Middle School Horrors

The Interim

"Aw, come on! Why do I have to be Portia!?" Freddy groaned, shifting his gaze from the script in his hand to his friends.

"Deal with it, Fred. You got to be Caesar too, y'know!" Simon said, a bitter note of envy in his voice.

"Si, I think everyone agrees that these practice sessions really don't help. I've memorized and rehearsed all of Brutus' lines, but I still got a C- in English." Mike remarked, earning him a glare from the blondie.

"That's because you're always building castles in the sky when you're supposed to be paying attention to these mock rehearsals!"

All the while, Mark was staring into the distance listlessly, paler than usual, his foot tapping rapidly, his breaths short and quick.

"Hey, Mark, all good?" Freddy enquired, patting him on the shoulder. Mark gave him a quick, startled glance before nodding.

"I-- I just... this thing that we've planned... all this lying and... have we even come up with how we expect to pull this off?"

Freddy pursed his lips before turning to the others. "Well... I spoke to Bryce today... we had a free period..."

"Yeah, sure, 'cause you totally didn't bunk Math." Simon said with mocking jazz hands.

"Shut up, Salmon, and listen. So, we talked, and he told me the plan."

"You had an actual, educated, civil conversation with Bryce Matthews? You? What, is he like, your new bestie now?"

"Interrupt me one more time, Salmon, and you're getting a punch in that chubby face of yours. Anyway, what you're gonna do is go home today and tell your parents that you're coming to my place for a sleepover tomorrow directly after school. Got that?"

Everyone nodded, though Mark looked like he might be sick.

"Okay, so be sure to pack stuff like clothes and toothbrushes. I know how loving and caring your parents are. The last thing we need is for them to appear at my doorstep to deliver your socks or something. Mike, I'm looking at you for a reason. But along with that, bring flashlights and... well... anything else you think you'd need for catching the ghost.

"After school tomorrow, we're gonna go into the old, abandoned janitor's closet. You know, the one that got replaced, which the high schoolers now use to... you know."

Everyone grimaced, signaling that they knew.

"Once we're in there, we'll wait it out until Principal Kristy leaves. Once PK's gone, the world's ours to roam!"

"What about the night-janitor? Won't he be around?" Mike asked.

"Oh... um... Bryce said he'd take care of it... not sure how, but..." Freddy sighed. "I don't think he'll be a problem."

Mark looked even more panicky after hearing the plan.
"Okay... but are you all really okay with this?"

Freddy shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be? I've always wanted to do something like this! Like, an actual ghost hunt? It's almost like we're in a movie or a book or something!" A smirk appeared on his face.

"Of course you're okay with this, but honestly... I don't feel too comfy with this either..." Simon admitted. "I'm only going 'cause... well... Fred and Bryce in one team? I don't trust them not to blow each other up and get themselves caught in the process."

"I don't think anyone apart from Fred, Bryce and Lindy is..." Mike said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mark and I were practically held at gunpoint, Mary was dragged, and Simon's being a 'Good Samaritan', or whatever."