Curtain Call

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

       "Oh, I know!" Alan says excitingly, jumping up from their seat. "A jellyfish!"

       Brandon stops the motion he's doing for his turn in our game of charades to look at Alan, his eyebrows furrowing. "I'm sorry, but how does this?" He repeats his motion of what looks like someone playing hockey. "Look like a jellyfish?"

       Alan huffs because they realized they were not correct with their guess. "I don't know. This is charades. The point is to guess what you're doing and I thought you were a jellyfish."

       "I'm not a jellyfish," Brandon asks.

       "Are you even allowed to be talking when it's your turn? You're ruining the immersion of the game."

       "Your guesses are ruining the immersion of the game."

       This has been going on ever since a bunch of us decided to eat our lunch in the theatre in case we want to get some rehearsals in, only for it to turn into a game of charades. Whenever Alan or Brandon would be up, it would somehow end in arguing between these two. Not serious arguing like they hate each other. They just get under each other's skin a lot, seeing who will be first to break.

       It's kind of entertaining to see, to be honest. Brandon and Alan have a very interesting friendship. It might be annoying at times hearing them argue, but at least I know it's never going to lead into actual fighting.

       "Are you two ever going to stop arguing or...?" Jerome asks, and that's surprisingly enough to stop Brandon and Alan's argument. For now.

       "Well, then someone has to actually guess what I was doing," Brandon says. "And please, don't make an insane guess like a jellyfish."

       Part of me wants to make an insane guess simply for the fun of it, but I also haven't made a single guess in charades because guessing correct means that I'll have to go next. I definitely don't want to go at all. It's weird, I'm having a lot of fun having a role in the play but I'm too anxious to try something as simple as charades. I guess I'm not all that into improv yet.

       Jerome, however, seems to have the same idea as me because he guesses, "Milking a cow."

       Brandon glares at Jerome. "Ha ha. Very funny."

       "Thanks, I try," Jerome says. "But for real, hockey."

       "Thank you," Brandon says before he looks at Alan. "Hockey. I was acting out hockey. Not a jellyfish. Hockey." Alan stuck his tongue out at Brandon.

       Jerome gets on the stage once Brandon gets off of it. He points to me. "This one is just for you, Nolan." I should have guessed it was going to be something romantic related after all the playful flirting he has done, but I'm a bit clueless until he gets down on one knee, mimicking a proposal.

       "Oh, this is easy," Brandon says. "Being a major fucking simp."

       "No, it's definitely wanting to get punched in the face for constantly flirting with my brother," Ryder speaks up.

       "That's homophobic," Jerome says. "Let me be in love with whoever I want."

       "You can be in love with whoever you want. As long as it's not my brother."

       "Too bad, so sad. We're clearly going to fall in love and have an epic show romance. A showmance, if you will."

       "Don't I get a say in this?" I ask.

       "Of course you do," Jerome says. "You still haven't answered my current question."

       I purposefully ignore him, looking away as I take a bite out of my sandwich.

       Brandon laughs. "How does it feel to get rejected, you simp?"

       Jerome fakes laugh in reply before he says, "You guys all suck at this game. No one has even guessed what my charade is."

       "Dude, we all know you're proposing right now," Brandon says. "You're just being a major fucking simp right now, like I've said over and over again."

       "Can we move on from charades," Alan asks and as I look over, I see that he's now lying upside down on his chair. "This is boring. I haven't won once."

       Orchid forces Alan to sit up before he can fall off the chair from the upside down position, which has happened more than once. "No offence, but it's because you aren't exactly the brightest. But yeah, I agree to playing another game. You can only do so much before someone ruins it from his constant flirting."

       Jerome finally gets off of that knee and stands up. "You're all just jealous that Nolan and I are going to be the only one having an epic showmance. And before you say it, no Ryder, you and Mae don't count because you're already dating."

       "I wasn't going to say it, but okay," Ryder says.

       "I have an idea," Brandon says. "We can play Never Have I Ever. I'll go first. Never have I ever been a huge fucking simp."

       "You know what?" Jerome asks, hopping off the stage and sitting back down beside me. "I embrace that. I have zero regrets. None at all. Also, you lied. You have been one too." Brandon's only reply is to flip off his best friend.

       The door to the auditorium opens and at first, I thought it was going to be some more theatre kids choosing to have lunch in here. It's a lot quieter than the cafeteria, so it's the perfect place to relax. However, once I look over, I see that it's not in fact a theatre kid; it's Ms. Salazar herself, looking a bit stressed.

       I'm not the only one who noticed how stressed she looks. "Ms. Salazar, is everything okay?" Orchid asks.

       "Yes, yes, everything is fine," Ms. Salazar says. "Don't mind me. Just wanting to check to see what kind of sets we have backstage already. Pilar is wanting to start blocking Summer Nights with the set at rehearsals today."

       "Are you sure everything is fine?" Ryder asks. "Does this have to do with why I saw Anita and her parents at the office today?"

       Ms. Salazar sighs. "I guess I won't be able to hide it for too much longer. Anita, and now her parents, are still upset about the whole... casting situation. They're trying to get the play shut down."

       "What?" Jerome asks. "You can't be serious."

       "I am," Ms. Salazar says. "It might be a bit of a hassle, but they won't actually get the play shut down. Mrs. Goth already approved the cast list so we have the principal on our side."

       "Okay, but why does it seem like there's more that's bothering you?" Orchid asks.

       "I'm just worried that once they realize Mrs. Goth won't shut down the play, they'll try to get other parents involved," Ms. Salazar says. "Parents with the same ideals as them."

       In other words, homophobic parents. At least, that's what I'm certain Ms. Salazar is insinuating. Anita may think she should get whatever she wants, but I don't think she would be making this big of a deal if it were a girl playing Sandy.

       Jerome notices my uncertainty, as well as Ms. Salazar, so he says, "But still, Mrs. Goth is on our side. If Anita and her parents go to other parents who want the play shut down, they'll seem like the bad guys if word gets out somehow. We're just trying to be more inclusive for the play. Nothing bad with that."

       "You know what? You're absolutely right, Jerome," Ms. Salazar says. "Like I said, it might be a hassle, but it's very unlikely the play will get shut down. We'll just continue doing what we're doing in hopes that they eventually give it up."

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i really needed to update this because i was missing danny jerome and sandy nolan lol.

also, i very much love alan and brandon's relationship. it's so fun to right with their constant (not serious and totally flirting ) arguing.