Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but the plot is alllll mine.
By the time the bell rang I had managed to finish off the first act in the script and print off flyers advertising for auditions. There was no worry about people making time to tryout on such a short notice, this town would stop functioning if it meant putting out the annual school play. Ever since I could remember, it was our schools drama department winning grants from the National Endowment of the Arts that made our town proud, and so, we all loved the play. So, with flyers in hand I dashed from the classroom in front of the other students, hoping to catch Miley on her way out.
However, Miley was nowhere to be seen in the crowd of student leaving their classrooms, so, a little disappointed; I headed to my next class. Last hour was choir, and I only had to dash into the room and show the teacher the flyer to be excused from class to go hang them around campus. Choir class was pretty dull most of the time anyways, and only a select few of the students could actually hold a tune, so I wasn't really bothered. I knew Selena would be angry with me for not showing up however. She was the best female singer in the class, and always got solos for our performances, just as I always got the solos for the males. It was all getting to be a little ridiculous, and once again I found myself wishing for some change, something to stir up this town.
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I found myself once again searching for Miley in the crowd of people heading out to their cars in the school parking lot, all in their hurry to get home. She was still nowhere to be found. I was so distracted searching the faces of people all walking to their familiar cars that I was startled to see Selena leaning against my brother's Ford. Her arms were folded across her chest, and when I got close enough she said angrily, "Where were you today in choir? I was waiting for you."
"I know. I'm sorry. I was hanging up flyers for the auditions for this year's play. It's a musical," I said leaning to kiss her on the cheek. "Tryouts are tomorrow. You gonna be there?" I went on. I looked up to see Joe glaring in our direction, before he stomped off and jumped into the driver's seat, slamming the door with unnecessary force. Man, he must be impatient today. I looked back down at Selena who looked like she was still trying to maintain her angered expression.
"Yeah, of course I will be there…" she said in a quiet voice, looking down before she regained her anger and looked up at me. "So what's this I hear about you walking the new girl to class? I don't think you have ever walked me to class. Please don't say you like her all of a sudden; you have only known her for a couple minutes." Her body stance was still angry, but I could see the fear hidden deep in her eyes.
I quickly grabbed her arms, uncrossing them, and then pulled her into an embrace before looking down into her eyes. "She was lost. Her class was next to mine. I figured I should help her since you two seem to be friends. You are always telling me to make an effort to get along with your friends." I felt more like I was trying to justify it to myself and not to her. A wave of guilt washed over me as I realized that while I was gazing down into Selena's deep brown eyes, all I was seeing was a pair of shining green eyes that seemed to be consuming my thoughts. I leaned down to kiss her, but the loud honk of Joe's horn startled me. "I have to go. Looks like Joe is in a hurry today," I said with a sheepish grin before giving her a quick peck and running to the passenger door. "I'll call you tonight," I said before I opened the door and jumped inside.
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Joe hadn't said a word the whole drive. We were now stuck at a stoplight that was timed, and so even though no one was coming the other way, it shined a defiant red in front of us. The silence was beginning to get to me. I really couldn't figure out what I had done to make Joe so mad. I don't think we had ever sat in silence for so long, and it was driving me mad. Just as I was about to ask him what was up, he spun around and in a voice a bit too loud for the inside of the truck he asked, "So, I hear you have a thing for the new girl?" The bitterness practically dripped from his words.
I was shocked. Really? Even the senior class had heard about me walking a new kid to a class she wouldn't have been able to find on her own? "I just walked her to class Joe." I said almost as angry as him. Then a thought hit me. "You know, if you think she is cute or something, you can go for her. She's just a girl; I hardly even talked to her." I said a little more softly. I had to force each syllable to leave my mouth, and regretted it almost as soon as I had said it.
Joe looked genuinely shocked, and I couldn't help but think that he had a different reason for being angry. His next words seemed thoughtful, "The new girl? I guess I could huh?" I just shook my head. Sometimes the workings of Joe's mind seemed a mystery to me. I would never be able to guess why he had been so angry with me, but my mind was a bit distracted. I found a sense of dread hitting my stomach, wishing I had never made the suggestion. My brother had a notorious reputation for breaking girls hearts, and the last thing I wanted to see was a pair of green eyes filled with tears. I sigh escaped my lips, as I forced my mouth to keep shut. What happened to this girl was none of my business. I had just met her, I didn't even know her. The rest of the drive home was made in silence.