Backstage Pass

Alive

"Paige, Ranee, you promised!" I cried. 

"Well, I have a test for French!" Ranee countered. I didn't get why she even took French. Language of love? Pfft, German was way better. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder for emphasis. She had been fangirling about Improv Club with me for weeks and she was backing out. 

I slipped on my "Sorry, I Have Rehearsal" t-shirt. I felt kind of gross after running all over the gym. Not to mention I stank. I grabbed some perfume from Ranee's locker. 

"I was actually thinking about heading to another club," Paige explained. She even wore her old Drama Club t-shirt for today. 

"Are you kidding me? Guys, you can't just bail on me!"

"Well, why don't you just take your ginger-tastic self to Improv this week? We'll be there next time," Paige waved her hand in my mane-like hair's direction. I had tried to tame it this morning because A) the first Improvisation Club meeting was this week, B) it was my first year at Strongfair High School, and C) because of A and B I didn't know anyone.

"Well, excuse the fudge out of me if I assumed that you guys would show up," I pouted. I stared at both of them, hoping to guilt-trip them into going with me. They could have been related with their blonde hair, glasses, and hipster-esque fashion sense. 

"I can't do it! The Bambi Eyes, I just can't!" Ranee shielded her eyes, laughing. I batted my eyelashes at Paige, using my "Bambi Eyes" to my advantage.

"RINGGGG," the bell screeched over our play argument.

"Okay, okay! I'll go but this better be a great meeting," Paige grabbed her One Direction backpack and flipped her bangs. Her short blonde hair still kind of threw me off. I'd known her since fourth grade and she had always had long hair.

"Y'all better be there or shiznit is gonna go down," I threatened. They cringed at my substitution word. I was trying to give up cursing. 

"Calm your pants, Melody, we'll be there," Paige reassured me. I nodded as we exited the girl's locker room. We said our goodbyes and I headed off to whatever obscure class that had nothing to do with theater.

~~~

 "Hey there, Strongfair High! Be sure to get to your clubs by 2:30 this afternoon. Interest meeting locations are posted on the bulletin board by the main entrance. Come support our varsity football team here this Friday! That's all for today, Strongfair! Remember: We Are Strongfair, We Are Family," I barely heard our principal over the static-y loud speakers. The bell twanged against my eardrums and I leapt out of my seat.

I heard a chorus of curse words and scoffs as I aggressively pushed my way through the mass of students. Not that I cared. I mean, I just wanted to get to Improv. 

"Melody!" 

I turned to find Ranee waving like mad in front of the cafeteria. I sprinted toward her and she grinned at my unfitness. Fine, okay, I hated exercise. What of it?

"Where's Paige?" I asked. She was usually late but it helped to know where she was. 

"She's on her way. She's kind of on the phone with Parker," Ranee rolled her eyes and I did the same. Parker was Paige's mildly fit, weirdo, long-distance boyfriend. To be honest myself and Ranee often made fun of them because of our lack-of-boyfriend-ness. They were like the iconic super couple of all time and Ranee didn't have a boyfriend. I had a boy in mind but he wouldn't notice me even if I were the last girl in existence.

I sighed, "Well we have like five minutes till club starts."

"Jesus. Paige and Parker will need all the time in the world to hang up," Ranee adjusted her bracelets.

"Hey, Melody!" I heard. Paige rounded the corner of the hallway flailing all the way over to where Ranee and I were standing. She was even more unfit than I, and that was saying something. She still had her phone out, probably still texting Parker. Gag.

"Paige, I'm here, too," Ranee huffed.

"Can y'all not? We don't have time for your little 'I'm The Superior Blonde' conversations!" 

I ran across the hallway into the Black Box, otherwise known as the Musical Theater room. Black Box just sounded cooler to everyone.

"Welcome to Improv Club, everyone!" a boy said. He was thin and had out of control hair. He seemed really nice. He was definitely older than me but I wasn't sure how much older. He and a bunch of other people were standing in front of the room. I slipped into a seat near the front and Ranee and Paige did the same. 

"Right, so I guess we should start with introduce our Officers. I'm Dallas, the club President," another boy smiled. He was tall and his voice was deep but not insanely so. He carried himself so that he came off as someone you could ony wish you were. 

"Who is that slice of hotness and where can I find some?" Ranee whispered.

"His name is Dallas. Le duh-- and calm your pants, he has a girlfriend!" I yell-whispered at her. I didn't know if he had a girlfriend for sure. He had to with that face.

Ranee just sighed and stared at Dallas.

"I'm Will, the Vice President," the thin boy from earlier said, "and this is other Will." He gestured to an Asian boy next to him. They seemed pretty chill for upperclassman. Most of the upperclassman were huge douches to the freshman.

"Hi, I'm Rachel, I'm Secretary," a blonde upperclassman waved. She was insanely pretty and I just wanted to give her hugs. She looked like a really great girl.

"I'm Vanessa," another blonde girl announced. She, like Rachel, was gorgeous. However, she seemed like the hilarious yet cynical type.

"Hey, I'm Jack, but everyone calls me Verona. I'm the Publicist," I recognized the boy from middle school. He was a year older than me. His name was Jack Verona and he was a theater legend. I had looked up to him since elementary school when he was student council president.

"Hey, I'm Devin. I'm the Historian," a boy smiled. I melted a little. He was older than I was, I knew that. He was cute I guess. What had me was just the way he held himself. I had a habit of picking friends based on first impressions. For the most part, it worked out for me.

"Looks like someone has a crush," Paige poked me and a growled at her. She loved to ship everything and I was officially done with her shiznit.

Dallas cleared his throat, "Right, now we have an announcement. Today we're going to have an election for a new Publicist."

I sat up, thinking this was a great opportunity to talk to the Officers. Maybe I'd find out if Dallas really was dating someone. Maybe Devin would think I was pretty okay. Maybe Rachel would teach me how to be gorgeous.

It's not like I'm actually going to win, I thought to myself. It was worth a shot, right?

"Hey, Alyssa, can you nominate me?" I asked my friend who was in the seat behind me. She grinned and nodded at me.

Alyssa raised her hand, "I'd like to nominate Melody Issacson."

I tried to sit up even straighter. Dallas caught me and smiled, "Melody, do you accept this nomination?"

My cheeks started to go numb. I realized I hadn't stopped smiling since club started. Ranee and Paige gave me encouraging smiles and thumbs up.

"I accept."