"And cut!" Shouted the director. "That's a wrap! Good job today, but you can all be better! So go home, practice, and rest! I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow for the first show!"

Packing up her bag, Melinda glanced around the room.

"Where is he?" she whispered to herself. "He told me he'd meet me here after rehearsal."

Stuffing her last ballet slipper into her duffel bag, Melinda swung it over her shoulder and began out of the auditorium.

"I can't believe he did this to me again," she thought to herself as she let the door skip closed on its own.
• ~ •

"Hey! How was your day?" Drew's computer chirped as his message was sent.

Melinda glided her mouse over to the small red box on the top of the chat window that had just appeared.

Waiting a few minutes before resending his message, Drew glanced at his buddy list. Scrolling down to xxgottaluvmexx he double clicked and started typing; momentarily forgetting about midgetmelinda.

"Hey Courtney! You were amazing in rehearsal today!" he chirped over to xxgottaluvmexx. Then realizing he hadn't received a reply from Melinda, he scrolled back to the top of his buddy list and double clicked on her name.

"Melinda?" he sent.

With a deep sigh, Melinda clicked on the chat window from XlovemedeadX.

"What the hell do you want??" She typed into the small box, but before hitting the return key to send it, she thought better of it and deleted her message.

"Hi." She decided to send instead.
•••••

"Oh hey Drew! Thanks! You were great too!" Drew's computer pinged in, as Courtney replied.

"Not nearly as great as you! But thanks anyways!" He argued as he chirped back. Talking to Melinda and Courtney at the same time was challenging but being that he could sense the tension with Melinda, he decided to focus on talking to Courtney instead.

"Haha I'm not really up for arguing with you Drew," Courtney laughed as she typed.

"Good! Then I win by forgeit! =]" Drew gloated.

"haha surreee I guess so. lol so how are you?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm good thanks!" Drew replied with a glance over at Melinda's chat. "How are you?"

"I'm pretty good. Just tired I guess." Courtney hinted.

"Oh...are you sure? Do you want to talk about it? I'm here for you," stated Drew sincerely, holding his breath while waiting for her answer.

"Oh, no thanks...umm it's a long story. I'm fine. Besides - isn't Melinda on? You should talk to her... I'm getting off anyways. Thanks tho!" Drew's computer pings again, his heart falling as he read her message.

"No problem! I'm always here for you Courtney! But have a good night! I'll see you tomorrow at the show!"

"Right! Okay, thanks. You too. See you then! Night Drew." Courtney's computer chirped as she sent her good-bye.

"Good-night Courtney."

Saving the chat, Drew closed the window and opened up Melinda's again, her "Hi." still waiting for a reply.
•••••

"Hey! How was your day?" he enthusiastically typed.

"Just dandy." Melinda chirped.

"That's great! Right?" Drew bubbled.

"Not really-" she sent, starting to type why; Drew decided to reply first - not acknowledging her message.

"My day was great! We had a sub in english and we watched a movie in history. Then we had rehearsal, but after rehearsal Dillon, Charlie, Jeff, Sarah, John, Mary, and I went to get ice cream. It was HILARIOUS!" Melinda read, deleting the message she had planned on sending him.

"Good for you." She sends, hoping to get her point across.

"I know right?! I had a blast! You should have come!" Drew continued to bubble into his chat.

"I wasn't invited." Melinda sent blatantly, closing the window hoping that he'd just shut up for once.

"Well it was great!" popped up Drew's screen name, XlovemedeadX. "Anywayssss," he prolonged. "I'm gunna go. ttyl!" his chat chirped on Melinda's screen. Before she could reply to say "bye," a message popped up in faint grey lettering.

"This user is currently offline," it read.

Fan-freakin-tastic she thought to herself.