Chapter 7: The First Practice (Jason)
I did something stupid. Really stupid. I let Bobby talk me into being in a play.
I know, I know. You shouldn't be so upset Jason. It's your fault you gave in to peer pressure. Blah blah blah. Well, at first we were just going to watch and make fun of the geeky kids in the play, then somehow, we ended up in the play... I don't know how, but I blame Bobby since it was his idea. And if the team found out... I would never hear the end of it.
Dylaln clapped me on the back. "Good game, Grace," he said, and I just nodded and checked my watch that I wasn't supposed to be wearing during practice. 4:47. Shit.
I couldn't believe I got student director. I mean, I didn't think I was going to be in the play in the first place, but I didn't think that of all the parts I could have got, I got director. I thought maybe I would have ended up backstage or something.
"And don't forget the game against the Titans this Friday," Coach Hedge reminded us. "We better not lose this game again, cupcakes."
We all nodded.
"You're free to go," he told us. "And stop eating so many damn salads, you're all too scrawny. You need to bulk up." He walked away, mumbling something about eating 17 hot dogs for dinner.
I started towards the locker rooms. Bobby ran up next to me and checked my watch. "We're half an hour late," he grumbled. "They're going to kill us."
We got to practice for the play a full forty-five minutes late after we had to explain to Dylan why we couldn't go to Dairy Queen with the rest of the team and the cheerleaders. We made a lame excuse that we needed to retake a test so we would be eligible for the game Friday. Dylan didn't ask another question. The Titans are our school's biggest rival. That game was more important to Dylan than Mr. D's convertible is to him.
Our entrance wasn't exactly quiet and unnoticeable. The door to the auditorium slammed shut behind us, making everyone look at us. "Hey!" Bobby greeted them and ran down the aisle to the stage while I stood there like an idiot.
I finally made it to the front and a beautiful Native American girl stood there, glaring at me. "You're forty-seven minutes late," she said. "But I suppose I'm lucky you even showed up."
I ran a hand through my hair, which was still wet from my shower. "Um..."
She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you going to be one hell of a director? What's next? Are you going to ask Connor and Annabeth to switch roles?"
I blinked. "Who?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Annabeth Chase is playing Juliet, and Connor Stoll is playing Mercutio. You don't even know who has which part, do you?"
"Um..." Once again, I was at a loss for words. "Who even are you?"
"Piper McLean, your co-director. Now would you like to start, or would you like us to wait another forty-seven minutes for you, your excellency?" she asked sarcastically.
I rolled my eyes, getting annoyed. "Let's start."
"I think we should go ahead and start practicing the play from the beginning,... Unless you have another idea?"
"No, by all means, go ahead with your idea since I'm a crappy director and you're the superior one," I said sarcastically.
She smiled. "Great." She patted my cheek and climbed the steps to the stage with me stumbling after her like a moron.
"Mr. Brunner left us in charge?"
"No, he's just backstage showing the crew where everything is and told me to start practice as soon as you decided to grace us with your presence," she told me. She turned towards the seats where the cast was sitting. "Hi everybody. I'm sorry it took so long. Everyone has a script, right?" Everyone nodded. "Great. I think we should start from the beginning of the play and work our way through and we'll practice with scripts for now. Sound good?"
Once again, they nodded in unison like a bunch of robots or something.
"Then let's get started." Piper flashed a brilliant white smile that could make any guy (except me) melt and hopped off the stage.
I followed her. "You didn't even let me say anything."
She stopped and a small grin sneaked its way on to her face. "Everybody stop! Jason has something to say!"
All heads turned towards me and I froze. "Um... Good luck, and uh, yeah... that's all I got."
A couple kids snickered and most of them turned back to what they were doing.
"Thank you for embarrassing me," I told Piper.
She grinned again. "Any time, and now you've made up for being late, so let's start the play." We sat in the front row in front of the stage.
Leo, who would be our narrator and Friar Laurence, ran out on to the stage.
"Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."
"Spoiler alert!" somebody yelled.
Piper rolled her eyes. "That was good Leo."
He grinned. "Of course it was." He tried to walk off the stage, coolly, but he tripped and landed on his face. He quickly stood up. "Psssshhh... I meant to do that. The floor just looked like it needed a hug. Peace out bros!" He made a peace sign and left the stage.
That was Friar Laurence?
Ethan and Frank walked on stage and began reciting their lines. I wasn't really listening though. They said something about cutting maids' heads off.
"What did you think?" Piper asked me.
"What?"
She rolled her eyes. "Next time, don't be so obvious about not paying attention."
I was glad when we had finally went through the whole play. It was almost eight, and I had spent most of the time trying not to fall asleep.
"Great job," Piper said, acting chipper. "Go over your scripts more and we'll practice again Thursday." She smiled brightly and everyone started leaving. She was putting props away when she turned to look at me. "Are you going to quit?"
"What?"
"Are. You. Going. To. Quit? You obviously don't care about this play at all. What kind of director shows up nearly an hour late and falls asleep during practice? So are you going to quit?"
"I care."
"Really? You could fool me. The thing is, Jason, this is a group thing and we count on everybody. Think about it like basketball, except we don't have any alternates. We need the whole team. And that includes you. So you need to work, or you can quit. It's up to you."
"Nice metaphor, but this is nothing like basketball. Besides, you don't need me. We're co-directors."
She raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you still here?"
Good point. I started to leave. I didn't need to be here. I'd quit. Then I stopped. She wanted me to quit. I turned around. "I'm not quitting."
She looked at me. "Really?"
"I'm going to be the best director this play has ever had."
She laughed. "You're not getting off to a very good start. I'll make you a bet."
"Fine, if I last until the end of this play, you have to do whatever I want for one day."
"And if you don't, you have to do whatever I want for one day."
"Deal."
She grinned. "Great. We're measuring for costumes Thursday after school. Don't forget. We meet at 4 o'clock. Don't be late." She hopped down from the stage handed me a fake knife, and walked away, like she had already won.
Maybe she did. Damn that girl could get on my nerves.
