Evolve

7 - Thou Art a Jerk

Drama class is exciting today, with the play that we'll we doing this year being announced.

"Okay, before you all go, I want to talk about our annual fall production," Mr Fletcher announces. We all look among each other, anticipation flooding the room. "I am so excited to announce that, this year, we are gonna be doing a play that was written as a homework assignment by one of our very own students: Mr Chase Matthews." We applaud Chase and I smile at him as he bashfully waves. The bell rings, "oh, the bell. And remember auditions start today at three!"

We leave the room, and begin walking together, me, Zoey, Nicole, and man of the hour, Chase. We all have some questions for him about the play he wrote.

"So what's your play about?" Zoey asks.

"Well, it's kind of a classic love story," he tells us. "See, this starship crashes to Earth from outer space, and this female alien gets rescued by a lifeguard."

"Oh, very classic," I tease.

"And you're playing the lifeguard?" Nicole asks.

He smirks, "yes, I am."

"Well, I'm gonna try out for the role a the female alien," Zoey says.

"Me too!"

I shrug, "maybe I'll audition to be an extra." I would love to support chase, But acting really isn't my thing.

"Cool," he says. "Cause, you know, this is the first year at PCA we've ever had girls to audition."

"Oh yeah," Nicole and I say.

"Who used to play the female roles before PCA let girls in?" Zoey asks. Chase starts to look strange and unhappy.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

I laugh, "that's classic, Shakespearean, even!" He bumps his shoulder into mine and I grin.

"Well, I think it's awesome that you write a play," Zoey says.

"Yeah," Nicole agrees, "I can't believe you didn't tell us!"

"What if you were destined to be the next Tennessee Williams and we never knew?" I ask, faking concern.

He begins stuttering, clearly nervous, "I guess I was worried that people might not think it was cool." I shrug, who cares if people think it's cool, he wrote a play.

"Please," Nicole says, voicing my thoughts.

"It's totally cool," Zoey clarifies.

"Absolutely!" I add

We go back to our dorms and I begin my homework, hoping to get it done in time to watch the auditions. When I'm finishing my biology work, after a whole hour of it, Logan texts me asking to hang out, and I see the time.

"Oh, I'm late!"

"Late for what?" I jump in my chair and see that Lil is doing yoga behind me.

"When did you get here?" I ask, realising I've been very lost in my work. "Never mind, I'm going to watch the auditions, maybe do one myself, want to come?" She shakes her head.

"I'm trying to improve myself, and if I leave this room right now, I know I'll buy something from the vending machine." I chuckle.

"Okay, see ya," I say, running to the theatre, bag on my back and phone in hand. I text Logan that I'm busy at the auditions and mute my phone, before taking off running.

I barge through the doors as Chase is thanking people for coming to the auditions.

"Let's see," Mr Fletcher says, "auditioning first will be Jodi Lockwood." A girl stands up as I settle in with my things, hoping to finish my other homework assignments while I watch.