Beauty and The Geek

Bad Luck

***
Cato

"Clove, could you help me with this?" Glimmer asks Clove, trying to lift a box with supplies.

"Sure," Clove walks over to her, grabbing the box and tries to help the girl lift it; it's still too heavy for them. "Cato!" She shouts at me.

"Hm?" I ask.

"Can you help us with this?" Glimmer asks me.

I nod my head. "Sure," I smile as I walk over to them. I wrap one hand under the lid and one under the box. "Where do we move it?"

"Over there," Glimmer points to a corner. "Ms. Trinket says this stage has got to look perfect for the play."

"But the play isn't for another month." Clove says, helping move the box to the corner.

"Exactly." I mutter, rolling my eyes.

"Well," Glimmer says, walking to the boom box nearby. "If we're going to do this, we should have some music." She presses the power button to turn on the radio, then grabs the broom and starts sweeping. "I thought that I've been hurt before," She begins to sing along with the radio and dance around on the stage.

"Hey, turn it up." Clove says.

"Okay." Glimmer turns the dial to crank the volume up. "Is that loud enough?" Clove nods, smiling.

"You watch me bleed until I can't breathe," the radio sings. The two of them on the bench, their feet kicking and moving along with the beat of the song as the song continues, their feet in perfect sync. We all laugh as they dance and clap to the beat. Clove and Glimmer lip-sing into brooms while I can't help but laugh at them.

I keep my focus on Glimmer. She's so beautiful. I look at Clove. But Clove's beautiful aswell. I frown.

"Now that I'm without your kisses, I'll be needing stitches!" Glimmer shouts out, laughing.

"Tripping over myself, aching! Begging you to come help!" Clove shouts out. "And now that I'm without your kisses, I'll be needing stitches!"

"Come on, Cato." Glimmer laughs, waving me over.

I shake my head. "I don't sing."

"You don't have to, just dance and have fun."

I roll my eyes playfully as she grabs my hand, pulling me along with her. I stand in the middle of them. Needle and the thread, gotta get you outta my head." We clap along to the beat. "Needle and the thread, gonna wind up dead." We laugh together. "You watch me bleed until I can't breathe, shaking. Falling onto my knees. And now that I'm without your kisses, I'll be needing stitches." They kick and dance around the stage like idiots, laughing, and I laugh and clap.

They plop down on the floor as soon as the song ends, laughing and breathless. "That was fun," Clove laughs.

"Yeah. It was." Glimmer says, regaining her breath.

"We better get cleaning," I say and hear clapping.

"Bravo, children!" A high-pitched voice echoes through the theater. "Bravo!" Ms. Trinket appears in the isle, clapping with a smile on her face. "My goodness!" She exclaims. "You two are very talented!"

"Oh, we were just-" Clove starts.

"That was fantastic!" Ms. Trinket gushes with excitement. "Glimmer, you have the voice of an angel. Clove, you move so gracefully when you dance. Cato, dear, sweet Cato," Ms. Trinket taps under my chin with her hand. "You are an amazing actor."

I cock an eyebrow. "Ms- Ms. Trinket, what are you talking about?" I stammer.

"Oh, Darling, you are just amazing. Acting like you wouldn't have fun and now acting like you don't have a clue of what I'm talking about. Amazing!" She gushes, smiling. "Would you be interested in trying for the part for Romeo?"

My eyes grow wide. "Me? For Romeo? I-I couldn't."

"Why not?" Ms. Trinket's eyebrows furrow.

"He has stage fright," Clove says.

"Oh, Sweetie, that's too bad." Ms. Trinket looks devastated. I just nod. "You children done wonderful cleaning the stage." She changes the subject. "You are free to leave."

"Yes!" We all exclaim quietly in unison as we grab our stuff and begin walking out the door.

"Bye, Clove." Glimmer says, opening the door.

"Bye, Glim." Clove says. "Bye, Cato."

"Bye, Clove." I say.

"Bye, Cato." Glimmer says.

"Bye, Glimmer." I say and the door hits me. "Ow!" I exclaim quietly.

"You okay?" She asks.

"I'm fine," I say as I clutch my arm, walking to the car. I turn the key. The car doesn't start.

"Hey," Glimmer says. "You need a ride?"

"No." I tell her. "I got it."

"Okay." She drives off with Clove in the passenger seat.

I try to crank the car again.

Nothing.

"Shit!" I exclaim as I hit the steering wheel angrily. I try cranking it again.

Still nothing.

"Looks like I'm walking." I get out of the car and start walking.

***

As I walk past a neighborhood of unfamiliar houses, I see an old man watering his garden. "Get out of my yard, you whipper-snapper!" He shouts with a New Jersey accent while spraying his water hose at my feet, making me jump up. "Get out of my yard!" He shouts again, this time sending his dog after me. "Get him, Boy!" I run until I think he's done chasing me.

I know I must've lost the bottom of my shoe somewhere two blocks ago. I sigh as I jerk the old sneakers off my feet and hold them up in front of my face. "We had a good run," I say, shaking my head and proceed to walk the sidewalk and step in something sticky.

I make a disgusted face as I pull my foot up to find a big wad of pink bubble-gum stuck to my sock. "Great," I exhale a breath.

I continue walking just as it begins pouring down rain. "Really? Could this get any worse?" I ask myself as soon as a mail truck hits a giant mud puddle, splashing it all over me. "Yep," I say as I raise my eyebrows, still walking. A big clap of thunder and a flash of lightning occurs, making me run down the block. "Shit! Shit, shit, shit!" I shout.

Looks like I'm having bad luck today. I sigh and shake my head. Very bad luck.