Serenity

Nineteen

After a month of being in Lakewood, I felt like I had finally gotten used to the high school. Things didn't feel as awkward as they used to feel. I wasn't as shy as I was before, and my anxiety had calmed down a lot.

Alaina and I had become closer. It was nice to have a friend around.

Malik just stopped talking to me completely. At first it bothered me, but then I slowly stopped feeling a way about it. I did miss him pestering me sometimes, but it is what it is.

"Are you coming to the football game Friday?" Alaina asked me.

We were just loitering around in the school parking lot waiting for the morning bell.

"I don't know. You will be on the sidelines cheering, so I won't really have anyone to sit with which would be kind of awkward."

"But it's the first game! You have to come. What about Isaiah? You should tell him to come," she suggested.

After my 'half tour' of part of Atlanta, Isaiah asked for my number, and I gave it to him. Since then we'd been texting every other day.

"I don't know about that," I said.

"Why not? You don't like him?"

"I mean, he's okay I guess," I said shrugging my shoulders. Isaiah was extremely cute, but I hadn't developed any feelings for him.

Our conversations had been nothing more or short than casual. He hadn't made it clear that he was trying to pursue me, so I took it as we were just friends.

"I don't think we're on that type of thing. That's all."

"Maybe he's waiting on you to make the first move," Alaina said.

"If that's the case, he'll be waiting forever because that's something that I don't do," I stated.

"Girl why not?" Alaina asked. "You could be missing out on your blessing just cause you scared to shoot yo shot."

"If it's meant for me, it's gonna be for me regardless. I ain't the type to pursue a guy. Besides, rejection is a bitch, and I ain't tryna get my feelings hurt."

"The worst he could say is no."

"You're right, but now a days, people liked to screenshot when someone tries to holla at them, and I ain't tryna be going viral on the internet because a nigga wants to be ruthless and get some clout."

"Well, you're right about that."

Suddenly, the loud, high pitched bell rang signaling for everyone to be making their way to the first class of the day.

"I'll see you at lunch," I said going in the opposite direction of Alaina.

I sat down in my normal seat once I made it to Comp I, and zoned out while the class room filled with the rest of its usual students.

I made eye contact with Malik when he first walked in, but I quickly looked away first. I was surprised that he wasn't late today.

"Okay class," Mrs Anderson started as soon as the tardy bell rang. "Today we are going to do things a little different. I want to make this class as fun as I can."

"Good luck," someone said lowly causing some students in the class to snicker.

"I'm just going to ignore that. As you all know or are supposed to know, we will begin reading Romeo and Juliet this week," Mrs. Anderson said as she walked in front of her desk and leaned her body up against it.

"Instead of just reading from the book, we're going to actually act the play out."

Her statement gained a bunch of different responses from the class. Some smacked their teeth in annoyance, some were actually excited.

I didn't react physically, but mentally, I started to get nervous. I'd read Romeo and Juliet before so I was quite familiar with the play. I didn't like being the center of attention so I immediately began to pray that I didn't get a main role. I would be fine with no role at all.

"If things go well, Principal Brown has already given us permission to perform the play in front of the school. Yes, Maria?"

"Can we pick our own roles?" Maria asked. She was a kiss up, and I could already guess she wanted to be Juliet.

"I have already picked out who's going to be who."

Mrs. Anderson grabbed her brown clipboard from her desk with the list of students and their roles. She cleared her throat before reading off the list.

"I'm only going to be going over a few of the roles because I haven't picked everyone out yet. Stefan, you will play Friar John. Nick, you're Montague. Alexandria, you are Lady Montague. Justin, you are Capulet. Victoria, you will be playing Lady Capulet. Maria, you are Rosaline. Quincy, you will play Count Paris. Tyrik, you're Benvolio. Johnathan, Friar Lawrence. Chris, you're Tybalt. Trey, you are Mercutio. Malik, you are Romeo and Diamanté will be our Juliet."