Just Revenge

Chapter Twenty-One: Ridiculous

The rest of the run was, thankfully, anticlimactic compared to that scene. By the time I finished the scene and made my exit, my heart had stopped beating out of my chest. To my surprise though, when I closed the door on my exit, I found Max waiting for me in the wings.

"So... Was it as bad as you thought it'd be?" His smile told me he already knew the answer. He was just teasing me.

"Worse." I nodded my head and went as if to push past him, "If you wouldn't mind I have some excess nausea I need to expel because of that scene."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Mocking or not, who talks like that?"

I shoved my shoulder against his as I walked out, "Me."

I couldn't see it, but I heard his laugh from behind me and, for some reason, it made me smile. Catching Harper's eye as I walked out, Max's laugh ringing behind me should've been the part that made me smile. Her jealousy was palpable and if looks could kill, I'd be on the floor already. But, for some reason, her glare didn't affect me at all. It didn't hurt me, but it didn't bring me the same sense of joy it used to. Huh? That's odd. I ignored it and walked backstage, looking for where my friends were gathered, but not seeing them.

"Flip Phone!" Cort's voice rang out much louder than any voice backstage had a right to be. I walked over to where him, Ror, Luke, and Diana were huddled.

"Huh?" The group split for me to grab a spot when I walked up.

"Nothing, you just looked lost and I figured I should probably make fun of you for it." I shook my head, not sure if I wanted to laugh or insult him at that.

"Your sensitivity is much appreciated." I settled on sarcastically.

"What can I say, I'm just an old-fashioned, sensitive kind of guy spreading kindness and chivalry around the world." His over-exaggeration was thorough right down to his expression.

"What are we lying for today? I want in." Max joked, entering the circle.

"Who said there were any openings?" Cort retorted.

"Me." Max shrugged. "And who else really matters anyway?"

"I couldn't agree more." Cort settled, "Only about a very different person."

I picked up my water bottle from the ground and threw it at Cort. "You guys are so obnoxious."

Cort smirked at me, "Don't pretend you didn't enjoy that."

Ror crinkled her nose at his response, "You make it sound like the beginning of an adult movie."

I was about to respond when I noticed the mischievous glint in both Cort and Max's eyes.

Max took a step forward, swinging his leg up onto the arm of Cort's chair, "I come to clean your pool."

Cort stood up, standing between Max's legs and lowered his voice seductively, "I have something else you could clean instead." He winked at Max and I don't think a person in the area didn't die with laughter.

Diana threw an empty bag of Doritos at them and it collided with Cort's face, ruining his seductive stare.

"Ow!" His voice came out so much higher pitched than normal and I laughed so hard my sides hurt.

"You guys are ridiculous." Harper scolded them, but even she was smiling widely. She stood up and walked off, "It's probably places."

"She's got a point." Ror stood up and the rest of us followed suit, getting ready for our next scene.

Cort and I wandered over to stage left wings, while the rest drifted over to stage right for their entrance.

"Sometimes, you guys are insane. You know that, right?" My smile took any sting out of my words.

He smirked knowingly, "Does this mean I was right?"

"About what?"

"Us being worth it?" His tone seemed to lose the lightheartedness.

I paused for a second. "Yeah." The honesty in my words shocked me, but I couldn't deny it. These kids were fun and, even though I knew it probably wasn't gonna be a long-lasting friendship, they weren't all bad. Some of them were alright, as surprising as that was.

"Good, because I hate being wrong."

"Yeah, I probably would too, but I've never gotten to experience that."

HIs smile returned, only half smirk this time, "Yeah? Because I'd be willing to bet that you're wrong a whole lot more than I am."

My smirk matched his. "Boy genius or not, I wouldn't bet on that."

"Hmmm" He mocked pondering something, "Boy genius? I think I could live with that."

My mouth opened to respond, but I couldn't think of anything good, so I settled for smacking his shoulder.

"Don't hit me." His voice dropped, "I will hit back."

"Oh, yeah?" I raised my hand, ready to call what I hoped was a bluff when I heard our cue line from onstage. I dropped my hand and slid into character, stalking onstage just a half beat behind our cue.