Curtain Call

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

       The bell rings for lunch, but I don't make any effort to leave the classroom. At first, it's because I want to take a small nap before finding a place to eat, though I normally end up eating my lunch in the theatre with all the other theatre kids.

       However, the true reason why I stay behind while everyone else, including the teacher, leaves for lunch is because I notice some commotion outside in the courtyard as I look out the window. 

       Only one other person didn't leave the class with everyone else. Orchid is about to leave, but then she notices I'm standing by the window, looking out it. "What's going on?" she asks.

       I don't reply because I'm still trying to figure out exactly what's going on, though I do have a slight feeling what it's about. 

       Since I don't verbally apply, Orchid walks over to look out the window. "Oh," she says, but by her gently tone of voice, it sounds like she also doesn't understand what the commotion is about. "It just looks like a protest."

       "I have a bad feeling about it," I say.

       Orchid shakes her head. "Don't be. The protests that happen here aren't always bad. Remember that one we had because we needed healthier options in the cafeteria? Or because they took away the vending machines even though a lot of students used them to quickly grab a snack before class?"

       "Well, yeah, but..." I try to get a better look at the protestors, though it's a bit difficult since the classroom is on the second floor of the school. There aren't too many protestors, only three from the looks at it, but one of them looks all too familiar.

       It's not until she turns around to look at the school that makes me realize my feeling is probably right.

       "There," I say. "Look. It's Anita. I think she's protesting the play."

       Orchid sighs when she sees Anita. "That makes a lot of sense."

       "There's one thing I'm unsure of," I say. "I know Ms. Salazar said that Anita and her parents are upset about the casting, but are they upset because Anita didn't get Sandy even though she was the only one who traditionally auditioned for Sandy or because... I'm Sandy."

       Orchid is silent for a bit before she grabs my arm and pulls me away from the window. "Come on, let's go get some lunch." Her refusal to answer makes me worried that she thinks it's the latter and not just the fact that Anita wasn't cast as Sandy.

       Even though we all agreed that the play won't be shut down since Mrs. Goth approved of the casting, I can't help but worry how the protest is going to go. It's definitely going to get worse if the reasoning is because of homophobia. I'm not even out of the closet yet and having an attack on my identity will only make me more afraid to come out.

       We get to the theatre and surprisingly, Brandon isn't there. The past few weeks I've been eating in the auditorium, Brandon is already there with Jerome, pestering each other. Brandon could just be home sick, though.

       Alan isn't here either despite once saying he's always going to eat lunch in the theatre, "for the eye candy," whatever that meant.

       Orchid looks at Ryder, who's sitting on the stage with Mae as they eat their lunch. "Alan's not here?"

       Ryder shakes his head. "They were, but then they left with Brandon to, in his words, cause a disturbance."

       "We tried asking what they meant," Mae says, "but neither Brandon nor Alan would say exactly what they were doing. But Brandon did say something about protestors, I think?"

       "Oh, yeah, that makes sense then," Orchid says.

       Ryder furrows his eyebrows. "It does? So you know what they're doing?"

       "Yep," Orchid says. "Anita decided to start a protest outside, and it's most likely a protest against the casting. There's only, like, three people protesting, but the fact that they're doing it is a despicable thing."

       I sit down beside Jerome. "Do you think she's protesting because she didn't get cast or because I was cast?"

       "You're asking if there's homophobic intent behind her protest," Jerome says. I nod. "I'm not going to lie, I do think she wouldn't have been protesting if Ms. Salazar stuck to the typical genders in the play. But she's probably going to try using the fact that she was the only one who actually auditioned for Sandy as an opportunity to mask her true intention."

       I sigh heavily. "That was what I was worried about..."

       "Look," Jerome says, setting his lunch down so he can turn to look at me and give me his full attention. "It's like what I told Ms. Salazar. Mrs. Goth already approved of the casting and unless Anita takes it to some kind of higher ups, the play isn't going to get shut down."

       "I... didn't even think Anita could go to higher ups..."

       "Wait, no, I didn't mean it that way," Jerome says. "Sorry, I worded it wrong. Our school is very open-minded and diverse. There's no way anyone is going to shut down the play just because one girl doesn't like the fact that there are some same-sex couples in the play."

       "I hope..."

       "I guarantee it. It's going to look extremely bad and backwards thinking if anyone shuts it down for the reasons Anita wants. And, if on the odd chance that it does happen, we do what any other person would do when something unfair and brutal happens to them. We take it to social media."

       I nod before I begin eating my lunch. Even though I completely understand what Jerome is staying, I can't help but feel some sort of unease. It can just be my anxiety causing my mind to focus on the worst case scenario. 

       I just hope whatever Brandon and Alan are doing to disrupt the protest will be enough to get Anita to give up on it, but part of me thinks it won't be that easy.

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watch as brandon and alan throw water balloons filled with paint at anita (they have thrown water balloons with paint at people in the past and will continue to do so)