Camren: Like Cats and Dogs

Chapter 1

{~~~~~Camila~~~~~~}

It's my first day here at Miami Arts and I've already messed up. I spilled coffee all over this really hot guy; and me, being the idiota that I am, attempted to wipe it away by rubbing it into his chest.

Yeah, that only made it worse. And as if that wasn't bad enough, his girlfriend walked in and pretty much screamed at me for touching her boyfriend. Can't say that I blame her. Like I said, he's really hot and I was rubbing on his chest.

Now, my new teacher's here, Mr. Cowel, and I'm soooo embarrassed. I sink into my seat at the sight of him, hoping he'll forget what happened this morning.

He doesn't.

After introducing me as the new student to all my peers, he thanks me for giving him two dollars this morning.

Normani, the only person I know here at this school besides my sister, elbows me in the ribs. "Why'd you give him two dollars?" she whispers loud enough for the whole class to hear.

"I thought he was homeless!" I hiss back, sinking even lower into my chair.

This would've never happened to me at Carlton High, my old school. None of my old teachers would've dressed in loose khakis, layers of tacky worn out tops, or come to school barefoot; oh and none of them would dare sport a bald patch in the middle of an abundant array of unkempt hair as an acceptable hairstyle. It's not my fault I thought he was homeless. The man looks homeless!

"Now today, we're going to continue our study in group improv. Camila!"

I jump in my seat.

"I assume you're familiar with improv." Mr. Cowel points at me.

I sit up, eager to prove that I'm not just the idiota who mistook my teacher for a homeless man. Only...I have no idea what the chiz improv is. "Uh, well, yes and no." I answer.

That was good. I said I know some but not a lot; meaning I'm not completely lost.

"What does that mean?" he counters.

Jammit!

"No." I admit.

"Okay! Crash course," he begins as turns away from us and walks toward the white board. Then he points at the word "IMPROV" on it. "Improv! Acting without a script. Which means the actors must make up their own actions and dialogue as they perform the scene, understood?"

No. I kinda don't understand, but just as I'm about to tell him so, he moves on.

"Good! Lauren! You will captain the first group of the day. Choose your actors!" He claps and walks back toward the board.

I watch as he stares at it. He seems to be a bit lost in thought as he rubs his hands together. He's such an odd man. The way he moves his arms about as he's speaking is just so dang wild and exaggeratedly expressive.

Then I hear my name.

I look up at the front of the room at the girl who called me, Lauren I think Mr. Cowel called her. She's calling me up so that I can be a part of her group, but I don't wanna go. It's my first day, I don't know what I'm doing; and to top it all off, she's the hot guy's girlfriend. I doubt she wants me to go up there for any other reason than to pay me back for touching her boyfriend. It's in her eyes. The way those emerald greens are glaring at me, I just know I'm in deep chiz.

Normani nudges me in the rib. Okay, that's really starting to hurt. "Go on," she encourages.

But I don't wanna go. I just wanna watch. I'm about to ask if I can just watch when Normani nudges me again.