Fake It

(04) liquid confidence

Hearing trancing music and watching performers crawling across the floor, Josh turned to see what the rest of the audience were thinking about what was happening on stage.

Those surrounding Josh all seemed to look quite interested in the performance, while on the other hand he had no idea what was going on.

After listening to what the actors had to say, Josh was still confused by the end of it. People around him were smiling, nodding and talking about how good it was, while he sat up in his seat to clap.

Josh earned a fair amount of stares and realised the show wasn't exactly over - he had wondered why he hadn't seen Hayley up there yet and now it made sense.

"I am limitless, I am limitless, I am limitless" the actors said together, over and over again.

Some of the actors were wearing harnesses and flying around the small stage, while others spun around on their feet.

Hayley was twirling around in the centre, reciting a poem. Once it was finished, the actors bowed and everyone applauded them.

"Thank you very much!" one actor spoke as he smiled out to the crowd. "The wonderful Hayley has let me know that there is a new voice here today so could we please have Josh Franceschi up here?"

Josh slumped down in his seat, looking down embarrassingly. He had no idea what to do, while the audience urged and encouraged him not to be shy. Walking off the stage, Hayley smiled as she stood in front of Josh.

"If you're not interested, well I guess you don't have to do it. However, you did say you wanted to get more involved in art, right?" Hayley raised an eyebrow and gave Josh a shrug.

Walking off to order a milkshake at the cafe, Hayley left Josh to make his mind up. Part of her thought that although he was this majorly confident guy, he may feel quite shy about going on stage - this being an art show and all.

Breathing in and out heavily, Josh was more than nervous now that he was on stage in front of thirty or so people. Chuckling nervously, he cleared his throat and nodded.

"lt's a a little ball" Josh grinned, as people in the crowd grew curious.

Lights shot down on Josh and he was now the centre of attention. Taking out a small ball from his pocket as slow music began thumping out softly, Josh carried on.

"Ball... Just a ball" Josh began, kicking the ball from foot to foot as he spoke each word. "Bouncing, bouncing. Just keep bouncing. Don't let it drop, don't you ever let it drop."

Hayley was surprised with Josh - the fact that he was able to think of something that definitely captured everyone's attention. She bit her lip and continued watching.

"Everybody's watching you. Everybody's counting on you. Don't you ever let it drop. Everyone's expecting" Josh spoke nervously, breathing heavily. "Don't... you... EVER let it... drop!"

Just as Josh said the word 'drop', he managed to miss the ball and knelt down to pick it up.

"Well, it just has to drop at one point" Josh ended his show, his breathing becoming heavier.

The audience's silence then erupted into loud clapping - Josh managed to not make a fool of himself and he was quite proud.

Hayley smiled to herself, having not have been able to think Josh could have done something like he'd just done.

- - -

Once Hayley was finished taking her make-up off and changing back into her own clothes, she walked outside to where Josh had been waiting for her.

Grinning, Josh still couldn't shake off the good feeling from being on stage. "I just don't know how I was able to pull off something like that, I never would have dreamt to."

"It was good, I'll give you that" Hayley nodded, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

"All that stuff you said and did up there, it was all so awesome!" Josh complimented Hayley, chuckling quietly. "Did you even see me? I was kicking around a mini football..."

"Okay, you sucked" Hayley wore a small smile as the pair walked along the street. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"Being class president has meant that I've had to make countless speeches in the past... I can walk up to a stranger and I'm not even the slightest bit anxious. There's just something about being up there with no clue as to what you're going to be doing, it's... it's-" Josh began, as Hayely finished his sentence.

"Like a rush" Hayley guessed that's what Josh meant. When he nodded, Hayley continued. "I get that too."

Waiting for the traffic lights to change, Hayley stood beside Josh and looked down at her shoes. Feeling as though Josh was staring at her head, the girl bit her lip.

"What?" Hayley asked Josh, without even having to look at him. A small smile appeared on her face, one she couldn't resist.

"Is that hair natural?" Josh asked with a flat tone, surprising Hayley.

"Yep, I'm a red-head. And I cop enough shit about it so please don't call me 'ranga'" Hayley turned to look away to her left.

"Well don't get me wrong, your hair is cool... But have you ever thought of dying it?" Josh asked out of curiousity, not at all making fun of her like she perhaps thought he was.

"Maybe... I don't know" Hayley shrugged, thinking for a moment. She'd never fully considered it in the past, except for when she really used to be called names.

"You're really beautiful, you'd suit-" Josh began, tucking a piece of Hayley's hair behind her ear - this action causing Hayley to take a few steps back.

"Seriously?" Hayley sighed as she shook her head in disbelief. "'You're really beautiful'? You whipped that one out nice and early."

"Hayley, but-" Josh tried to explain himself, truly meaning what he had said.

"I had a gut feeling that this wasn't right, and I went right against it" Hayley stepped even further back as she spoke. "It's my fault."

"Hayley, I don't get it" Josh furrowed his eyebrows, running a hand through his hair.

"I'll tell you something about art. When the most popular, handsome guy in school tries to flirt with me at night - well, that's called surrealism" Hayley half-yelled, shaking her head as she walked off.

"Hayley, please!" Josh called out, trying to get the girl's attention.

"I'll be getting a ride with Dan. Just go" Hayley called back, not bothering to turn and face Josh.

'The good-looking muscly guy?' Josh thought to himself, feeling defeated. Instead of taking two steps forward, he'd taken ten huge steps back.