Chapter Three – The Drama Queen

"I thought… that we'd always be friends..."  Miranda's voice rang across the auditorium as she spoke these words, gazing soulfully at the actor standing before her.

"And we always will be-"

"No, things have changed!  I don't even know you anymore…"

"Cut!"  Came the director's voice.  "Very good Dan, Miranda!  We'll stop for right there today.  Be sure to look over your lines before rehearsal again tomorrow."

With that, Miranda grabbed her water bottle and plopped herself down on the edge of the stage.  It had been a good rehearsal, she thought.  And she really liked the storyline… it was about a guy and a girl who had been best friends for a long time, but eventually stopped hanging out.  It was years later, when they met by chance, that they found their friendship again, plus a little more.

She felt a slight twinge in her stomach.  This was a feeling she got often, sometimes for no apparent reason.  But especially lately, since they had been working on this play.

"Hey Miranda!"  Julia called, interrupting her thoughts.  "We're headed off to the café.  Wanna join us?"

She smiled slightly, and shook her head.  "No thanks… I need to be heading home in a minute."

"All right then.  See you tomorrow!"

The group left, and for some reason Miranda didn't really care that they were going somewhere without her.  Normally, she would have felt left out, but since – since when?  She began to swing her legs about lightly, her mind wandering.

Why did she feel that these people weren't true friends?  A small sigh escaped, as memories came flowing back.  Oh yeah, that's why.  She remembered several occasions when they had all planned to do something, but they had then ditched her when she arrived 5 or so minutes late.  She began to think about how while she was the most popular girl in the drama club right now, it always changed depending on who had the lead.  And when Miranda didn't have the lead, she was a nobody.

I have become just like them.

She could feel her face fall at the realization, and she struggled to try and convince herself otherwise.

Nonsense… I'm nothing like them… after all, I'm the one sitting here right now, thinking about how much I hate being part of the drama group.

But as much as she tried to tell herself that it wasn't so, she knew the truth.

I wonder if… Lizzie ever dislikes being popular?

The pang in her heart returned, as her former best friend's name echoed in her mind.

I miss Lizzie.  And Gordo too.  What ever happened between us?

Oh well.  It's too late now, I guess…

She could feel the empty place in her heart, the place that only Lizzie and Gordo, her two real best friends, could fill.  But there was no chance that they'd still want to be her friend, anyways.  Was there?

Who needs them anyways?

She tried to convince herself of that, but it was no use.  The tears began to flow freely down her face, and she couldn't stop them.  And for a while, she let them come.

Finally, she stood up and gathered her things.  Shouldering her backpack, she made her way out of the auditorium, and started her walk home.