Chapter 3.

"So, as I have nothing to teach you, I'm allowing you to perform Jade's play," Sikowitz announced. "I know some of you aren't featuring in the play so you'll be doing tech crew and design department. Basically do as Miss West tells you and we'll be all fine and dandy."

Sikowitz stepped down and went to take a seat at the back of the theatre. Everyone turned to Jade and waited for instruction. She climbed onto the stage, everyone's eyes still on her, and opened her mouth to speak, her hand hovering over the script in her hand.

"Oh, Jade? Where's the coconuts you promised me?" Sikowitz interrupted.

Jade rolled her eyes. "In the boot of your car, go look."

Sikowitz jumped up like an excited child and ran out, still bare foot.

"SO, my play. It's called Stay with Me for those of you unable to locate the title, which is probably most of you. Or those secretly born in Canada and have magically found themselves here in L.A."

"Have you still not dropped that?" Beck called out in disbelief.

"Are you still here?" Jade smiled falsely back. "Anyway, I asked you all to refrain from reading it anything other than the cast list until I had a chance to explain."

"More like demanded," Rex piped up. Jade had given him back after his 'puppet-napping' ordeal when Robbie agreed to be in the play.

"Shut it, sock puppet," Jade snapped back then returned to the script. "Well, it's about a young girl called Katie and she gets hit by a car at the end."

"Of course they'd be death somewhere," Rex muttered. Robbie covered his mouth in fear of Jade taking him again.

"The play centres on her and her friends, the lead up to it and generally what happens," She explained. "Now the casting is as follows, I changed a few things last night."

She cleared her throat and began to read from her script. "Tori will be playing Lucy, a friend of Katie and Rose. She's very upset about Katie and Rose having someone else in their lives but she has no one to turn to other than the audience who she considers to be flowers in the garden."

Tori tilted her head from side to side, considering the part; she could see why it was originally Cat's part. "Oh, okay. I like new challenges."

"Cat will be playing Rose, Katie's oldest friend. Rose is dating Logan who she loves and he is her rock throughout. She is very open minded and always wants to see her friends happy; she is very protective of Katie."

"I like her! So who is Logan?" Cat giggled. "I like stage kissing; can I have a lot of that, Jadey?"

Jade smiled smugly, knowing she'd already wrote a lot in. "Of course you can, Cat. Anything my little red head wants."

"Yay!" Cat exclaimed loudly.

"I will be playing Katie, I never get to play my own main character. She is still in love with her ex but she's unsure of what to do."

"What about the boys?" André asked after Tori frowned at the script.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about the boys. Erm, you'll be in charge of music, I want live music Harris, not computer, comprendé?"

He saluted from his seat. "Yes Ma'am."

"Robbie you shall be playing Logan and Beck will be playing Aaron," Jade pulled her script away from her eyes. "All right, now, everyone else who isn't involved, go find costumes and other stuff."

The remainder of the class got up and walked out silently.

"Who's Aaron?" Beck said as Jade stepped down from the stage.

Jade sighed. "Sikowitz told me I had to make you male lead."

"Then why can't you make Tori or Cat the main girl?" Beck argued, waving his script around.

"No. I want to lead my own play for once. Sue me."

Beck shook his head. "I will not play your boyfriend."

"I don't think anyone else is arguing over their part so why the heck are you?" She yelled back.

Beck reeled off. "I don't want to play a part and have to rehearse with you. I don't want to have to spend hours at your side. I don't want to be stuck here with you."

Jade opened her mouth to say her usual 'oh' but it didn't come out. Her eyes glazed over and her face drained of colour. "Well thank you for expressing your opinion on the matter."

She walked out of the room at a brisk pace. Tori nodded at Cat then chased after Jade, calling her name. André and Robbie followed, claiming they needed to work on music and acting points.

"That was mean, Beck," Cat said as she tapped her fingers against the purple giraffe in her clutches. "You hurt Jadey's feelings."

"She needed to hear it, I need to prove I'm over her as much as she is over me."

Cat sighed. "Why are you boys all so stupid?"

Beck frowned, sitting back down next to Cat. "What do you mean?"

"You're all so silly; you can't see what's right in front of you."

"Cat? What are you talking about?"

"Do you think Giraffes ever talk about humans and putting us in zoos?" Cat wondered out loud.

"Cat, answer me! What can't I see?" Beck tried to remain serious.

"I don't know… have you got your eyes shut?" She replied. "Maybe that's why you can't see!"

Beck laughed knowing that the smart outburst Cat had just had wouldn't be retrieved.

Cat smiled at him, placing a hand on his knee. "Beck, if I could tell you, I would but I'm not allowed, I pinky promised."

"Oh, I'm glad you'd tell me if you could, Kitten."

"Just think, I'm sure you'll get it soon, Beck," She then kissed his cheek and proceeded to run out of the door.