Claire and Max were just having lunch in school when they heard a bunch of gasping teeanagers by the bulleting board. After eating, when there was already not much people by the bulleting board they went there and check it out. It was a poster for a play. They're looking for volunteers to work backstage. Claire wasn't interested til she noticed Max eyeing the bottom of the poster, where there is a small subtext.
NOTE: Volunteers will be given extra school credit.
This caught both of their eyes, because well, Claire and Max are both on the Honor Roll of their year. Activities with extra credit can boost your grade up. And they kind of really care about their grades. Especially, because, they've dropped a bit lately, so they joined. Plus, it's like extra bonding time for them. There's a meeting that afternoon about the play, mainly on what it's going to be, because according to the poster, they're not sure what and who should write it.
1:00 PM: Auditorium
"Okay, class! Everybody... SILENCE!" Ms. Rogers goes in the room and it goes so silent, that all you can hear is the sound of her heels clip clopping on the floor. Claire and Max got in the auditorium 10 minutes early because Max doesn't like being late, for anything. They're sitting near the back of the room. And as usual, Max is on Claire's left side, their hands intertwined with each other. There are about 20-30 people in the auditorium.
"So, we are all here to talk about the oncoming school play. The ones in-charge have not yet decided on what it would be and who should write it, so is anybody here a good story writer? Or has ideas for a story?"
The whole room goes silent. Heads turn around on each other, looking in front, back, left, right but no one answers.
"Nobody? Come on! Don't be sh-"
Ms. Rogers stops at the sound of the door opening and slamming a bit against the wall. Everyone starts to murmur, when they all see Olivia walk in. She's pretty, as usual, wearing a dress up to her knees, and her hair in a braid. So much make-up on, Claire thinks.
"I think it should be about a romeo and juliet, present-day style!" Olivia yells out from across the room. Murmurs become louder and louder. Claire nudges Max, "Hey, your dream girl's here.", Max looked puzzled for a moment, then remembers that he told Claire he liked Olivia and just nodded. Then he put his hand around Claire's waist, not paying attention to whatever Olivia is saying.
"Olivia! So nice to see you here. That was quite an entrance." Olivia wasn't listening to Ms. Rogers. She was just blowing kisses to all the guys in the room and whispering "Thank you" to all her 'fans'.
"Be sure not to do it again." Ms. Rogers adds firmly. Olivia looked insulted and so she sat down.
"But Ms. Wiles's idea was not so bad. Now all we need is a good writer." Suddenly the bell rings, and everyone prepares to stand up.
"Well, I suppose we can talk about that tomorrow. Everyone off to class!"
Max and Claire head out to Claire's locker to get her books for her next class. When they get to her locker, Max says what he's been thinking in the auditorium.
"How about you write the play?" Claire's eyes widen.
"What?! What're you talking about?! I can't write a play! That's just.. nonsense!" She almost yells it out to whole hallway. Claire has written some short stories and poems, Max has read all of them. She does write, sure, but she would never write something and publicize it.
"But I've seen your worls. They're amazing! Give me one valid reason why you shouldn't." When she turns to him, Max is already so close to her face, his head leaning by the lockers. Why does he look handsome, Claire thought. Okay, no time for that.
"Because I'm not amazing. Okay? There." Max leans toward her ear and whispers, "Sorry not valid." The bell rings once again and they both head to their classes, hands together. They seperate though, because they have different periods. Claire has English Lit. and Max has Language.
English Class:
"Alright class, today we'll be talking about..."
Claire is sitting at the corner at the back of the room. She always does when she and Max don't have a class together.
"How about you write the play?" Max's words keep flashing back inside Claire's head. Maybe I can.. I do like to write, maybe if someone saw my work and liked it I- no, stop, you can't, Claire. How could you even for one second thi-, "Claire? How about you? Claire!" Claire suddenly stops her thoughts and snaps back into reality. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, what?"
"Who wrote the Scarlet Letter?"
"Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ma'am."
"Good. Pay a bit more attention next time, Claire." Whew. Claire thought to herself, That was close.
Language Class:
Why did I lie to her? I mean, i could have told her without it being awkward, right? Maybe she would've-
"Mr. Daniels! Mr. Daniels!!" Max wakes up from his daze to the yell of his language teacher.
"Please pay attention to my class, though it may not interest you very much, you need it to graduate from this school." She walks away from Max and toward the front of the room.
"Yes, sorry, Ma'am. Won't happen again." Max straightened himself up the chair and continued taking notes.
"Make sure of it." Max nods and listens intently from then on. When class was over, Olivia approached Max. She took the same Language class as him, but Olivia never took interest in him, so when she came near, Max was confused.
"Hey, Max." Olivia approached him with such a seductive smile and she talked with such a tone girls would use when they flirt. Max would know because he has encountered this at times.
"Uh, hi Olivia." Max replied as he hastily walked away from her.
Olivia stood in front of Max, fairly close to his face and said, "What's the rush? Want to have lunch with me?"
"Uh, no thanks. Not really hungry, plus, I'd rather stay with my friend." Max tried to walk forward but, once again, Olivia stopped him.
"Ooh, your friend? Who is it?"
"Uh, Claire. Um, well I'll be going now."
"Wait! I mean, Claire, huh. Is she that girl you always hang out with? She's pretty. What does she like to do? Any interests in acting?"
"Acting? What? No. Why are you asking me this?"
"Oh, no reason." Olivia inches toward Max a bit more, til they are about 3 inches away from each other. And just by the door, standing there, the whole time, was Claire. She witnessed all of it. Every single act done and said by Olivia. And the moment Max saw her, she ran, doing her best to hide her tears. Why did I even expect? Or doubt? Or hope?
"Claire? Claire!" Max ran after her but Claire was already in the girl's bathroom.
