Backstage: Third Time's the Charm

Sasha Roy

Sasha Roy
Grade 12
Dance Program

"Your girl seems tense," Jax said while Carly and Kit were in the bathroom.

"I know." I glanced out the window at the thick layer of snow coating the ground. January blizzard season was always my least favorite time of the year. "So, you think I could get an interview with Miles?" I asked.

"Uh, I don't know man." Jax frowned. "You wrote that piece about him last month, and he was pretty ticked.

"I know." I took off my glasses and rubbed away the condensation from my coffee. "But Tyler wants me to do a front-page story about Alya donating her kidney to Miles."

"I can ask," Jax said. He fiddled with the earphones around his neck.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Yeah, I just haven't really told anybody about it. Something happened back during the showcase..."

I sat up straighter. "Does it have to do with that mysterious kid who was trespassing? I've tried finding out about it, but everyone who was there won't talk. Wait," I said, realization dawning on me. "You were there?"

Jax nodded. Then he started to explain who the kid was and why he'd been trespassing on Keaton property.

"Wait, he wanted to get back at Scarlett by setting off the sprinklers during her performance?" This too closely echoed what had happened freshman year with Cee and Vee. Except for one thing, no one knew I was involved in the sprinkler incident, or that it had been my idea in the first place.

"I got in a fight with her brother after he punched Kit. And I said some dumb stuff, so no I have to see the school counselor for anger management."

I scoffed. "That's so dumb. You're literally the most-even tempered person I know."

"You won't put that on the Tattler, right? I don't want Scarlett or Bianca hurt again."

"Of course not. Last year Jenna put a picture of me and Vanessa kissing on TMK. It nearly wrecked my friendships with her and Cee."

"Did you really kiss Vanessa?" Jax raised an eyebrow.

"I got caught up in the moment. And now she's told Beckett. So, he and Vee have broken up. And we're not friends anymore."

"I'm sorry, buddy." Jax patted my arm. "That's gotta be rough. But you know we're still friends."

"Yeah, and I'd like to hear what you've been working on."

"I have some killer tracks I'm working on."

"Oh." I glanced back at the bathrooms, but Cee and Kit still hadn't appeared. "I've been looking into Austin. He's messing with Cee, and I want him gone ASAP."

"Have you found anything?" Jax leaned over the table conspiratorially.

"Nothing. He's had a clean record since the fight freshman year."

"Do you think he's going to make a move on Carly?"

I tamped down my rampant emotions. Part of me wondered if Carly still had feelings for Austin. What could I offer her? Austin had more panache than I would ever have.

"I don't know," I said.

"We'll figure it out together," Jax lowered his voice as the girls returned.

"What'd you talk about while we were gone?" Kit teased.

"Guy stuff," we responded.