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You Can't Be Serious

If anyone is curious, June will be modeled after Max Barczak (up above/to the side). Happy reading!😃❤️

"Hey, have you heard?" My best friend Lionel asked as he sat down at our lunch table.

"Apparently the mascot quit and they're looking for people to 'audition.'" He said with air quotes.

"Annnd...what does this have to do with me?" I asked as I shoveled homemade casserole into my mouth. Since my father wasn't home very often, I had to learn how to cook. There was no way I was ruining my body with that disgusting thing people call "Junk food".

Lionel and his twin sister Rosie shared an evil look. Even though they were fraternal twins, they were inseparable. Lionel nodded at Rosie to tell her she should continue.

"Annnd that means you should try out." She said with a cheeky grin.

"You can't be serious. Why would I willingly choose to be humiliated like that? You guys know I like to stay in the background." Baffled, I put my fork down. I was no longer hungry.

"Oh, come on. You're the best dancer we know. You'd be great at it!" Lionel exclaimed, snatching my casserole.

"Plus, you want to go to Juilliard anyways. This will be a good way to prepare you for performing in public!" Rosie said, taking a bite of the casserole. I couldn't blame them. Bless the poor lunch ladies...but they couldn't cook to save someone's life. Much less 2,300+ demanding teenagers. The "food" (if you could even call it that) was always burnt. There were no exceptions.

"But I do hip hop and contemporary. I highly doubt people want to see me performing Flying Low. Besides, don't mascots just walk around the track pretending they can dance? I don't want to be associated with that, especially if I'm trying to go to Juilliard."

Rosie and Lionel deadpanned.

It was freaky how they made the same facial expressions without even looking at each other.

"Why don't you want to do something fun for once?! It's your senior year! This will be the first thing in school you'll actually be participating in. You know, besides the Going-Home-And-Wallowing-In-Your-Own-Pity Club." Rosie huffed. Lionel tried to stifle a laugh by gorging himself on more casserole.

I glared, getting upset. These were my best friends. They of all people should've known that I like to stay in the background, not drawing attention to myself.

"Why are you trying so hard when it's obvious I don't want to do it?" I said, rolling my eyes.

"We just want you to have a fun Senior year. Besides, we all know your dad has been pestering you to join something in school. This opportunity just happened to present itself." Lionel said smugly.

I huffed, knowing he was right. My father, Jeremiah, was a neurosurgeon at Clear River Hospital. He's been working hard as a single father ever since my mother Carrie left us for some man named Paul when I was 14. Even though he makes a lot of money, it's still not enough to raise a kid and save up for my dream school: Juilliard. Ever since my mother left three years ago, he's had to pick up more shifts, so I don't get to see him often.

Resigned, I agreed saying, "Fine, I'll do it...but only on one condition!" I said sternly, holding up one finger.

Rosie and Lionel waited with bated breath, listening to what I was about to say.

"No one can know my identity. I wanted to be in the background, and that's not going to change. Even if I become the school mascot." I said triumphantly.

They both groaned in annoyance, but nodded in agreement. They knew that was the best they were going to get.

"So, when do tryouts start?"

Can I just say how much I hate the format of the paragraphs? Because I do. Like a lot. Anyways, thanks for reading loves! Hope you have a great day/night!😊💜

Written: 11/13/18