ACT ONE TO CURTAIN

3 MARCH, WEDNESDAY, MORNING

By the time Madam Principal gave her speech, my head was back in the game. Make everyone laugh, be better than Henry, and get that flip blade.

Okay, focus, Sam. Be the Bubbles! I've got this! Yes, I've resorted to internal pep talks. But it wasn't like I could just say, "I don't feel like doing this anymore."

Even if for a while, I didn't feel like doing this anymore. But thankfully, there were a few people (guess who) who needed to say a few words before we started the show proper. I was beginning to wonder if these pre-show soliloquies were part of theater culture or unique to Winderhill. Luckily, hearing all the usual platitudes and forced applause helped get my wolf back into the groove. It was just like dress rehearsals. I even clapped silently backstage every time applause was demanded for someone's divine talent, amazing dedication, or whatever.

Fluffy looked amused, but he must have sensed I was on task now, because he kept whatever comment he had to himself and only mindlinked, {ACT ONE, SCENE ONE, Verona Public High School foyer...}

Fluffy would read the Act and Scene number with a short description, sort of as place markers to help me keep up with what was happening. You know, in case I got distracted and forgot I was in the middle of a live play! Henry seriously treated me like a five year old sometimes. This was probably my fault, but wth, not everyone had a PR face. Especially me. I only had one face.

But I wasn't me right now, I was Bubbles, remember? I let my lips twitch upwards and winked my highly mascaraed eyes at the blond alpha teen facing me. Fluffy only smiled back, his smile like the bright sun. Confirming my earlier observation, Fluffy's real smile was exactly like his Mum's.

Fluffy reached out and adjusted my fringe, and then guided me to my entrance point by the small of my back. I grinned at him. It was time, and as the big spot light swung across the stage, and Bulliet stepped out into it exactly on cue. Yeah, I only had one face. Maybe that's why it was fun to pretend to be someone else sometimes.

Today's Bulliet turned out quite different from every other rehearsal. Wow, I was like the most inconsistent actress in the whole wide world. Everyday, a different Bulliet. Today's Bulliet was funny, but she was also quite a tease. She was evil and treated Nerd and her friends like #1 Mean Queen, but because she did it while casting the audience secret smiles, they pretty much took her side and laughed - they actually laughed at Nerd's suffering. Wow, Winderhill were filled with undercover bullies. They really came out now, at one point cheering when Bulliet pulled of some quick word play and got away with manipulating a couple of other cheerleaders.

Henry wasn't going to lose the spotlight to me though. His Horneo wouldn't be ignored. He upped the heat too. How should I explain it? What if I just told you that the girls screamed when he took of his shirt that the topless locker scene, and then later on when the off stage sounds of what Horneo was watching on his phone played, nobody laughed like in previous shows.

I'm not sure why, but that that point, I suddenly really wanted Bell to be near... and not stupid Henry. The both of us had to stand behind one of the roll out stage props until the lights dimmed.

"You okay, Sam?" Henry asked the moment we were offstage.

I went into automode, "Yeah. I'm okay."

"S*** though." Henry said, "I didn't realize how close we had to stand."

Like we stood exactly like that the last two rehearsals too, you know?

Fluffy came to the rescue, he sprayed me down with a can of... vampire hunting scent mask? WTH?

"What the hell is that?" Henry lifted a brow.

"It'll mask your scent a bit." Fluffy promised, "Scary Luna won't kill you."

"Scary Luna?" Henry asked, and then he laughed. But he must have been worried because he ordered Fluffy, "Just make sure she's changed out of costume before James next sees her."

Fluffy sprayed him down too, just in case.

Surely they were overthinking it.

But I had to admit, I was rather surprised at the way everything played out. I mean, we didn't say or do anything differently from what we rehearsed, but the play didn't feel entirely appropriate for a high school production anymore. It got a little darker and more violent in the fight scenes too, the guys seem to have a bit of pent up frustration to punch out, but it was also a lot sexier, even though mostly implied... well except for EJ's Nerd who had taken a very drastic sexy turn half way through the play. I seriously hope no one fell in love with her. I mean, EJ was a guy... right?

When I had a moment alone in the wings, I touched my lips briefly and remembered the kiss. Maybe it was because I've been kissed now, so I kind of understood the feeling of being close to a someone like that... and Henry simply let his character respond in kind. Looks like my catalyst power worked in all kinds of ways. Was I going to have trouble explaining to Mum and Dad later? Wait, no. Whatever happened on stage would disappear at curtain call. I was going to coolly sweep back my hair, take my bow, and Bulliet would disappear completely like the wind that tried to mess with my good beta this morning.

Bulliet and her entire world, was just another blustery wind on a cold March day at Winderhill. Whatever happens, it'll blow over.

{You're on, Pretty Alpha.} Fluffy returned from fixing somebody's hair to cue me in, {Horneo and Bulliet enters stage right, arm in arm. Bulliet laughs flirtatiously at something Horneo just said, before glancing up at Nerd...}

Okay, we've passed the halfway mark. In my mind, I was counting down the scene to Bulliet's Bubbles exploding into Ruby madness. Should I let Boo out? I did feel a little edgy at the new slant our play was dipping into. If I let Boo out, would she give the most stellar performance of my life? Or do something that would cause me to lose my flip knife?

Arugghhhh! But it'll be so fun! Boo wanted to play with Henry and Fluffy and EJ.... I suppose there would always be another opportunity to get a flip knife right? And YOLO... at least for Bulliet's character. This was the one chance to seriously terrify everyone by becoming Ruby unchecked. Hahaha, I was going to make Henry s*** in his pants!

With that last thought, I easily slipped my hand into Henry's arm and laughed a la Bubbles... a very evil Bubbles, but WTH, I'll only get to be Bulliet this one time.

And because I was such an experienced thespian now, I didn't just bomb Boo's alpha dominance nilly willy, I dropped a wink to the audience over Horneo's shoulder. They sniggered and Horneo turned back to look so that they immediately shut up. Hahaha, they weren't even really in the show!

And then I expertly let Boo slip out "accidentally". It turned out, my recent ability to accidentally do things could be applied on stage as well. Henry wasn't going to know what hit him.

Most of the cast were struggling to stay on their toes with the ripple effect of the altered Horneo and Bulliet. So I really didn't think anyone suspected anything until Fluffy popped up all smiles from behind me on the wing, {Is something fun about to happen, Pretty Alpha?}

Boo grinned back, {What do you think?}

Fluffy's smile never wavered, he undid the ribbons at the back of my head so that I could remove the diadem prop at the next scene. Yes, we had finally come to the climax.

{If Pretty Alpha dampens her dominance just before fully extending it, I expect that the effect would be more pronounced. }

{Also if Pretty Alpha cuts off the release sharply and quickly while retaining the visual cues, it would allow the audience the faculty to process the emotions and amplify it further in their minds.}

Oooohhhh... As expected of a scholar type alpha wolf! So armed with an actual strategy, I was ready for action!

{Your cue, Pretty Alpha. I'll support you from backstage.}

Wait, what? What was my new strategist planning to do backstage? But too late, the stage lights darkened and Fluffy gently nudged me onto the darkened stage where I quickly took my position.

This was it, I purposely dampened down my dominance - but in a fade out kind of way so that Horneo wouldn't suspect anything.

Hahaha.

{So fun.}

And then the play went on, the lines got said, the large spotlight fades on from just above me. Everything was set, and Bulliet wakes up and finds out that Horneo was gone forever (to another High School) and cue kraken with the biggest blast of Alpha Dom I could master (I figured that since it was only for a split second, I should go all out.)

Straight after that, with my incredible control, I cut off all the wolf power, but left my hair at full kraken and flaring.

The audience like stopped breathing and then suddenly someone screamed. And then I was surprised too because the lights flickered across the stage. My hair flared and waved in response to the flickering lights and screaming, because now... There was screaming. Like scary movie screaming, which alarmed me, I mean, it alarmed my hair.

And then the lights steadied and came on properly again.

{Cue exit stage right, Pretty Alpha.} Fluffy prompted, {That was magnificent, Pretty Alpha.}

I think maybe we went too far though. I stepped into the wing. Henry was furious enough to come over from the narrow passageway behind the stage all the way from his side of the stage to mine, "What the hell Sam!"

Boo laughed in his face, "Bet I made you cry."

"You did not!" If Henry's short brown hair could flare, it would.

Anyway, the show must go on, so the final scene closed with the other actors tottering out like shell shocked victims of some kind of natural disaster. And although my poor friends were radiating real fear on stage as they took their turn to say their lines, they came across as the true survivors, and the final line drew the play to a close in a very poignant and profound way... In that no one could tell if they were truly happy or not to be finally bereft of the school's two reigning bullies.

There was a deep silence. I double checked to make sure I didn't accidentally alpha bomb for real this time. But it wasn't me. And then suddenly an explosive applause, accompanied by shouting and hooting, and sirens, or that could just be my ears again.

Across the stage, the first group of casts skipped up together onto the stage to take their combined bows. The rain of applause heightened, and it heightened again each time a new group of actors came up to take their bows.

Fluffy peeked out from behind the curtains and reported, {It's a standing ovation, Pretty Alpha.}

I felt mostly relieved that I didn't just accidentally traumatized anyone beyond repair.

{Curtain call, pretty alpha. Remember to meet Henry on stage before walking forward to take your bow.} Fluffy prompted dutifully.

I half ran out and met Henry smack center with my wide smile. To my utter surprise, he smiled back. This was when I realized he was Young Alpha Henry's PR face again and remembered to take my own face out.

Facing the audience now, I retracted the crazy hair and took the last few steps forwards. Henry took his bow first, before gesturing towards me. I made a quick wave to Mum and Dad in the audience and suddenly realized Bell was sitting next to Dad. O.o I totally forgot he was there!

Okay, deep breath, smile. It's okay. Just let it blow away.

Suddenly Beta Pete appeared with an armload of red roses which he ran up to stage to gift to Henry and me.

Stepping back suddenly with roses in my hands again, I let Henry lead me to our spot on the stage and clapped as Jasmine came up for her bow. She looked like a lamb to slaughter in the face of the applause.

Beta Pete ran up again with more roses.

When she got to my side, she grabbed my hand tightly and screamed in my ear, "Sam, we did it! I can't believe we did it!"

I hoped she was holding her bouquet more gently than my arm.

Henry leaned over on my other side and said something to me too, but he didn't scream, so I couldn't make out a single word of it under the rain of applause.