love potion | porco galliard

12: PRACTICE

You dislike running late. College demands you to focus on your academics that you've become the punctual student you are now, finishing projects earlier than most and arriving campus thirty minutes to an hour early before first period starts, so when Bertholdt insisted you to drink the love potion he stupidly bought (which, by the way, was not even his intention) half an hour before attendance checking, you gave into him and bolted out of your house to catch the train.

You make it to the auditorium just in time for attendance, catching your breath and cursing in your head for getting out of bed late. As you sneakily descend the rows of seats while trying to make as little noise as possible, you spot the back of Bertholdt's head next to Reiner's blond one who seems to be sound asleep. You sigh in relief. Thank god your friends are tall.

"Hey, scoot over," you instruct as soon as you make it to where they are seated. Bertholdt is surprised and wakes up a sleeping Reiner beside him, then moves a seat to the left once Reiner stirs awake. You plop on your seat and groan.

"Good morning," Bertholdt greets.

"Good morning to you, too," you greet back with a hint of hostility. He laughs. "I'm just kidding. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Nope."

"Actually, yes," Reiner interrupts. He rubs his eyes and stretches his limbs, letting out a long yawn in the process. "Zeke has the potion now, so you won't be able to steal it and drain it in the toilet."

Damn it.

"Hey! I don't think it would be that bad," Bertholdt argues and innocently looks at you. "I can take a sip if you want me to."

"I'm just hoping it isn't swamp water, or toilet water dyed neon green." You scrunch your nose at the thought of drinking either of the two, but like Bertholdt said, it couldn't be that bad, right? You've checked the product's website on your commute to school, and just like any other small business, they're legit. Trustworthy would be another word, from what you got in the numerous reviews. "It's like Shrek's skin color so I don't know what to expect."

Reiner snorts. "Expect the unexpected. It isn't everyday that you get to drink swamp wa—"

"It is not swamp water!" Bertholdt growls.

"Whatever!"

Attendance is checked after a short while. Afterward, everyone is dismissed and tasked to go to their own departments. Reiner and Bertholdt bid you goodbye before meeting up with their committees, leaving you alone in your seat where you have to deal with memorizing your lines for the rest of the day.

You grab your backpack and zip it open to get your copy of the script, but you're met with disappointment once you don't find the red folder you always have with you. The panic and desperation in your eyes make you empty your bag until all of its contents are out in the open. Minutes pass yet the folder is still nowhere to be seen.

This is the result of getting out of bed late. Recalling this morning's events, you guess you forgot to pack the folder in your bag after skimming through it last night. A frown etches on your face and you decide to ask Colt for his copy instead.

You know you're going to be scolded for this, but it's better than doing nothing.

As you approach the stage where the play directors sit, a specific blond boy stares at you from afar. Porco sits at the rightmost cluster of seats in the middle section of the auditorium, holding his copy of the script unlike you. He watches as you timidly ask Colt for his with your fingers crossed behind your back, clearly trying to avoid Professor Magath who stands a few feet away, and sneers.