Snap, Crackle and Pop

2.

FOUR MONTHS LATER.........

Hundreds of kids rushed out of the front doors of the school. Joe and I were two of them. my hand was clasped in his tightly. the past four months had been hard on him, but he was getting through it. He smiled at me, dimples showing. he pulled me closer to his side, a feat I thought impossible, and threw his arm around my shoulder. he kissed me cheek softly, and opened his mouth,about to say something when suddenly Charles was there, chubby cheeks flushed red. he shoved a bundle of pages into Joe's hands, forcing him to drop his arm from my shoulder.

'That was the longest day ever- here' He huffed.

'What's this?' Joe and I questioned.

'New scene, check it out. Let's hit the 7.'

Joe started flipping through the pages, before re-opening the first page, beginning to read. I smiled softly at him before turning to Charles.

'You hear Martin barfed in the hall?'

'I know, poor guy. Does he ever not barf?' Joe looked up at me.

'Keep reading!' Charles demanded.

'I am reading!'

'Not carefully! Focus, this is important.'

'Detective Hathaway has a wife?'

'I think it might hep make my movie better. I need two things: a better story and production value.'

We crossed the street to the 7-eleven. Cary was waiting for us by the gumball machine at the front door. A burn bandage was wrapped around his wrapped around his right arm.

'Martin booted all over his locker! It was the grossest one yet -'

'Let Joe focus. He's reading.' I grabbed Joe's arm and gently steered him away from walking into the door. Cary's smile had dimmed slightly when i turned back to him.

'I feel kind of sorry for Martin.'

'After he ate two boxes of Mikes and Ikes? Never seen so many colors in my life!'

'Will you two shut up for a minute!'

'Whose gonna play the wife?' Joe asked. 'Jen?'

'No way -- did I tell you what she did with my top hat?'

'Oh, yeah. That was bad.' I commented.

'What wife?' Cary asked, only to be ignored.

'Alice Dainard.'

Joe stopped in his tracks, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. my heart clenched in jealousy. She was older, blonde and pretty, of course he'd like her. My eyes turned down to the floor as I struggled to keep myself calm and force back tears. Cary seemed to notice and gently placed his not burned hand on my arm. I lifted my head up to face him and gave him a weak smile.

Joe walked over to the candy aisle with the boys, looking at all the different candies that were on display.

'I was returning that book on codes and ciphers-- she was in the silent reading section -- I thought, "Screw it." So I asked her if she'd play Hathaway's wife.'

'You really talked to Alice Dainard?' I teased. I knew Charles had a massive crush on her.

'You're not supposed to talk at all in the silent reading section--'

'Shut up Cary!'

'It's for 'silent' reading.'

'She said yes, we're filming tonight and she's driving.'

Joe walked back over to me and handed me a packet of red vines, my favourite type of candy. He handed the pages back to Charles and wrapped an arm around my waist once more. I opened the packet of red vines, pulling one out and taking a bite. Joe leaned over and took a bite himself.

'-- driving where?' Joe and I asked him, words slightly muffled by the candy.

'To the train depot -- did you not read the scene I just gave you?'

'Does Alice have a licence?' i questioned.

'Is she old enough to drive?'' Joe asked. 'Whose car are we taking?'

'Are you making this up?'

'Jesus, Freak Shows, she offered to drive and I accepted--'

Cary grabbed the scene pages from Charles. 'Can i see --?'

' -- was she nice? Why is she doing this?' Joe's brow furrowed in confusion.

'I don't understand, we don't even know her--' i was equally as confused as Joe.

'Maybe she just wants to be in a good movie, y'ever think of that?' Charles defended.

'I don't think that's it Charles.' i told him.

'I've been working on this movie for months. I'm just trying to make it good.'

'Hathaway's married now? Really?' Cary disapproved.

Charles snatched the pages from Cary's grip.

'What was she reading?' i shot Joe a baffled look. Why did he want to know what she was reading?

'... what?'

'In the silent reading section, what was Alice reading?'

'Who gives a rat's ass what she was reading-- the festival deadline's in one week -- my movie's gotta be great!'