Torn // In Stereo (Jakob Delgado, Ethan Karpathy & Chris Lanzon)

8. |

// Chris' point of view //

After assembly, Jakob seems to be spending a lot of time talking to Annabelle. I swear to god if he likes her too, something is up. Ethan just seems upset right now, and I have no clue if it even has anything to do with Annabelle. He doesn't talk to her and I'm starting to wonder whether she told him that she doesn't feel the same and that's why he's upset. Ethan just confuses me because I can never tell what mood he's really in. He could seem upset but actually be angry and I just don't understand him at all.

Classes are over for the week and it's time to relax. Competition sign ups are open from 9:00 am tomorrow morning and I'm sure Ethan's going to want to go sign up for some. My parents gave me a total of $300 to spend on competitions this semester and if I go over, I need to find the money myself. Busking brings me in a bit, but that's nothing compared to some of the people here. My family isn't loaded, but we've got enough to keep us going. My house is about an hours drive from here on campus and I guess that pretty close than some people here- like Annabelle, who has travelled across the country to be here. It's almost as though I'm not allowed to feel homesick because I know there are kids here that have never been further away from home.

I want to talk to Annabelle, I want to keep tutoring her and I want nothing to be different between us. I can learn to get over her, it's just a matter of time. As far as plans for this weekend go, I have none. Maybe I'll check the details of my busking licence and see whether I'm allowed to busk down here. If I am, I'll go out and find somewhere nice. I don't really want to tell anyone I'm busking because I'm scared they'll follow me or something. I can sing better when I'm performing for people who don't know me, but I guess I have to learn.

"Chris?" I hear Jakob's voice call from behind me.

"Yeah," I reply. "What's up?"

"It's Ethan, do you know why he's so upset?" He asks.

"I'm really not sure," I half lie. "He's not really talking to anyone"

"I know, I'll try." Jakob smiles before walking off.

The first thing I do is head back to the dorm where I find Ethan packing a bag. He's not crying but he seems kind of upset and fragile. So much so that I'm scared to ask what's wrong. At first I just kind of walk in and pull out my bag. I fish around for my busking licence and read it, using the bag as a shield from Ethan. It turns out that I can use my licence for here, that's convenient, but Ethan is still packing and I'm kind of confused.

"Where are you going?" I ask, deciding to risk it.

"I'm going home for the weekend. I don't really want to talk about it." He mumbles, zipping up his back and then walking straight out the room.

•••

At dinner, Ethan didn't sit with us. Half way through, I realise that Ethan isn't even in the cafeteria at all. Maybe he's just tired or something... But we were supposed to go to the movie tonight. Every week on Friday, the school plays a movie for all the levels to go to. Maybe I can sit next to Annabelle.. No. I'm over her. I don't have time and it's not good for my image. Judges aren't going to see me with much potential if I'm not 100% committed to my studies. I want to make it big time and I'm not going to allow myself to get caught up in anything that isn't going to help me later on. At least that's my view on things for now.

After dinner, I decide against going back to the dorm because no one else was. We all head straight to the auditorium and find that the level three's were the only ones already seated. A lot of the levels above three tend not to attend these things because they need to spend as much time as possible on their studies- at least that's what I've heard. At 7:00, the title screen of The Maze Runner pops up on the screen. I've actually wanted to watch this for a while now, I've just had no time. The seats in the auditorium are actually quite comfy and I sit back and relax. With Annabelle sitting on one side of me and Sophia on the other, I'm quite happy.

•••

// Annabelle's point of view //

Half way through the movie, I'm getting incredibly bored. I've seen this movie about a thousand times- my neighbour is obsessed with it. I'm just getting this desire to sing right now, and I wonder if one of the practise rooms are open. Carefully, I stand up and quickly run to the end of the row and out the back auditorium door. I'm just about to turn the corner when I hear someone call my name. It was Jakob. I turn around to see him running down the hallway towards me.

"Where are you going?" He calls, slowing down as he nears me.

"I was just going to practise or something." I reply, continuing to walk down the hall with Jakob next to me.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Yeah, sure," I reply. "I haven't booked anything so I don't know whether it's even free, though."

We keep walking through the hallways, only passing a few people in higher levels. When we get to the studio hall, I hear music which means there are people practising. I check the computer and see that there's no singing rooms free, but there's a dance studio. If Jakob doesn't want to stay, I'll go dance instead.

"There's none free but there's a dance one. I think I'm going to stay for that, is that okay with you?"

"Why don't I stay with you? I used to dance when I was little. Maybe we could choreograph something, it could be our little thing when we need to escape from stress or homesickness." Jakob smiles, pushing past me and typing the booking into the computer.

"Alright, can we meet back here in fifteen? I can't dance in this." He asks.

"Yeah, sure"

•••

Jakob isn't actually a bad dancer, he just needs to start practising again. It's obvious he's got the skills, he just hasn't done it in a while. We chose Say Something by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera as our song. By lights out, we had choreographed a whole routine up to the pre-chorus. It needs a lot of practise and we're going to be late back to our dorms, but I'm starting to like spending time my down time with Jakob.

A/N: why does no one inbox me anymore? *sigh*

Peace, love and In Stereo.