Simultaneously

Chapter five

"Morning Andy!" Jess cheered shaking my shoulder softly.

"Not again." I mumbled wiping the dust from my eyes.

"First day!" She smiled whilst looking over the heap of clothes in her drawers.

"What do I wear?" She asked turning her head and looking towards me for advice.

I laughed.

"Don't ask me for advice!" I said pulling a tshirt over my head.

"I need your help though." Jess pleaded.

"Oh fine then, but don't start thinking I'm so fashion guru." I teased.

"I'll decide that!" She said keen.

I walked over to her side yanking up my jeans as I moved over trying not to fall over my own feet.

"A dress maybe? That ones cute." I gestured lifting one of the many up.

"Too much. Too summery." She answered fast.

"Jess it's still summer." I replied shaking my head.

"A skirt? With that vest?" I pointed.

"Oh yeah!" She grinned, like a little girl at her birthday party.

I rolled my eyes and sat waiting for her before we left.

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"So I have lit with you this morning Jess ?" I asked my eyes darting towards Will's arm round her neck.

"Yep, and then we have our second class in the afternoon." She smiled.

"Do you know who you have performing arts with?" Jess questioned twiddling her fingers next to Will's.

"Darren. I think." I said coming to the end of the corridor.

"Aw, that's fine then. Darrens been doing performing arts for ages." She exclaimed.

"We saw him in a performance last year and he smashed it!" She added leaving east campus with us.

Shit. What was i doing? How could I compare to that. The most I'd been in was a few school plays and went to dance classes. That was all. Wouldn't surprise me if he got a a scholarship here.

"He got a scholarship to here." Will announced.

Of course. Who was this guy?

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We met Carly on the way before heading to English lit. Once we got in there the room was filled with students. Too many to count. I hadn't thought how popular this class might be.

Jess and Carly both sat down together and gestured for me to join them. I soon realised throughout the class I was really just a third wheel. They were both good to me, but I couldn't help feeling like an extra wheel.

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Class had finished and we made our way to the cafeteria for lunch. It was unusually empty for once but we were early. I noticed Jace sitting down on the familiar table we had sat at yesterday. He noticed us coming and sat up and ran his fingers through his wave of hair. Jess pinched me, and I glared back fiercely.

"Hi." He said grinning as we sat down.

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It was just before three when I came into my second class. Automatically I saw Darren sat down on a chair towards the back of the stage. He was wearing a blue and green flannel shirt and glasses which I hadn't seen him in before.

"Can I take I seat?" I announced smiling at him.

"Oh, yeah sure." He pulled his notebook and rucksak off the chair.

"You good?" He asked taking off his glasses and wiping them.

"Great thanks, nervous!" I added.

"Awh, don't be! You're going to love it. I promise." He grinned.

Darren had the kindest smile out of everyone, it was warm and made my stomach flip inside.

"So do you know what's going to happen in this class then?" I said fumbling for my book.

"I'm not too sure, one of the professors said we might be looking into Jane Austen but I'm not a hundred percent sure." He answered ruffling his hair.

Once the class had begun, I began to feel settled. Darren talked me through it and kept joking about Professor Gallagher.

"For this semester we shall be study the famous story byJane Austen; Pride and prejudice. Focusing on the two main characters: Darcy and Elizabeth. Indeed, this play represents many themes; themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work." He announce pacing back and forth on the stage.

My eyes darted over to Darren who appeared to be lost his monologue. I nudged Darren.

"I have no idea what's going on!" I said.

He laughed and moved his chair closer to mine and leaned in.

"Don't worry, he's just explaining the themes and rambling on about stuff." Darren whispered.

Well that makes sense.

"Do I need to read it?" I smiled

"Probably, I thought you might have already." He grinned, his smile widening.

"Oh god." I said throwing my head into my hands.

"Hey, it's alright! Don't worry, I'll go through it with you if you want? There's a lot to go through but if we work hard I'm sure it'll be great." He exclaimed placing his hand on my shoulder softly.

"Are we working together then?" I asked lifting up, as Darren let go of my shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess. Works out well!" He smiled.

-

"All students should work together for the next few weeks studying and developing their characters, and perhaps interpreting them in their own way. Following, all shall perform on the 28th." Professor Gallagher finished.

"You'll be fine." Darren reassured me putting his glasses back on, looking all smart and intelligent and pulling a stupid face to me.

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When the lesson had ended I made my way out of the classroom now with pride and prejudice in my hands.

"Andy!" Darren said catching me up.

"If you want to go over it and read through we could meet up sometime soon? Before next class?" He added.

"Sounds great, when?" I replied.

"Tomorrow night? At seven ish after dinner?" He answered straightening his shirt and looking back to me.

"I'll see you then!" I winked kindly.

I watched him disappear down the corridor humming the familiar song, I was unsure whether to tell him Id seen him singing. Furthermore did he sing often. He seemed like a guitar kind of guy...