Changed For Good.

Part 1

Cameron was flicking through her socials when she heard the raspy tones coming from the old oak tree out the front of the school. Seeing the black truck pull up outside the front gates, her eyes flicked back to the tree. “Hmm.” She pulled her sunglasses down, noticing the dark-headed girl appear from behind.

Adjusting the seatbelt, Laura relaxed back into the passenger seat. Jo laughed to herself, seeing the sigh of relief.
“Did you find the principal’s office okay?”
Laura’s eyebrows knitted. She rolled down the window looking at the entrance to the High School. Jo turned the key to the truck, hearing her sister sigh.
“You know it’s only one term, Jordy.” Laura turned, seeing the same green eyes as hers, looking back at her. Their dad’s genes painted them with his black hair and emerald-green eyes. Jo was probably the only one who still called her Jordy, except for Luce.
“I could just get a job.”
“Your ma said no. Besides, I made a promise to our dad to make sure you finished out the year. It’s the last term.” She saw her usually confident sister’s shoulders drop. “Hey.” She put her hand on her shoulder. “Hell, I hate to admit it, but you’re a smart kid, you know. You need to see this year out for yourself. This year has gone by fast enough already, it will be over before you know it.” Laura looked out the window. Not one face she knew.
“Hey.”
Jo grinned. “Coming back tomorrow then?” Laura shook her head at her sister’s sarcasm.
“I guess. It’s only twelve weeks, right?”
“Right.” Jo started up the truck.
Laura looked out the window, noticing the girl up on the steps looking their way.
“Weirdo.” She muttered to herself.

“Cam? Ah hello? Are you coming?”
“Yip.” She pushed her glasses back up, watching the truck drive off. “Let’s go.”

“Girls, I told you to be here at four!”
Cameron and the girls walked into the auditorium, gaining a growl from Miss Williams.
  “It still is, Miss.” Dayna laughed, sliding down through the narrow row of seats, followed by the other girls. “Four-something.”
The young teacher watched the senior girls plonk themselves in their usual seats. They had been a part of the school production every year. This was their turf.
“Alright.” She waited for everyone to settle down. “Thank you for coming, everyone.” She headed towards the front of the stage. “So this school has brought some great productions over the years. Oklahoma, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet.”
“You’re welcome!” Cameron yelled out, making sure everyone remembered she was the star of that production last year.
“Yes, thank you, Miss Rodriguez. So this year, we have decided to venture into the newer realm of theatre productions.” She heard them muttering between themselves as she sat up the large board she had lying on the stage. “This year!” They quietened down. “The theatre production will be..” She slipped off the sheet, exposing the green, black and white image.
“Never heard of it.”
“Have you heard of the wizard of Oz?” She sat out their reactions.
“It is the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, the Good Witch of the East.”
“Lesbian play!” Someone yelled out, receiving a round of laughs.
“No.” Blair shook her head. “It is about friendship and, of course, how the Wicked Witch became the Wicked Witch.”
“That’s you, Cameron!” Dayna piped up.
“Yeah, the Wicked Bitch of the West.”
“Hey!” Cameron sat forward. “Hey, Miss?” She got Blair’s attention.
“Yes, Miss Rodriguez.”
“Is it necessary for me to audition? I mean, that role is obviously mine.”
“You’ll have to audition like everyone else. Auditions will be on Wednesday from 3.30 till 4 pm. Thank you.”
“That’s so you, Cam.” Ally got up, sliding out of the narrow way between the rows.
“Yeah, your voice is amazeballs.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey yeah, Ally, you can be the Good Witch.”
“Awesome, I love musicals!”
“I don’t even know it.”
“Well, then we have some googling to do.” Dayna wiped out her phone. “Study night, girls!”

“Would you get off that thing and help me with dinner!”
Laura looked up from her laptop, Jo was staring at her from the kitchen. “You know, just cause you’re here doesn’t mean I’m going to cook and clean for you!” Signing, Laura closed the screen and headed into the kitchen, grabbing the chopping board's knife. She eyed up the carrot before attacking it. Jo saw the little moment. “You’re not planning on killing someone at this school, are ya?” The knife flew down onto the carrot with a thud.
“If it would get me kicked out,"
"Laura!"
"It's fine Jo, it was only a fight.”
“You broke your friends nose!” Laura stopped a moment. She was trying to forget about that.
“Look!” She put the knife down. “Can we just forget about that? Start a fresh. What am I doing with this tomato?”
“Dicing.” Jo looked over at her younger sister, seeing her same stubbornness. Laura had always been a good kid, brilliant. Getting into fights and being kicked out of the girls’ school completely shocked everyone. She didn’t know how to ‘guide her sister in the right direction’ was her step mothers words. Hell, she’d only finished college herself! Now she had a teenager.
She stopped next to her sister.
“Hey.”
Laura looked up at her.
“If you ever need to talk about anything. School, boys, girl things, my doors always open. For anything alright.” Laura curled her lip, hearing the sincerity in her voice. Though they hadn’t grown up together, she knew she and Jo had a bond. A family bond. She smiled.
“Can you close your door? I don’t wanna see you walking around naked like I did last night.” Jo blushed.
“I forgot you were here! Make more noise, girl!” Jo went back to the stove. Smiling to herself she looked over her shoulder at Laura smiling back. “Glad you are here, Jordy.”
“Yeah, me too.”