For the first time in forever, everything was perfect and all four – well all three of my friends and Derek got along, that was until Wednesday. I don't know if it was something I ate or drank or did, all I know is that I brought up a new problem between us. All five of us were walking to our next lesson, which in my case was design with Derek. It was funny going to design seeing how Derek was one of the few guys that did it, and by that, I mean he was the fifth guy, of course it was also difficult nowadays since all girls found him hot. Besides all of that, there was still the problem of me and Derek not being friends. We kept our promise on faking to be friends in front of the others, but we never really got to the point where we talked about it. The warning bell rang, and we all said our goodbye and split, leaving Derek and I together whilst we walked to class. We did try to try by talking a little, but it didn't change anything. When we entered the classroom, both our heads shifted towards each other before heading to our seats. While I took my books from my bag, I heard the stool next to me squeak knowing that Cynthia was sitting next to me. Smiling, I put my last book on the table and turned to her, to find it not being Cynthia, but Derek. My smile wiped away as I rolled my eyes and looked in front. He leaned in closer and began to whisper, "Becca they're gonna notice eventually." Derek said. I told Derek that it wasn't the time to talk just as Mr Stagage walked in. before the lesson started, he checked on Derek to see if he was fitting in alright and if I was helping him out. Lesson past fast, or I wasn't focussing, but either way it was break. The both of us were walking to the door when Cynthia called. We both looked at her then at each other then split. I didn't like how she stared at me, with her sly smile. Before she spoke, I told her no and walked away leaving her with a quizzical expression.
Derek and I arrived at in the cafeteria second after Melody. We put on a fake smile as we walked to Melody. I sat down opposite them and was about to start eating when Derek kissed Melody on the cheek. I put my sandwich down as Derek sat down. Melody saw my taut look, so she placed her hand on top of mine and ask if I was okay, suddenly I put my fake smile back on, nodded my head and kept my head down. Soon after, Hayley and Nick joined us, both of them sitting beside me. It was nice to hear them all laughing and seeing them smile. Nick brought up my name in one topic and that was when people could say I snapped. He was about to tell what happened to me in a story when I lifted and turned my head to him telling him that that topic was something they didn't need to know and after that I felt every pair of eyes were locked to me, so I lowered my head again. Hayley nudged me and asked if was okay, trying to stay calm I told her tenser that I was fine. I kept my head down the entire break, only glancing up a few times. Lifting my head slightly up to see everyone, I heard Hayley say aww and saw Derek and Melody move apart from their kiss and that was when I retorted.
"Will you two stop it? Ever heard of PDA? Like seriously get a room." I spoke sharply, followed by me getting up and leaving the cafeteria. About to open the door, Derek quickly ran in front of me. I lowered my arm and told him to get out the way. He took a step closer and told me to explain. Watching each other's eyes shift from the one to the other. I looked away, pushed him aside, walked around him and left. After a few steps, the cafeteria doors opened, and Derek ran in front and stopped me again. This time I could tell he was getting mad. "Rebecca we're all getting along for the first time, something you have been wanting, so what did I do to you now?" when I looked away and didn't reply he carried on. "Rebecca, we agreed, fake it till we make it. We haven't fixed it cause you don't want to talk about it therefore we didn't make it so why did you have to break it?" when I refused to answer again, he took a step closer and spoke once more. "Becca you might get away with talking to other people like this, but you aren't gonna leave without giving me a reason why you lost it. Is this going to be like what happened the last time? Is it that time of the month? Are you jealous?" after he said that, I looked at him, "Woah, first of all it is none of your business whether it is or isn't anymore. Second there's nothing to be jealous of – we had our chance together." I explained. "Then what was the whole point of what happened in the cafeteria?" he grilled raising his voice. "I don't know okay! It just happened, now I'd say sorry, but I don't feel that way right now and you talking to me isn't making it better. We're done talking about this." I affirmed softly and walked away.
At the end of the day I exited the front door and saw Hayley and Nick waiting for me. The moment they noticed me, I decided to turn around and enter the school again. They followed me in and constantly called my name as they waited for me to reply. Eventually I got tired and chose to reply. Both of them walked up closer to me as I waited and other students passed by. Hayley asked me if I was okay, but I didn't answer. After Nick asked me what happened in the cafeteria. All of us staring at each other, I shoulder shrugged. Few silent seconds later as I looked around with them keeping their eyes on me, I waved at them then left and went home. When I reached home, I opened my bag and was searching for the keys when the door opened. Slowly closing my bag, I pushed the door wider open to find Anna standing behind. Slowly I looked at her and headed towards the stairs when she told me I had a visitor. I shifted my head back to her and look intensely in her eyes to see if she was lying. Once I confirmed she was telling the truth, I turned around completely and followed her to my visitor. We stopped at the front of the sitting room where no one was there. I watched her as she continued looking in the room. As I was about to speak, I heard footsteps coming into the room. Facing up I saw Melody. She gave me a small smile as she took a few steps closer. I let Anna out the room so that I could talk to Melody in private. When I closed the door, Melody was already sitting down with one leg over the other, so I sat down on the couch next to her. We locked eyes as we silently waited.
"How could you not tell me that you and Derek weren't friends? You said you two resolved things..." she said. "What makes you think that?" I asked. She rolled her eyes then leaned closer at me waiting for the truth. "We came to a conclusion and made a deal. We didn't resolve or fix anything." I explained. "Why didn't you come to me? We can work it out together-" "and that's exactly why we agreed not to get you involved. This was between me and him." I told her as I leaned closer. Straight after, both of us leaned back onto the couch at the same time. I apologised about what I had said in the cafeteria, then there was a moment of silence and about ten minutes later after I offered her a snack. After our snack and talking more about our issue, half an hour past and I walked her out. We gave each other a hug and as I was about to close the door, I heard Anna say wait. I turned around to find her, but she had already gone under my arm to hug Melody goodbye. When she let go, I held Anna down on one shoulder as we waved bye to her. Once I closed the door Anna began interrogating me about who she was and what happened today during break as I heard her eavesdropping from out the room.
The next day at the end of History, Mrs Ruben called Nick, Derek, Melody and I up to her as everyone else left and asked Nick and I to help them catch up with everything. After the short discussing and we were a few steps from the classroom we decided to make a buddie system. I was about to suggest an idea, at what time Melody decided to speak and recommended I help Derek and Nick helps her. Before anyone could say anything, she wrapped her arm around Nick and began walking. I glared at her as she dragged Nick with her, both Nick and Derek looking at me confused. The same time as Derek said his first word, I shut him up and told him we should go and started walking the opposite direction. As I carried on walking, I become aware of Derek walking next to me and continuously looking at me from time to time. I tried to ignore him as much as possible, but soon the feeling started to become uncomfortable, so I kept my distance. As the day progressed swiftly, Derek ceased with the looks and the day went by smoother. At the end of English with Hayley, we were heading to the cafeteria the minute Principal Bransten walked our direction and called me to her office.
Whilst she began to walk to her office, Hayley and I eyed each other before I followed behind the principal. As soon as we entered, and I sat down, she shut the door behind me and stood behind her chair with both arm on top. First, she I asked me if I was okay and I nodded my head. After she asked me if I knew why I was in the office and I shook my head. She pulled her chair back so that she could sit and placed both her hands on the table. I kept shifting my eyes from one object in her office to another, when I stopped and examined her framed photo. Her eyes followed mine, by then she flipped the frame down and told me to look at her. The stare she was giving me, I couldn't tell whether it was appealing or brooding. She leaned closer reaching for my hand, asking me if I was okay once more and I gave her the same reply. Next, I requested to know what I was doing in her office. She leaned back and gave me a serious look after. "I heard what happened the weekend you were at your 'friend's house' and I wanted to confirm you are okay." I smiled at her in disbelief, "Principal Bransten, not to be disrespectful, but you never have called in a student because you were curious about their health, so may you please tell me why I am here?" I said with confidence meanwhile I regretted everything I said. She leaned back and crossed her arms surprised seeing how I am quiet in class. Principal Bransten and I sat in silence as she refused to answer my question. In the end after several minutes, she dismissed me and I heading to break when the bell rang. My next lesson was chemistry, so on my way to class, I opened my can from my bag and drank it.
Towards the end of the school day in design, Mr Stagage said we could have the last ten minutes to ourselves as long as we were quiet therefore, I began to tutor Derek then. We finished one subject and were about to start another when the bell rang. As everyone packed their bags and were leaving, we peeked at each other, then at Mr Stagage and afterwards agreed to stay and continue with our tutoring sessions. Mr Stagage waited ten minutes for us to leave and when we didn't, he got up, put the keys on the table and told us to lock when we leave. We nodded our heads but weren't fully listening to him based on how much fun we were having. As we watched him go out the door, we both began to chuckle until the door closed, then we guffawed. Few seconds after getting that out our chests, we talked as we were catching our breaths then continued working. I did my work as he continued to do his so that I could finish mine and help him, but it was difficult to concentrate because every five minutes, he found a way to make me laugh. Twenty minutes pass and I gave up because I had barely done anything, and I wasn't getting anywhere, so I kept looking over his shoulder to make sure he was doing the right thing whilst playing with his black, half-shaved side styled hair, but he soon began to mess around. I took his pen from him and wrote on a separate paper the history notes. After I finished, he took the pen and purposely wrote something else. I lectured him trying to sound serious, but he kept giving me a goofy look and I couldn't do it. Taking out a pen from my pencil case, I pull his notebook towards me and show him what we had learnt this year whilst I also glanced at him to make sure his focused.
When I finished outlining everything and turned to him, he looked at me with a sardonic expression. I gave him a grin and got up packing up my books when he grabbed my arm and promised he'd stop playing around. I sat back down, especially because he gave me the look that I couldn't say no to and carried on helping hm. Seven minutes pass and we are sort of working, but mostly laughing, pushing each other and making stupid drawings, at what time Melody enters the room, but we didn't hear her until she spoke. She was surprised of the fact that Derek and I were still together after school ended nearly fifty minutes ago and so was I. when she greeted us, we looked up and as Derek got up to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, I stayed sitting and greeted her with a big smile and a wave. She asked Derek if he was ready to go and he nodded his head, packed his bag, and was at the door when he said our code word and laughed as he walked out and went to his bike. Melody turned from him to me in confusion while I laughed and asked me what he had said. I explained to her that it was a joke we made earlier as I packed my bags, took the classroom keys and headed to the door with Melody. Once I had locked the classroom and we were heading to the front of the school I noticed Melody constantly looking at me smiling. "Yes?" I asked. "So, I see you and Derek are friends again." She replied. I rolled my eyes and carried on walking when she spoke again,
"aren't you gonna say thank you?" I thought really hard about that question before saying no. she called my name. "Mels, Derek and I were getting along, and I was helping him catch up and understand." I explained again. "You two were together, alone for nearly a whole hour and for the first time there wasn't awkward and uncomfortable tension in the room– you weren't even arguing, you were laughing. So would it kill you to say thank you for once Becky?" she questioned, and she isn't the type of person to drop a topic unless it has been resolved, "okay first of all, it was fifty minutes and second... thank you" I spoke and we carried on walking when she said I'm welcome. I stopped walking and glared at her as she carried on walking, smirking. At the front of the school, Melody hugged me goodbye and got on the back of Derek's bike and held on to him. He gives me a look then winks and I couldn't help, but laugh, I took a deep breath, waved goodbye and walked away as I heard them leave and went to the gym after that.
18:00, I exited the gym following Mason, Joe and Mindy with Esmeralda, Jordan and Kyle. All seven of us practiced our dance routine one more time before our competition on Saturday. Once we were finally pleased, we each other's effort (after two hours) we gave each other a hug before going our separate paths. As I was about to leave, all of a sudden, I heard a load banging noise inside, next thing I knew, I was back inside the gym looking for Mr Totty. When I sprang up the stairs and saw Mr Trotty picking something up from the floor. Before giving a helping hand, I grinned letting out a sign before walking to him stretched my hand towards him. He was blocking what he dropped so I couldn't see it. After that, Mr Trotty gave me a side hug and we walked out together. I watched HIM as he locked the gym, with the letter between his armpits. It was the first time I had ever seen Mr Trotty hide something. It must have been seriously important, that I was afraid to ask. One he locked and removed the letter from his armpit, now holding it in his hand and turned around, I put on a fake smile and we walked to the parking lot where we both said our goodbyes. He gave me a goodbye hug, but being nosy, I shifted my eyes a little to see what the letters were about. I couldn't see much except for the fact of him having to close his gym by next week because he didn't have money to pay. When he let go, my smile turned into a frown. He looked up into my eyes, lifting my chin up so I could look back at him. He asked if I was okay. Faking again, I told him that I hadn't done my homework and I had to go. He smiled at me once more before I went home. When I got to my room, I began to message almost everyone on my phone from my dance group to both my volleyball and basketball group, to study groups, friends and family to try and make a fund raiser to help Mr Trotty. I didn't get replies right away, so whilst I waited, I did my homework for half an hour then went outside to play with the puppies.
Friday had finally come, thus ending the longest week I ever had and yet, the most fun. All of my lessons before break was a breeze, beside the maths test I wrote. Things were going great. When break time had come, I was sitting with Nick and HAYLEY and we talked about our week. Curious, here and there I looked around for Melody and Derek, whom were nowhere to be found. Five minutes pass and I eventually stop looking for those two and carried on listening to them as Sara walked up to us. Four more minutes later, we noticed Melody running towards us panting. Bending down, she placed her hand on my shoulder whilst trying to catch her breath. We asked her what was wrong, and she told us that Derek got himself in a fight in front of the school. I was semi-worried, it being Derek, but I ignored the fact, carried on eating and asked her what was the setback and that being the moment when she came closer to me and whispered and explained that he still had his I.E.D. problem. Dropping my spoon, I slowly turn to Melody in shock hoping she was pranking us now, but when her expression stayed the same, I knew she wasn't joking. I told Hayley, Nick and Sara to stay and rapidly, got up, trying to keep my balance as I nearly fell multiple time as I ran to the front of the school. When I reached the doors to the front of the school, I was about to push open when Sara opened the door, and quickly moved aside, causing me to forget about the slop and roll down onto the ground. Speedily she came to me and gave me her hand to get up. After getting up, I asked her what she was doing outside. As she was explaining, we began to hear people cheering, and at that moment I remembered I had to stop the fight. I apologised and excused myself from Sara, telling her not to follow me the same time Melody came up to us. Instead of stopping, Melody grabbed my hand and dragged me in the beginning to where the noise was coming from.
By the time we had reached everyone, there was already a big crowded circle. Melody squashed herself first, getting to the front of everyone. It was my turn and I was ready to enter, abruptly I heard Nick, Hayley and Sara's voices. Turning around and saw them a few steps away from me. I complained asking them why they were hear, but instead of responding to my question, the argued with me on how I didn't want them to come. Whilst our argument continued, Melody came back out from the chaotic crowd and asked if I was still going to help her. From Melody to Nick, Sara and Hayley, I shifted my head until we heard the first punch. After we huddled together and talked out a plan. Nick was to hold the guy Derek was fighting. Haz and Sara were to hold Derek back and take him away as Melody helped talk him through it all. I was in charge of stopping both boys. We broke up after that and got ready for our parts of the job. Nick and I went one direction together and the other went the opposite direction. As we were squeezing through and heard multiple punches and kicks, eventually, we all got to the front, and noticed that the guy Derek was fighting was Sean. Before Sean and Derek were about to throw another punch at each other, all five of us got in to break up the fight as Nick held Sean's arms behind him and both Sara and Hayley held one of Derek's arm with Melody standing next to him and me standing between both Sean and Derek with my arm up. Shifting my head to the both of them, I lowered my arms and looked at how badly they were bruised and beaten and just in time because principal Bransten came out through the front doors and everyone evacuated like the was a fire. She came up to the eight of us and furiously asked what was going on. Everyone's eyes shifted from one to another and when I accidently shifted to her, I could see the anger in her eyes. "We are..." I began, not knowing what to say next.
"Practising for our drama play", I explained with a smile. Principal Bransten shifted her eyes at everyone to confirm whether I was telling the truth. As everyone else smiled, she looked at Derek and Sean, "and what happened to the both of you?" simultaneously, we looked at them and they looked at us. "Make-up. I'm in charge of everyone's makeup." Hayley said. "And the bruises? Why are they limping?" "Rebecca and I are... training them to fight." Sara said. As she directly stared into our eyes one by one, we heard sirens. Rotating, we saw police cars coming. Once she accepted that there was nothing else she could ask, is he walked up to the police and had a brief conversation with them. At the same time as the cops and principal was talking, the girls took Derek away and Nick and I stayed and dealt with Sean. He smiled at both of us with my arms on my hips and Nick's arms crossed. "What were you two possibly arguing about which lead to violence?" I demanded. Sean shifted his eyes from me to Nick then spoke saying he would only talk to Nick. Just as I was about to yell, Nick held me, dragging me back and we discussed a solution. In the end, I left the both of them and went to find Derek.
As I entered the school, I sent Sara a message asking her where Derek was. When I reached them and got in the classroom, closed the door quietly and listened to Melody trying to calm Derek down with my arms crossed and Mels, Haz and Sara's back in front of me. When she finished speaking, I cleared my throat and they all turned around and straightforwardly looked at me. I softly and steadily asked them, specifically Melody if he was better and she nodded. After I asked if I could have the room with him and Sara and Hayley left, leaving Melody, Derek and I. we both looked at Melody and I explained to her that he wouldn't get more bruises. Afterwards she moved her eyes from me to him before leaving the room. As we watched her leave and close the door, I turned back to Derek who was already sitting on the table already prepared as if he knew what ii was going to say. I asked him why at first hoping he would explain, unluckily when he didn't, I carried on speaking. "Why did you- how could you- what was the whole reason of this feud in the first place?" he ignored my question once more and stood up. I looked into his eyes and spoke, "you told me you had your IED controlled." He turned to me and we locked eyes in silence. "I only said that to make you feel better. I lied." He uttered. In shock, I was speechless. I uncrossed my arms with my mouth opened, yet not getting any words out. "You lied to me? All this time?" he nodded his head then noticed my facial expression and asked what was wrong. The fact he lied to me when we were dating started making me think whether he was honest when he spoke to me, and if the rumours were true. "So, you lied to me when we dated back then?" I questioned. He rolled his eyes and asked if I was being serious. Again speechless, I decided that the best solution was to walk out the room, so I turned around and left the classroom as he called my name. Few steps later, I hear the classroom door opened and him shout that he won't chase after me. I told him that I didn't want him to then he called my name once more.
"You lied to me when we dated! I trusted you, clearly I was wrong." I yelled at him. "I wanted you to stop worrying about me." He replied. Both of us stopped staring at each other and looked at the side and discovered some people staring at us. We looked at each other once more before passing each other and headed the opposite direction. My next lesson gladly was English with Hayley. As I walked into the classroom and went to my seat, Hayley gave me a weird look. Once I sat down, she sat down beside me and asked me what was wrong. When I didn't reply, she brought up what happened after she, Melody and Sara left me and Derek alone. I gave her a deadly look, telling her to back off. She turned her head around and whispered, "You and Derek have the strangest friendship. It's like you're married." I turned my head towards her and was about to complain at what time Mrs Smooth arrived and greeted the class. Before she was about to teach, I glared at Hayley one last time, then carried on.
That Saturday at ten in the morning, all seven of us met at Kyle's house to practice the routine for our dance one more time. Around midday after a few practices, Kyle's dad drove us to the park where everything was all placed out. We got out the car and thanked him for the ride, then Kyle walked closer and tried to convince his dad not to watch, but he failed, so as we went to put our bags down and check in, we watched as Kyle's dad went around and parked. Once we had checked it, we turned around and saw Mr Trotty with drinks and snacks. We all ran up to him, gave him a big hug and thanked him for coming, suddenly, I hear Anna from behind. We all turned around to see all our friends, which made these ten times more difficult now. All five of them came up to me and gave, gave me a hug and wished me good luck. Hayley of the other hand decided to say break a leg and we all looked at her. "What? It means good luck" she said. "You just said break a leg to someone in a 'dancing' competition." Melody explained, "Something that involves using your leg." Nick commented. "That was not motivational", Sara added. Hayley looked around at all of us, wrapped her arm around me and walked to Mr Trotty. Thanking them all, I went back to the crew and we waited for our turn. When it was finally our turn, Esmerelda started to cry as we were getting on stage. I let the others pass and quickly talked to Esmerelda. Once she stopped crying, we rushed onto the stage and stood in our positions. Fifteen minutes later, we finished we all of us falling to the floor as our ending. When people started applauding, we got up, waved and got off stage and talked about it.
Two hours past until they finally announced who the winners were. At the end when one of the judges came up the stage, we all squeezed each other's hand. In the end, we tied with another group, so both groups had twenty minutes to come up with a new routine to find a winner. After five minutes panicking about the time, and another five minutes coming up with ideas, and another two minutes arguing wait each other's idea, we finally concluded with a dance, with seven minutes left. That was the first time in a long time I had ever worked that hard. When the time was up, another judge got up stage and pulled a piece of paper out from a tiny bowl to decided which group was first. Thankfully it was the other group, so we had a little more time to discuss. When they finished, all seven of us came close for a group hug and went up the stage. At the end of our dance, the judges called the other group on stage. Once both groups were on stage, the judges decided to let the audience choose. He first pointed at our group, then the next group, then walked down to the other judges to conclude their decision. When they finished speaking, all three-judge walked up the stage and the park went silent. "This was a very beautiful, entertaining and showed your effort. First, we would like to thank all the parents and guests who came to experience such talent. Second, I would like to thank everyone who helped set up everything.
Lastly, I would like to thank every student here that took part in this competition, all of you are truly talented. Now that we have given all our gratitude and enough with the delay, the second group will each receive five hundred dollars each, as well as a one free week at the best dance academy in San Diego. The winning group will receive a one thousand dollar each, one free trip to Disneyworld where all rides will be free and a one-month free lessons at the best dance academy in San Diego goes to-" he turned to the other judges joking around whether they should tell us. Out of the blue, Anna shout at them to give us the name of the winning group. Everyone, (including me) turned to Anna in shock. The judge looked at her and began to giggle as he walked back to the middle of the stage. "And this year's winners are..." he took other the paper, turned around and smiled at both groups, then turned back to the audience. "Mason, Esmerelda, Jason, Kyle, Mindy, Joe and Rebecca!" he said as he applauded. Surprised, we quickly looked at the judge, then at the other group, then at each other. After a few second letting the results sink in, we finally celebrated and jumped that we won. All of us walked to the other group and gave each of them a hug before running of stage to hug our families, of course before we went to our families, we went to Mr Trotty and thanked him for everything. When we let go, we decided to introduce Mr Trotty to each of our families as we hugged them. The rest of the day, after we had our photos taken, we stayed at the park for the braai and hung out together.