DESIREE

A week has passed and it's finally the first day of school. For most of the students, they're returning to school. For me and a couple of other students, we're returning to school and starting our first day of high school. Now high school is a very important part of a teenager's life. As for me, I just like school. For some demigods school would be at the bottom of their "To Do List". This is so because most demigods are dyslexic or have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. My family does not have a problem with dyslexia. Since we've been following the gods from country to country, we've learned the country's language. That trait was passed down from generations to generations. So I can actually speak a number of ancient and modern languages and I'm not that bad at reading or writing with it either. I'm not sure if I have ADHD but I don't like to stay put a lot though. That's why I love classes that are very active and we could move around a lot.

This may be the reason why I love theater. We keep moving and doing all these actions around the stage. Sure, sports are active and you also have to move a lot, but I don't like sweating. It feels sticky on my skin and it just feels so gross. Not that there's anything wrong with sports, I just don't like the sweating part. Now, the theater is where I really belong. Most girls don't like me because I always get the lead in every school play. I just can't help myself. When I'm performing, I feel like I'm in another world. It's like anything can happen on the stage, just me and the spotlight. The school bell brought me back to reality and reminded me that I am already at the front steps of the school.

Everyday of school, Donny and I love to dress properly. For the first day, he was wearing a yellow shirt with a big circle around a capital A in the middle printed on it, also known as the anarchy symbol, and a black vest over his shirt. He was also wearing black skinny jeans and a pair of classic black Chuck Taylors. He also wore a black leather flat cap in reverse with two gold stripes on the left side on his head. His look is never really complete unless there's at least a hat on his head. I, on the other hand, was wearing a light yellow floral dress with a flowing skirt and a tan-colored leather jacket that covers my upper torso. I also wore a pair of tall tan boot that absolutely was the icing on the cake.

"You kids have a great time now. See you after school," dad told us.

We waved at him goodbye and he drove off. Donny and I climbed the steps and went through the front doors.

"Can you believe it? We're in high school." He said like it was a dream.

We were walking down the hall, and then on one of the walls there was a poster for auditions for the drama club after school.

"We should totally enter." I told my brother.

"Most definitely." he replied.

We kept going through hallways until we found our room. What excited me more than our first day was our homeroom advisor. He was the drama and music teacher, and he is also the advisor for the drama club. I did a happy clap inside my head and went inside the room to find a seat. My whole day could have been perfect if it weren't for him.

My whole day was ruined because he had to be in the same class as I was. He or should I say it was Romeo Valentino. He has been the gum under my shoe that won't come off for the last ten years. It all started back in kindergarten. It was art class and I was painting a pretty butterfly. He also decide to do a painting himself but not with a paintbrush but with my hair. I used to wear my hair in braided pigtails and he thought it was funny to use it as a brush because it looked like one. I screamed and the teacher gave him a time out. I wasn't contented with his punishment and I planned to make my own. So during naptime when everyone was asleep, even our teacher, I took a juice box out of my lunchbox and poured it on his mat and I went back to mine.

When everyone woke up, I pointed at him a yelled "Ew! Romeo peed on his mat!"

He started crying and I was happy of his embarrassment. This is the reason why we hated each other so much for such a very long time.

I looked around the room to see if there were seats that were far away from me. Just my luck the only seat available was the one right beside me. I looked at his expression and he wasn't so thrilled either.

"Apparently this is the only seat left." he said.

I didn't pay him much attention. I just ignored him and pretended that he did not exist. It was kind of hard to do it because he kept staring right at me, which made me a little uncomfortable.

I was really getting annoyed now, "What is your problem? Stop staring at me. It's weird."

Then our teacher finally came in, which snapped him back to reality.

Our teacher introduced himself as Mr. Harding. "I would like to officially welcome all the freshmen to Alexandrian High School."

At the back someone raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr.…?" He acknowledged the student.

"Brice Walters. Why is the school called Alexandrian? Aren't most school named after American historical icons?" Brice asked.

Mr. Harding responded "I was actually getting there. The founder of the school, Jonathan Michaels, named the school after his favorite historical icon Alexander the Great. He had a chance to visit the city of Alexandria in Egypt. The city was of course named after the conqueror. He never forgot his visit and when he was building this school he wanted to name the school after the city to feel a connection with his icon. Does that answer your question, Brice?"

"Yes it does." He said.

"Alright, why don't we do a little stretching activity? Come on everybody stand up." He said encouragingly.

Most of us were reluctant to stand but did anyway. We did a couple of gesture which made no sense to me until he started reciting the "chant". It was actually a fancy way of doing "I Have Two Hand". We took our seats and Mr. Harding was just saying a few announcements. There will be a pep rally for all the freshmen this coming Friday and apparently the homecoming dance was going to be next Saturday. I wonder who will ask me out.

The bell rang and all of us went out of the room. Remember when I said I love school. Right now, it did not like me. It seems that the school purposely wanted me to lose my head. In all my classes he was in all of them. The worst was that we were lab partners in science class.

Just before my head would explode, the last bell finally rang and school was over. All I had to do was to get in the drama club and my whole day would not be a complete bust. I found the auditorium and saw that my brother was already there. I went to him and sat on the chair beside him. There were also a couple of other people too. The auditorium wasn't very full but it wasn't that empty either. There were at least twenty people there. So that's a good start for the year. Just when everything was going well, he had to ruin it again. He was sitting at the very corner of the auditorium. So I was glad that he won't bother me. Then Mr. Harding appeared on stage.

"Welcome dramatic and musical enthusiasts to the auditions for the drama club." He greeted us graciously. We all clapped.

"Now, everyone has signed in right? Good. This audition will be a little different. I will pass pieces of paper with a few lines for the monologues or dialogues and lyrics for the song you will sing. I'll give you a couple of minutes to memorize everything on that piece of paper and I'll call the titles of your songs at random. You will either perform alone or with a partner." He said explaining what we were going to do.

He passed the pieces of paper around. I was sad to know I was not going to sing with Donny but it will be an experience not to sing with him. I looked at the title of my song. It was "Elephant Love Medley" from Moulin Rouge. I have actually memorized the words and the song before and I am certain that this song is a duet.

During the practice, I kept wondering who I'll be performing with. I was hoping really hard that it won't be Romeo. I noticed that most people were really concentrating on their piece. So I decided to read mine for a bit. I haven't sung this song for a while so it was for my best to familiarize myself with it again. After a couple more minutes, Mr. Harding announced that he will now start the auditions.

The audition started and the first few who auditioned were great. I just kept wishing that Mr. Harding would call Romeo's name because I was starting to get nervous. I'm not usually nervous to perform but if I do it with him, I don't know what will happen. A couple more people performed and still no Romeo on stage. I was slightly hyperventilating now. Next were my brother and some other girl. He did an amazing job but I wasn't really concentrating. I just kept looking at Romeo's direction. Donny and the girl were done performing and Mr. Harding stood up and announced the last song. It was my song. I stood up and my worst nightmares were coming true. He also stood up and I thought I was about to faint. I didn't want to make a scene so I sucked it up and just concentrated with my performance. I didn't want to care that it was him. I just want to get this over with as soon as possible.

We stared at each other from disbelief.

Then Mr. Harding said "You can start any time now."

Romeo started his dialogue "Love is a many splendid thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love."

Then I started mine. "Please don't start that again. "

Then we just continued the rest through song and dialogue.

Allyou need is love

"A girl has got to eat."

All you need is love

"Or she'll end up on the street."

All you need is love…

Love is just a game

I was made for loving you baby; you were made for loving me

The only way of loving me baby is to pay a lovely fee

Just one night, just one night

There's no way, 'cause you can't pay

In the name of love, one night in the name of love

You crazy fool, I won't give into you

Don't leave me this way

I can't survive without your sweet love

Oh baby, don't leave me this way

You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs

Well I look around me and I see it isn't so, no

Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs

Well what's wrong with that?

I'd like to know, 'cause here I go again.

Love lifts us up where we belong

He really did climb up the bars where the lights were attached just to help me in my dialogue.

"What are you —? Get down from there."

Where eagles fly, on a mountain high

"Oh my gosh."

Love makes us act like we are fools.

Throw our lives away for one happy day

We could be heroes just for one day

Then he jumped off back on the stage.

I continued with my dialogue "You, you will be me."

So did he "No I won't."

"And I, I'll drink all the time."

We should be lovers

I felt uncomfortable when he sang that. It was like he was really suggesting it.

We can't do that

We should be lovers and that's a fact

Though nothing would keep us together

We could steal time…

just for one day

Our voices started to blend and I have to say they fit perfectly together.

We could be heroes forever and ever

We could be heroes forever and ever

We could be heroes…

Then the most powerful part of the song started. I know it's just a song, but in that part, I felt a tingle in my stomach. Not to mention this part is a Whitney Houston song and the ending was Elton John. We had to sing it responsively.

Just because I, I will always love you

I, I can't help loving…

you

How wonderful life is…

Then we started blending again.

now you're in the world

While the song was ending, I had the strange urge to kiss him. I don't know why. It wasn't like me to feel that way for him. Maybe it's just because of the song and how powerful the message of love is in it. I really don't know. So that I won't feel embarrassed and surprise everyone, even him, I walked off the stage in haste. I did hear an explosive applause and I think I heard Mr. Harding crying, but I kept walking until I sat back down next to my brother.

Mr. Harding went back on stage and said "Well those were all brilliant performances. I will post the result tomorrow on the bulletin board." Then we all left.

Our dad picked us up because it was kind of late and he doesn't want us to walk home in the dark. We got in at the back and he drove off. He asked us about the auditions but I wasn't in the mood to talk. I had so many things going on inside my head. But Donny wasn't as boggled as I was.

"It was great." he said

I just said "It was fine I guess."

"Are you alright sweetheart?" my dad asked concerned.

Then Donny spoke up "I think we should talk about it when we get home."

When we got home, we went inside and I walked directly to my room. I sat on my bed and replayed everything that happened. I kept repeating in my head the way he looked at me when the song was ending. It was like he had the strange feeling to kiss me too. I didn't want to think about that. Then somehow there was this odd thing on his eyes. When I was looking straight in his eyes, I saw this twinkle. Why would there be a twinkle on his eyes? If he was a cartoon that would make sense but he was real and that would technically be physically impossible. I just tried to forget it.

Then my dad called, "Desiree can you help set the table?"

I went downstairs to help. I wanted to do something that will distract me from my thoughts.