Sandcastles

Chapter Five

Pictured: Paul Wesley as Marc

The results of the auditions were supposed to be posted today. I auditioned on Tuesday, and now it's Thursday. Troy won't tell me anything about the auditions either. Every time I ask him about them he keeps changing the subject. And it's also gym, so it's the last class of the day. Unless they plan on posting them during the basketball game later, I won't find out today. It's eating me alive inside.

I guess it's a good thing that I have to stay during the basketball game. Madeline's game is first, followed by the boys' game. Since it's the first game, none of the college representatives will be there. Given that, Madeline has been treating this game like every other she has played. I've never really liked watching basketball, but Mom has to work and she's our only ride home.

Right now, I'm back in the locker room changing into my school clothes. I get my stuff and throw it into my locker, taking out some stuff for study hall. When I get into the nearly empty room, I take a seat at the desk next to Troy. He doesn't even notice me and keeps bouncing his pen on his notebook. I can hear the music coming out of his earbuds.

"Hey." I say whenever I sit down. He brings his head up and grins before taking his earbuds out.

"Hi. Did you hear the good news?" he asks. I shake my head. "Oh, well, we got a 95 on our drama project!"

A 95? That's like my highest grade I've gotten on any project. I grin and he goes back to working on his stuff. The bell rings for school to be over and I go to my locker.

On the way there, I notice a crowd of people around the bulletin board. I get my stuff out of my locker and go over to it. My heart skips a beat when I see what they're all looking at.

Cast for "The Sandcastle", A play by Troy Ludwig

I take a few deep breaths and wait for the people to clear away. Did I get the part? Did I get any part at all? My eyes scroll to the name at the very top, the part that I auditioned for. I suck in a breath and then exhale suddenly when I see that the name beside it is not mine.

I just want to go hide in a closet and cry. Was my singing that bad? Did I mess up my monologue? Oh God, did I embarrass myself in front of everyone?

Maybe I will just take the bus home. I don't want to stay after school for Madeline's dumb basketball game. As soon as I turn around, I walk face first into the muscular chest of a boy. His hands grab my shoulders and push me away from his chest. I groan and try to run away when I see that it's none other than Alexander.

"Woah, easy there Hollywood. Where you going? Why're you so upset?" he asks, a genuinely concerned look across his face. I push him away to get him out of my way. He doesn't budge and stays right there.

"Why do you even care?" I spit out. He rolls his eyes.

"I don't like seeing people upset." He claims. I laugh. Does he not remember the day he humiliated me by pretending that he liked me in some way?

"I'm not going to be that gullible again, Ludwig. Move." I say. He doesn't budge again and I find myself walking straight into his chest. I'm going to miss the bus if he doesn't move, and I tell him this. His reply is that I never take the bus.

"Hey, calm down. If you want to go, I will drive you. I have an hour until our game starts so I have time." He says. I laugh and shake my head.

"I'm not going anywhere with you and I'm especially not showing you where I live." I say. He smirks at me.

"All I have to do is ask Marc. He's at your house like all the time." He says. I scowl. It's true. Since Madeline had her little argument with Marc at the party, he apparently wouldn't stop calling and now they're officially dating. He's at our house all the time. It's kind of weird.