I pushed through the door of the library, one of my favorite rooms in the school. It was lager and circular with book lined walls. All the desks in the middle of the room had been pushed away making and make shift stage. Mostly everyone had taken their seat; I stood close to the back of the room, away from everyone yet still with a good view.
The show was alright, we had some good talent here, but over all it was getting a little dull. But that was only until I saw Maureen take the stage. Lord, I wanted to leave right then. Filming her was the last thing I wanted to do. Then, to make matters worst, Roger joined her. I stayed, though I had heard Maureen sing many times before. As she sang I tried to look at everything but her, mostly the other members of the band. Practically Roger, he was a very gifted guitarist. When the Drama Queen strutted off the stage, Roger stood alone with only his guitar in hand. My jaw almost dropped when he started to sing; It was like his throat was lined with velvet. It was a slow song, one I did not know. I think everyone was as lost in the sound of his voice as I was.
This one ended far too fast. Everyone give him thunderous applause. I was shocked; I never would have guessed that Roger of all people could sing. I stayed in the library awhile after everyone else was gone. He was there too. He seemed to be everywhere I went. This time he was sitting on the floor behind a bookshelf; I almost tripped over him.
"Hey," I tried to think of something to say to him and fast. He looked up from his book for a few seconds, and then turned back to it. I noticed it was a book of Shakespeare's sonnets. Roger reads poetry? I never would have guessed that either. "That looks like a good book." He turned the cover away so I couldn't see. "You like poetry?"
"No, I just enjoy reading about things that I have no interest in." he snapped.
"Oh, well, I was at the show. You did a really good job." He said nothing. "You're really talented. I…" I couldn't think of what else I could say.
"Do you think that I care about anything you have to say to me?"
"Ah…"
"Because I don't."
"Wow. I was just trying to be-"
"Well, stop trying; I just want to be left alone."
"You and me both." I walked away. He has a beautiful voice, but he's a jerk.
Time went by same old, same old. I woke up, went to school, filmed anything I thought I could use, was thrown against lockers, ate alone, was thrown to the floor, eyes accidently made contacted with Roger's, went home, tried to eat, did homework, tried to edit, went to sleep dreading tomorrow.
They found out that I'm Jewish, though it wasn't like I was hiding it. In Journalism I had to write an article and do a little rant about stereotypes within cultures. I gave a first hand view of what the Jewish culture thought about their stereotypes. It was really easy; all I had to do was bring my camera to temple. Anyway, Ted- one of Jim's cronies- had a girlfriend who was in the class, who told him no doubt. Later, when it was time for my daily beating, I was greeted with:
"So he's not just a fag he's a Jew." Lovely. I'm lucky enough to be in a school where they hated gays and Jews. Just Lovely.
It was now October 19th. I came to my locker to find that they had spray painted the words Jew and Faggot all over it. I went to the teachers to get someone to get it off. I tried to tell them who did it but they only said that I had no proof. Miss Angel stuck up for me though. I went to sit with her over lunch.
"So, things are still going bad, sweetie?"
"Well, seeing as I can't go a day with out being knocked over and being called names, I'd say yes."
"Mark, I think I have something that my help you." She sang.
"Really?" I asked, though I really wanted to say, don't bother it won't help.
"The Drama Club is starting up next week, I've already started doing some casting but I'm short a few people. Now, you seem like and artsy kind of guy and I have a part that would be great for you."
"I didn't know… I've never really acted before."
"It's not a huge role, and I think it would be great for you. Plus, nothing brings people together like a good play. You could meet some really nice people."
I was told to go of the theatre after school for casting. I'm not sure why I needed to; Miss Angel gave me the script a head of time. In was going to play Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet. When I got there chaos was already braking out. From what I could tell some girl named Mimi got the part of Juliet. Maureen, being the diva that she was wouldn't stand for this.
"But I can't play the Nurse!" her larger then life voice boomed across the room. "I'm too pretty to play some old lady!" she stormed out.
"Don't worry she'll be back." Angel laughed to herself. She then began to call out the rest of the parts. "Thomas is to play Friar Laurence, Jacob will play Tybalt, Allen will play Lord Capulet, Jill will play Lady Capulet, Mark will play Benvolio, Roger will play Mercutio…" She went on but I was not listening. I looked behind me to see him leaning against the door. My stomach flipped. Why? I'm stuck with both on them!
There was something, let's call it fate, which seemed to be drawing me and Roger together. Someone once said that all things are suppose to happen for a reason. I didn't know if I believed that. What possible good could come out me being stuck with Roger? And I really was stuck with him now. For a new History project- one that would take over half the term- we got partnered up.
"Are you even going to attempt to work on this?" I said to him. It was our second day of working on it. We found a spot in a stair well were we could work quietly. Yesterday Roger didn't say a word to me.
"Of course." He didn't look at me.
"Are we at least going to discuss-"
"We don't need to." He brushed my question off.
"What is up with you? You're going to have to talk to me some time. If you didn't notice we have a few scenes together!" I was getting upset now. "You know what, maybe you could enlighten me. What is it about me that everyone hates?" He still said nothing. "Why won't you talk to me!" Something hit me hard on the back of head. I think it was a text book. My glasses fell off and I collapsed on to my knees.
"What's wrong Fruit? Lover's spat?" Jim cackled and walked pasted me.
I held the back of my head and sucked in my breath; it felt like my scull was spiting open. Then there was a hand on my shoulder and another on my arm. It was Roger, he was slowly helping me up.
"Are you okay?" He handed me my glasses. I swayed slightly, but he propped me up.
"Yeah…no… sort of. Thank you."
"Let's go to the theatre. We can practice before practice."
"But class is only half way over."
"Who cares? Let's go." He took me by the arm and led me down the hall.
