Country Stars

>A hush fell over the darkened stage, not a whisper echoed in the wide hall.
>Then, bam!
>A bright light, a spotlight focusing entirely on a large wooden home, flattened and rendered two-dimensional in its’ facade.
>A booming voice! Shouting, blanketing the hall with a resounding, omnipotent voice.
>The voice began to fill the hall.
>The stage exploded into action, all around dozens of cast members rushed forward.
>Extras followed in behind, as the scene was set, interacting with on another yet unseen.
>A low hum reverberated through the floorboards and they seemingly rattled underfoot as dozens of feet pounded across them.
>Applejack watched it all with nail-biting nervousness, there could be no screw ups.
>Rara depended on that.

***

"And y'all are sure you're okay to do this?"
>"God, AJ, I had the cold, I wasn't dying."
"I know, I know. I just can't help but worry- you know how it is."
>Coloratura blew a lock of hair out of her face as she lead Applejack across the bustling stage.
>She smiled and waved where necessary, directing Applejack over to her vanity.
"We can't have any setbacks, Rara. The director'll have my hide if you ain't ready by tomorrow. You sure you're all good?"
>Coloratura laughed.
>”Oh AJ, you’re such a worry wart. Come on, walk me out. I think that was the last rehearsal of the night.”
>Applejack’s eyes narrowed.
“Rara y’all gotta be prepared. The final show is startin’-”
>In a thinly veiled accent, that seemed more mocking than genuine, Rara finished “In jussa bout a week.”
“I don’t talk like that!”
>”Sure you don’t, cowpoke. Dinner later? Stop by my hotel room, bring something nice.”
>She paused as she was about to climb into her car.
>She looked over her shoulder at AJ, who was still glaring at her.
>”Aw, Jackie. I know I can be a little difficult sometimes…”
“Don’t I know it.”
>Coloratura giggled.
>"You weren't supposed to agree with me, Jackie!"
"I ain't a liar, Rara."
>Coloratura swatted Applejack on the arm and gave her a pout.
>It quickly morphed in a mischievous grin.
>”How about I make it up to you? I just know my favorite producer’ll feel all tense and stressed after all that work~, how about a massage?”
>Applejack snorted and batted away Coloratura’s exploratory fingers.
“No thanks, Rara. I know all about those daggers you call nails. Just feel better, that’ll make me feel better.”
>Coloratura smiled and patted Applejack on the cheek.
>”Fine, fine. You’ve persuaded me, AJ. I’ll take it easy tonight. Bring somethin’ good tonight, I wanna cut a little loose.”
>Applejack nodded and glanced around.
>The parking lot was dark and busy, no one within site was paying any attention to them.
>She gave Coloratura a quick hug and a kiss, then departed.
>Her work was never done, that was for sure.

***

>The thin veneer of confidence and grace was quickly falling apart for her, as it was with everyone surrounding her.
>Applejack looked up into the wide balcony that Coloratura was waxing in rhythm on.
>Even as flawless as Coloratura was, it still left Applejack with a sour stomach at the thought.
>Final rehearsals were just a week away, and their opening night only a little after.
>Despite her worrying, Coloratura continued to strike the rhythmic and flowing poetry, like a painter swiping at a canvas.
>Poised and precise, with every note and syllable falling after the other in a neat tempo.
>The clipboard in Applejack's grip groaned feebly under her white-knuckled stranglehold.
>Lights slowly dimmed and faded and Coloratura’s voice grew almost dusky, as she waited for the actor to begin the scene.
>Romeo -or, rather, the actor that portrayed him- stood from the floor and sent a dazzling, charming smile as he recited his lines.
>”But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief.”
>Applejack stood mesmerized, hidden from view by the curtains from the looming theatre, yet plainly visible to Rara.
>The man- though he was attractive- did not catch her attention, not the way he held himself, nor that garish smile that lingered a little too long in Rara’s direction.
>It was Coloratura who held her gaze and entranced her mind with a precise, elegant pronouncement of her love for the actor.
>Coloratura’s smoldering look, too, seemed to stray from the actor and land square on Applejack’s shoulders for a split second before she turned back.
>That simple glance made Applejack’s heart flutter and her stomach flop.
>She glanced side to side to see if any of the other backstage crewmen saw the brief exchange, but it seemed she was in the clear.

***

>”O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse they name!
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”
>Applejack shuddered at Coloratura’s striking performance.
>Her hand absentmindedly slipped into her pocket and played with the piece of card stock Coloratura had given her, only a time was written on it with a wavy, elegant script.
>Tonight was going to be a busy night.
>Her work was never done.

***

>Applejack stretched her sore, noodle-like body in the hazy morning afterglow.
>She turned to her side and embraced the equally as nude Coloratura.
>Applejack pulled the blanket high so that it covered them to the shoulders, then buried her face into the dark locks that smelled sweetly of apples.
>Coloratura wouldn’t wake for another hour, and that was fine by Applejack.
>She wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, nor do this with anyone else.

***

>”You smell good.”
>Applejack stumbled out of the haze that lingered over her mind at Coloratura’s statement.
“You to.”
>Coloratura smiled and turned her back around so they were facing each other.
>As she was won’t to do, she tucked herself into Applejack’s lean and powerful frame.
>”I smell like apples, of course you like it…”
“Darn right, ‘Tura.”
>Coloratura laughed and poked Applejack in the side.
>”You and your apples. I swear, one of these days you’re gonna die from apple poisoning or something.”
>Applejack’s retaliation against the unexpected and uncomfortable prod and joke was to roll Coloratura over onto her back and loom over her.
>Coloratura laughed in her face when Applejack tried to glare at her.
“’S not funny.”
>”Don’t pout.”
“I ain’t poutin’”
>”You so are!”
“Nuh uh.”
>”Yeah huh!”
“Nuh-uh, no way in sam hill is this country gal a pouter!”
>”’Ain’t naow way dis here coun-tree gal gon’ pout!'”
“I don’t sound like that one bit, y’all best take that back!”
>”Make me.”
>Applejack eyed the shark-like grin and hungry, lustful eyes and came to a conclusion.
>She would just have to make Coloratura apologize.
>Several times. Vigorously.
>Rehearsals didn’t even start for a few more hours, more than enough time!
“I’ll take you up on that offer, ‘Tura.”

***

>Applejack rolled away from Coloratura, panting and red-faced.
>They were both covered in a thin sheen of sweat and their hair was matted and disheveled.
>Coloratura panted lightly pulled the blanket up over her chest.
>"Jackie?"
"Yeah?"
>"Amazing, as always."
>Coloratura felt strong, farm-sculpted arms pull her into Applejack's embrace, where she was firmly entrenched as the little spoon.
"Thankya, 'Tura."
>Applejack smiled as she drew a deep breath in through her nose, catching the lingering scent of what could only be a well-satisfied Coloratura.
“’Tura?”
>”Mmh?”
>Applejack lifted herself up so she was balancing on her elbow.
>Coloratura looked over her shoulder, eyes sparkling and inquisitive.
>Her teeth caught her lip as she awaited Applejack’s question.
“I…”
>She paused, and reconsidered.
>Coloratura would never do that, sure, they had fun, but…
>She would never settle for someone like her.
>Right?
“I jus’ wanted ta ask if you were ready for your performance.”
>Coloratura giggled.
>”You’re such a worry-wort, Apples. Of course I’m ready. I’ve got the best manager in the world on my side, after all.”
“Shucks, ‘Tura.”
>Coloratura shuffled a little closer so she could rest her head against Applejack’s shoulder.
>”It’s true Jackie. I’d be lost without you, you know.”
“Ah know.”
>Her soft, tinkling laugh was like music to Applejack’s ears.
>”You’re such a jerk!”
“I don’t think so, ‘Tura. Yer the one who needs me.”
>”You need me too though… Right?”
>The witty retort already rolling across her tongue gave Applejack pause.
“Yeah. I gotta say that I need you too, ‘Tura. I’d be as crazy as a tree without leaves if y’all weren’t around.”
>”Jackie, trees don’t have leaves in the fall.”
“Ah know that! I’m just- just-”
>”Makin’ up ‘nother cun-tree-ism?”
“Brat.”
>”Jerk.”
>A soft silence fell over them like a blanket.
>Applejack rolled her neck to work out a kink as her eyes drew across the room.
>Red lights glimmering from the nightstand drew Applejack’s eye.
>They were ten minutes late!

***

>The commanding presence that Coloratura called from her performance captivated Applejack, just as it always had.
>Tear-stricken and hoarse of throat followed an echoing, haunted scream.
>The star-crossed lover's name of Juliet danced across Coloratura's lips.
>Her wailing bespoke of a banshee's call, and her insistence of holding tight to Romeo despite the pleading of Friar Laurence sent chills up Applejack's spine.
>Rare had she seen an actor that could draw a gut-wrenching, twisting and writhing feeling from her, rarer even so that she was the manager of such an actor.
>Juliet's shuddering body and whimpering voice covered Romeo's faux-lifeless corpse and wrought deep shadows across the stage, all spotlights on her.
>Applejack bit her lip as Juliet raised the dagger that had been sheathed in Romeo's scabbard high, pointing it at her stomach, and plunging it in.
>Juliet's frantic, howling screech of misery left bones shaken and muscles tight, tense, as the small audience of staff watched with glassy, enraptured eyes.
>Juliet slumped over Romeo, now masked in heavy, smothering darkness as other characters stepped forth to deliver well-rehearsed lines.
>Applejack's vision didn't stray from Juliet.
>She felt ice tickle her throat, and bile rise up to burn at the back of her tongue.
>The dagger plunging into Coloratura over and over, only veiled in the shroud of Juliet, sent nerve-tingling shudders through her entire body.
>Over and over it replayed in her mind's eye, the way the dagger split the skin and sinewy muscle in two, the frantic, helpless look that seemed to be for Applejack's eyes only.
>Blood drained out of her face at the still unmoving image of Coloratura.

***

>"Applejack! Did you like the show?"
"Sure did. Great as always, Rara."
>"Flatterer."
>Coloratura swatted Applejack's arm.
>She was still shrouded in the image of Juliet, with hair pinned high and blood seeping through an outdated dress.
"Ow! What was that for?"
>"You always say the same thing! 'Great as always Rara.' At least try to pretend you liked it!"
>Applejack rubbed at her arm.
"Y'aint gotta hit me ta tell me."
>"Aint gotsta he-it me ta tee-ell me!"
>Applejack pinned her with a narrow-eyed look.
"Y'all quit it, or I ain't gonna give you a ride ta your hotel."
>"Jackie! You are my ride, though!"
>Coloratura glanced around, then leaned in.
>"You wouldn't want me to get taken home by one of these other girls would you...?"
>Applejack spared her own look around.
>Staff and actors alike darted around, and thankfully none of them paid the two of them any attention.
"Y'all drive a hard bargain, Rara."
>"I know. Aren't I great?"
"Yer somethin'."
>"And just what does that mean? Applejack? Don't walk away from me! Get back here! Applejack!"
>Coloratura hurried after her long-legged manager.
>The crowd seemed to close in around her, cutting her off from Applejack.
>She sighed.
>Coloratura dragged herself towards her vanity and pulled the privacy curtain around it.
>Better get this dress off, before it starts to smell.
>Then, the game would be on.
>She had an elusive hick to track down.