Faking Something True

dancing with the lanterns

Julie's POV

"Julie, when is this over?" Luke whined.

I turned my head towards the clock that was above the auditorium doors. The rusty old clock hands never moved.

Right, stupid clock has been broken for the past 2 years.

My phone lit up to show the time. Luke's brunette chicken head blocked my view before I knew it, I pushed his head out the way but he slouched back into his seat with a groan. I looked back at my phone only to do the same.

4:06 PM. He isn't gonna survive.

"What do you even do here? Because to me you are absolutely useless."

"Hey! I could be useful!" I intervened.

"For what?"

"I help um.." I looked around me, people talking in small groups about the production. Some people were on stage practicing lines and choreography. "I help the actors practice lines, I help with set pieces, I help Ms. Harrison sometimes. Honestly, I just help when people they need an extra hand."

He hummed and bobbed his head, looking straight ahead at the stage. "Even Rick?"

"Nick." I corrected him. "And yeah, sometimes."

"How did he even get casted? Doesn't that boy play lacrosse?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Jocks who could sing." He scoffed to himself. "What is this, High School Musical?"

I chuckled at him. "For the record, Troy Bolton was much better." I pointed out. He agreed then called my name. I turned to look at him only to see him looking at me.

"When am I getting my sweater back?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"My sweater, smartass. The one you took the other day."

Ohhh, that sweater.

"I don't know." I answered, sometimes it's fun to mess with him. "Never, probably."

"Really? Alright, I guess I'll resort to Plan B."
He said.

"Oh yeah? What's Plan B?"

"Breaking into your room and stealing your money from your backup money jar."

"I don't have one." I lied. "And if I were to have one, I'd probably hide it very well."

"In your closet on the right side, under all the training bras you never wear anymore," he said.

Fuck.

I looked towards him with my eyes out of my sockets. His lips slowly turned up in a grin. How the fuck does he know that anyways? Not even my mom knows that. The only reason I have that is if I need to run away from here and switch my identity to someone else. At the moment, I'm really considering using it.

"I'll give it back after school or tomorrow." I said in one breath.

"Julie! Luke!" Ms. Harrison called as she walked towards us. We stood up as she got closer, Luke's posture got straighter with his hands behind his back.