"No. Frickin. Way." Matt stood, jaw almost on the floor.
Marybeth screamed and shook his arms. "You got the lead!"
"I got the lead!" Matt jumped up and down. "I'm gonna be the Beast! Oh this is fantastic! I knew I was a good singer... But I didn't know I was Beast good!"
"Okay, okay, who got beauty?" Marybeth asked.
Matt read the cast list. "Um... Some girl named Jessica Montigue. That's a pretty name."
"Oh, I have math with her." Marybeth said. "She really would fit the role nicely."
"Cool." Matt said. "Wait, who did Colin get?"
Matt looked at the list.
Colin Jenkins•Cogsworth
"Cool!" Matt said. "He got the role he wanted and everything."
Colin ran into the building through the front entrance. His hair was a total mess, he looked like he hadn't slept in a couple days, and he had that smell that's just... That boy smell. You know the boy smell? That smell. Matt blushed because for some unknown reason, boys like that are just so damn attractive.
"Hey!" He ran up to Matt. "What's up?"
"I'm going to play the Beast in the school Musi-cal!" Matt said Musical like Mrs. Darbus on High School Musical.
"That's great!" Colin cried. He looked over to the list. "Yeah, Cogsworth!"
"Yeah!" Marybeth said.
"This is gonna be the best play ever!" Colin exclaimed. Then he remembered something. "Aw bro, you gotta pretend to be straight for this."
"Jessica Montigue." Matt said. "It's no big deal. I only kiss her once every time we do the scene. I know that it's just for a few rehearsals and a couple nights on stage. That's the beauty of-" jazz hands "Acting."
"Okay." Colin said. "If you're cool with it I'm cool with it."
Another big advantage of acting that some of you might not know: unless you have a test, you get to skip class a few times every week for rehearsals.
"Have fun, guys." Marybeth said.
The two boys walked into the gymnasium because that's the only place there's a stage.
"Hey, you guys are the ones with the duet right?" A girl across the room called to them. "You guys rock!"
"Thanks!" Colin said.
"You rock too!" Matt shouted back.
Another girl walked up to them. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and she was wearing clothes more fashionable than any seventh grader should.
"Hi." Matt smiled. "I'm M-"
"Matt, yes I know." The girl said. "I'm Je-"
"Jessica Montigue," Matt nodded. "Nice to meet you."
The girl didn't smile she simply nodded. "You too. So you're playing the Beast?"
"Yep. You're perfect for your role." Matt said.
"I know." The girl said flatly.
Colin looked at Matt who looked at Colin. "Kill 'em with kindness." Matt whispered.
"I'm gonna go check out the costume rack." Colin said before walking away.
"So, have you been in any plays before? Any concerts?" Jessica asked in a very 'I don't care, but I feel like I need to check the competition' tone of voice.
"Every play in Elementary School, and I've been singing since my pre school graduation where I sang 'We'll meet again.'" Matt said.
"That's an awfully advanced song for a four year old." Jessica said like she didn't believe him.
"I've been told I'm very gifted." Matt answered.
Jessica scowled. "So have I."
"I'm sure you're going to be great." Matt smiled.
"Matt, come check this out!" Colin called, saving Matt from the horror of this girl.
"Coming," Matt said, walking over to him. "How can I thank you enough?"
"Oh don't mention it," Colin said. "But seriously, look at this dress!"
Colin held out a dress that was blue and frilly and shiny and everything else that's fabulous. Matt seized the dress and ran his hand over the fabric. "It feels like a cloud." He whispered.
"I know." Colin whispered back.
Matt and Colin bolted across the gym. "Jessica! Isn't this dress just gorgeous?"
Jessica looked up from her phone where she was very busy checking the filters for her selfie. "Why should I care?"
Matt frowned. "... Well wouldn't you love to try it on? You'd look so amazing in it and-"
"I don't care about your dumb dress." Jessica scoffed.
"Look, I don't know what stick you've got up your ass, but I don't like it. Cheer up, it's drama club. We're here to have a good time. At least pretend to be happy."
Colin put a hand on Matt's shoulder. "Angel is playing one of those blonde triplet girls. Wanna go ask her if she'd try it on for us?"
Stars appeared in Matt's eyes. "Oh she would look so beautiful in this! Let's go!"
Matt forgot all about Sass-ica and skipped away to find Angel.
"Oh. My. GOOODDDDDDDD!!!" Matt screamed. "EVERYONE, ATTENTION PLEASE. WE HAVE TO USE THIS DRESS FOR BEAUTY DURING THE BALL ROOM SCENE. LOOK AT IT!!!!!"
"Matt, calm down!" Angel blushed. "It's no big deal!"
"You look so beautiful! Oh man, blue is such a nice colour on you. Has anyone ever told you that? You look pretty freaking darling in blue. It brings out your eyes. I wanna wear it too. Ugh, why was I not born a girl? It's so sparkly! A hair now would really-"
"No, but if she curled her hair, it would just be so amazing! Can't you just see it? Yep, we have got to use this dress on opening night. It's happening, we're so doing it, conSIDER IT DONE!"
Angel laughed. "You two are gayer than a rainbow."
"Correct!" Matt said.
Angel laughed harder. "I'm gonna go take this off. Knowing me I'll just get paint on it." And she hurried off.
"I love drama!" Matt spread his arms and turned to face where the audience would be. He could see it now: he'd be up here with Sassica and Mindy Kim (who is playing Mrs. Pots) would sing Tale As Old As Time and they would dance and the audience would applaud them and Matt would run off the stage and Colin would give him a hug and everyone would clap for him and everything would be perfect.
"Matt, that's months away." Colin said as though reading his mind.
"But I can't wait!" Matt said. "Oh this is gonna be so fun!"
