Familiar Faces [a donnie darko fanfic]

Chapter Nine

My heart thumped wildly, my mouth was dry. I knew I loved Donnie, too, otherwise I wouldn't do half of the things I do for him. I just felt like it was too soon to say it.

"I love you," I whispered back. His eyes sparkled with admiration and his plump lips formed a smile.

"For a second I thought you weren't going to say it back." His eyes held a worried gaze.

"I do love you. Very much, in fact. I just didn't know if it was too soon to say it," I admitted.

"Well hey, feelings are feelings." There was a faint sound of disgust that emitted from someone behind us. I turned around to see Ronald and Sean making faces.

"Wow, real mature," I joked. Sean winked at me in a kidding manner.

"It's not our fault you guys are all mushy," Ronald chimed. He and Sean now only said these kinds of things to be funny. They weren't actually rude to me anymore, which I was quite grateful of.

"You guys need girlfriends or something," I stated like it was the answer to everything. Donnie nodded in agreement. "See? He agrees."

"Of course he agrees," Sean drawled. "He's your boyfriend." I'd take their playful banter over their once harsh attitudes towards me any day.

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"April, I am so excited for filming this weekend!" Lacey nearly squeaked.

"Me too." Our lunch table was practically buzzing with the anticipation. Donnie kept glancing at me and shooting me a cheeky grin.

"It's good that everyone can make it," Dylan added. "How long is it supposed to be?"

I laughed nervously. "I actually just talked to my teacher before lunch... I guess I'm going a little overboard with it."

"Overboard?" Donnie asked, seemingly shocked. I nodded.

"Originally it's supposed to be like... a 20 minute scene but I think it's closer to an hour. I asked today and he said it being longer does not mean that it will get a good grade. So hopefully the lighting is good, the angles, and all the other terms I have in my repertoire." I feigned immense pride in myself as I said so.

"Um.. I don't think that's how you use that word," Lacey broke in. "I think that's for dances and plays or something."

"We could always ask Sam," Donnie joked. "Or maybe not... she's probably too young to understand what it even means."

I playfully stuck my tongue out at them. "I know just as much about that word as you do," Dylan defended with a laugh.

"So is everyone able to spend the whole weekend?" I received a silent chorus of nods. "Ok, just double-checking."

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"Action!" I called. Bayley and I both started our cameras and focused on the scene that played out it front of us. Dylan, playing Greg, bid his mother goodnight. I panned my camera towards the doorway where he stopped and turned back. Dylan portrayed Greg's forlorn look just as I had pictured it. Greg felt bad for not being around his mother more so he decides to change that.

Once "Greg" disappeared around the corner, I called cut. The other members of our crew stood in the kitchen and living room, trying their best to stay out of both shots.

"I really like that," I told Dylan and my mom. "It's good like that, let's keep it that way." I clapped my hands together loudly and turned so everyone could see me.