The Ideal and the Real

The Poster

When our afternoon classes were done, I saw Lucas come out of the Bushwell building with Tim and another random guy. Awesome. He's making more new friends now. But wait... I don't have friends other than Lucas... and possibly Lerland but we've only talked once.

Lucas, Tim and the other guy approach me. Lucas and I had fixed eye contact for five seconds. Then I look away. I didn't want it to seem obvious to him and his friends.

"Hi..." Lucas sounded hesitant this time.

My eyes wander around the other guy's face. His features make him seem more "bad" than Lucas and Tim. His eyes and nose are more pointy.

Lucas's green eyes are fixed on me. "Oh yeah..."

I raise my eyebrows.

"This is my friend Morie," he said.

Morie looked like he eyed me with distaste. But I guess that's how he naturally looks. "Hey. New girl in school? Haha, don't worry, we're all new. I see you made friends with Lucas here."

"Yeah, I..." I suddenly stop talking in the middle of my unfinished sentence.

"Yes!" Tim exclaims. "I met her a while back and she seems pretty cool."

Thank you Tim for saving my life. I have a sigh of relief. "What Tim said."

Morie slowly nods. "Nice."

Lucas didn't talk for the whole time I talked with Morie and Tim. Why is that? I wonder.

"Hey, Tim buddy! Can I meet Jude?" asked Morie.

"Sure! He messaged me saying he's signing up for an audition. It's for a play of some sort. It would be funny if he got in. One can dream!" Then Tim turned to Lucas and I. "Guys, want to come with us and meet Jude?"

"I definitely would like to!" I said.

Lucas nods his head in agreement.

Why... all of a sudden, has he become so quiet?! He was fine with me this morning. That's weird...

As we walk with Tim, Morie faces me with his dark brown eyes looking suspicious. "So... Jill. Where did you go in high school?"

"Walt Karlissen Collegiate," I reply with fear. This Morie guy doesn't seem to like me for some reason...

"Oh. Haha, cool. That was my school's rival. Well, Lucas's and my school. We both went to Gem City High School."

Okay. Maybe he thinks I'm alright. "Yeah, he told me that. He even showed me--"

Morie interrupts me. "Showed you what?"

"My videos on YouTube..." Lucas was very quiet. Then he walks away with Tim while Morie and I stood still.

Morie stops me from going with them. "Oh. Those things. That's Lucas's effort for ya. I mean, for some things, he lacks effort. He's not the type of guy who tells you everything."

That's true... Lucas didn't open up to me when he froze at the Bushwell building last Friday.

Morie goes on. "Lucas doesn't tell everyone everything. He leaves people hanging. High and dry. Confused. He's not direct."

I hear a text tone. It must be Morie's phone, because it isn't mine.

Yup, it was Morie's. "Oh. Tim wants us to go to the theatre now. Come on."

We continue walking. "So... Morie, how long have you known Lucas for?"

"Since elementary school. We kind of lost connection in middle school and high school, only because he wasn't cool enough for my new friends. But now that's over, I'm making it up to him. Hopefully we can be good friends again."