The backstage atmosphere was tense, the air thick with anticipation and disappointment. Cody had been pacing back and forth for over half an hour, everyone around him sensing his anxiety. The small backstage area, usually a brief resting place for performers, had become a maze of anxiety and urgency. Cody’s search for AJ had become a desperate search, with each passing minute increasing his anxiety.
With every creak of the door and whisper of conversation, Cody’s head turned, hoping to see AJ. The crew members, sensing the tension, gave sympathetic glances but were unable to help. Cody’s mind raced with possibilities—had AJ left the location? Is he injured? The unknown is a heavy burden to bear.
Just as the search seemed to never end, a scream echoed throughout the hallway. Cody’s heart skipped a beat. He turned around to see a stagehand waving to him, pointing to a deserted corner of the backstage area. With new energy, Cody ran quickly towards that spot, his breath caught in his throat.
And there he was—AJ, sitting quietly, seemingly unaware of the chaos his absence had caused. Relief washed over Cody like a tide. He approached AJ, his voice a mixture of exasperation and relief. “AJ, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
AJ looked up, a small smile on his lips. “Sorry, Cody. I needed time to think. I didn’t realize I would do something like that.”
Cody shook his head, the tension leaving his body. “Next time, tell someone, okay? We’re all worried sick.”
The two understood each other for a moment before returning to the main area, the crisis averted. The backstage area, once a place of anxiety, returned to its usual state of organized chaos, but this time with a sense of camaraderie and relief. Cody’s frantic search is over and AJ is back where he belongs, ready to face whatever comes his way.
