You're with who?! ~ Damiano David

Chapter 20

It had been about a month since I started school and I was already piled with homework and studies. I was in the middle of a paper for my movement class. We were working on how to perceive posture in acting. Honestly, I didn't think that the class would be beneficial, but I've learned a lot from it.

Right as I finished the third paragraph out of who knows how many, Ethan called me. Of course, I answered immediately.

"Hey, E!" I greeted.

"Hi, Vivian," he responded, sounding tired. "We just got done with a show."

"Oooh, how was it?"

"It was great. The audience had so much energy. I feel like I've been worked to death though."

"I'm sorry. I'm glad you had a good show though."

"How's school?"

"Don't remind me." I giggled halfheartedly.

"That bad, huh?" Ethan sighed.

"No, it's not bad, just busy. I miss you guys."

"We miss you too."

We talked for a bit longer before I heard two familiar voices in the background. Damiano and Victoria. Arguing about something irrelevant. As always.

"Can you two shut the fuck up!?" I heard Ethan yell at them. It instantly got quiet on the other side of the phone.

"What?" I heard him speak again. I assumed he was talking to either of them.

"Yeah, it's Vivian-" He was cut off by what sounded like a bunch of static and Victoria cackling.

"Hi!" Damiano's voice mimicked Ethan's exhausted tone, but with added excitement.

"Hey baby!" I couldn't help but giggle. "What just happened?"

"Hold on a sec." he said. "I put you on speaker."

"He fucking lunged over the couch and about broke my wrist!" Ethan yelled, sounding annoyed.

"You can't hurt Ethan, Damiano! He's the drummer!" I playfully scolded.

"Oh, and the fact that I'm your most loving brother doesn't mean anything?" Ethan asked.

"Nope." I responded. "Absolutely not."

I heard Damiano chuckle lightly at our little quarrel. 

"So, how's school?" Damiano asked. 

"Not bad." I answered. "I've got a ton of homework, though. I was working on a paper when Ethan called."

"That sucks. You couldn't pay me to go back to school. What class is it for?"

"A movement class."

"A what now?" Confusion laced Damiano's tone. "There's a class for movement?"

"I was surprised, too. It's actually very helpful, though. I've learned a lot. The paper is about posture."

Damiano hummed in response. We talked for a bit longer before another voice entered the room.

"Is that Vivian?" I heard Nicoletta.

"Hi, Nicoletta!" I spoke louder. "How's everything over there?"

"Amazing, really!" She was in awe. "They make me want to go up there and perform."

"Only because she has a free excuse to see me shirtless." Vic added.

"Hey! Not true! That's not the only reason why I go." 

I heard shuffling in the background and a door open.

"Hey, hey! That's PDA. That's not allowed here." Thomas imitated a teacher's voice.

"Fuck off!" Both Victoria and Nicoletta jokingly yelled at him.

"Ugh. I wish I was there." I whined. 

"We all do." Ethan said.

"Is Damiano phone-fucking Vivi again?" Leo asked. He apparently just walked into the room.

"We never phone-fucked, Leo!" Dami laughed.

"Stop throwing pillows at me!" Leo's voice was muffled.

The six of us talked until the early hours of the morning. It was a Friday night, so I wasn't too worried about going to bed early. Eventually, we said our goodbyes and hung up.

---------------------------

The familiar acting room greeted me with the familiar homemade goods smell as I walked in. I took my seat and pulled out my notebook and homework and waited for class to start. Miss Sullivan was usually in class before us, but today she wasn't. I shrugged it off and took out my phone and replied to Damiano's traditional morning text. They were leaving for America tomorrow evening and were staying there until around March the next year. That's five whole months in a different country! I've never even been to America. 

My thoughts were interrupted by someone tapping me on the shoulder. 

"Hey, is this acting class?" The student asked.

"Yes." I responded with a smile.

"Is there any empty seats?" 

"Right here." I pointed to the empty desk beside me and they took it.

"I'm Oliver."

"Vivian."

Oliver seemed like a really sweet kid. He was very shy, too. He was new and he came from France. His Italian was really well. We kept up a pretty good conversation when a middle-aged man walked in.

"Hello everyone." He started. "I am Mr. Joey. I will be your substitute teacher for today."

No one responded to him until he started calling role. We had a small issue with that though.

"Vivian Torchio." Mr. Joey called.

"Here." I raised my hand.

"Kenya Tutino."

"Here. But sir, could you call me Oliver?" Oliver raised his hand. His face went a bit red as he asked this. It took me a minute to put the pieces together and figure out that he was trans.

"Isn't that a boy's name?" Mr. Joey pressed. "I will call you by what is on the role."

"Sir, I am not comfortable with being called Kenya. May you please call me Oliver?" Oliver asked politely. 

"I will not call you by a boy's name. Your gender is obviously female, going off of the role." The sub raised his voice. I was not going to let him insult Oliver like that.

"Names have no gender!" I blurted out. "Call him Oliver and move on-"

"Miss Torchio, were you asked to speak?"

"I don't need to be asked to speak about this! You are the one being impolite in this situation by not respecting what makes Oliver comfortable! You have no right to tell him what gender he is or isn't!" I stood up from my chair as I yelled at him. When I sat back down, everyone was looking at me with respect in their eyes; besides Mr. Joey, who was speechless. 

"Well, carry on, then!" I urged. I didn't have time to waste.

He finished calling out role and assigned work for us to do, never making eye contact with me or Oliver. 

After class, Oliver stopped me in the hallway.

"Hey, Vivian." He called.

"What's up?"

"Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it. I have a queer friend and I've seen how nasty they can be treated."

"You really didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did. It bothers me so much to see people like you get treated like that."

"Thank you, again. Really."

"Anytime." I smiled.