The Heartthrob Won't Leave

Chapter Forty-Five (New Chapters)

It was the day, finally it was the day. She had been stressing about this so much and it was finally happening, which meant that eventually it would end. She stood there, pressing down the dark blue dress she wore, in front of the mirror in the girl's bathroom. She had been hiding, she would admit that. Perhaps he thought it was some sort of game, but he had been following her around all night like a turn of hide and seek. After witnessing what happened in the library, she just felt kind of sad, and the sadness became perpetuated whenever he was in her sight. She just needed time, a moment alone. She sighed, running her hands through her short hair. I look like such a fucking boy

It was irritating, or perhaps her brain was simply attempting to find something she could be mad about, anything. She had to keep pulling her dress down, as if that would make it look better on her, push her short hair behind her ears and the gentle flower barret holding back her bangs. She pulled her phone from the edge of her shorts underneath the dress, checking the time. She sighed, placing it back underneath her dress. She had to go, it couldn't be put off any longer. Besides, the text messages from Mikayla were rather clear, complaining about how Lucian wasn't there for makeup and it was probably all her fault, for which she was correct. So, she moved towards the bathroom door, pulling it open slowly with a creak, just enough to stick her head out into the hallway, glancing in both directions to see if he was lurking nearby. She didn't see him, let out a breathe of relief and stepped out into the hall. It was a half an hour until the first showing of the play would start, she had to get back to the auditorium. She didn't want to run into random parents or other students in the halls, so she ended up choosing the bathroom on the opposite end of the school. She walked gently down the hall, her small white flats clicking on the linoleum, the only sound that echoed within her ears. It was peaceful in a way, but not very long lived.

"I knew you were in there" she snapped her head back, sighting him just a few feet behind her, his dress shoes and pants creaseless, the white dress shirt he wore pushed up to his elbows and his smile nearly contagious. Her eyes widened, and she was quick to run.

"You think you can escape?!" he asked incredulously behind her as she ran down the hall, slipping around the corners and nearly banging into walls "I'm a football player! And my legs are like twice the size as yours!" she knew Lucian was right, but it didn't stop her from gripping the open doors, forcing them off their locks and closing behind her in an attempt to slow him down. Her heart pounded widely in her chest, and somehow she found a smile falling across her lips. It was fun, she had to admit. She turned another corner, her gripless shoes sliding, she had to grip the wall not to fall over, the lockers turning into nothing but blurr as she ran. This place, highschool, it could be so damn crushing. But, at least for a moment it was just a building, unstooped by the things that happened within its walls. It could make you laugh, it could be fun. She felt it when he gained traction, the slapping of his shoes on the floor behind her as it got louder. But, as they got closer and people started appearing, she was forced to slow down, letting heavy breathes from her lungs. It gave him the chance to swing behind her, pick her up from under her arms against her back. She gasped, letting out a shriek when he lifted her up from the floor. The height difference between them was too much, nearly a foot and a half, he could simply carry her, gripping against her rib cage from behind as her feet dangled.

"Let me down!" she insisted, struggling in his hold. She felt her cheeks redden in the embarrassment, they had people looking at them.

"No" he responded against her ear "I caught my prize"

"Prize for what?!" she claimed, incredulous

"That...you will find out later" he responded. He let her down gently, leaning forward to open the door to the auditorium for her. It was full of people, fumbling chatter of parents and students. She had even heard word that the mayor of the city was supposed to be attending tonight, but she didn't even know what he looked like. Lucian was quickly overtaken by other students, excitedly talking about his position in the play. She didn't really mind, deciding to make her way down the side stairs and behind the curtain. People were running around in all directions, holding props, electric equipment. She was even hit in the face with a pink feather boa, which she wasn't sure why they had because it wasn't part of the character's costumes.

"Blake!" Miss Jame appeared from the cracks "I've been looking for you"

"I'm sorry, I got a-a little distracted" she glanced down slightly, her hands locked in front of her.

"Silly girl, you arent in trouble!" the drama teacher claimed, quick to grab her arm gently and guide her through the chaos. "I simply wanted to be the one to give you the chance to experience our director tradition" they approached a folding highchair with black fabric and heavy wooden beams. "You shall sit in the same chair that so many directors before you did" Blake's eyes widened, glancing up at the teacher's excited features. She looked at the chair, feeling a tightness in her chest. Do I really deserve such an honor? "And look!" Miss. Jame grabbed the plastic bottle off the table beside the chair "It appears someone is already congratulating you" She placed the bottle within Blake's hands, giving her a pat on the back before running off in a hurry, probably to yell at the other kids most likely. Blake hardly had attention tob her surroundings, instead glancing down at the cold bottle between her fingers. It was cream soda, her favorite, with a little note on it saying Good luck Blake!. She could have cried, lifting ehr head and glancing around, wondering if she could see Lucian. She thought it was most likely him that had done this for her, and she wanted to thank him. But, he was no where in sight, and she just assumed she could thank him afterwards. She struggled up on the high chair, sitting on it and cracking the cream soda. She glanced at the chaos as she sat there, nursing sips of it.

"Do you like him?" she nearly startled out of her skin, almost spilling the soda on herself. She pulled the bottle from her lips, turning back to sight Stella. Her hair was already done, wearing the short red mini-dress for her character.

"Like who?" she asked, watching as she approached

"Lucian, that's who you were looking out for just now, isn't it" Blake swallowed gently the remaining liquid in her mouth, glancing down slightly. She placed the bottle against her thigh, gripping it with a secure hand. How am I supposed to respond to that? I know you like him too.

"I wasn't looking for anyone" Balke responded "Simply watching the craziness of the moment" I don't want to answer that question.

"What about you" Blake asked, meeting the eyes of her best friend under the darkened light behind the curtains "Do you like him?"

"Yes" Stella's response was immediate, and held little emotion with it "Yes, I like him" Blake already knew the answer to that question, it was obvious. But she could play dumb, she could play stupid for the sake of some else.

"Great!" Blake responded, letting a small smile grace her features "I wish you guys all the best" she insisted "The only one stopping you is yourself, isn't that what you used to tell me?" The moment between them wasn't necessarily uncomfoprtable, but it held an edge, certainly one that hadn't existed between them before. Perhaps it was the stress of the moment they were both in, the uncertainty, but she decided to ignore it. Eventually this would be over, this entire experience of Blake being above Stella for the first time in her life. It would be done, and they would go back to normal just like they always were, with Stella openly being the one to surpass her. Being on a pedestal for the first time wasn't glamorous, it was stress inducing. There was more safety in familiarity than the rush of experiencing something new, it simply wasn't worth it. Stella smiled in response, her dimples appearing and eyes creasing. He said goodbye, walking away into the crowd. It wasn't long before all was silent, she was sitting there, watching as they set up the first set. She was situated behind the curtain to the side, but in such a way that she could see what was happening on the stage when the curtain opened. They were perfect, in their costumes enacting their lines like second nature. They bickerted and grumbled as they were taught, angry about how the world had cheated them in one way or another. But, she found her head becoming slightly more fogged as the scenes continued, directing people when they were supposed to go on stage, when the curtains were meant to be closed for the next scene's prep. It was as if the more she was having to use her brain in direction, the more it contoinued to deteoritate, she even found herself stopping mid-sentence, forgetting what she had said the moment before. It's the stress. She felt tired, running her hands through her hair and gripping at the stranbds with tight fists, leaning back in the chair she sat. There was a hint in the air, a toxic hint. It reminded her of ashe, of drunken life, cigarettes and lighters, the marks she had on the undersides of her arms when her feather got so angry the only way he was capable of expressing his displeasure was yanking the young's Blake's arms and digging the end of his cigarette into her skin. She would scream from the pain, watching as little whisps of smoke rose to the height of her eyes.

"Fire!" the yell echoed in her ears. She didn't know where it came from, she couldn't even tell if it had been screamed by someone old or young, male or female, it just happened. "The school is on fire!"