My Jock, My Thespian

2. Raise the Curtain

Asher POV

The lights come up and the music is played and that's my cue to go on stage. As soon as I hit the stage I'm in a flood of lights and looking out into a vast dark sea. I let the movement flow through my body as the beats parade themselves around. I'm performing with the advanced competition team, which doubles as our schools pre-professional dance company. As soon as it started it's over and we end in our final poses while our classmates cheer us on. Off stage I breath heavily taking in as much air as I can while doing a quick change.

I'm ready to go out as soon as the next song comes on which is for the advanced jazz class. I wait an eight count before I saunter on stage. Piece after piece comes and goes until it's time for our first break, which was two hours after we started. They call all the dancers out on to the stage to get notes. I walk out on to the stage and wait for the notes of all my classes before I go and get ready for the theaters showcase dress rehearsal. Soon I get my notes and head off stage and rush into costume for the theater show. After I'm done changing I head to the green room where I wait for my call to go back on the one place that is my zen.

•••
After all the other art forms go and perform we are released to our next classes, sadly we have two more periods left in the school day. I reluctantly go to the lecture hall for debate and enter swiftly while the teacher finishes with the class he has now. I have this class with my four best friends Carmen, Melody, Beatrice, and Jenna. They come in along with me and we sit in the same place we do each day. Right as we sit down the bell rings and everyone gets up except for the five of us who are scrolling through our phones. The class soon fills up and the tardy bell rings while a few stragglers enter. This class is a mixed class essentially meaning we have all three talent forms offered in one class, even thought this is considered an academic and STEM class. I look around waiting for the teacher to start as I pull out my note book.

The teacher starts with giving us our arguing prompt which is "Banning mobile devices at school: yes or no?" I write down my response in a timely fashion and wait for my peers to finish. After another five minutes everyone is finished and the teacher opens the floor to debate. This goes on for the rest of the period as each side states a case of course as per usual the STEM students and athletes are arguing the most while the arts students sit quietly listening to them bicker back and forth. By the time the bell rings most of the class is fired up. I grab my stuff and head to advanced musical theater. Today we are having a study hall due to the rehearsals this morning. I enter and take a seat next to Evelyn, who's a junior and one of my close friends. She's sitting with the musical director singing Dead Girl Walking from Heathers. I silently listen to her until she finishes. Soon enough the teacher announces that we can go to one of our other classes to work as long as we get a note.

I raise my hand and ask if I can go and help the year book committee. Mr. Bennett agrees and I'm off to get a camera. As soon as I get there they group of kids welcome me and hand me a camera and send me to the football field to take photos of practice. I take the back entrance to the field and see the football players running back and forth doing drills. I squat and take a photo of the team as they're doing their thing. I was slightly excited when they told me that I would take the photos for the football team. Why? You may be asking, it's mainly because my crush Dawson Chavez is the team's quarterback. Yes, I know, stereotypical the artsy guy falls for the jock of all jocks. Trust me though if you saw him you'd agree.

Dawson Chavez is 6'2 and built like a Greek god. He has tan skin that glistens with sweat, sandy brownish blonde hair, and chocolate brown eyes. He's shirtless at today's practice and only had black shorts on which accentuated every part of him perfectly. I watch as he runs across the field and zone out for a second before I realize what I'm there to do. I go over and watch the cheerleaders practice. Their good at what they do but then again they had to go through the most rigorous tryout process in the state. I snap a couple pics then check the time to see it's almost the end of the day and that I should head back to the film room.

Once I get to the film room I enter and check the camera back in and head out towards my locker to get ready for my one on one for my dance solo. I get changed and walk into the studio where Mr. Bennett and Ms. Montoya are talking about their days. I go and start stretching until they notice me. Ms. Montoya walks over and puts on music for me to finish. Once the song ends I get up and tell them I'm ready. Mr. Bennett plays the song and I start to move. The flow of turns, leaps, and various other movements course through my body. I go from plié to battement, to pirouettes and arabesques. I roll to the floor and end the piece. Ms. Montoya and Mr. Bennett applaud and give me a few notes and then tell me I'm free to go. I go and change then head out to my car to see both Carmen and Melody walking out to. Carmen and Melody meet me at my car.

"I'm so fucking tired, I'm about to fall over." Carmen says dramatically.

"I get that, my day has been all over the place." I state back after checking what time it was.

"I'm ready to head home and give up on life, any agreements?" Says Melody with a deadpan expression. After talking for a bit longer, I hop in my car and head back to my house. Once I'm back home I enter and see my mom sitting in her chair doing work and my dad in the kitchen cooking dinner. I pet our dogs after greeting my parents and head up to my room to finish homework. I finish my homework right when it's time for dinner. I head back down stairs and grab some food, eat then head back upstairs to get ready for bed. I brush my teeth and change into pjs and get in bed. I sit and scroll through Instagram for a little bit before I turn of my light, throw my covers on, and start to sleep. In my dreams I see Dawson doing what he loves and wondering what it'd be like for him to be mine.