Bionic Chaos [Leo Dooley]

Chapter Ten

The final notes of the haunting piano music hangs in the air as the screen turns dark. Our short film just played for everyone in the classroom on the Whiteboard at the front of the room, and so far, they are all as silent as little kids who are keeping secrets. I don't really know if it's a good thing or not that they're silent, especially because our short film was horror. They could be afraid. Or they could be horrified in the monstrosity they just watched. I'm not sure.

Leo and I glance at each other as everyone still remains silent, even the teacher. I know that he's feeling very nervous right now because his eyes are very round. I'm not really sure if he can see how nervous I am, but I do know it because my heart is thudding against my chest as hard as it can. This piece is one of my first written pieces that I've shown -- and acted in -- to anyone besides myself. What if they hate it?

I'm very surprised to find everyone clapping as Ms. Wright flips the lights back on. I blink a few times, trying to make sure that I'm not hearing things or anything of that sort. But I'm not. Everyone is still clapping, even Ms. Wright. 

"Great job, Leo and Magdalena!" Ms. Wright says loudly, a wild grin on her face. It's a little terrifying, the grin is, but I ignore it because she is saying, "That's one of the best short films I've seen in a long time! No offense everyone else."

"We did it!" Leo whispers excitedly to me as Ms. Wright goes on about how we'll have to watch more of the short films tomorrow since we ran out of time today. He squeezes my shoulder quickly like it's something so very normal to do. "Everyone loved it, Maggie!"

I gather my things from on top of my desk, internally wondering why his touch made my heart start thudding against my chest in a different way than it did earlier, waiting for everyone to judge my short film. What in the world is wrong with me? Why am I acting this way around Leo? I have to remember my reason as to why I even want to hang out with him in the first place. That's it. That's all. 

Leo is waiting for me outside the classroom as I step into the hallway after shoving all my things in my backpack. He immediately throws his arms over my shoulders, pulling me into the awkwardest hug known to man. I definitely did not expect him to hug me like that, so I pull away as quickly as I can before he can feel my heart thudding against his chest. 

"They loved our short film!" he repeats, just out here in the hallway instead of in the classroom. He isn't acting like what he did a second ago was weird or strange or awkward. Why isn't he acting like that? "Why aren't you celebrating with me?"

"I'm still processing it," I tell him as my eyes narrow on Bree Davenport who is standing a few feet away from us with her two brothers. Her gaze locks on mine, which sucks. I wish I could turn away from Leo and Bree and the others, but I don't have time as she starts walking over to me. "Hey, Bree!" I say brightly when I see her, even if I'm not very happy. "Leo and I were just talking about our short film. Did he show it to you guys?"

"Yeah," Adam says quickly, nodding. He shivers slightly, making me grin. "It was terrifying."

"That's good," I tell him. "We were hoping it would be scary. Right, Leo?"

"Yeah." His voice sounds a little strange to me. With a quick glance at him, I see a slight frown on his face as he looks at his siblings. "Maggie, these are my step-siblings."

"I know."

"You do?" Leo asks, his frown widening. His eyes go a little big like he suddenly remembers that I've met all his siblings before (especially because I work with two of them and I acted with the other). "Oh, right. I'm not that bright sometimes."

"That's because Emmie and I are the smartest people in the world," Chase says cheekily. "We own all the braincells around here."

"Did you show Maggie the other short film you were working on with us?" Bree asks Leo suddenly, interrupting him and Chase. She shoots daggers at me with her eyes. No one seems to notice. "The one about the alien principal?"

Leo's eyes flick toward me for a second. "No, I didn't," he says slowly. "I'll have to show you it sometime later, Maggie. It's pretty cool."

"He's entering it into the Amateur Sci-Fi Film Festival," Bree says. "Because it's so good."

"Okay?" It's like she's trying to get under my skin or something. It's not working because I don't really care. I don't want to turn my films into festivals because I'm too insecure about them, at least internally. "Good for him."

"I doubt I'll win," he says with a shrug. I'm sure he can tell how awkward it is between all of us now. It's terrible, this awkwardness is, but I try to ignore it for a little bit. I don't want to be alone right now. "I just turned it in for fun."

"We'll have to act more together," I tell Leo with a nod. "Like, just mess around together in front of the camera. That's how I always practice, by improvising things."

"Yeah, we will."

Bree takes me by the elbow and steers me away from the boys. It's surprisingly gentle and sweet. Tears nearly spring into my eyes, but I ignore it. Bree and I don't like each other; we aren't friends. There's nothing that I should be feeling for her besides anger and hatred. Unfortunately, that's not how my heart works, and I can find myself wanting to be friends with her. That's not going to happen, though. We both know it.

"Have you tried to pry anything out of Leo yet?" she whispers to me as we slowly walk through the halls of the school. 

"No, I haven't." I shake my head with a sigh. I think about how terrible my home life is right now and sigh again. "My life is very hectic and exhausting right now that I've just been floating through the days without caring about anything."

Bree glances at me with a strange look on her face. It goes away just as fast as it comes as she says, "Oh. I guess that's good for us."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

She suddenly stops in front of a random classroom that I haven't ever been in before. "This is my classroom," she says, gesturing to it. "I might call you later or something so we can go to the mall together."

"Alright."

Bree steps into the classroom with stiff movements. I really did not want to be that vulnerable with her, but it happened. I guess that's alright with me because I can't talk about this with anyone else. I really don't have any friends, just acquaintances. I don't even trust any of those people, either, so that's fun. It is what it is, though. Things will get better once I realize my dreams. That's what I'm telling myself, at least.