And we just danced. We did it all night long
and all over the gardens. It was funny to practice this way, in a real palace,
with someone who could understand how awful I was at it. The movie required me
to dance with a beautiful princess for a few minutes (seconds in the movie) and
I really wanted to nail it. So they brought someone to help us and there he
was. It was ridiculous to have known him for so many years and, at the same
time, having no idea who he really was.
Our dance teacher was Alexander Frost. I had
seen him for the first time the day I arrived at high school. The thing was
that that place was my third high school. Because of my parents work I had to
go from here to there. But this was the one where I would do my last two years
and then it would be off to college, wherever that might be. I saw Alex that
first day but didn’t thought anything of him. Not once, during those two years,
did I really speak to him. Maybe greet him in the hall if I happened to be late
for class or in the bathroom but that was it.
And now, here he was. I’m afraid I never cared
about my fellow classmates in high school. It was clear for me that the friends
I had made there were only temporary. I didn’t want anything to do with them
after finishing the time I had to spend there. This may seem like a hash thing
to say but I was just fed up with all the moving and changing. College would be
another change and, for me at least, it would be my real ticket into having
friends and so on. I just had to jump those last hurdles to get there.
Besides, and I should have said this before,
people in my high school were not precisely interesting nor the nicest. I know
my parents tried to do their best so they put me in the best school they could
think of. Academically speaking, it certainly was. I learned a lot more than
many others did at that age but, nevertheless, school is not only for learning.
School is supposed to be the place where you make those first social
connections and when you get into society as such. Well, I didn’t.
When I got to college, I was the happiest
person in the world. Also very frightened and shy but happy nonetheless. I
wanted to make it big in life so I took my film studies pretty seriously. I
worked hard and did everything that was asked from me and even more. Of course,
I created my first social links here and it was a lot easier than in school,
where everything seemed so convenient and mandatory. Not in college. There, I
felt I could be anyone and no one would mind and some would even like me that
way.
So when I first so Alex on set, I felt myself
going back to school. I cannot lie: it felt like being stabbed and bleeding
profusely for hours. I know how it sounds but I hated high school. I hated it.
I felt like a mouse constantly trying to survive, running around, feeling a
thousand eyes on me and then none at the same time. I felt scared and hopeless
every single day there. And that was the same thing I felt when Alex came on
set: insecurity and anxiety.
We had been rehearsing for hours that day and
I think, because I was tired, I did not properly realize what had happened. So
that night I slept like a baby and didn’t even think of the whole thing. But
next morning, it was like being back in high school. I’m not proud to say that
I had to vomit early in the morning. It was lucky that I hadn’t had that much
to eat. I brushed my teeth and got on set smiling and trying to be the same
that the day before but that was clearly impossible.
Mistake after mistake, the director would
correct me. He’s such a great person but even I knew I was sucking hard. I was
awful every single and he got tired. He told all of us that instead of
rehearsal we would have our first dance lesson. My co-star, Veronica, was a
very experienced dancer. She had worked in theater for a long time so she knew
her way around the dance floor. But me, I had no idea. And it was then when the
director brought Alex in and, shame on me, I laughed.
It has to be one of the most awkward moments
of my life. I didn’t laugh for hours or anything, it was just one laugh and
then closing my mouth and noticing how everyone was looking at me as if I had
killed someone right there. Then I greeted Alex and we just went on with the
lesson. He said it was better if I danced with him first and then Veronica. So
that day she left early and we were left alone to practice like mad. Soon, I
forgot everything about high school and the weird moment that had occurred
before. I wanted to be good, great even, in this movie so I really focused on
getting it right.
This went on for two more weeks. Meanwhile, we
would shoot other scenes in other places. We traveled to Vienna for the filming
and it was so beautiful we all felt we had already won several awards. After a
particular difficult morning of filming, the director decided we could have the
afternoon of. We would begin again the next morning but then Alex appeared, out
of nowhere, and told me I had to practice hard as the next day would be the
shooting of the dance scene.
Surprisingly, he told Veronica to go and rest.
I had already danced with her a couple of times by then and I thought it was
very odd not to practice with her for the last time. I danced with Alex in a
room they lend us at the palace where the filming was taking place and it was
just amazing. I almost felt myself float and Alex told me I was doing a great
job. We also went outside, to the gardens, and danced there, as another scene
would take place down there. The place was really quiet and we only stopped
when a security guard came to see what was going on.
The next day, I rocked the dancing scene. We
did it again a few times and Veronica hugged me hard when we finished. She was
thrilled that the scene had gone so smoothly. We watched it a couple of times
on a small screen and everything looked great: the lights, the costumes, the
production design and, of course, our dancing. We went back home a couple of
days later, having wrapped up the movie. I knew it would be a great piece one
they had it finished and I looked forward the premiere.
Back at my house, I was surprised to see that
Alex had sent me a box containing a big bar of chocolate, raisins covered in
chocolate, a video game and a paper that happened to be a printed email in
which a restaurant confirmed a reservation in his name. He had highlighted the
name of the place, the address and the time. So naturally, I was confused. A
guy was practically asking me out. But that wasn’t really the problem. The
thing was that bar of chocolate had always being my favorite, I loved raisins
covered with chocolate and the video game was one I had always wanted but never
had.
I went to the restaurant, trying not to look
like I had tried too hard with my clothes. He was already there so we sat down
and ordered and then started talking about the movie, the dancing, exchanging
data for future work opportunities and, finally, his gift box. Then, as we were
having our main courses, he looked at me and I noticed his eyes were watery and
his skin was a bit red. He doubted of his words but finally asked me if I knew
who he was.
It was funny because I realized then that I
had never told him anything about high school. We just got the lessons going
and that was it. We hadn’t said a word about the past and now he was asking
about it. So I answered:
- - Of course I know.
- - Why didn’t you say something? – He
said, almost scolding me.
- It happened so long ago. I don’t
like to remember those days.
Then he shed a tear and, before I could ask
anything else, he changed the subject and came back to his old self from the
movie set. We had a nice dinner and he even took me home. Just as I had opened
my door, my cellphone started ringing in my coat pocket. It wasn’t an incoming
call but and SMS. I almost dropped it when I read it. It was from Alex.
- - I have loved you for all these
years. Sorry. Have a nice sleep.
