. She didn't want to come off too strong, so she added, "You should bring Frank the bunny."
"You mean the actor who plays Frank the bunny?" Jake asked, wondering if she was craving company for pure companionship or for adoring admiration. He had a slight suspicion it was the latter, but it wasn't too discouraging. There was no way that one evening watching her perform could be honestly regretful.
And to Jena, this was sort of a date that could really turn into something special. "Yeah! You should bring him too," she said cheerfully, feeling as though she had accomplished something.
"I don't know that guy."
"You're in a band?" he questioned, not taking his eyes off the crew.
"Actually, it's more of a solo thing... but I have people who set up for me, play instruments in the background... You know. I'm definitely lead," she explained with a nonchalant shrug.
"So what do you call yourself? Jena and the Malones, or something?"
"The Shoe," she said with the awe of a child.
"The Shoe?" he questioned, unimpressed. "Why?"
"Oh, um, it's a funny story, actually," she laughed nervously before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, you see, I was on campus and my friend was, like, 'Jena, what's on your shoe?'"
"And... what was it? What was on your shoe?" he turned, expecting something that would make her alias worth it.
"Chewed gum. I was wearing a pair of flip flops and my right one kept sticking to the ground. It was some serious gum. Then my other friend was all, 'We should call you Sticky.'"
"Who are these people?"
"Brian and Carlos. They're my friends. They're in the band too. Brian plays the drums and Carlos shakes a tamborine sometimes. Anyway, Carlos thought 'Sticky' wasn't good enough and suggested 'The Shoester', but Brian thought that it was too flashy and decided 'The Shoe' was classier. And it stuck ever since," she couldn't help but giggle and looked to Jake for his approval.
"In high school drama they used to say, 'Hey, Jake! You could be a professional actor.' And if they meant it, their delivery seemed all wrong. It bothered me, so I would just ignore everyone around me. After performances, they'd gather 'round and congratulate me, smile. But what did they mean, you know? Could they really like me? Or do I not like myself?"
Jena stared at him for a moment, unsure how to respond. So she continued with what she did know. "You know how bands have groupies and they're all girls? I have groupies too, except they're all men. But I don't like them... I don't have a boyfriend."
"Yeah," he finally said.
"Yeah, what?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.
"Yeah, I'll come to your show," he clarified with the offer of a small smile.
"Cool," she said, trying her best to remain casual. She didn't want to come off too strong, so she added, "You should bring Frank the bunny."
"You mean the actor who plays Frank the bunny?" Jake asked, wondering if she was craving company for pure companionship or for adoring admiration. He had a slight suspicion it was the latter, but it wasn't too discouraging. There was no way that one evening watching her perform could be honestly regretful.
And to Jena, this was sort of a date that could really turn into something special. "Yeah! You should bring him too," she said cheerfully, feeling as though she had accomplished something.
"I don't know that guy."