Acting A Fool

Act I, Scene 1

       The day started out like any other. My annoying alarm clock beeped as my little brother Luke and dog Ellie jumped onto my bed. Luke was cute, but Ellie just slobbered all over the comforter. "Bad dog! This was expensive!" I continued to shriek at the top of my lungs for a few minutes before getting ready. I took a quick shower and curled my hair, not that anyone bothered to look at it. After coming out of my bathroom, I opened the french doors to my walk-in closet. After picking out a grey skirt with a flowy black top, I grabbed my phone and headed downstairs to eat my daily Lucky Charms.

           Once I was done swallowing the meal whole, I got into my yellow '68 impala with white leather seats. It's not much, but it's my dad's old car and I don't have enough money for a new one. I drive to a different neighborhood and pick up my best friend Grace. She's the quirky type, always with her daring fashion choices and alternating frames on her glasses. We drive to school, the radio blaring the latest pop tunes. 

         "Priya, don't look now, but she's walking by," I heard Grace say under her breath. Just as we pull into a parking space,  Dana Nerpaderp-or-whatever-her-last-name-is struts past the car, her boyfriend on an invisible leash behind her.

        "They're so... together," I cringed as I stepped out of the car.

      Grace just laughed. "That's how most couples are, you know. What's the big deal anyway? They're just some dumb kids."

        I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, they're the dumb kids I have to oversee as stage manager for Cinderella. I don't want to have to watch them play the leads." Grace held the door as we walked inside.

        "You just don't like the thought of anyone with Justin, even though you've never actually spoken to him," she giggled, pointing out my secret crush. It's not that big of a deal... I've just been in love with him for years now, and there's nothing I can do about it. He just always seems so mysterious, like a whole other person could be buried under that shell.

           Of course, that shell drives a motorcycle and wears all black, but those are minor details. Besides, if he can get the lead in the school musical, he must have to practice. He could write songs, or do improv, or write poetry... I kept thinking about him until the last warning bell for homeroom shook me out of it. I grabbed my books and ran down the hall, not paying attention to my surroundings until I ran face-first into someone.

        "I'm really, really sorry. I'm about to be late for homeroom and-" I stopped talking as I looked up, the love of my life was standing before me.

         He just smiled and said, "no worries," before walking around me and into a classroom. No worries? No worries? This is causing many worries, like the fact that I can't complete a sentence in front of my crush, or that I would still be late to homeroom with a terrible excuse. "Oh, sorry. I was just daydreaming about a guy until I walked straight into him." That would go by perfectly.

         As expected, I was yelled at for being late and then marked tardy. After that I sat through the rest of my classes, writing some notes on the script for Cinderella.

        After my morning classes, I sat in the corner of the courtyard with Grace as she complained about whatever she could think of: math, homework, evil teachers, unfair grades. I just nodded and commented every once in a while, focusing more on my food.

        "Uh, Priya? Why is Justin looking at you like you're a piece of meat?" Grace asked. I whipped my head around so fast it could have started a hurricane. There he was, making eye contact with me and doing that sort of half-nod thing. I wish I could say I stayed calm and smiled but that would be lying. I turned around and buried my face in my hands, hoping that no one noticed. "Hello? Anyone home?" I heard Grace speaking but couldn't respond; it was all too much.