Postgrad Partners

West's Side Story

Jade smiled at Tara, even though the shorter girl was still staring forward at the crosswalk, and lightly punched her shoulder to get her attention, "That's actually really thoughtful...Tara. Good for you." The corner of Tara's lip briefly lifted into a smile before the light turned green and Jade continued driving toward the theater.

They soon arrived at the theater, walking down from the main aisle to meet Sikowitz at center-stage. Jade glanced curiously at someone sitting alone in the front row of the audience; a blonde woman in a light grey suit with a black messenger bag in the seat next to her. The fact that there was even someone in the audience at all was a rare sight, considering there was nothing to watch today except Sikowitz's class. The woman's eyes met Jade's, making her break away quickly and focus back to the stage, where Sikowitz met her and Tara.

"Ah, there you are! Glad you could make it!" he grinned, "As I'm sure you already noticed, we have an audience for today's class!" He extended a hand toward the woman Jade had noticed before in the front row, who gave a smile and polite wave in response to Sikowitz's introduction. "She's just here to observe a class and maybe consider signing her daughter up to participate, too!"

Tara raised an eyebrow at that last remark, "Only one? I'd have thought more people would be signing up after the showcase..."

"Well, baby steps, right?" Sikowitz waved his hands as if to repel that tangent away, "Anyway, Jade, I'd like you to lead the class while I observe along with our guest."

"Me?" Jade crossed her arms, "Shouldn't it be you teaching, since...and he's gone." Her inquiry was left hanging as Sikowitz briskly stepped off the stage and took a seat in the audience. "Alright, then. Gather round, class is in session!"

Standing at center stage, Jade could more clearly see the three students, including Tara, in front of her and Sikowitz and their guest sitting in the background. She could faintly see the woman typing something on her phone, but shook her head to focus back on the class she was leading. Jade took a deep breath, mentally putting on the persona of a teacher and not a student.

"Alright, class, it's been a good minute since we had a proper acting exercise after that showcase, so let's get back into it with a game I like to call 'Alphabet Improv'!" The announcement drew some anxious expressions from the students, Tara's ears perking up, a subtle smirk from the guest, and an approving nod from Sikowitz; proof enough to Jade that they were off to a good start as she continued.

"Rules are simple: One of you starts off with a line starting with a certain letter, then the next person's line has to start with the next letter in alphabetical order, but if someone doesn't start a line with the right letter, they're out and everyone else continues until there's one person left."

"What does that last person win?" Tara asked, her arms crossed as she put on a curious smirk that Jade couldn't help but chuckle to.

"The winner..." she tapped her chin, coming up with a quick idea for a reward, "The winner gets to choose what lunch we get delivered today...on Sikowitz's dime." That answer won excited nods from the class, a chuckle from Tara, and a not-so-subtle cough from Sikowitz in the back.

"Sound good? Now then, your scene is...that you're stuck together in the school library on a Saturday and passing the time by shooting the breeze about whatever you want, starting with the letter...M! Brad, you'll start, then Casey, then Tara, then repeat until one is left! Action!" Jade stepped back to give her students the space, smiling to herself at how naturally her instruction came out.

"Man, is it time to go yet? We've been here for hours!" Brad feigned a frustrated groan as he got up along with Casey and Tara.

"Not even close," Casey sighed, looking at an imaginary watch on her wrist, "Still 2 hours and 22 minutes to go."