I stood for what seemed like hours as I looked at her.

'Great,' I thought to myself sarcastically 'now I have to work with her."

She smiled as she said, "Hi, I didn't know you wanted to do a play."

'I didn't' I thought

"Yeaaahhhh," I said with a forced smile "totally."

She approached with a speed walk as she opened her hand and extended. I looked at the open hand and looked back at her. I waited for 3 seconds and stared at her, she kept the smile and didn't put her hand down. I reluctantly extended my hand and grasped her hand and gave it a good shake. I released after that hand contact as did she.

"Hey, what kinda meals do teachers eat?"Luan said with a smile

"What?" I responded

"Square meals," Luan said as she pointed finger guns at me "HAHAHAHA, get it."

I looked at her without a crack of a smile. She looked at me for another 4 seconds until she let down her finger guns.

"Aww, come on, I thought that would work," Luan said sadly

I shrugged and said, "Well you gotta work harder next time, it takes a lot for me to smile."

"Oh, trust me," She said as she formed a sinister smile "I will make you smile."

…

"Oh come, on not even a hint of fear?" She pouted

"Nope" I simply replied, "You are the least threatening girl I've met."

I turned around and began to walk into the front doors of the building with the giant banner saying Theater practice today. I looked to my left and to my right when I entered the theater and saw a woman that was on the stage that had black hair and a red over a shirt with blue balls for earrings eating an apple while looking at a clipboard.

I look at her and said to myself "Must be a pain in the ass to put that up every day."

I soon hear the rapid approach of steps and I look back to see Luan coming closer. She began to slow down once she reached me and she was walking in personal boundaries. I look at her and I see her glaring at a boy with brown hair, a blue shirt, and pants. I look at him and he looked at me and then his eyes move to Luan. He squinted and looked back at the poster on the wall.

"Uhhhhh," I began "What are you-"

"Just roll with it," she said "please."

I just shrug it off as I walk down to the front row seats and sit down on the seats with the sign saying sit. I sit and the girl sits next to me and I look at her as she looks uncomfortable with her expression.

"Sigh" I began "What's wrong."

She looked over at the boy in the blue button-up shirt as he sat down 4 chairs away from her.

"It's-" She began " It's about my Ex."

I look at her and I said "I fail to see how that is my problem."

"Well," She started

'Oh God please let there not be a back story' I thought

"It started last play, Romeo and Juliet." She said

'JESUS CHRIST' I silently suffered

"I had a massive crush on him back in the last grade." Luan said "And I did a play he signed up for to get closer. Things were going great and I managed to kiss him when the play was actually performed. But after that, we dated for 1 week it was great, we went to the park, went swan boating, ate at a picnic, and took pictures. Then he started to change. He would touch my butt, forcefully kiss me, touch my thigh, and even if I told him to stop he still kept on doing it. I told him that I couldn't do it anymore and I broke up with him. He called me a slut and whore and dumped water on me... Now he's dating a new girl."

I looked at her as she began to let down tears. I look at the boy and he's sitting with his legs so far out that it would be invading Poland and slouching. I look back at the girl and she put her head down.

I carefully put my hand on the back of her head and I stroked her hair and said "Hey, I'm sorry. Forget that jerk, he's gonna be in jail when he grows up. If you need to talk, I'm here for you. I right next door to you."

She looked at me "You really mean it?"

"Yeah…" I paused for a moment "That's what friends are for."

Her face lit up as she said "Yay, thanks… I forgot your name."

"Emmet"

"You really are a good guy." she said as she hugged me "You're not as soulless as I thought."

I smirked at the comment and I looked back at the stage.

"There's that smile." She said

"ATTENTION," The woman said dramatically on the stage "This is the audition for the Beuty and the Beast play. You all have to try out for the parts that I will put you in."

She looked at the audience and I squinted at her and she pulled out a list from her clipboard. She looked at it and looked at the audience.

"This is the order for the auditions." She said "Jacob, Billy, Janet, Jane, Mollie, Mcdonnel, Sarah, John, Lizzy, Luan, Olivia, Benny, Emmet. Do you all understand"

There was a wave of nods and she smiled and called on the first kid. I watched as the boy walked onto the stage and he nodded at the producer to start it. She handed him a script of a piece of the play and he began.

"Oh Bell, why do you love this wretched beast when you could be with a man like me," he said

'That was it?' I thought to myself

"OH MARVEOUSE," She said while she put the back of her hand on her forehead

'Well this won't take a lot of time' I thought to myself

One by one, every kid went up on stage.

"LUAN!" She said "Your next."

Luan walked onto the stage and she took the script from Lizzy.

She cleared her throat and began "Oh Bell, why do you love this wretched beast when you could be with a man like me."

"OUTSTANDING!" The director said "NEXT!"

Benny walked up on stage and he snatched the script violently from Luan and gave her a death glare.

Benny began "Oh Bell, why do you love this wretched beast when you could be with a man like me."

"That was STELLAR!" the director said "NEXT!

I walked up on stage and I grabbed the script from Benny and he marched off stage.

I cleared my throat "Oh Bell, why do you love this wretched beast when you could be with a man like...like..."

I paused when I saw Benny sit behind Luan and he takes out a piece of chewing gum from his mouth.

"Is there something wrong?" The director said

I turned to my right and saw an apple core next to the director's clipboard. I walk over to the core and grab it. I look back at Benny about to place it on her hair and I look at the apple core and toss it in my hands a few times. I look at Benny again and I chucked the core with the might of Zuse.

THUNK

A silence filled the theater as the sound of the core colliding with Benny's cranium sounded off. Gasps were heard and Luan was in shock the core almost hit her. She looked back and saw Benny rubbing his head and he pulled his hand away and gum was no longer in his hand but in his hair. She held in a laugh at what the kid behind her got.

I looked at him for a few more seconds before the was a voice that boomed out.

"BOY!" the director said, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

I looked at her and began "WHAT! He was about to put gum in her hair!"

"If that happened then she should go get me and I'll deal with it!" She snapped back

"ADULTS DON'T DO DICK!" I snapped at her

The kids in the crowd gasped at the language and the woman was in shock at the fact of what I said. Her face grew red as she marched up to me.

"EMMET, YOU ARE BANNED FROM THIS PLAY!" She screamed at me "LEAVE!"

I shrugged and jumped off of the stage instead of taking the stairs. I walked to the exit and opened the door to the theater. I look back to see Luan with heartbroken eyes and I look back and close the door behind me.

40 minutes later

I continued walking home and I hummed the Halo theme. I thought about how I got pulled into this, how I met Luan, how she was hurt. I threw that core to protect her. He would learn his lesson. What would the lady do, nag him into submission? I snickered at myself at my own joke.

'Kicked out on the first day, you trying to lose friends.' I mocked myself

I turn into the walkway of my house. I was about to take my first step into the yard when I heard the rumbling of an engine. I look and see a van driven by Lori and Luan in the passenger seat. I look to the ground and slip my hands in my pocket. I suddenly hear above the engine.

"Lori, you can drop me off here."

I look back and I see the van halt in the street in front of my house. I saw Luan jump out of the van and run up to me. I stop and turn to her with my hands in my pockets.

"EMMET!" Luan began "WAIT!"

"Luan?" I said, " I thought there was another hour of practice."

She rubbed her shoulder and said, "She let us go early since Benny needed to go to the infirmary."

My eyes widened "I hit him that hard?"

"Yeah, he was bleeding," She said but she shook her head "That's not the point, I want to thank you for defending me. That really meant a lot."

"No problem," I said, "It was my duty."

"I also managed to convince the director to let you back into the play," she said with a smile

I paused then a smile formed "Thanks, I'll look forward to working with you."

"It's the least I can do." She said, "oh, and one more thing."

"Yeah?" I said

"What did the girl say to the candy store owner," she said

"I don't know?" I said "What did she say"

"Let me have a kiss." She said

Suddenly she grabbed my shoulder and pressed her lips on mine. I was shocked that I didn't notice she pulled away and ran back to her house. I was left speechless as I was left there frozen. It was about 10 seconds until a smile formed on my face and I joyfully skipped to the door. I opened it and there they stood.

"Oh…" I said "H-hi mom, Hh-hi dad."

They had smiles on their faces and looked at me and belt in hand.

"I was originally going to punish you for hurting that kid, but now I think I'll just ground you for a week." My dad said

"Ohhh my baby has a girlfriend!" My mom squeaked

"W-what no!" I said while a blush covered my face

"Trust me, Emmet." My dad said, "I thought the same about your mom."

I huffed as I stormed to my room. I close the door and lay down on my bed. I sigh and look out my window and at the loud house. I sigh and smile. Suddenly an ear-piercing squeal came from the loud house.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I jumped and I look at the house. I wait for 10 seconds before I let out a sigh.

"Maybe this better than I expected," I said