Between the lines

lor

" Katy states. "She rea

I'm just about done wiping a dining

actress; I don't see why she wouldn't be able to get the part. It should be especially easy for her to take it off my ha

ust a coincidence that she was my age. Nadine really believes in hiring young, ambitious people thoug

be so bad if you got i

up all my allowance money to get materials for it. I made that dress myself and I was so proud of it. He tripped me and it ripped while I fell over a giant

the whole school. "Top Student Malory Lloyd is pregnant". Teachers were pulling me aside in the hallways as

rs ago. Do you know what that crazy idiot did? He put fake blood on my seat right before I sat down. I was walking around with a big, red stain on my a

tween us have escalated so much since the beginning that the sight of him alone makes my stomach turn. I wish he'd just transferred to some other school across the country or just flown right out of Canada for good. I don't know why we have to share the same s

s get the part...w

plan hidden up his sleeve. He's a disgusting pest with a cocky attitude but he's not stupid stupid. He'll figure something out. Jus

on't know why he does it. He deserves better friends. Anyway, for all I know, he might be the one to take Kyle's part if Olivia gets the lead." I think about it. "Hmm.

hear the end of what'll happen that day." She sighs before continuing. "I might have to bring ear buds to block out your rambling aft

. "All done! Ugh, I can go home and finish that book I've been dying

ts counting activities I'm involved in on her fingers. "The book club –plus, you read like everyday- ...the art club, the animal rights club, music class, you go to the gym, you're working here every ev

lf ten steps backward when all I want to do is move forward. I might even become depressed again. I don't ever want to feel as low as I did back then. I need to keep moving. It's the only way

's the

hat I'm doing. I'm just keeping myself busy

the watch on her wrist. "You should head home. Take a nice long bath, jump into a p

*

yl

acking as I stretch and shut my lap

ere was a good reason I didn't choose the science class," he

e paid. I'm ready for this insane nightmare to be over. Can we fast forward to tomorrow just to see wha

tion, it's mandatory for me to participate. The senior year drama students have to pitch in one way or another. I'm really curious about what play they've decided on for

a stagehand? It's like yo

why the hell the principal thought it was a good idea to make you the leading star –or or any star at all

eachers will start panicking enough to give someone else the part the further along we get because they'll obviously want the production to go well and I'm obviously not going to be the right fit to allow that to happen. I mean if they have any shred of common

arsals... isn't the point of this to rid yourself of a bad record? Don't you want to do that? You should at least try, Kyle. Malo

y. "I was the one who agreed to do it first –and

. You do want to do th

head in irritation. "What if

hat if you do that, you'll be removed from your other groups anyway just like Beverly said she'd do. Do you want to risk not being on the swimming team or in the mechanics club or the tech club? Or whatever else you jump into from time to time? I don't

e going to be the leads for sure, but she did mention it. I don't know if that's the final decision or what. Even if we don't get the leads we're going to have to try to cooperate. Can you imagine that brat trying to cooperate with me? There's no way that's happening." I pause. "I guess I should hold on to what I do have right now,

ma for the sta

sness, though, if that skeleton-head with a septum piercing does get the part, and I'm forced to comply, you know I'm n

y skyrockets. "I've gotta go." I shove my b

"You won't have to worry about bumping into a serial killer on the way home a

ur

*

lor

out before I could grab my lunch. "Are you Monday's shot of caffeine? Slow down! Olivia, this is ridiculous!

g filled with students who are interested in auditioning for April Fest. I spot Mrs Be

Let's leave before

absurd," Ol

goes to the microphone, calling me out in front of

get plastic surgery

it crab and live in a shell on t

ince as I walk to the front. I paste on a p

t to stare back as she speaks. "I'm glad you showed up. Go

w," I mumble.

e, obviously hearing me. "That doesn't sound like th

my fist coopera

e stage with his hands shoved into his black pants pocke

t-so-intern

, following behind

s, unbothered, standin

s presence enough that she takes her hand off my shoulder and turns

briefly glancing at me befor

–or, in this case, his non-academics. I wasn't the type to, either. We didn't get to the top of our classes by slacking off. As indivi

knew that both Kyle and I weren't the type of people to risk facing the consequence. Though, I

ou're off to a good start. If one or the other of you i

to have to beat Kyle's ass if he ever

other. Bev begins by thanking all students who signed up to audition. She then introduces the teachers of the drama depa

ecially for all the new students who have ne

ted acts that take place in a concert setting. This is then followed by a play. The play is usually the climax of the evening. Our April Fest is generally held in the first week of April. It's a three-day event. The solo acts change every night, and the play becomes more refined, too. I've always

. After the auditions, the best acts are chosen and notified and they may begin rehearsing for their performances. Occasionally they must present an update on their progress to the drama teachers, and the actors who are called back for t

rrassment before, my face wa

"if some of the people you see crossi

t to be ki

that?" Kyle complains to Ron. "Now I

en," Olivia says. "Neither of

es the commencem

to Ron. "H

s with a de

ave to au

Kyle's level of stupidity is unfathomable. I don't care that he has zero

don't think they'll find an audition necessary. They may decide to have you audition to get a feel of your level of skill and know what they're working with, and that's about it as far as yours would go. Olivia and I will have to audition just like everyone else –that is if we

sign up,"

t when they posted a copy of the official list o

either. I'm gonna stay to watch a few, though. Auditions are entertaining for one of two reason

-hence the reason he's in my class- and he's always been

er that time we went to the Drama Fest and there was a girl who completely froze on stage for

her. She looked as young

head to toe in oil," I allow myself to laugh. "Could you imagine being

into laughter. "Oh, I remember, al

ey, Captain Charisma, I don't talk to Olivia and I'm in the same class as her. If you hate me so muc

sombre expression. "Hey, Petty Pete, Ron isn't y

aggressive, stubborn, self

I'm wo

talk, you big

g? You practically welcome every nightmare that comes y

n Kyle has backed out of a fight with me, but the truth is that usually my words are like cannonballs while his are nerf gun bull

let him know I was once intrigued by the supposed middle-meanings of certain things he's said... or that I wanted to know more. I'd never let Kyle Davidson think I was ever that interested in his words... or lack of words... or choice of words... whatev

we're yelling insults and threats at each other, Ron and

in Char

ty Pe

ever stop,

selves out," Ron says, "I

*

of the room, beside Olivia, and Kyle and Ron stand on t

everyone feeling

mments, laughter and cheers. I stand in my

contact information to Mr Richards, Miss Jenkins or myself be

e will be here for the event. These are your scripts." She grabs a script from the tall stack sitting on the desk behind her and raises it for us all to see. "When you get your script, read it. We have enoug

hose two, my mind wanders away to the possibility of whether I could deliberately go into a coma for the next eig

ig

s

ersion is a little different from the original script. Many changes have been made to fit the director's vision, but the overall concept is still the same. Miss Howel is one who is always delighted by the original t

finally re

at Mid

My eyes

N

N

night?" I mutte

unnerved disposition.

self off a cliff is

Niagara Falls and drown

prevent me from co-starring in Mas

he certainly does now. I can't hear Ron's words from all the way over here on the other side of the room, but

I am so not co-starring as the l

s beside me.

u never read 'Mas

e responds o

never seen

eve

ng into melodramatic laughter. "I'm going t

nitely not doing that,"

liv

alo

Don't ask me about it. I don't want to talk about it. Don't

n't believ

omantically... mus

rather drown my

the play be something where one of the leading stars murd

she says, innocently. "

us. We are going to have to pretend to... pretend... to... to fall in lo-,"

he then bursts ou

to stran

to a noose and strangle her and

little consideration for my genuine frus

s and recite love speeches to each other and pretend to be deeply in love?"

ead. Laugh. Laugh at me. Laug

l, a grimace plastered over my face. I turn to find Kyle staring at me in oblivi

school in Toronto. Maybe I could

ever

no way I'm gett