Chapter 5
"How did he know it was us?" Jason asked, turning towards Brady and Phillip as they walked slowly out of the principal's office the next day.
"Probably because Phil's the only teen in this town who can afford that car of his." Brady scoffed, raising an eyebrow at Phillip.
"Well that doesn't really matter now does it? The fact is we got caught, and now we're being punished." Phillip stated.
"At least we have three punishments to choose from." Jason remarked, remembering the three choices they were given. "One of us has to clean out the washrooms for two weeks, one of us has to tutor a freshman for a month and once of us has to be in the junior play as the lead role because unfortunately dear old Eugene broke his leg. And a couple of girls got the measles, so that leaves a few spots open for other seniors so you won't be all alone." He finished, grinning. "I dibs washrooms!"
"Shot gun on the tutoring!" Phillip cried. "Besides, I hear one of the tutorees is really cute."
Then both guys looked over at Brady.
"Oh Brady…" Jason said dramatically, raising his hand to his forehead, "You must put your acting skills to the ultimate test."
Brady rolled his eyes and shoved him into Phillip. Then they both started laughing.
"Oh, and Chloe is the lead. What a surprise! I bet you planned all of this Black!" Phillip said, gasping for air.
"You know what's even funnier?" Jason said, holding his sides. "At the end of this play…you have to kiss her!" Then he collapsed to the ground, laughing like a mad hyena on a stimulant.
"Damn." Brady said, banging his hand lightly against a locker. He could pretend to be upset and just live with it, or have the poisoned state of mind of his friends and be a baby about it. He chose the first option.
"So how come the girls aren't in trouble here?"
"Because the watchman didn't see them. And even if he did, he wouldn't know who they were because they're not usually with us when we get into messes like these."
"Well sucks to be them! I'm sure they would have thoroughly enjoyed cleaning the bathrooms of Salem High. I know I'd like to be in the girl's washroom everyday. What a swell punishment."
"Ok guys, whatever. I think I need to pick up the script now." Brady said, starting to walk off.
"No need!" Jason broke in, holding up a folder he had taken from the principal's office. "I got it right here."
He was about to hand Brady the book when he saw the title. "Jason Welles, permanent record".
"Well oops what do you know! I guess you really do have to pick it up. I think I'll just hang onto this…"
Brady rolled his eyes laughing. "Yeah, maybe you can get mine next time." He walked off down the hall, his face flushed a pinkish red from laughing so hard.
***
Chloe sat smiling in the auditorium as everyone rehearsed their parts. The play was in three weeks and they had to get it right, it had to be perfect. She read her lines when it came her turn, speaking them into the air because at the moment there was no leading man. She wasn't exactly a leading lady in the play, she portrayed the mysterious singer that the characters often saw singing out onto the lake.
"Chloe dear, do you know the song?"
"Yes, Miss. I'm all set." She said smiling.
"Good, good. Now we just need to wait for our lead actor to get here. I gave him the script last Monday, he should be here soon to practice with us."
"Who is it?"
"Oh, you'll see. He's a senior who apparently got into some very deep trouble."
"Yeah, then ratted on us." Belle said from her seat in the auditorium.
"Now all three of us have to be in the play!" Mimi whined. "And what's more is she gets to kiss him at the end! That's not fair." She finished, pointing an accusing finger at Chloe.
"Girls! Why so glum? You don't have that big a part, you just have to be some of the onlookers at the lake in the final act. How hard is that?" The drama teacher said, eyeing them happily.
Mimi and Belle shrugged their shoulders.
"Oh please Mimi. It's not even a kiss, just a peck on the lips. Big deal."
"So what? You don't have experience with pecks!" Mimi seethed, glaring at Chloe. Her response was an eye roll from the quiet brunette.
There was a loud bang from the other end of the auditorium as the door closed.
"Ah, you're here!" The teacher said. Everyone turned their heads to see the mystery man who, overnight, had become the lead in their play.
Chloe gasped. "Black?" She said, as if she were disappointed. She leaned back in her chair and huffed.
"Hey Brady." Mimi gushed as he took a seat beside her.
"Ok, I'm here. Now what?" he asked, looking around at the faces surrounding him. Every girl but Chloe seemed to have their eyes glued on him.
"Should we go over the script again?" Chloe asked quietly, her eyes on the teacher.
"Yes, I do think that would be quite the smart thing to do. Brady, follow along as best you can. I expect that after this you can find someone who will help you practice your lines."
"I will!" Mimi said, raising her arm in the air. She looked over at Brady and winked. Brady looked away from her disgusting display of affection and focused in on the teacher as she began to speak.
"No, Miss Lockheart, that wont be possible. He should practice with someone who has the same amount of lines as him. That would be either our leading lady Gwen, or our mysterious temptress Chloe."
Belle cleared her throat after the teacher said 'temptress' and she and Mimi closed their palms over their mouths to keep from laughing out loud.
The teacher rolled her eyes before continuing.
"Well, that is if you do need help Mr. Black."
"I definitely need it." Brady answered, looking over at Chloe who was still avoiding his gaze.
"Chloe are you up to it?" The teacher asked slowly, probably expecting her to say yes, but when instead she said 'I'd rather not' she was quite shocked.
"Oh, alright. I guess you'll practice with Gwen then." She said, nodding her head towards a short little blonde.
"Um, actually, on second thought…" Brady started, "I think I can manage."
"Alright, it's your decision!"
So they drama class ran through their lines again, Mimi shamelessly flirting with Brady and Brady shamelessly attempting to shrug her off. They didn't get the chance to hear Chloe sing her song, their time was up before they got that far, but Chloe seriously doubted that she would have sung it now anyway. She wanted to wait until the actual night of the play.
After the practice, Brady went home to drop off his backpack, then made his way by means of walking to Chloe's house. He silently climbed the porch steps and stood on her door. There was still a little bit of sunlight left, and half the house was covered in the orange glow of the sunset.
He knocked slowly on the door, waiting for an answer.
Chloe opened it and said hello before she realized who it was.
"Oh. It's you." She said, as if he were something the cat dragged in.
"Listen Chloe, I really need you to help me with my lines."
"Why should I?"
"Look, if you're talking about that day at the cemetery, I'm sorry. I just couldn't let my friends know that I wanted to be your friend."
"Oh, so now you want to be my friend. Well Black, I don't think that you know how." She said coldly.
"No, I just want to be, you know, I…"
"Oh! You want to be secret friends! Like a conspiracy!" She said grinning.
"Exactly! You read my mind!"
"Oh really? Now you read mine." Chloe said. The smile faded from her face and was replaced with a frown before she slammed the door in Brady's face.
"Chloe!" he cried, knocking on the door again. This time it was Craig who answered the door.
"I do believe my daughter is finished with you." He said, in a fatherly tone. Fathers were not meant to be messed with so Brady just nodded his head and left the property.
Later that night, Brady sat quietly at his window. From his house, he had a clear view of the cemetery. Around nine, he saw the familiar figure of Chloe emerge from the darkness and take a seat on Hemsby. He ran from his room and told his mother he forgot to do something and grabbed his script before rushing out the door.
He walked silently towards Chloe from the gates. As he got nearer, she stood up and took a step back, holding her star charts and script book protectively against her chest.
"What are you doing here." She said, not asked, said. As if she were annoyed with him, and Brady figured she had reason to be.
"Um, I came here to practice my script. The moonlight is bright enough to see even here." He said, holding up the script he had brought with him.
"Oh, well have a nice time." Chloe said, sitting back down and continuing with her star chart.
"Can't you help me with it?" He said desperately. "Look, Chloe, I'm sorry. I'm not like you. I care what people think."
"Why?"
"Cause if I don't, then I'll be rejected."
"Like me." Chloe said flatly.
Brady shrugged, not exactly sure of what to say.
"Why don't they like me?" She asked, turning her head to face Brady. Brady sat down across from her on "Lincoln".
"They're afraid of anything that's different."
"And you're not?"
"Nope. That's why I'm here right now."
"Oh."
"So will you help me with my lines?"
"Only on one condition."
"And what's that." Brady asked.
"Promise that not to fall for me." At first Brady thought she was joking but then he realized the serious tone she had taken. Brady raised his eyebrows.
"Ok, that shouldn't be a problem." He said matter-of-factly.
"Good. Now I'll help you."
"How did he know it was us?" Jason asked, turning towards Brady and Phillip as they walked slowly out of the principal's office the next day.
"Probably because Phil's the only teen in this town who can afford that car of his." Brady scoffed, raising an eyebrow at Phillip.
"Well that doesn't really matter now does it? The fact is we got caught, and now we're being punished." Phillip stated.
"At least we have three punishments to choose from." Jason remarked, remembering the three choices they were given. "One of us has to clean out the washrooms for two weeks, one of us has to tutor a freshman for a month and once of us has to be in the junior play as the lead role because unfortunately dear old Eugene broke his leg. And a couple of girls got the measles, so that leaves a few spots open for other seniors so you won't be all alone." He finished, grinning. "I dibs washrooms!"
"Shot gun on the tutoring!" Phillip cried. "Besides, I hear one of the tutorees is really cute."
Then both guys looked over at Brady.
"Oh Brady…" Jason said dramatically, raising his hand to his forehead, "You must put your acting skills to the ultimate test."
Brady rolled his eyes and shoved him into Phillip. Then they both started laughing.
"Oh, and Chloe is the lead. What a surprise! I bet you planned all of this Black!" Phillip said, gasping for air.
"You know what's even funnier?" Jason said, holding his sides. "At the end of this play…you have to kiss her!" Then he collapsed to the ground, laughing like a mad hyena on a stimulant.
"Damn." Brady said, banging his hand lightly against a locker. He could pretend to be upset and just live with it, or have the poisoned state of mind of his friends and be a baby about it. He chose the first option.
"So how come the girls aren't in trouble here?"
"Because the watchman didn't see them. And even if he did, he wouldn't know who they were because they're not usually with us when we get into messes like these."
"Well sucks to be them! I'm sure they would have thoroughly enjoyed cleaning the bathrooms of Salem High. I know I'd like to be in the girl's washroom everyday. What a swell punishment."
"Ok guys, whatever. I think I need to pick up the script now." Brady said, starting to walk off.
"No need!" Jason broke in, holding up a folder he had taken from the principal's office. "I got it right here."
He was about to hand Brady the book when he saw the title. "Jason Welles, permanent record".
"Well oops what do you know! I guess you really do have to pick it up. I think I'll just hang onto this…"
Brady rolled his eyes laughing. "Yeah, maybe you can get mine next time." He walked off down the hall, his face flushed a pinkish red from laughing so hard.
***
Chloe sat smiling in the auditorium as everyone rehearsed their parts. The play was in three weeks and they had to get it right, it had to be perfect. She read her lines when it came her turn, speaking them into the air because at the moment there was no leading man. She wasn't exactly a leading lady in the play, she portrayed the mysterious singer that the characters often saw singing out onto the lake.
"Chloe dear, do you know the song?"
"Yes, Miss. I'm all set." She said smiling.
"Good, good. Now we just need to wait for our lead actor to get here. I gave him the script last Monday, he should be here soon to practice with us."
"Who is it?"
"Oh, you'll see. He's a senior who apparently got into some very deep trouble."
"Yeah, then ratted on us." Belle said from her seat in the auditorium.
"Now all three of us have to be in the play!" Mimi whined. "And what's more is she gets to kiss him at the end! That's not fair." She finished, pointing an accusing finger at Chloe.
"Girls! Why so glum? You don't have that big a part, you just have to be some of the onlookers at the lake in the final act. How hard is that?" The drama teacher said, eyeing them happily.
Mimi and Belle shrugged their shoulders.
"Oh please Mimi. It's not even a kiss, just a peck on the lips. Big deal."
"So what? You don't have experience with pecks!" Mimi seethed, glaring at Chloe. Her response was an eye roll from the quiet brunette.
There was a loud bang from the other end of the auditorium as the door closed.
"Ah, you're here!" The teacher said. Everyone turned their heads to see the mystery man who, overnight, had become the lead in their play.
Chloe gasped. "Black?" She said, as if she were disappointed. She leaned back in her chair and huffed.
"Hey Brady." Mimi gushed as he took a seat beside her.
"Ok, I'm here. Now what?" he asked, looking around at the faces surrounding him. Every girl but Chloe seemed to have their eyes glued on him.
"Should we go over the script again?" Chloe asked quietly, her eyes on the teacher.
"Yes, I do think that would be quite the smart thing to do. Brady, follow along as best you can. I expect that after this you can find someone who will help you practice your lines."
"I will!" Mimi said, raising her arm in the air. She looked over at Brady and winked. Brady looked away from her disgusting display of affection and focused in on the teacher as she began to speak.
"No, Miss Lockheart, that wont be possible. He should practice with someone who has the same amount of lines as him. That would be either our leading lady Gwen, or our mysterious temptress Chloe."
Belle cleared her throat after the teacher said 'temptress' and she and Mimi closed their palms over their mouths to keep from laughing out loud.
The teacher rolled her eyes before continuing.
"Well, that is if you do need help Mr. Black."
"I definitely need it." Brady answered, looking over at Chloe who was still avoiding his gaze.
"Chloe are you up to it?" The teacher asked slowly, probably expecting her to say yes, but when instead she said 'I'd rather not' she was quite shocked.
"Oh, alright. I guess you'll practice with Gwen then." She said, nodding her head towards a short little blonde.
"Um, actually, on second thought…" Brady started, "I think I can manage."
"Alright, it's your decision!"
So they drama class ran through their lines again, Mimi shamelessly flirting with Brady and Brady shamelessly attempting to shrug her off. They didn't get the chance to hear Chloe sing her song, their time was up before they got that far, but Chloe seriously doubted that she would have sung it now anyway. She wanted to wait until the actual night of the play.
After the practice, Brady went home to drop off his backpack, then made his way by means of walking to Chloe's house. He silently climbed the porch steps and stood on her door. There was still a little bit of sunlight left, and half the house was covered in the orange glow of the sunset.
He knocked slowly on the door, waiting for an answer.
Chloe opened it and said hello before she realized who it was.
"Oh. It's you." She said, as if he were something the cat dragged in.
"Listen Chloe, I really need you to help me with my lines."
"Why should I?"
"Look, if you're talking about that day at the cemetery, I'm sorry. I just couldn't let my friends know that I wanted to be your friend."
"Oh, so now you want to be my friend. Well Black, I don't think that you know how." She said coldly.
"No, I just want to be, you know, I…"
"Oh! You want to be secret friends! Like a conspiracy!" She said grinning.
"Exactly! You read my mind!"
"Oh really? Now you read mine." Chloe said. The smile faded from her face and was replaced with a frown before she slammed the door in Brady's face.
"Chloe!" he cried, knocking on the door again. This time it was Craig who answered the door.
"I do believe my daughter is finished with you." He said, in a fatherly tone. Fathers were not meant to be messed with so Brady just nodded his head and left the property.
Later that night, Brady sat quietly at his window. From his house, he had a clear view of the cemetery. Around nine, he saw the familiar figure of Chloe emerge from the darkness and take a seat on Hemsby. He ran from his room and told his mother he forgot to do something and grabbed his script before rushing out the door.
He walked silently towards Chloe from the gates. As he got nearer, she stood up and took a step back, holding her star charts and script book protectively against her chest.
"What are you doing here." She said, not asked, said. As if she were annoyed with him, and Brady figured she had reason to be.
"Um, I came here to practice my script. The moonlight is bright enough to see even here." He said, holding up the script he had brought with him.
"Oh, well have a nice time." Chloe said, sitting back down and continuing with her star chart.
"Can't you help me with it?" He said desperately. "Look, Chloe, I'm sorry. I'm not like you. I care what people think."
"Why?"
"Cause if I don't, then I'll be rejected."
"Like me." Chloe said flatly.
Brady shrugged, not exactly sure of what to say.
"Why don't they like me?" She asked, turning her head to face Brady. Brady sat down across from her on "Lincoln".
"They're afraid of anything that's different."
"And you're not?"
"Nope. That's why I'm here right now."
"Oh."
"So will you help me with my lines?"
"Only on one condition."
"And what's that." Brady asked.
"Promise that not to fall for me." At first Brady thought she was joking but then he realized the serious tone she had taken. Brady raised his eyebrows.
"Ok, that shouldn't be a problem." He said matter-of-factly.
"Good. Now I'll help you."