How Far We've Come

Chapter 20

    Since we were all freshman, nobody had their permit or license. So, we had to walk. The restaurant wasn't too far because Prestwall was a pretty small town, but it felt like miles on foot. Miles of walking in the cool spring air past shady trees and endless plains. Finally, I spotted the town hall in the distance.

    "Oh thank goodness!" I cried in relief. "We're almost there!" I was extremely aware of my throbbing feet and my backpack that felt like it was filled with boulders. I readjusted the shoulder straps and straightened my back a bit to loosen the load, but my back still ached like crazy.

    Finally, the restaurant came into sight. Besides the large flatscreen TV on one wall, it looked like it could come straight out of the 1960s. I sighed. It was the perfect set.

    I walked up to the lady by the counter and pointed to my friends by the door. "Hi, we called just a few minutes ago from Prestwall High School," I informed. "We were to film something here?"

    She gestured to the mostly empty restaurant. "Film away. Would you like anything to eat?"

    Zach walked up to the counter. "Yes one large cheese pizza and three fountain drinks," he requested pulling out his wallet. I pulled him aside.

    "Hey, you know you don't have to pay for everything," I told him.

    He laughed. "The drinks are for me, Adam, and Ben. They're paying. As for the pizza, don't worry about it."

    Clary and Jessica walked up to us. "Nah, we'll pay you tomorrow," Clary said. Jessica and I nodded in agreement.

    I walked back up to the counter and carried the large pizza to the table, ordering a Sprite for myself. Then, I pulled out my camera and gestured to the counter.

    "Okay we have to start filming," I ordered. "We can use the counter as the Greensboro bar..."

    "Aw, but I'm so hungry!" Matt complained. I shot him a look.

    "You guys are eating in the shot," I reprimanded. "Now, who's playing the waiter?"

    Cam raised his hand.

    I nodded. "Okay. And the rest of you are the Greensboro Four?"

The other four boys nodded. I took my phone out of my backpack as the boys took their places. The "Greensboro Four" took seats by the counter while Cam pulled on a white dress shirt and stood behind it.

"Lights, Camera, Action!"

The ball went rolling as the Greensboro four ordered food, but were curtly denied by Cam, the waiter. After them waiting, and being denied again, a few times, I stopped shooting.

Though I wasn't playing the part of the director, I sure felt like it in that moment. I signaled Clary to get into the scene and we began "Day 2" on the script.

Clary was playing the part of a racist white woman at the time. When she walked up to Ben and yelled at him, her face contorted in false anger and her voice jumped an octave. She pointed at him and gestured so strongly, I felt like I was being transported back into the 1960s.

Jessica yelled "Cut!" for me after the scene finished, and we re-watched the footage. With the wooden chairs and the dirty counter, paired with the dress shirts and real pizza, it looked extremely realistic. There was even a fake boom box in the corner.

"Nice!" I commented, and everyone seemed to agree. We decided to take a break and finish off the pizza.

The pizza was good, not too greasy or too dry, with a crust covered in tiny herbs. Paired with my Sprite, it was a good meal anywhere.