I pace up and down in my living room. My anxiety eating me alive. The talent show was tonight and i was still a wreck.

I didn't want to make a fool of myself Infront of everyone. Especially Infront of wally. Sure, i messed up Infront of him when we practiced but infront of a crowd?? He's counting on me and i don't want to disappoint.

Soon, A knock was heard and i went to the door. Opening it up and seeing Barnaby and Frank standing there.

Barnaby was smiling and Frank was holding a bunch of books.

"Hey guys. What brings you here?" I ask.

"Wally says you're afraid to mess up tonight so, As someone who knows how it feels. I wanted to help!" Barnaby says and Frank shakes his head.

"His methods are ridiculous, As I've been telling him. I brought books to show you real ways you can make sure you won't fail." Frank explains and i smile softly.

"O-oh! Thank you, Come in!" I move aside and they walk in. Sitting on my couch, Barnaby speaks before frank could making him glare at Barnaby. I giggle at them.

"It's easy! When I'm preforming, I think about everyone in their underwear! You can't be nervous if you think like that!" He says and Frank scoffs.

"That's terrible!" He says and Barnaby smiles at him.

"It works when i imagine you in ur butterfly underwear."

"H-How undignified!" Frank exclaims as his cheeks turn red. I laugh at how frank looks.

"Don't listen to him! Look!" He opens and book and points to a paragraph.

"If you use this breathing technique, You'll calm down and be more confident to preform." He says and now Barnaby snorts.

"How boring! She should just think of some jokes to loosen up!" Barnaby says and Frank rolls his eyes

"What she needs is actual techniques!"

"You remind me of an ocean frank." Barnaby starts and franks groans.

"Hey, What do you call a detailed oriented ocean?"

"What?" I ask and Frank sighs.

"The Pacific ocean!" Barnaby says proudly.

"Get it? Specific? Pacific?" He looks at frank and he just looks grumpy.

"Wow, Tough crowd." He mutters and i couldn't help but crack up.

"See! It works!"

"Only because it's funny how bad you're." Frank says and Barnaby huffs.

"Guys! I appreciate it! But i think I'll be fine now. Honestly, If i wasn't acting with wally. Maybe i wouldn't be as bad." I said and they both look at me.

"Why's that?" Frank asks and i laugh nervously.

"Wally is perfect. Making me look so bad. It makes me nervous and mess up!"

They both look at each other then at me.

"Are you sure... It's not because of... Something else? Barnaby asks and my smile fades.

Dammit Julie.

"She told you guys, Didn't she."

"Uh.. no? I mean... I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yes, She told us."

Barnaby scratches his head and looks away.

"O-ok, Maybe she did." Barnaby admits and i sigh.

"Maybe... It's that too. It's just a small crush though. It'll go away. So, Don't tell him." I say and they nod.

It would already complicate things if he knew. I still need to find a way out of here and my gut tells me it has something to do with home and that room.

"The best advice i can give you is, Don't think of him as wally. Think of him as someone else." Frank says and Barnaby nods.

"I agree. I've never liked someone like that so i can't say to picture him in his underwear...." Barnaby says and my cheeks turn bright red as an imagine of wally casually in his bedroom, Only wearing his underwear enter my mind.

"That makes it worse, Barnaby!" Frank exclaims.

"I'm sorry!" He says and i try to clear the image from my mind. That's a little too much of what i wanted to see.

"We better get going. The talent show starts soon." Frank says as he pulls Barnaby with him. I smile and tell them my goodbyes.

Once they were gone, I go to my room and get ready myself.

~

I peaked through the curtain, Everyone has done their act and are sitting down. Wally and me are the last ones.

"Are you ready?" Sally asks and i turn to look at her. She smiles encouragingly.

"Ah... yes. Is wally ready?" I ask and she nods.

"You're on in one minute! Good luck!" She walks off and soon the lights dimmed.

I breath in and out. Trying to calm my nerves, Then the curtains pulled up and wally walks on to the stage.

Oh, this is gonna be a long night.

"She just doesn't get it!" Wally starts and looks frustrated.

"But i don't want to lose her. Not now, not ever." He says and i walk on stage. Trying my best not to trip.

"I can't do this anymore. So many fights and i don't know if you even care!" I said back. Trying to remember my script.

Wally looks at me and frowns.

"You don't understa-" He starts and i put my hand up to stop him.

"You haven't done anything to make me believe this will amount to something. I'm leavi-" i step forward but my shoe got caught on a loose board. Making me fall forward, I Yelp and close my eyes.

Soon, I felt warm arms holding me. Looking up, Wally held me. Our eyes interlocked and he looked worried and surprised.

My heart felt like it was about to stop. Soon he lifted me back to my feet and i look up at him.

"Listen to me," he starts. The crowd seemed to be dead silent that i almost didn't notice them.

"When i look in your eyes, and you looks back in mine, everything feels not quite normal, because i feel strong—and weak at the same time."  He starts and my heart starts to beat faster.

"I feel excited, and at the same time terrified. The truth is i don't know the way i feel, except i know the kind of man i want to be for you." He says and my lips part.

No matter how many times we practiced. It was never like this, It almost felt real. I remember my line and i look into his eyes.

"Was that so hard, My love." I say and the curtains slowly lower.

The crowd stood up and clapped, Whistled and cheered. I stepped away from wally. Not daring to look at him.

My heart needed to calm down.

A part of me knew it was all a script but another part of me... Wished it wasn't.

I walk off to see everyone else. Wally seemed preoccupied by almost everyone.

"Honestly, That was Wally's best performance yet." Sally says as she walks towards me.

"It almost seemed real..." She says and looks at me.

"It did. Well, Wally's a great actor." I say and i look over at him smiling at everyone.

If i stay here any longer. I might actually fall in love and i can't let that happen. Not when i can't help but feel like it's all fake.

I need to leave before it's too late.