Background Character

Chapter 7

 Tuesday was far more eventful than Monday. Tuesday sparked the beginning of prom season, the day students could begin to hang up posters and campaign for a coveted spot on the prom court. Most students have already started the long and arduous process of preparing for prom, but Tuesday marked the beginning as a collective.

Olivia and Laura sat down in their seats. There was somebody already in the seat Laura usually took. Hazel eyes stared defiantly back at Laura as she dared the latter to challenge her, to complain to the teacher about something as ridiculous as a stolen seat. The two eventually moved over a row and took up chatting. Every so often they'd glare at her.

"Somebody?"

The sudden question draws my eyes off of my notebook and I found myself once again staring into hazel eyes. My heartbeat hammering in my chest is the only thing I can hear for a few moments. Having her do this again, it couldn't have been a one-time glitch. That fact alone is enough to send me reeling.

Seeing no other option, I choose to ignore her and return to the story at hand.

Laura blabbered on about-

"I'm talking to you! Look at me and acknowledge me." There is something different about this girl, although her name is a mystery to me. "Did you seriously refer to me as 'somebody' again?"

I just have to get back to the story. If I acknowledge her, then I'll only fuel her rage even more. I just have to remain calm and steer the story back to where it needed to be.

Laura blabbered on about-

I feel something fly past me, and then again, and again. I look up and realize she is throwing paper scraps at me, very poorly admittedly, but it's a nuisance nonetheless. "I'm not going to stop unless you talk to me."

"Look Background Character, no BC, calling you Background Character takes too much time. You need to sit down," Everyone continued on, oblivious to us. They even seemed to ignore her, "I don't know who you are, but I need to get this story going again."

"Did you seriously just call me Background Character? You took a description and assigned it to me as a name? Are you mental?" BC laughs, though there is no humor in her voice. "God you're a pompous asshole, did you know that? If not, then you should and I'm glad I'm the one who gets to say it. These past few days, I have been that 'someone...'"

I try to interject, "What are you-"

"...I was that 'someone' who raised their hand in class. Olivia bumped into me the other day as her friend Laura talked shit about me. I have a name you know. I exist."

I know that of course, but, "You're a background character. We know you exist, you just aren't important enough for the story. That's why I don't introduce you, your significance is nothing above 'someone,' maybe throwing in a 'girl' if the need arises. That's all you are."

That certainly shut her up.

Everything resumed as it was. I almost convince myself that it had been a trick of my mind.

Olivia spent the last few moments before class helping Laura fill out her homework before the bell signalled the beginning of class. The teacher strolled in a few minutes late, flustered, which worked in their favor because it was extra time to finish the work. She needed a few minutes to collect herself and did so before asking everyone to write their names on the top of the paper and then pass it to the front.

"You seriously need to start doing your work before class." Olivia whispered, keeping a careful eye that their teacher didn't notice their exchange. "One day you're going to walk in and I won't be here or I'll have forgotten to do the work myself. Then we'll both fail the assignment and you won't have anyone to blame but your own lazy ass."

"Let's hope that day doesn't come." Laura beamed as Olivia shot her a disappointed look. The teacher called on BC, who answered just as eloquent as the day before. Laura couldn't contain her disgust at the exchange. "I can't believe she stole my seat, I hate her. Don't give me that look Olivia,I do. Trust me, I seriously hate her. Does she not get that no one wants her to answer?"

That was a little harsh, though it does stir some of my own thoughts of this class.

BC raised her hand again and answered. Olivia turned to Laura once she was sure their teacher wasn't paying attention, "Apparently not."

The class went along in a similar fashion. I promise not to bore you with the rest of the details because they frankly aren't important. I'll summarize everything however. There was a lot of animosity between our main characters and BC, most of it on the part of our main characters. BC seemed to ignore any negative attention she got from answering questions because she continued to dominate the discussion. The me in class spent the period asleep. Nothing unusual until the bell.

The bell rang and students began to file out, all but one. I still sat in my place in the front of the classroom, wondering why I wasn't following Olivia and Laura. BC was still seated at her desk, her short hair managing to block most of her face from my view. I got up to leave when something stopped me.

I hear her softly whisper, "Call me B."