Life Sucks

Chapter Five: Perrsausse

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A few weeks after the start of school, Jessi and I had become pretty good friends. We shared many classes and began to talk often. We eventually even exchanged numbers and began to text often, as well. She became my only real friend, for the time being.

Although, I started to gain other friends, too, and reconnected with old friends. Though I did this mostly through choir and theatre. I didn't have room in my schedule to take the theatre class that year, but I was still in the drama club and still intended to be in the shows. So, of course, I was there the night of the audition for the next show. I had already been in "a Christmas Carol" and "a Murdered Mystery" my freshman year. The next show was "Puffs", a Harry Potter spin-off spoof that I had been very excited for.

Upon entering the auditorium, I saw my friend Kale. He had newly buzzed hair and a newly changed name, having transitioned over the summer. He had a round face and a bit of a big nose, with clear-framed blue light glasses over his eyes. He looked good. I hadn't really seen him since before he transitioned, I had only talked to him over text.

I had realized and finally accepted over the summer the fact that I was bisexual. And, considering the fact that Kale was the only queer person I was close to at the time, I wanted him to be the first person I came out to. I made a b-line straight for him and started a conversation with him.

Except I didn't know how to just casually come out in conversation. And so I didn't I just kept talking about whatever came to mind. Kale had ADHD and I was pretty sure I did, too, though I wasn't diagnosed, and so our conversations were always very random and all over the place. Eventually, however, Kale asked for the time, so I turned my phone on and showed him what time it was. In doing so, he got a good look at my lock screen and noticed the bi flag in the top right-hand corner.

He looked at me and flicked his hand then mouthed the word "gay?" and tilted his head to the side.

I smiled slightly and nodded. He chuckled and then nodded, as well.

"Makes sense," he replied. I rolled my eyes but said nothing else.

"Cuz!" I heard from behind me. It was my cousin, Rose with some of her friends, who were freshmen, same as her, and whose names I didn't yet know.

I sighed. "Hi, Rose," I replied. She ran up and hugged me, picking me up off the ground in doing so. I stood there awkwardly as she crushed me with her arms, her slightly frizzy brown hair tickling my face and neck. It was one of the few days that she had chosen to wear it down, as she typically chose a high ponytail or messy bun as her hairstyle of choice. "Why are you here? It's not like grandma's going to let you be in it." She lived with my grandparents, who were her foster parents.

"Yeah-huh, I can be in the crew."

"Oh. Really?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

Before we could have much more conversation, Mrs. Knollys, the director and theatre teacher was standing before us, waiting for us to quiet down. We did so and took a seat. And so the audition began.

I eventually learned that the boys whom Rose was hanging out with were Brian and Peter. Brian was tall and attractive with dark, curly hair and glasses. Peter was shorter and less attractive with longer brown hair and also had glasses. His hair was longer than mine. I sat between Rose and Kale for the rest of the audition and got up to do a part whenever it was my part. There were monologues and group dialogues to read out loud in front of the director and the rest of the people who were auditioning. It wasn't my first time auditioning and it was an easy process for me at that point. The rest of the audition went by quickly.

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