"No need to trouble yourself anymore, Edmund. It may seem to have taken me a while, but I do understand it all now," I said, my voice surprisingly calm as I read Anne Dunnings.
Sitting between the bookshelves in the awfully quiet Brown's, except for Nora Jones softly singing "Come Away With Me" from the speakers in the two corners of the shop, Adam and I had been rehearsing for the past thirty minutes now.
He wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to run lines with me after school. Sitting cross-legged across each other with the script in our hands, we were almost halfway through Act 2.
There had been a few customers who walked in and interrupted us, but Adam was always quick to shift back into character as soon as the customer had left.
I still couldn't help but be amazed at how natural he was. Like he'd been acting for a long time.
He looked over at the script, then up at me, and said, "Do you really, Anne?" His eyes were fixed on me.
"Of course, Thomas and I have more in common than I led myself to believe. He is a stubborn man, and so am I. He wants to explore the world and be fascinated with all its charm as well as its ugliness. And so am I. And this marriage, this union that we're about to commit our whole selves to, scares me. It scares me more than anybody could fathom."
I looked down at the script in my hand, no longer able to hold my gaze without my heart beating faster than before. Adam and I had been hanging out ever since we were kids, and there was no way I couldn't win a staring contest with him. But it's different now. I had become more aware of the tiny gold flecks around the moss in the center of his eyes and the way they changed from dark to light, depending on his mood or the expression on his face.
Best friends or not, I couldn't change the fact that we had grown a lot. And the physical changes our bodies had achieved were something I couldn't really deny now. But there was no way I'd let that come in between us or our friendship. The physical reaction was just nature's way of telling us that we were no longer kids, and it shouldn't really bother me.
Should it?
"I agree with your take on the matter, Anne. But, quite frankly, that's not what I meant," Adam said, still staring at me.
I looked up at him to deliver my lines only to see him still staring at me. "Oh, Edmund, my sweet, sweet Edmund, tell me then. You have been a very sincere and truthful man from the very first time we met. Enlighten me. Be honest with me as you have always been. What is it you came all the way here for if not to talk about your friend's disposition on our impending marriage?"
Adam let out a small smirk, never breaking eye contact. He took a deep breath and finally looked down, skimming the script for his next line and seemingly taking a quick mental note of every word.
"Anne," his eyes bore into mine. "I'm leaving for Montreal tomorrow night."
What? Why? Will you be coming back the day before the wedding?"
"No." He slowly shook his head. "I won't be coming back for a very long time, Anne."
I bit my lip, feeling the emotions, when I was writing this scene. It was Anne and Edmund's most heartbreaking scene, and I nearly cried had it not been for Penny, who thoughtlessly barged into my room while I was writing it.
"Why?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't say it. I won't say it."
"Well, then, at least do something about it, Edmund. I think I have the right to know, all things considered."
Adam carefully placed the script on the floor, slowly leaning in closely. I felt my ear heat up, and I was quite certain that my cheeks were blushing, judging by how I felt my blood swiftly rush to my face. I couldn't move. We held each other's eyes, and he took a moment to look down at my lips.
"And then they kiss," Adam whispered, a mischievous smirk dancing on his lips. In that moment, my heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest. But before I could even process what was happening, he quickly pulled away, leaving me stunned.
"Adam!" I exclaimed, pushing him away and cupping my cheeks between my sweaty palms.
He chuckled teasingly. "What? It says here on the script. Edmund kisses Anne," he argued, holding out the script to me, amusement evident in his eyes.
I hissed and rolled my eyes at him, feeling both flustered and annoyed because, clearly, he was right, and I didn't know what to say.
Teasingly narrowing his eyes at me, Adam added, "Are you blushing?"
Clenching my bottom lip between my teeth, I couldn't bear the embarrassment anymore. "I'm going home," I declared, swiftly grabbing my bag from under the counter.
"Hey, lighten up. I was just messing with you," he called out, his laughter trailing after me as I stormed out of the room.
"Whatever!" I retorted, feeling a mixture of irritation and embarrassment. As I walked away, I couldn't help but wonder how I let myself get caught up in such a ridiculous situation.
Darn it!
Another school day. . .
"Alright, class, I have a very exciting announcement to make before you leave," Ms. Dartwood's enthusiastic voice was immediately met by groans from students who believed nothing exciting could come from her—or any teachers in general. While I slowly gathered our stuff, counting the seconds before the bell would ring, Ms. Dartwood continued, "We will all be going on a field trip next Tuesday!"
I smiled, and the moans quickly turned into loud cheers. I glanced around and even noticed Adam and Jay clapping from their usual spots in the corner. They were focused on Ms. Dartwood and her announcement.
It was the first time I had seen him since our slight disagreement at Brown's. His mocking tone after I agreed to rehearse lines with him still bothered me, so I decided to ignore him. Maybe I was overreacting, but his smirk really annoyed me. I felt embarrassed and offended at the same time. I knew there was a reason I was upset, but I couldn't quite figure it out.
And to make matters worse, he laughed at me, which only added to my frustration. I felt my face flush, imagining how silly I must have looked sitting there with red cheeks.
I quickly closed my bag, ready to meet Penny for lunch, as Ms. Dartwood handed out permission slips for our parents to sign.
"Where are we going?" Jay asked loudly from the back for everyone to hear. "Please don't say Pine Crest State Park."
Everyone stopped for a moment, waiting for Ms. Dartwood to respond to Jay. She walked to her desk with a big smile.
"Pine Crest State Park is not that far," Jay said. "Every senior class goes there, and most of us have been there before. Can't we go somewhere different this year?"
The classroom filled with sounds of agreement.
I stayed silent. Unlike some of them, I hadn't been to Pine Crest State Park. My parents never took Belle and me to explore other parts of the state park. We had picnics as a family many times, but never went hiking. Maybe because Dad always had to rush home for work the next day.
"Thank you, Mr. Sullivan," Ms. Dartwood acknowledged Jay before addressing the class. "But the purpose of this outdoor activity is to connect with nature. We're connected to social media. This activity should help you view life outside that small screen on your phones, form closer bonds with the natural world and care more for our environment."
"I care about the environment," a shy voice from the back spoke.
"I'm sure you all do. But this trip will provide you the opportunity to have real interaction with nature and with one another. Connecting with and through nature should be fun!" As Ms. Dartwood finished her speech to convince us why it didn't matter if we were going to Pine Crest State Park or any park, the bell rang.
"Don't forget to have your permission slips signed by Monday!"
I got up from my seat and caught the hasty retreat of Jay and Adam. My eyebrows instinctively knitted together in confusion.
I mean, seriously, what's their rush?
When I finally reached the cafeteria, Penny was already comfortably settled at our usual table, but Adam was conspicuously absent.
I plopped down beside Penny, pretending not to care about Adam's whereabouts.
Picking apart my tuna salad, I tuned out Penny's whining about her cramps. Her mouth watered at the thought of pizza, and she talked about how she'd be slaving away at Inked that week, then back to pizza. She went on about her feelings about leaving town right after graduation and trying her luck somewhere else.
But my mind was elsewhere too—on Adam and what could possibly be going on with him.
No matter how hard I had tried before, I couldn't help but overthink trivial things. Although I was fully aware it had given me more problems than peace, it was like I was wired to overanalyze stuff. I really couldn't help it.
By the time the bell rang, signaling the start of Creative Writing, I had already made up my mind to confront Adam at Brown's after school. The frustration simmered within me, ready to spill out in the form of a speech detailing just how irritated I was with him for mocking me. Surely, he'd apologize, and we'd move past it.
Piece of cake. I hoped it would be that simple, but the tension gnawed at my insides.
As the day dragged on, my anticipation for rehearsal grew. Stepping into the auditorium, I noticed everyone had already gathered, including Adam, engaged in conversation with Brinson.
I shot Adam a quick glance, feeling a surge of irritation as I settled into my seat, script in hand. His grin, coupled with laughter at Brinson's joke, only fueled my annoyance.
Penny found her way to my side, offering a momentary distraction. Mr. Scott's voice echoed through the space, dispensing tips and pointers to the actors. But my attention momentarily strayed as he stood under the spotlight, arms crossed, a subtle flex of his biceps catching my eye.
Why do I notice these things?
Bu I knew I couldn't be the only one who noticed because Claudia let out a giggle in her seat.
"Mr. Scott, I have one question about Thomas and Anne's kissing scene in Act 2," Megan spoke up.
I immediately stood up, cleared my throat, and answered her question, "Let me answer that, Mr. Scott." I waited for his approval before I continued, "You and Brinson don't have to kiss for real. You just need to lean back a little, and Brinson will have to move forward, like his head sort of blocking the audience's view, making it look like you guys are really kissing."
Mr. Scott smiled. "There you go."
"Good to know," Megan replied without any further fuss when suddenly the door flew open.
"Hey, Brinson, touch my girl, and you're dead meat," Mason threatened as he and his friends stormed in, blatantly ignoring the fact that a teacher was present.
However, it was Melissa who fiercely responded to his intimidation, saying, "Mason, you can leave, or you can shut up and sit down."
"You're not the boss of me!"
"I may not be, but your father is. And I swear he will hear about your foolishness if you don't shut the hell up."
All eyes, including mine, locked onto Melissa, who looked like she wasn't bluffing at all.
Shockingly, Mason sank into a nearby seat. "Sit down!" he barked at his friends, who immediately obeyed like he was the drama king they had to follow.
Looking back at Melissa, I couldn't believe how she effortlessly put Mason in his place. I mean, who knew she had a secret weapon—Mason's dad's reputation as the ultimate disciplinary figure?
"Mason and Melissa's dad were pretty tight back in the days," Penny soon chimed in, providing the information as if she was reading my mind. "I heard they are still pretty close, given that they used to be fraternity brothers back in college. See ya later!" And with that, she stood up and joined the rest of the crew backstage.
How did Penny come to know about Mason and Melissa's father? I wouldn't have a clue. All I knew was that she possessed an uncanny ability to gather any information.
Soon after, the rehearsal began. I slowly felt a shift in the world as everyone transformed into their characters. Over the next hour, they all put in the hard work of acting and remembering their lines. Brinson and Megan's chemistry was undeniable. By the time I remembered about Mason, his seat was already empty when I turned around to gauge his reaction. I couldn't blame him since his girlfriend almost had me believing she was a different person—someone who would never, in a million years, be into someone like Mason—and not the Megan I knew.
It's the same thing with Adam. Up on stage, he felt and sounded more like Edmund. He had easily become the character as soon as he spoke his lines.
In the midst of my thoughts, while I continued making notes on pointers for some actors who clearly needed to get to know their characters better, I suddenly heard Mr. Scott from the corner, instructing us to wrap up the scene and prepare for the singing part.
"Great work, everyone! In our next meeting, we'll focus on your blocking: where to stand, walk, and who to face. Also, make sure to memorize all your lines for Act I by this weekend because next week, scripts won't be allowed on stage anymore. Ms. Geene will be in the wings to provide hints, but only with a word or two."
I packed up my things and looked at Mr. Scott, who was putting his laptop in his bag while speaking to the students, who gathered around him, including Claudia.
"Someone's really eager to win that money," I thought to myself, observing Claudia flirt with Mr. Scott.
As I glanced around, I saw Megan talking to Brinson unexpectedly. Then, I was surprised to see Penny join them. She said something to Mr. Scott and then gestured towards me.
What is she up to?
I felt awkward and glanced down at my shoes. When I looked up, Mr. Scott was already looking at me. I smiled back at him, probably appearing somewhat creepy.
Why am I still here?
Then I noticed Claudia walking away, and Penny immediately called Adam down from the stage. He looked slightly surprised by whatever Penny said, then shrugged. Mr. Scott rubbed his jaw in thought, glanced at me briefly, then nodded at Penny.
As their conversation concluded, Penny sauntered over to me, her grin practically shouting mischief. "Pete's after school with Mr. Scott. He's treating."
"What?" I asked.
"You heard me!" she replied, rushing out of the auditorium, leaving me to follow.
Penny avoided walking with me to class to avoid the inevitable debate about her latest pizza ploy. She wanted me to join without objections.
I could practically see the gears turning in her head, calculating the perfect plan to satisfy her pizza cravings without denting her wallet.
Honestly, sometimes Penny's audacity knew no bounds.