Between Us

Chapter 9: Bent

"We've never been alone together." 

"Really?" Zola thought for a second, "Woah, you're right," She replied to Siya while he just stood next to the bench awkwardly with his earphones on and his hands in his pockets. 

"How far is your class with the CNS?" Zola asked in an attempt to get Siya to stop being so weird.

"Uhm... CNS?" He asked with a confused look on his face as he removed the earphones, clearly unaware of what Zola was talking about. 

"The Central Nervous System, how behind are you guys? I mean we started it ages ago, I assumed all the other classes were around there too," Zola said as she swallowed an apple whole, core and all. 

"Is that Life Sciences?" Siya asked her after he processed that poor apple's destruction, "I don't do Life Sciences."

"Oh? What subjects do you do then Siyabonga Mahlangu," Zola asked, pulling Siya down to the bench so he could also sit, more so for herself though, her neck was getting tired of looking up at him.  

"Uhh, let's see. I do Physics; Geology and Computer Sciences. What about you?" Asked Siya, feeling more comfortable than when he arrived.

"Oooh, interesting, which one is your favourite?" Zola inquired out of pure interest. 

"It has to be Geology. This massive rock that we live on carries a lot of mystery and wonder. There's so much that we don't know about it and learning something new every day is always fun," Siya said while facing the ground and wringing his hands. 

"Sounds like you have a passion for it. I wish I was as passionate about something, anything," Zola said, looking very melancholic and distant.

You never told me what you do. Your subjects." Siya said in an attempt to change the subject.

"Oh yeah, I do Life Sciences, History, and Art. Boring right? At least I take an AP English class." Zola chuckled lightly.

"Damn AP English? I could never," Siya responded, his whole body turning to face Zola. 

"Says the guy who does AP Mathematics! Jeez, I could never!" Zola exclaimed.

"Mathematics? do you always say it in full?" Siya said.

"Wait what is that?" She asked instead, "Can't you hear that?" She asked as she quickly stood up and closed her eyes so she could focus on whatever sound she was hearing.

"What is it?" Siya asked her, he felt a little lost in her world at that moment. 

"IT'S YOU!!" She exclaimed rather loudly, "Take them off and start it all over!" She said in her loudest outside voice, with a scarily big smile on her face.

"What are you on about Zola!" Asked a very confused Siyabonga. 

"The song. It's P!nk right?" She sat back down and removed the earphones that were connected to Siya's phone, "Start it over."

Siya obliged, he unlocked his phone and replayed P!nk's Just Give Me A Reason. 

"Yess. It's been forever." She stood and prepared herself to sing along, a makeshift microphone in the form of a pencil in her hand.

the song started and she sang her heart out. She looked as though she was at a concert and the public had paid to see this performance. P!nk's verse ended and she handed the 'microphone' to Siya. It took him a second to realise that this was a duet performance. He took the mic and sang along to Nate Ruess' voice. 

'Just a second we're not broken just bent and we can learn love again.' 

They both sang to no one in particular. Weaving in between one another as they shared the pencil, jumping on and off the bench as they wowed the crowd with not only their voices but their amazing dance moves. Zola slipped not once, but twice. Did she let that get in her way? Nope, she just kept on singing, with Siya putting in almost as much energy as herself. Granted, he felt a little silly at first but as soon as he stood up there was no stopping him.  When he wasn't singing he was playing air piano or dancing. 

With both of their hands on the 'microphone' and their faces in close proximity, they belted out. 

'It's in the stars. It's been written in the scars on our hearts.'

'That we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again.'  

With both parties breathless, the song ended. 

¤¤¤

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"That, was amazing."

A very beautiful looking Miss Jensen said to the duo. Her black boots gave her more height than she had and with those jeans and that loose white shirt... she looked flawless. She effortlessly cat walked toward them and when she reached them she simply folded her hands and looked at them. 

"You're even out of breath," She chuckled, "I know you two have already auditioned and have been given roles for the minor productions but, I want to make both of you understudies to the lead characters in the main play." 

Siya turned to look at Zola, who was currently not present on this plane of existence, "Uhm... Why?"

"Did you not hear or see yourselves right there?" She said, "You were incredible and your energies were just blending into each other beautifully. That is why." 

Siya nudged Zola and quickly brought her back to reality. 

"Huh. What." 

"Miss Jensen just asked us to be understudies for the main play. What do you think?" Siya asked her.

"And please note that I would not have offered if I did not think you could do it," Miss Jensen said with a kind smile, "So what do you think?"

"Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes." Zola replied gleefully. Her eyes glazed over and her smile became dangerously creepy.

Miss Jensen looked at Siya for his answer.

"I guess we'll do it," He replied.

"Perfect, I will need you to come to practice on Thursdays as well then." Miss Jensen said with a beaming expression on her face. 

"We are going to play the leads," Siya said nervously soon after Miss Jensen was gone.

"Doesn't it sound fun? Understudy or not I think it's great."

"I've never played a lead before," A frantic Siya said to Zola. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, "I have never played a lead before."

Zola motioned to Siya to take a deep breath, "Breath... Breath..." 

After he was calm enough to be spoken to, Zola said to him, "We are just a pair of understudies, we are only going to practice as a precaution in case one of the leads can not take on their roles. We might not even have to act okay?"

"Right. Right," He agreed calmly.

"Good, let's go so you can buy me ice cream. I deserve it." 
~~~

AN

Only one chapter this weekend. Studies have me by the neck.

Enjoy!

~Ndelwa