The Theater Girl and the Player

Fifteen - Part 3

I open the classroom door, the students observe me, some detailing my every move as I head to an empty seat next to a redhead. I recognize familiar faces from my middle school, such as Lucia, Freddie, Heather and a girl whose name I don't know. The teacher doesn't address my tardiness nor anything about me. I pray that Jane's professor will not embarrass her in front of her group too. She couldn't handle it.

The class ends in five minutes and so the math teacher lets us a bit of free time. About half of my new classmates are talking between them. Are they friends or just all big extroverts? Scratching the tip of my thumb, I twist my neck and catch my desk partner grinning at me. She passes her gaze over our class before saying a comment intended for me to hear, her eyebrows frowning in confusion.

   "How is everyone so-"

I interrupt her.

   "Right? I'm sure it's all just a front, though. Just look at those girls flirting like they've had 10 boyfriends! It's ridiculous."

She laughs, presenting her hand. I shake it.

   "I'm Abigail. You're right, these girls think they're so cool, but are they really?"

I may have found a new friend..? Abigail and I talked for the rest of the period, which was not a lot of time, but nevertheless, I did gain a new acquaintance.

My first lunchtime at TSHigh... Jane and I reunited at my locker and went immediately to the cafeteria.

   "Where do we sit?", Jane nervously utters.

I shrug, responding that it didn't really matter. We are standing in the middle of the crowded rows of tables when I hear Abigail's voice behind me. She is giggling with other teenagers from our year. Maybe I should ask her if we can eat next to her. There isn't a completely free table and after all we are just two girls, we're not a big group of people. We don't need eight million seats, unlike students I'm eyeing unintentionally. My eyes stop on the blond guy I briefly met earlier waving to a couple of guys. Gosh, Dylan is attractive...

   "Ok, idea. We go outside, munch as fast as we can our food and then go to the stage room to practice for tomorrow's audition."

I agree with my best friend's plan, we exit the building. There are 4 picnic tables in the campus of TSHigh, I choose the one who is the furthest from the entrance. It is at the back of the school, situated near a small forest. A gang, including Freddie, is exploring the mysterious mass of trees as Jane puts down her lunchbox on the ground.

   "Yum, let's dig in", she declares. Sure... My best friend has brown rice with lots of vegetables while I have a store-bought sandwich purchased at least six days ago. It was in the refrigerator, so logically it should not have rotten..?

It was not tasty... Nor still in good condition to put in my mouth without wanting to violently throw up. That type of meal is not supposed to be acidic! I barely open my mouth to express my disgust about my 'ham sandwich' or should I say 'damned sandwich' to my friend when she shushes me.

   "There, drama!"

I stand up to go sit next to her. There is what seems to be a couple arguing near the woods. The guy does not look like he cares about what the girl is yelling about. She comes across as furious with a mix of sadness and he appears to be... Amused?

   "Why is he literally on the edge of bursting into laughter? Are they breaking up or not?". Jane doesn't cease to ramble about her hypotheses while I stare at the situation happening.