Theater Cubicles

Friend or Friendly

    Above is the picture of Germaine.

I made a run up all the stairs I needed to climb to get to my dorm room. Breathing furiously once again, I realized how much this school was making me exercise. Physical activity was not my strong suit.

I continued to replay to fall in my head. Over and over again the stumble's image revived itself in my head, each time rendering me more embarrassed. I had displayed the fact that I was a klutz on my first day here. Mentally, I reprimanded myself. What if that director wouldn't forget the incident? What was his name... Nolan? That's what the plaque by the room he entered in said. His snobbish tone haunted me and I could almost picture the smirk on his face when I had put on the show of my humiliating fall.

Maybe I was just overreacting. Maybe the situation was as bad as I had made it out  to be. My utter dependence on my mother was making me now ponder how I would explain the incident to her later on the the phone.

Opening the door to my room, I was faced with another human being. She had her back turned to me leaving game only able to appraise her right-above-the-shoulder length chestnut hair. A few inches shorter than me she had a very slim build. She turned around as she must of finally felt my entrance. 

Flashing a big, actress-esque grin she exclaimed, "Hello! You must be my roommate. My name is Germaine. What's yours?"

I noticed her striking, grey eyes as soon as she whirled around. She was sure to get casted in a role with that pair. 

I replied as friendly as possibly, "Hey...I'm Juliette. I hope you don't mind I kind of settled in and chose my side already..."

She replied enthusiastically, "Not at all. I would have chosen the right bunk for myself anyways. And you're neat too! So am I."

I had to admit that I could have had a crazier roommate than her but, as I was a calm person around others off the stage, her energy level would take a little getting used to. Otherwise, I was pretty content in sharing a room together.

    "Hey, I'm famished," I said, "Do you think that we should head on down and check out the cafeteria. It's six o'clock. They open at that time and if their food is any good we better get first dibs."

    She replied, "Sounds like a good idea."

After applying a generous coat of a glittery light-pink lip gloss and hastily fixing her hair, we walked down the steps and across the grounds. It was a grand one surrounded by all the buildings with interesting terrain consisting of bridges, benches, and waterfalls. It was no wonder it was called Inspiration Park. I knew I would always take advantage of its amenities and follow the footsteps of students who attended before me by getting artistically inspired by the greenery here. It was serene and many teenagers had already picked rocks or tables for themselves to read on. They didn't seem to be hungry. Why weren't people hungry around here?

In the cafeteria was a traditional line of warm basins of food being served. However, the facility was above par. Obviously a newly renovated part of the school, the interior decoration was very rustic but modern. The walls had various artworks, most likely done by benefactors or seniors in the paint department. The dim light made it feel like a professional restaurant as there were also small round chrome tables for four and metal chairs. 

The menu had the choices of warm mashed potatoes or mac n' cheese, oven-baked chicken, and assorted steamed vegetables. The salad bar was not just any salad bar, either. It was specially prepared for those artists who really watched what they ate. I was salivating as I placed my tray down on the metal cross-hatched table. At this rate, I would be gaining ten pounds this year. And I hadn't even seen the breakfast items, my favorite meal of the day.

    Germaine stated, "My older sister was a senior here two years ago. She didn't have any casting agencies recruit her for any shows or movies but she went on to college and is very successful in the theater department. She might work professionally for Broadway one day. Anyways, the point was that if she told me everything about this Academy, I know the ins and outs of the place. And we were pretty close you know."

    I nodded my head and offered to get her a drink from the drinking fountains. It was then that I saw the senior theater table. You could tell it was them as they recounted loudly the funniest lines they had uttered on stage from so-and-so play. I assumed that they were directors as I saw the girl named Tessa there. I sat back down glancing towards their general direction. 

Germaine understood and said, "Yup. You guessed right. The most popular group in the Academy: the senior directors. I hope to be one of those one day. My sister was." 

She continued, "That one over there is Edith, and next to her is Isaac, a clown. And that is Tessa,  very nice but not that great at making friends. And he, is Mackenzie, the most popular of them all. His blonde hair and never vanishing tan gets him the leads every time. Next to him is his girlfriend of three years Kasi, the other blonde, tall, slim, and not vanishing tanned one. Pardon my stereotypes but they're true. And then there's Nolan. Thoughtful, no-nonsensical, and receiver of all important supporting roles."

    So that was Nolan! He was tall, had dark and wavy hair, brooding, and arrogant indeed. But I had to divert the attention from him as I was not about to tell the embarrassment that happened today to my new friend.

"How do you know all of these things? You're a freshman too right?" I questioned incredulously.

Germain answered matter-of-factly, "I do my research of course!"

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