Signals

A week later Tom texted Louise for her home address, claiming that he wanted to send her a gift. She reluctantly gave it to him and the next day there was an envelope from Tom that contained a ticket to the play Othello at the closest theatre. Louise remembered that Tom had mentioned the theatre in a previous conversation and sent him a quick text.

Will you be there? she asked, hesitant about going. Louise wasn’t quite sure of what to make of the invite, and she knew that Emily would be calling it a date.

Of course, was all that Tom replied with. Intrigued, Louise decided to attend and a couple days later she was sitting in one of the front rows of the theatre. She had dressed up for the occasion, and felt posh with her long silver earrings dangling and sparkling with the lights, a sleek white dress with a lace layer over the bust, and her blonde hair tidily brushed in place low against her scalp.

Louise anxiously awaited Tom’s arrival, fiddling with her ivory clutch as she scanned the theatre. The seats were filling up fast, and Tom was nowhere to be seen. People shuffled into the seats on her right and Louise stole a glance at one of their tickets that confirmed that they did indeed belong there. Concluding that Tom had the seat on her left, she was incredibly surprised when a couple sat there as the lights began to dim.

“Excuse me, that’s for someone else,” Louise said in a hushed voice as the chatter died down.

“No, it’s definitely mine,” the man smiled as he flashed her his ticket. Her heart sank and she retreated into her seat with an awkward smile. Why would Tom stand her up like this? Was it a joke? Louise pondered her options on how to escape as the play started, and she snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice. She gazed across the stage to her left and there was Tom, in costume and reciting lines as he strode across to another man. Louise’s anger completely disappeared and she focused on the play, a smile crossing her lips whenever Tom came on stage. After a standing ovation, Louise shuffled slowly outside and repeatedly checked her phone.

Come to the back of the theatre. We’re having a party, Tom eventually texted her, and Louise started to push her way through the gradually moving crowd. She walked as fast as she could in her heels and eventually rounded the corner to see a bodyguard before a door, but Tom was waiting off to the side in a simple t-shirt and jeans.

“You were so fantastic!” Louise grinned as she bustled over and gave him a huge hug. Tom laughed and she pecked him on the cheek before pulling away. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you acted?” Tom headed towards the door and the bodyguard stepped aside, allowing Louise to trail behind him.

“It’s not exactly the easiest job,” Tom winced, thinking about how he didn’t always have money to pay for simple things.

“But it’s your passion, right?” Louise asked as they headed down a brick corridor. Tom nodded, unable to deny that acting was all that he ever wanted to do. “So that’s a huge part of you! And your performance was so wonderful; you shouldn’t be ashamed or anything!”

“You’re too kind,” Tom said with a chuckle as he turned into a dressing room. Costumes lined the edges and the lights around the makeup mirrors were still shining brightly, but the room was packed with the actors who were conversing loudly with drinks in their hands. “Wine?” Louise nodded her head at his offer, unable to wipe the smile off her face.

“White, please,” she added, scared of the consequences of spilling a drop of red wine on her dress. Tom returned a few moments later with a glass and they clinked glasses before taking a sip. They remained near the edge of the room, casually chatting away and laughing loudly, simply enjoying each other’s company after the exciting show.

“Oh, Brandon! Hey, this is Louise, the girl I was telling you about,” Tom called out to a fellow cast member who was passing by. The blonde man stopped and gave a toothy grin, extending his hand to Louise.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” he said as he gently held her hand. Louise glanced to Tom and saw that he was edging out of their conversation. She raised her eyebrows and he winked before heading off, making Louise exhale with disappointment. As much as she wanted to find a man to romance, she was quite content with the prospect of just talking to Tom for the night. She shrugged off the sinking feeling in her stomach and plastered on a smile for the polite man before her, willing to give him a chance.