Magnetic

Chapter Ten

"Okay, class!" Mrs. Dunbar exclaimed, clapping her hands rapidly, something that she always did when she either had big news or was excited about anything. "Everyone sit! We need to talk about our end of the year play."

"End of the year play? It's just in the middle of February," Alexander, the best actor in the class, piped up from the front row of desks. Because everyone already had assigned seats when I moved here, I was seated in the back row; the only other person that sat back there was Stacy, an overdramatic, red-lipstick-wearing manga lover, who spent her time trying to learn Japanese instead of her lines.

Mrs. Dunbar sighed, although I could tell she was used to Alexander's constant interjections. After a month, I was already used to them. "I know, Alexander," she cooed, as if she was talking to an elementary school child. "But it takes a long time to prepare for a big play like the one that we're doing."

Alexander leaned back in his chair, not replying with a usual smartass comment.

"After thinking long and hard about the decision of the play, I've finally decided on which one we will be performing. It's one of my favorites, and I think that you all will love it as well." Mrs. Dunbar took the lid off of a box full of stacks of stapled papers and started handing them out so fast that her little red ponytail bobbed up and down behind her.

"I've never heard of this play," some girl that I hadn't yet learned her name said. "The Importance of Being Earnest?"

I almost choked on the mint gum I was chewing. That was the play that I had done at my old school.

"Yes. Auditions for the parts you want will be next week. Read through the script, decide on the character you will be auditioning for, and I will choose whether I think you are suited for that character or another," Mrs. Dunbar explained, handing the script to me. "You are familiar with this play, correct?" she asked, only loud enough for me to hear.

"I am, but-" I started as she went on to the next person. How could she have known that that was the play I had performed?

The day I was enrolled. The day I met her. I told her about that play and my small part.

I flipped through the script, remembering the character that I played. Lane. The butler of one of the main characters, Algernon. Only in Act I with few lines. It would be easiest to audition and play for Lane, as I already knew each line and the blocking in the show.

"There aren't near enough parts in this play for our whole cast," Alexander commented, flipping through the script.

"I'm aware of that, Alexander," Mrs. Dunbar said, plopping down in her office chair. "That's why there will be auditions. Everyone who does not get a part will be in charge of either set design, tech, or costumes."

"I want to be in charge of costumes!" Stacy exclaimed.

"No, you will be auditioning. I choose who will be doing what, because I am, after all, the director."

Stacy sighed and turned back around to her script, while Mrs. Dunbar and I made eye contact. She smiled at me as if we shared a little inside joke or secret, so I smiled back.

~~~

Paisley's bedroom wasn't nearly as perfect as her car, but there was enough room for Brady, Gage, Paisley, and I to sit. There was a couch in front of her bed that had been mostly covered in clothes and books when we arrived, but Brady had pushed everything onto the floor in order for himself to have a seat.

After school, Gage drove himself, Paisley drove herself, and Brady drove himself and I to Paisley's house so we could all hang out, something the four of us usually did when I didn't have to go straight to work at Wishing Wells.