Curtain Call

ACT 1: SCENE 8

ACCORDING TO VIETNAMESE SUPERSTITION, POORLY-TIMED HAIRCUTS ENGENDERED MEMORY LOSS. Specifically, one right before an exam could lead to Jackie forgetting everything she learned. However, she didn't need bad luck to do poorly in math class. Her grade slipping from a low C to failing happened all on its own. She rubbed her tired eyes and tried to concentrate on her textbook, but the numbers and equations looked like a completely different language.

Truth be told, Jackie hadn't exactly noticed her worsening grades. She'd been so caught up in the play and rehearsals that tests and homework just weren't the priority. Class time was wasted on running through lines in her head instead of paying attention. Besides, school was boring. What did it have to do with theatre anyway?

The sound of a chair being pulled back made Jackie tense in surprise. She sharply inhaled the familiar smell of expensive cologne—cardamom and geranium—and looked up to see Aarav sliding into the seat in front of her. He wore a black leather blazer over a dark green button-down.

"Never thought I'd see you in the library after school." He folded his arms.

"I have a math test to study for." Jackie bit her lip and stared down at the table while she wrapped her arms around herself. If her grade fell any lower, she'd be forbidden to participate in any extracurriculars—including the play.

"Didn't know studying was in your vocabulary." Aarav smirked slightly before glancing at the time.

Her eyes flickered to the pencil laying on table, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "Why are you still here after school?"

"Working on college apps. I got a couple of teachers to read over my essays as well as write reference letters." Aarav removed his glasses and massaged his temples. "I have no idea what I'm supposed to write about."

"Write about pugs."

"Who would write their Stanford essay about pugs?"

"It's a huge world. There's gotta be someone out there who did." Jackie shrugged. Truth to be told, the tiny wrinkly-faced dog was the first thing that popped into her mind.

Sighing, she laid her head on the table before fidgeting and sitting back up. "Must be nice to be graduating instead of being stuck figuring out geometry."

Jackie rested her chin in her palm while flipping through the colorful explanations of triangles. She rubbed her forehead and tried to focus, but nothing made sense. The probation letter stuck like glue in her mind, the bold print glaring at her from the crumpled sheet. Jackie only had two more weeks to improve her math average. One more terrible test grade and it'd be over for her—her grade would plunge beyond saving.

Aarav raised an eyebrow and adjusted his glasses. "Geometry, huh? That's easy."

"Yay, I'm so dumb that I'm failing an easy class." The girl laid her head on the open textbook. "You and Mr. Wilson might as well recast the lead. I'm not that good anyway."

He clicked his tongue, dark eyes staring down at her in disapproval. He had the kind of gaze that could see right through anything, picking out every microscopic flaw in her.

Jackie fidgeted and reached up to toy with her hair ribbon. "What?"

He shrugged. "Didn't think you were one for giving up so easily."

"Yeah, well..." Jackie tried to meet his eyes but their intensity seemed to burn holes through her. She swallowed hard and looked away. "I keep forgetting my lines. I can't function properly when I'm on stage anymore. I don't even know if I'm able to pass this test."

She shook her head in frustration and dug her fingers into her hair. "I'm just stupid, okay? Find someone better."

"Enough with the pity party." He rolled his eyes and said, "Let's get going." Aarav gathered up her things for her and slid wrinkled sheets of notebook paper into the textbook before shutting it.