A Couple Weeks Later…
It was Music class. The whole class was watching a One Republic music video; the teacher wants us to learn the song Come Home.
She wants us to experience new ways of singing, so today it’s One Republic and tomorrow it’ll be Rihanna.
She turned off the TV and flicked all the lights on. I blinked tons of times like the rest of the class did.
“Jessa,” she said.
I bolted my head up and placed a small smile on my face. That was a surprise.
She usually never chooses me during class, she picks the best singer in class to do everything, which was Holland Gertrude, no, Holland was (well she still is) a girl. But everybody called her Holly. I don’t know why, but she hates me.
“Yes Mrs. Dutra?” I asked sweetly.
“I would love it if you came up and sang to One Republic,” she said.
Tingles ran down my spine. I was a good singer but, I don’t know if I can reach One Republic’s high noted. Those were scary to me.
I stood up from the plastic blue chair and walked up to her. The whole class had their eyes darted at me and Holly was chuckling in the back. No duh, she always does that when I have to do that.
I swallowed loudly and felt my heart pound faster than ever.
It’s not that I was stage fright, but at the same time I was now.
Mrs. Dutra hit play on the TV and the music played.
I cleared my throat and waited for the cue. “Hello world, hope you’re listenin’. Forgive me if I’m young for speaking out of turn… there’s someone that I’m missing and I think that they could be the better half of me…”
Mrs. Dutra intertwined her hands together and sighed in awe. Am I that good? The whole class had their jaws dropped including Holly.
I continued, “They’re in the wrong place trying to make it right, but I’m tired of justifying –so I say to you, come home come home, ‘cause I’ve been waiting for you for so long for so long…And right now there's a war between the vanities but all I see is you and me. The fight for you is all I’ve ever known…”
“So come home… Ohhhh…” I finished.
I saw everyone clap and I smiled from ear to ear. I felt a warm fuzzy feeling at the bottom of my stomach when some people wooed me.
Mrs. Dutra side hugged me and I walked to my seat and sat down. My seat partner side hugged me as well. Those tingles kept on running down my spine in shock.
Wow, they loved it. Really wow.
“That is an example of a loser trying to sing,” Holly snorted.
I gave her my death stare but she still laughed in my face. At least that blonde sat five desks away from me, I hate her guts.
“Hey! She was amazing!” my partner said.
“It’s okay Zoey; let her snort her buggers up.”
Zoey chuckled and scratched her neon red hair. She was a big time rebel; I mean she dyed her hair neon red even though the principal said he would suspend her. He never did.
She once spray painted the gym with graffiti, no one found out that that was her though. The principal thought that it was Dupree, the lamest try-to-be-gangster guy. Our principal is really lame at that point.
“Now now Holly, she was great. You can’t be the only great singer here, that’s why you all go to music class, to learn and to sing your hearts out.” Mrs. Dutra explained.
“You mean to learn how to sing? Yeah, you didn’t do such a great job with Jessa there,” Holly mocked.
I rolled my eyes but felt anger run through me like water.
“Holly!” Mrs. Dutra yelled.
Zoey stood up on her chair and spoke up loud and clear, “Holly, you are really trying to mess with me? Aren’t you…? I think that Jessa here has an amazing voice unlike yours, it sounds like a frog got caught in your throat, unless it burned already from your wrath,” Zoey hissed.
Her knee high converse were covered by skulls and cross bones, they were as red as her hair. Well, she was standing on the chair so no wonder I could see them perfectly. I was always jealous of her shoes, I love Converse but I could never really have them.
They are way too expensive, ‘nuff said.
The whole class clapped for Zoey and she bowed, smiling as she sat down again.
“Thanks Zoe,” I said and hugged her.
“No prob, that’s what friends are for…”
We let go and listened to what Mrs. Dutra was saying.
Her brown shoulder length hair was in a French braid and she was wearing a yellow sunny dress to incorporate her attitude, happy happy happy.
***
I shut my locker with my lunch box at hand. Today was spaghetti day in lunch so I decided to pack something at home, I hate spaghetti.
Georgie stood next to me, reading some kind of novel. Her hair ran onto her tan face as she skimmed the pages.
“Hey, let’s head to lunch.” I whispered to her.
But, she still jumped.
“Oh, okay,” she closed the book.
We walked down the not so crowded hall, passing a poster that mentioned the school dance. Georgie stopped at the pink flyer and read it.
“Oh my gosh! They need volunteers!” she yelped.
At the sound of that my stomach burned and churned. I cringed.
“What…?” Georgie saw my reaction.
“Uh, I don’t plan on going, so I don’t even wanna do anything for it.” I explained.
Then her smile started to fade just a bit.
“Hey, you can go with Zoe!”
She chuckled, covering her mouth with her palm, “You’re kidding right? She hates those kinds of things!”
I rolled my eyes and pulled her by the arm, “Let’s talk about this over lunch, kay?”
She nodded and we walked down to the loud lunch room.
I saw people pass by us, laughing when they saw my face. I felt my cheeks turn pink from embarrassment. What are they laughing at me for?
Georgie’s face looked as confused as mine. She doesn’t know anything either unless she’s acting.
“Uh, Jessa…? What’s going on…?” she asked, eyeing everyone.
People pointed their fingers at me like I was some kind of target. My stomach didn’t feel like, it felt as if I would throw up.
“I don’t know –I’m scared though…” I whispered.
My heart started pumping like crazy; it almost popped out of my chest. Our feet lead us the way into the lunch room even though it felt like we were standing in the same spot still.
I noticed Sam sitting at our table, my stomach somersaulted, and a group of people were around him, laughing like crazy. His face was completely bright red. What was going on?
We fast walked up to him, pushing through the dangerous crowd of laughing teenagers.
“Sam, what’s going on?” I asked quietly, but a little harshly.
Georgie and I were holding hands as we sat down in front of him. He was picking at his mystery meat, but people still stood around us.
I mean, it would be cool to be popular, so you could have crowds of followers but at the same time it would be scary.
Everyone would know what you’re doing. But I don’t think that this is a popularity thing.
I felt Georgie shivering like crazy. No wonder, I think that I am as well.
“I do-on’t know,” he stuttered.
“Oh really?! There must be an explanation to this! We don’t know, then you mind as well might know!” Georgie
protested.
“I don’t know!” Sam pressed.
“Alright then, let’s just ask these guys.”
I looked up, seeing all these teenagers around us, still laughing.
“Are you sure that they will be nice enough to explain? They look like they’re gonna kill us.” Sam said, horrified.
“Oh come on Sam, they are our class mates –fine, they do look like that. I mean they are only laughing at us so they
might probably kill us from asking such a stupid question,” I agreed.
“It’s not stupid!” Georgie pulled my arm, “We don’t know anything!”
I looked up again. Fine, I gotta ask someday.
I choose the quietest person who was laughing; maybe she will be able to explain nicely without killing our reputation even more.
“Um, excuse me…?” I asked the red head.
Oh my God! That’s Hayley!
“Uh, excuse you.” She said harshly.
Typical Hayley.
I rolled my eyes, “Why are you laughing?”
She chuckled some more, “You don’t know?”
I shook my head, feeling my long locks run down my neck. She sat next to Sam on the lunch table, he scooted over a little. He wasn’t fond of Hayley, barely anyone was.
“There’s this rumor running ‘round the school…” she covered her mouth, “… sorry but it’s just hilarious!”
At least she has manners…
“Just get to the point!” I moved my hands like a circle.
“Fine. People are saying, I don’t know who started it so don’t even ask me, but anyway. People are saying that you are a lesbian because you declined Harry. Oh and that you’re a stripper in Hooters, you know which one…” she pointed out the window, “…the one at the corner of George Street.”
My jaw dropped, “One, I am not a lesbian and two, I am so not a stripper!” I cringed.
She rolled her grey eyes, picking her cell phone out of her new skirt pocket. She gets a new one pretty much every day. Today it’s the grey one with black stripes down it.
“Really…? Because we’ve got pictures.”
She handed me her iPhone Touch with the pictures on the screen. They must be photo shopped! That’s impossible… wait.
The first picture was of me kissing a “girl”. The scene took place in my bedroom. My stomach flipped and burned. I can’t believe it; someone just added some fake girl hair on Sam’s head.
Someone saw us kiss. I someone stalking me?!
My eyes widened and I felt my heart beat rapidly increase. I switched to the next picture, oh God. That’s sick.
My body was covered in a Hooter costume and I was… pole dancing. That’s impossible again. Well, the last picture was impossible but at the same time wasn’t, I mean in the picture I was kissing Sam.
Someone was good at making pictures look so real.
I handed it back abruptly and looked at Sam. It’s like he read my mind. I saw those blue’s widen and his jaw slowly dropping.
“See…?” Hayley asked.
“They are fake, completely fake.” I said sharply, head burning from anger.
“Hesitant and red… hmm…?” she mocked me.
“I didn’t hesitate. I’m red from anger you freak.” I hissed.
I probably was as red as her freakin’ hair.
She slid the phone away and stood up, I could see her black spotted heels rise from the floor. It’s like when she was getting up everything was in slow motion. That happened all the time, she was just super popular and everyone stares at her, like slow motion is happening. You just couldn’t look away, all the girls were jealous of her looks and the guys just wanted her so badly.
I for one looked at her like that because I was used to it. I wasn’t jealous of her anymore, but it’s like she had some kind of power over you. So it’s like being used to it, even though I hated it, that I had to stare at her like that like the rest of the school, I had no other choice.
She finally walked away, flipping her hair over her shoulder and spraying some expensive Dior perfume on herself with a herd of people following her like moths to light.
“Finally she left,” I let out some breath that I didn’t know I was holding.
Sam looked away from Hayley, “Jessa, can we talk privately?”
I nodded slowly getting off the lunch bench as he did the same. He took me to the corner of the room, which is by the chips and sweets.
A lady with a hairnet stood there; ready to sell the unhealthy crap.
“Well,” I asked.
“What was on the picture?” he whispered.
“Uh…” I was scared to tell, “It was a picture of us… kissing,”
“I’m not a girl!”
I rolled my eyes, “They just photo shopped the picture and put some fake hair on your head…”
His face was turning red as his eyes widened. I think that he wanted to keep that kiss as a distant memory, like it never happened, like how they say it “It was long ago and not true,” My mom said that, it’s a Polish saying.
“The kiss took place in your room?”
I nodded.
“How did they get that…?” he asked, worried like hell.
“I have no freakin’ idea. Someone’s stalking us. Oh and the Hooter stripper one was as complete Photoshop, they just placed my face on someone’s body…”
He caught my every word.
Gosh, what would happen if they knew that that was Sam…? That would be the worst thing in the world. I mean, people would be shocked and we don’t even know if that was right. Well, at least I don’t know.
Mind as well move somewhere far away before that spreads. And if it does, I won’t be there to see and hear it.
“But listen Jessa, someone knows that we kissed.”
It finally got to me. Someone knows that we kissed. That someone took a picture of us, kind of for revenge, but what kind of revenge? I mean sure, they could have gotten a different picture of me kissing some guy, but they got that one. And I bet that that person kind of had no other choice, I didn’t have kisses so public you know. That person just wanted the lesbian headline unless they actually have the Sam picture for a reason.
The only person that would do that kind of thing to me, well, the only one that I know would do it is… no, he wouldn’t but just maybe, Harry.
Actually Hayley could’ve done it but she said that she has no clue who did it. Well, a lot of people do that.
“Sam, I think I know who did it, but at the same time I doubt it.” I scanned the room for Harry.
“Harry…?” he asked.
Same intension as me. I nodded and pulled his arm, walking back to our lunch table. Georgie chewed on her sandwich, eyeing everyone with worry.
We sat down next to each other as I reached for my lunch bag. I got it and opened it, taking out today’s lunch. Sam continued to eat his mystery meal. Just back to normal, well not really, we always have our mouths open in lunch.
“Um…” Georgie swallowed a piece of ham, “…do you guys know who did this?”
“We just think that it might be Harry…” Sam said cringing at his meat.
“Oh my God! Can’t he just ever leave us alone?”
“We just guess Georgie! And anyway, he’s bugging only me…”
She put her sandwich down and continued her rant against Harry. There was something seriously wrong with her, I mean understandable, she can hate him just to protect me, and best friends do that. But she really hates him. What did he do to her?!
“If he’s bugging you; he’s bugging all of us.” Georgie protested.
My sandwich didn’t look so appealing at this moment.
“Okay, thanks guys for that, now I’m not alone.” I smiled widely.
Georgie made a quick smile as she stared above my head. I put on a confused face but she didn’t even notice it. Eyes were focused on something behind me. Nostrils were flaring like crazy.
I decided to turn around and check, but at the same time it may be dangerous, I mean the guy or girl or thing may kill me!
Harry was at the table behind us, laughing with his friends, not even noticing us. So why was she so pissed, he’s not even caring that we’re here.
I felt my fist sized heart beat a mile faster when he caught my gaze. I turned back, red faced.
“Whoa-oh,” Sam said on cue.
He’s been saying that a lot, for every time I turn red because of Harry.
My eyes were wide open when I saw Georgie lifting off the seat. She wlaked up to Harry as I turned around to see what she was up to.
Here’s where the Whoa-oh should be…
She glared at Harry; he was confused as ever though. Her eyes were drilling black holes into his very skull. Sam and I were blindly staring at them; well not really, we see exactly what’s going on and why.
“I can’t believe you!” she yelled at Harry.
Now the whole room noticed. Everyone’s eyes were staring at the situation.
“What did I do now?!” he dropped his spork.
“You know what you did asshole!” her eyes were even wider, oh my GOD!
“…well, what did I do?” he had a small smile on his face.
“Don’t be laughing Harry Potter! I can’t believe that you would spread that rumor!”
Harry stood up; they were exactly five inches away from each other. Wrath was bouncing from one body to the other.
“What rumor?” he asked, sharply.
“You know what rumor! The one where you said that Jessa is a lesbian and a stripper at Hooters only because she declined you!”
That’s it! That was true proof that it was him who told the rumor! They said that I’m a “lesbian” because I declined Harry, not anyone else!
My heart pounded like crazy and all I really needed was some popcorn to this action movie. Their wrath was everywhere, I mean everyone felt it; it was the strongest thing ever. I was even a little jealous of Georgie; I would love to fight with Harry.
“You think that I, I would sink that low…?” this time he looked at me when he said that.
I swallowed loudly. Oh my gosh, I was most definitely out of the convo, or maybe not. I mean they were talking about me.
“Yes, yes I would. You did that many times,” I stood up for myself.
I took a deep breath as I noticed that he was tearing up, but he didn’t cry, he hid those tears.
“Thanks Jessa,”
“We are enemies Harry!” I waved my arms around.
“No we’re not Jessa! You just hate me, I don’t know if you’re pretending or not but you do. I don’t hate you, I still love you! I am so in love with you that you don’t even know it…” he took a deep breath.
His words made my heart flutter, high, high above heaven. He still loves me. He actually loves me…
“Dude, can you please just leave her alone!?” Sam interrupted my thoughts.
I swiveled around and saw Sam’s faring nostrils. He was really dead serious.
“Stop messing with her head, it just makes everything worse! She just got over you and now you’re babbling lies at her?!”
Now he’s the bad guy here. How could he just say that he’s lying?! He most definably isn’t… maybe he is.
“Sam! I can’t believe that you would even say that, or no, think that! Harry can be a fricken’ pain in the ass but I highly doubt that he would lie about… loving me.” The last part I said slowly.
“Well then get your doubt back, and tell me when you do,” he bolted out of the lunch room.
“Wait!” I called after him, a minute too late.
His figure was gone in just a second and the whole lunch room was looking at us. Like we were some kind of movie. Wow, I would actually enjoy watching this as well, ha-ha.
My heart pounded against my chest when I looked back at Harry. He had a shy smile on.
“Now, don’t think that I-I believe you,” I stuttered.
“I think you do…” he slightly whispered.
“No I don’t!” I said hesitantly.
His brown eyes were glistening under the fluorescent lights, those brown’s that reminded me of dang brownies all the time. Wow, déjà-vu?
“Yes, I kind of do…” I gave up.
That shy smile grew into a wide smile, the one that I always loved to see all day.
“Well, do you truly still love me…?” I asked.
He nodded, speechlessly. “I love you so much Jessa,”
Those words touched my heart, like touching a soft feather, so soft and sweet oh and light.
I smiled the goofiest smile ever out of the love he spread to me.
“So, who was it?” Georgie butt in.
“Well, it can’t be Harry,” I explained, rubbing my chin.
Harry smiled from those very words. Ha, some respect finally, oh and trust.
“Um, then who could it be?” Georgie asked, curiously.
“I have no idea…” I replied, sighing.
I saw Harry walk up to me and bend down closer. I felt his breath against my skin; it sent tingles down my spine.
“I think that it may be Wally…”
“That idiot!? Really…? Why would he butt in school life?!” I whispered back.
“Yup, he’s an idiot like that.”
His breath ran down my skin, winking at the same time. My heart leapt at the same time. Face bright red, like Hayley’s hair.
He walked away, standing next to Georgie.
***
I stood in line; it was four pm, after school. The sign-ups for helping with the recording the play Romeo and Juliet were today. I for one really badly wanted to do that.
Tapping my foot, I rolled my CV in my hands, as nervous as can be. What if I don’t get it? No, I really want to get it. I recorded so many things but this would be my first play to record! It would be a chance in a lifetime! I need to get it so I could make my passion, love for movies bigger.
“Hey,” someone whispered behind my ear.
I turned around, startled. It was Hayley.
“Hey, what’re you doing here?” I asked.
“Oh, I wanna play Juliet!”
“But these are the auditions for the camera people, the producers, directors, that crap.”
She rolled her eyes, “And for the actors, duh.”
I swiveled back, rolling my eyes. She can’t do anything but try to be on top of the food chain. Always there, making us fall behind.
Blah, she’s a pain in the ass.
The line moved forward, only two more people in front of me. The two people went in, leaving only me standing next to the door. My legs were like jell-o now. I was so freakin’ nervous, like I always am.
She bumped into me, making me stumble.
“Hey!” I turned around, but she wasn’t there.
I looked back and she stood in front of me, smirk in place.
“Hey!” I repeated.
“What…?” she took a peak at me, trying to look innocent.
“You just cut in front of me!” I pushed back past her.
She grabbed my arm, digging her nails into my pale skin. I bent down, mouth wide from the horrible pain. God, did she have nails.
“Abuse!” I said.
“Nu-uh, I am first,” she said.
I pulled my arm away, covered all over in red anger. God, she’s really horrible. That bitch, hoe, stuck up, selfish, snobby girl.
“No, I’m first bitch,” my stomach flipped.
It always does that when I say some swear word. It’s like my body is really against those words.
Her jaw dropped, like an avalanche.
“Fine then,” she hissed.
I put on a sly grin standing in a two person line.
***
The three people behind a gray lunch table, sat in plastic blue chairs, pens in hands ready to dot down all the details on the clipboard.
I shut the door behind me, still shivering like crazy.
“Hello,” I said with a smile.
They smiled back. I walked up to the black chair that was placed in the middle of the green room for me to sit on. I handed them my CV and sat down.
“Hey Jessa,” one of them said.
It was a young girl, purple hair, green eyes, not familiar to me. I just smiled, trying to look as if I knew her.
“You are here to be a part of the camera crew?” she asked.
I simply nodded, feeling my heart race.
“Okay,” some guy said face behind the clipboard.
“Can you tell us about what you like to do?”
“Yeah, sure,” I smiled.
The guy put down the clipboard and my heart stopped automatically in it’s halfway point of making a single beat.
He was so handsome. Breathtaking.
“I-I,” I stuttered.
I took a deep breath looking away from his light blue eyes. “I make many videos on YouTube, music videos, small comedy sketches…” the purple haired girl cut me off.
“You make the videos, direct them not only record?”
“Yup,” I replied.
She nodded.
“Anyway…” I went on, “… I make tons of stuff like that. Some documentaries, stuff like that…” I explained.
“Mhm,” she hummed, taking a look at my CV.
The guy smiled and spoke with the rest of the judges. Truly, there were only three of them, so this was very short.
My hand felt like rubber once I actually lifted it from my thigh. I shook it a bit, getting the numbness away slowly. They still chatted to one another making slight sighs when they statted something important.
“Jessa, right?” the guy said with a deep but soft voice.
I nodded.
“You’re in as the director of the movie.” He said, surprisingly.
I grew a wide smile and jumped off the chair in excitement. My feet touched the titled ground as I ran up to the table.
“Thank you guys so very much!”
“No problem, here’s the script to the play, work with it and gives us the plan by next week Friday.” The guy said.
He handed it to me, sending tingles from my hand to the toes of my feet. His slightly tan face smiled back at me, making my small heart leap high.
“Thanks,” I said softly and left the room, waving a goodbye.
I shut the door and squealed.
I can’t believe it! I got the part, but actually a better one! The director of the play, no fucking way! Wait, that means I have to choose the actors… Hayley is over with he-he-he.
Gender:
Points: 314
Reviews: 267