A/N: WHAT'S THIS?! A BONUS UPDATE?
Why, yes, it is! I happened to have a more productive than normal day today. So here it is sooner than anticipated!
Love the reactions to the previous chapter.
Taking a little break from the drama with the adults and going back to our new generation of students for a bit.
Mia ran into her Photography class and parked it in her usual seat by the window.
She huffed in relief when she was able to rest her feet. Mia was worried she was going to be late. Again.
Just when her heart was given permission to start beating normally, an unexpected guest joined her in the chair to her left.
"Hey!"
Mia glanced to her side and made a guttural squeak through her closed mouth.
"It's been a minute," Ryan smiled. "Mia, right?"
She was frozen stiff, her brain sending signals to say yes, nod her head, ANYTHING!
"Yeah," he said, stroking his week-long stubble. "Overslept, so I didn't have time to shave this morning. You probably didn't recognize me."
(Stop sitting there and doing nothing, IDIOT! RESPOND!)
"Ryan," Mia pointed casually. "That's right. It...took me a second."
"I was debating about letting it grow, but I dunno. Think I could pull off a beard?"
She actually found the bit of growth framed his jawline nicely. His babyface was a good one but now he looked more...mature.
"It looks good!" she blurted out.
"Hey, Ryan! What's up!" said a boy who high-fived him on his way to his seat.
"Hey, man."
He then turned back to Mia.
"So, how are things with you?"
Mia dragged her nails across the desk.
"Fine," she nodded nervously.
"Heard your mom is the head honcho now. Must be a little weird."
(Play it cool, Mia. It's no big deal.)
"Eh," she shrugged. "I'm used to it."
One uncomfortable beat later.
"How was your technical college thing?"
"It was pretty cool. Really missed home, though."
Mia's eyes widened.
"Oh, so you weren't moving away? I...I mean...like weren't you going to school there after graduation?"
Ryan stretched in his seat, staring at the ceiling. Mia couldn't help but sneak a peek at his muscles. That shirt left little to the imagination and she was here for it.
"They offered," he chuckled. "But the jury's out on that. I really want to see if I can become an engineer or architect here in L.A."
(So...you're trying to stay here. Alright, girl, keep it together.)
"That's cool," Mia said. "I missed..." She blushed helplessly. "We missed you around here."
He kicked her shoe.
"What the heck, didn't know I was so liked."
Mia brushed her hair back and broke eye contact before she died out of embarrassment.
Fortunately, the teacher Mr. Pommer, entered to start the class.
Across the room, their friendly exchange was being observed by Ashley, one of Savannah's little peons.
(Oh, she's gonna love to hear this!)
"Okay, Terrence and...Alice!"
The two freshmen looked up.
"Yeah, you two. Come on up!" asked Rob.
Alice looked to the other boy, and they slowly made their way to the front "stage."
"Okay, we're going to try a little improv today."
Rob turned to Terrence.
"Terrence, I want you to sit right here and pretend that you are an irate, rude customer and Alice..." he gestured toward the girl. "Alice, come here, please..." She followed. "Alice here is your server and she will respond accordingly."
He skipped over to Alice's empty chair to observe with the rest of the students.
"Now let's see how a situation naturally progresses. And...GO!"
Alice looked around and grabbed a small notebook on the desk, which served as the customer's table while Terrence occupied the chair.
"A prop!" pointed Rob. "Quick thinking, Alice! Continue."
She cleared her throat before starting.
"Hello, sir?" the brunette smiled. "Is everything to your satisfaction?"
Terrence closed his eyes and gave himself a moment before getting into it.
That's his process but it's effective.
"No, actually," he grimaced. "This steak was medium well, I asked for medium rare."
The folder he gestured to stand in for the plate of food was picked up carefully by Alice while she held the book close to her chest with her other arm.
"Very sorry to hear that, sir..."
She then looked down at the "plate" and frowned.
"It appears you ate almost the whole thing," Alice noted. "If it wasn't to you liking, why didn't you complain sooner?"
Terrence leaned in with fake indignance.
"Excuse me, complain?"
Alice gave an awkward smile and used her body language to show she was course correcting.
"My apologies, I meant I would have been happy to fix the problem sooner."
"Well, you were busy!" he grumbled with arms folded. "And I was hungry. Was I supposed to starve, waiting for you?"
She gave a visible indication in her face that his words upset her, but her character wanted to deescalate the situation.
"Starve?" Alice muttered to herself.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Nothing!" she quickly said with a raised hand. "I can have the chef prepare another steak...medium rare and I will emphasize it...and we can give it to you at no charge."
He sat back in the chair.
"Don't you mean both steaks at no charge?"
Alice looked to the crowd but didn't make eye contact, nor addressed the audience directly.
(Ah, you're not breaking the fourth wall. Your character is thinking.) Rob observed.
"No," she said, shakily. "I mean...we will comp that first steak since it wasn't to par, but you still need to pay for the second one."
"But you made a mistake!"
Alice breathed in and out.
"I understand that. But what you are asking is getting two steak dinners for free. And food costs these days..."
Terrence slammed his fist down, momentarily startling Alice but she quickly got back into character.
"Don't talk to me about that! I'm here for a porterhouse steak dinner! I'll have you know that I am a famous actor, so money is no object for me! Clearly, I'm not looking for a free ride. It's the principle of the thing."
Alice then gave him the side eye and dropped the folder. It didn't rattle like the scene called for, so she had to sell it with her performance.
"You're an actor, huh?" she smirked. "Ever play someone who has manners?"
"OOOOOHHHHH..." went some of the students.
"Ah, snap!" added Rob.
"Did you really just say that to me right now?" Terrence seethed. "I want to speak to your manager, right now!"
Alice turned away from him and the audience, just facing the empty corner of the room.
She then started this unsettling cackle. It built and built until it was almost audible from the halls.
One kid in the back sank into his seat like he was watching a horror movie.
Alice marched menacingly back to the rude customer.
"You. Silly. Little. Moron!"
Now he was speechless.
"We were understaffed tonight, so I had to pick up a couple of tables. See, I AM THE MANAGER!"
"What a twist!" smiled Rob.
She then turned to two of the taller boys in the front row and gestured for them to come up.
"Simon, Chuck...could you please take the trash out where it belongs."
They didn't object and just played along, bringing Terrence to his feet and carrying him off under protest.
"Hey, you can't do this to me!" he whined. "I'll sue!"
Alice cheerfully waved as he was getting carried away. She then pretended to see a customer off-stage.
"Ah, yes! Welcome! A table just opened up."
Rob stood up and applauded, the others joining in.
"That was fantastic!" he beamed. "Great job. Both of you, way to think on your feet!"
Alice bounded down toward her seat when Rob stopped her.
"Nice touch with the audience volunteers."
She blushed.
"Thanks, Mr. Shapiro."
Even Terrence was clapping for the former wallflower who just killed it up there.
The bell rang and students started getting up.
"That's class today! See you all tomorrow! We're doing Shakespeare soon so brush up on that iambic pentameter."
As the freshmen were filing out, seniors were making their way in.
One of them bumped into Alice.
"Oh, excuse me." she said.
"No, excuse me," he said with a flash of a smile.
The petite girl then skedaddled while the upperclassman looked on.
"She looks familiar," another guy said. "Do you know her, Len?"
"Nope."
Lauren and Billy were paired up in a screenwriting assignment in Mrs. Perry's class.
"I like this part here," he pointed to the middle paragraph of the page Lauren wrote. "Breaks it up so it's not one long chunk of dialogue."
"Thanks," she smiled.
They were tasked with writing the script to a short film, 6-10 minutes in length, and the class would vote on the best one to film as an end-of-year project.
Billy was good with description and could punch up an action scene. Lauren was naturally gifted with dialogue and character, so they played to each other's strengths.
"Jenna ever bring me up?" he off-the-cuff asked.
She smirked.
"Only every other time! You kids got big plans for Valentine's? Don't wait until the last minute."
"About that," he sighed. "She was curious if you and Chase wanted to do a double...date...thing."
Lauren thought about it and nodded.
"That sounds like it'll be fun," she said. "What did you have in mind?"
"We were thinking a movie?" he replied. "That new movie with the aging action stars is out."
She leaned in his direction.
"Or maybe a musical." she suggested.
"AHEM!"
They looked up at Mrs. Perry.
"You can talk about your romance on your own time," she said.
"Oh no!" Billy said. "We're not...we were talking about all four of us..."
Lauren covered his mouth.
"Just stop talking!"
Savannah was sitting in front of Jenna when her phone buzzed.
She freely unlocked the screen and saw a picture sent over by Alice. It showed Mia chatting it up with Ryan earlier that day.
"Oh yeah, that's what she thinks!" she grumbled.
Jenna wasn't aware of the context but knowing Savannah, her on a mission is never a good thing.
Then her own phone vibrated.
Jenna checked it and it was a text from Billy that Lauren said it was cool to double up on Valentine's.
"Alright," she grinned.
Chase was passed out in his musical theory class. He stayed up too late last night.
"Chase," whispered his neighbor.
Nothing.
"Chase!" he loud whispered.
Still a log.
"Get up before the teacher sees you," he warned.
Chase muttered something incomprehensible and turned his head to face the other way.
DING-DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!
The sudden alert made Chase fall out of his chair onto the floor in full view of everyone.
He failed to put his phone on silent.
"So nice of you to join us, Mr. Brooks!"
Chase held his head which was pounding right now.
"Be sure to turn that phone of your down and put it away before I confiscate it!"
"Yes, sir. Sorry."
When the teacher resumed his lesson, Chase turned to the guy next to him.
"Why didn't you try to wake me up, man?"