Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 53 - Gale

(Giving you a fun chapter, because there's a storm coming)

(Gale's POV)

Thursday night is our dress rehearsal. Johanna, Finnick, Katniss, and I all sit in a row backstage in the semi-darkness as we wait for Ms. Cressida to give us the signal to go on. It's almost eery, because for once no one is talking. No one is really moving at all, actually. I wonder if everyone else feels as excited as I do. Or I might just be nervous. Hard to tell what those butterflies in my stomach are.

I decide to lessen the tension. I whip out my phone and start a group text with everyone who has a phone in the show.

Me: WHO'S EXCITED?!

#1 on Kill List: How did you get my number?

Me: How do you know who I am?

#1 on Kill List: Gale, really?

I look up to see Glimmer rolling her eyes at me from across the room. She makes a point of turning her phone off.

🐟Fish: I AM EXCITED!🎊🎉🎊🎉

🐱Kat: We know you are, Finnick. You're bouncing.

🔮Jo the Witch: Why are we even texting...? We r sitting right next to each other.

Me: Well I don't really feel like talking out loud.

🔮Jo the Witch: 😑

Delly: Ms. Cressida said we shouldn't have our phones out.

🔮Jo the Witch: Oh, well in that case I'm definitely stating on.

Delly: Ugh.

Glossamer: Gale, one question, is my name still Glossamer?

Me: Maybe...

Glossamer: 😒 I've already told you, Gloss isn't short for anything!

Cash: But if you want to know, his full name is Gloss Sparkle Jacob Harper. 😉

Glossamer: Cashmere you liar.

🐟Fish: Hey Glim, did you know your name in Gale's phone is "#1 on kill list"?

Me: She turned her phone off, idiot.

Cash: Why is Gloss even in this conversation?? He's not in the play??

🔮Jo the Witch: Why are YOU even in this conversation?? No one likes you??

Cash: Fine then😒

---Cash has left the conversation---

🐱Kat: WHAT IF I TRIP??

Glossamer: What?

🐱Kat: WHAT IF I TRIP AND FALL ON MY FACE??

🐟Fish: I promise I will laugh.

🔮Jo the Witch: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY hard. Like this: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

🐱Kat: No one asked your opinion. 😒

Delly: Katniss, you will do amazing. 👍🏻

Me: I thought you were turning your phone off?

🐟Fish: 🚨🚨🚨RED ALERT! INCOMING TEACHER! 🚨🚨🚨

We all out our phones away immediately as Ms. Cressida comes backstage to tell us to get ready. We run to take our places.

The rehearsal goes perfectly. Katniss doesn't trip once, and everyone remembers their lines. Glimmer and I even managed to act like a loving husband and wife without gagging! It's a miracle!

Friday drags by. My classes seem to take twice as long as normal. At lunch, Katniss is surprisingly calm.

"I swear, I am never taking drama again," she says.

Madge stares at her. "Isn't it fun though?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely, but I can't handle the stress. Might as well leave it for the people who can, like Finnick over there." Finnick is currently about to be sick from nervousness and looking a bit green.

Cato raises his eyebrows. "You ok there?"

Finnick manages a weak thumbs up before putting his head down on the table. Annie pats his arm.

"I can't wait," Johanna says. "This is going to be so awesome."

"Completely and totally awesome," I agree.

"I can't wait to see it," Madge says.

"It's really good," Johanna says enthusiastically. "Everyone knows their lines, even Kat over there," Katniss looks incredibly put out, "and Gale does a great job of being hilarious, so hopefully it'll be great."

After school, everyone who's in drama heads over to the auditorium to change and prepare. Kids are going over their lines, doing make up, putting on costumes, helping with the set, and it's general chaos. I absolutely love it.

(Well guys, this semester is wrapping up for the group, and with it goes this book. There will definitely be a sequel though, so don't worry about that! You'll have January in no time. I'll cover Christmas break in this book, then give it two weeks or so and your sequel will be here!)