Peyton Ellis
New neighbors still hadn't brought their furniture
inside their apartment yet, even though it's been a week.
Mood = Confused 🤨
Jade held Peyton's hand as they walked by Tori, who were struggling with some books. Peyton held a coffee for Beck and he looked at Tori.
No wonder the poor girl was struggling because she didn't know how to organize her shit. Everyone knew the text books go on the bottom of the stack, while folders go in the middle of the stack, and lastly, the notebooks go on top.
In a fake sweet voice, Jade asked, "Need some help?"
Tori looked relieved, "Yes."
"Interesting," Jade replied as she led Peyton to his locker.
Peyton had painted a scarecrow on his locker because he loved Halloween, his favorite season was fall, and sometimes he felt like a scarecrow. He felt like he was someone else, like he was a fake person with a fake smile. Sometimes he wondered if everyone knew that they weren't talking to a person but a fake guy — a scarecrow.
In Sikowitz's class, Peyton watched Cat and Jade act out a scene that they had been working on. Cat held an overly large pig stuffy.
"Betsy, Betsy, that animal's delicious flesh can keep us all alive for another week," Jade said using a voice that was from the 1800s.
Using a matching tone of voice, Cat replied, "I don't wanna be alive without Poncy! This pig is everything to me that my daddy never was and I'll be ding-dang—" She was cut off by a ball being thrown right at her face. She fell to the ground with a scream.
"Sikowitz," Jade said exasperated.
"What?" asked Sikowitz, as if he didn't throw a ball at one of his students.
Cat got up, holding a hand to her cheek, "You hit me in the face with a ball."
"Just be glad he didn't hit you in the face with a vase like my mom did once," Peyton said without thinking. He winced as he got some alarmed looks at that.
"Exactly," Sikowitz said. "A truly great actor can stay in the scene no matter what's happening around her."
"But it really hurt," Cat stated. The bell rang and Cat exclaimed, "Ooh, lunch, yay!" She ran out of the class, nearly knocking Peyton to the ground as he grabbed his backpack, in her haste to get food.
Sikowitz told them, "Learn your lines! I want everyone off book tomorrow!"
Peyton was eating some homemade chips that his dad had packed him at lunch at a table. Ethan always packed him and Damian lunches. There were peanut butter cookies, homemade potato chips, two club sandwiches cut into fourths, homemade French fries, and a random slice of pumpkin pie.
Rex asked, "Does your dad really have to pack you a refrigerator?"
Robbie and Beck usually get food from the Grub Truck, where the only worker, Festus yells orders to himself. Peyton's dad didn't trust the food truck and 'processed' food, so he made and grew everything by hand.
Peyton looked at the puppet and crammed a peanut butter cookie in Rex's mouth to get him to shut up. Robbie made muffled sounds for Rex. Peyton ate a cookie for himself, thinking how funny that Peyton and Damian were in therapy, while Robbie was allowed to walk around with his hand up a puppet's ass and making the puppet abuse him, which people acted like it was normal. It was even worse when people acted like Rex was a human being.
"Hey," Beck said, looking at Peyton, slightly offended that Peyton didn't give him a cookie first.
Peyton passed him a cookie and Beck smiled.
André sat down down at the table and asked, "Do you know where I can buy a pair of ballet slippers?"
That was one of the few weirdest questions that Peyton had ever been asked. The one that was number one was his sevetnth grade teacher saying, "You have pretty eyes. Can I have them for my collection?"
"No, I don't," Beck told André. "But I know where you can get yourself a pretty skirt and some lip gloss."
Rex chuckled, "Good one, Beck. Lip gloss." Robbie held up the puppet's hand for a high five.
Beck gave Robbe ia strange look and Robbie lowered the hand.
"Pass me another cookie, Peyton," Rex demanded.
Peyton handed over a cookie and asked André, "Why do you want ballet slippers?"
"'Cause I signed up for ballet," André replied like it was a normal thing to say. It was, actually.
"Whoa, whoa," Robbie said. "Isn't that kinda girly?"
"I think you insulted that Baryshnikov guy," Peyton told him. "And all of those other male ballerinas as well."
Beck asked, "Who?"
"That Russian ballet dancer," Peyton said. "My step mom made Damian and I watch this movie called White Nights where he danced in it. He was pretty amazing in it."
"Yup, just one big room full of girls and me," André stated. "You guys picking up what I'm putting down?"
"I am," Beck said.
Rex chuckled, "Pretty smooth."
"Yeah," Peyton stated. It was a good idea, unfortunately, André probably wasn't the first one to have that idea.
"I don't understand," Robbie stated.
"He's taking ballet lessons to meet girls," Peyton told Robbie.
"They're going to be in a room with him," Beck added.
Robbie caught on, "Ha!"
Beck reached over and took some chips from Peyton's lunch.
Robbie asked André, "Would you mind if maybe...I signed up too?"
"Nah, go for it," André said.
André asked Peyton, "How about you?"
"I'm dating Jade and Beck," Peyton said. "And I've seen Black Swan. Ballet dancing is killer on your feet. Besides, I'm taking guitar lessons again."
"Jade and I already signed up for salsa dancing," Beck added.
André asked Peyton, "And you didn't?"
"Only two can salsa dance," Peyton grumbled.
"Which is stupid," Beck added.
"I can't eat salsa," Robbie stated.
"Why?" André joked, "'cause it hurts your stomach and gives you nightmares?"
"No," Robbie replied.
"Yes," Rex said.
"Maybe," Robbie admitted.
Rex exclaimed, "Ha!"
Beck shook his head at that.
"Have fun ballet dancing with all those guys that had the same idea as you," Peyton told André.
André looked at the peanut butter cookies, "Hey, pass me one of those." Peyton handed him a cookie. "Thanks."
Peyton Ellis
I'm paranoid about this new killer.
Mood = Paranoid 😨
Beck: ???
Damian: LMFAO
Jade: What new killer?
Peyton: I was asleep when I updated that.
After doing their own part of the play that Sikowitz wanted them to do, and pelting Peyton with a ball, Sikowitz said, "Ready, drive-by acting exercise. You're all angry Englishmen. Go."
The only thing Peyton knew was from the book series Skulduggery Pleasant, but that was Irish, and Game of Thrones.
Robbie said, "I insist you tell me who sat on my crumpet."
Jade said, "My grandmummy went to the loo while I snogged the prime minister."
"This flock of whip-poor-wills is bothering my trousers," André said.
"Good heavens, there's a dead cockroach in my brassiere," Cat said.
"For the last time, I told you that doors are for people with no imagination," Peyton said, using an Irish accent to Beck, who looked flustered.
"Peyton, that's Irish," Sikowitz chided.
"Oh, right, sorry," Peyton said. To a random guy, he pointed and said, "Do you know who pushed my brother out of a tower window?"
"Better," Sikowitz told him.
"Well, I told you not to put plum sauce on me banger," Beck said to a different student.
And people started shouting at each other, although Peyton yelled, "Winter is coming!" to someone.
Sikowitz shouted over his class, "All right, all right, very good, quiet down!"
They took their seats.
"Now that we're all loosey and/or goosey, the time has come for our newest student to tackle..." Sikowitz started and stomped his feet, making his class do the same before saying, "The Bird Scene!"
Peyton hated the Bird Scene. It took him three tries before he finally realized that he had to believe in himself and claim that he did it right. It was stupid and he was glad he got it out of the way.
"Tori, the stage is yours, though, you can't take it home," Sikowitz told her.
Tori asked, "Can I ask you a quick question before I start?" Jade groaned loudly and Peyton snickered at that. "So—"
"Just do your best," Sikowitz said. "Action!" He sat down.
"Okay," Tori said. She set her play aside and started the scene using a southern accent.
Peyton was distracted by Tori's ugly ass sandals. Why did she wear those things? They were hideous. He would burn them. Who designed those sandals? And she was wearing short-shorts with the pockets sticking out. Jesus.
Tori bowed her head dramatically and then looked up, asking, "How was that?"
Oh great, they were going to hear that drivel once more.
Sikowitz asked, "What do you mean?"
Tori asked, "Did I do the scene right?"
"Oh! No, not at all," Sikowitz told her.
"Okay," Tori replied. "Then what did I do wrong?"
"You'll have to perform the scene again tomorrow and get it right, or else you cannot be able to be in André's play or any other," Sikowitz told her as he made her take a seat.
Tori asked, "But can you tell me what I did wrong?"
"No, I can't," Sikowitz replied.
Tori asked, "I don't get any feedback?"
"That is correct," Sikowitz responded.
Tori started, "But—"
"Drive-by acting exercise," Sikowitz interrupted. "You're all terrified dolphins, go!" They got up to act like terrified dolphins. "Live the fear! Live the fear!"
Tori badgered them after leaving class, until they stopped.
"Oh, come on," Tori said. "How am I supposed to do the scene right if no one would tell me what I did wrong? I thought you guys were my friends."
"You thought wrong," Peyton told her.
"Yeah, we're not your friend because you kissed our boyfriend," Jade told Tori. She grabbed Beck's hand who took Peyton's hand. She led them to the vending machine to get a drink.
Jade asked, "Any of you got a dollar?"
Peyton took a dollar out to give her one.
Tori said, "You guys...my problem?"
"Number one rule of the 'The Bird Scene': no one is allowed to help you," Beck explained walking back to her.
"No one," Rex repeated.
Jade pointed at the whiteboard on Tori's locker, "So this is what you did to your locker?"
"Yeah," Tori said. "See, it's a erase board with a bunch of colorful pens in a convenient cup. So whoever wants to, can write or draw whatever they want."
Peyton took a maker and drew a penis on it while Jade wrote 'Stupid' in the space between Tori's Locker'
Tori asked, "Well, what's wrong with letting other people be expressive on my locker?"
"Well, for one thing they can do that," Robbie said, pointing at the whiteboard.
Tori looked at it as the three walked away. Tori called after them, "Yeah, well, my locker's smarter and more mature than your lockers."
Peyton Ellis
We have to hear Tori's Bird Scene monologue again.
Mood = Annoyed 🙄
Beck asked, "So, you ready?" Jade put one arm around his shoulders.
"Oh, I'm way past ready," Tori said. "Sikowitz wants the Bird Scene? I'm gonna give him the Bird Scene. I got props, a backdrop, and just to kiss up a little, I even got Sikowitz—" she took two coconuts out of her bag, "Two large coconuts." She was smiling.
"Those are good ones," Beck replied. He went to sit down.
Robbie asked, "What's the deal with Sikowitz and coconuts?"
"He says the milk gives him visions," Jade said holding her hands up.
"He probably adds stuff to it to give him visions," Peyton muttered, going to sit down. Jade snuggled up to Beck.
The bell rang and Sikowitz walked in, said, "all right' and tripped over nothing. He stumbled and continued onto the stage like nothing happened. "We have much to do today, but first, Tori, the Bird Scene."
Tori jumped up, "I'm ready." She took out the coconuts, "And before I begin, I'd like you to have these two large coconuts."
"Wonderful," Sikowitz said, taking them. "You know their milk gives me visions?"
"I've heard," Tori replied with a smile.
"Very good," Sikowitz said. "Everyone pay attention. Tori."
"One sec," Tori said, before pulling down a backdrop that was over the whiteboard.
"Ooh, a backdrop," Sikowitz commented.
Tori put on some glasses, "I am ready."
"Delightful! Action," Sikowitz said.
At least she wasn't wearing ugly sandals. What she was wearing was kind of cute, Peyton guessed.
Tori rolled down a bird prop and continued her monologue, before she cut the string of the bird prop and threw it out the open window. She bowed her head dramatically and raised her head again. "So? Was that good?"
One more try. Again.
Sikowitz asked, "Exactly what are you asking me?"
Tori asked, "You know, did you like what I did with the scene?"
"Sure," Sikowitz replied.
Tori asked, "So, did I get it right?"
"Oh, no," Sikowitz said. "You failed. Again."
"What? Why?" Tori started, "I did everything—"
"Hey! Watch where you throw your props!" the janitor scolded and threw the bird prop at Tori, who ducked to avoid getting hit.
Peyton Ellis
Someone put Wok Star takeout menus in the cracks
on every single apartment door in the building.
I checked. That's how I know.
Mood = Confused 🤨
There were some ugly floral curtains hanging in Sikowitz's classroom when Peyton got there. However, he was trying to figure why someone put Wok Star takeout menus on every apartment door or why they did that. It could've been the owner, Ms. Li's, way of trying to get celebrities to visit, because Ms. Li thought that the fancy building had celebrities living in it. However, all the menus were still there when Peyton and Damian checked to see if anyone took them. It was strange.
Robbie and André walked into class walking weirdly and holding bags of ice.
"I've been hit in the crotch while playing dodge ball in middle school," Peyton said. "How did that happen to you?"
"Ballet," André said, sitting down, wincing. "You were right though. It was full of dudes. One girl came in, though, and everybody swarmed her."
That poor girl must've thought something darker was going to happen to her.
Sikowitz came in and said, "Happy birthday."
Cat asked, "Who's birthday is it?"
"Somebody's, somewhere," Sikowitz answered.
"That's so true," Cat agreed as Sikowitz walked on stage and stood in front of the floral curtain.
Sikowitz asked, "Where's Tori?"
"Here!" Tori said, poking her head through the curtain. It was kind of reminiscent of Jack putting his head through the hole in the door in The Shining.
Sikowitz jumped and laughed, "You brought curtains."
"Let's do this," Tori stated, closing the curtains.
"Very good," Sikowitz said. "Ladies and gentlemen, once again, the Bird Scene – starring Tori—"
"Vega," Tori told him, briefly putting her head through the curtains.
"Vega," Sikowitz finished.
The curtains parted. There were more props and this time, Tori was wearing a costume. She played music and started reciting. She whistled and a bird flew in.
Sikowitz leaned forward and whispered, "You see the bird too?"
"Yeah," Beck said.
"Fantastic," Sikowitz replied, sitting back.
Tori motioned with her head and the bird flew out the window. She then finished her monologue and dramatically lowered her head.
"That—" Sikowitz stood up, "—was impressive."
Peyton will admit that, only because of the trained cockatoo.
Tori asked, "So did I get it right?"
"Nope," Sikowitz replied.
Tori argued, "I did too get it right!"
Sikowitz started, "Tori, listen—"
"I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but do you know how hard I worked on this scene? I made this costume. I downloaded special prairie music. I even trained that crazy cockatoo to fly in and out of the window on command!" The cockatoo flew in and Tori yelled, "Not now!" at the poor creature. The cockatoo flew out and Tori started ranting, "Look, you're a great acting teacher and everything, but I don't care what you say! The scene I just did was good and I'm proud of that no matter what anybody thinks."
It got a little quiet and there was a smattering of applause. Peyton clapped for her because he might as well.
Tori was confused at the applause, "What?"
Sikowitz said, "You just passed the Bird Scene!".
There was cheering, however Peyton wasn't a part of that.
Tori started, "But – but you said—"
"Tori, the whole point of the Bird Scene was to teach a performer like yourself to believe in your own choices, no matter what others think. We are artists and a true artist does not define success based on approval from others. A true artist need only please himself or herself or—" he pointed at Rex, "it's self."
"You don't know what I got," Rex retorted.
Tori started, "So all three times I did the scene—"
"Were delightful," Sikowitz finished. "It was only wrong when you asked if it was right." Sikowitz clapped at the class, "Drive-by acting exercise! You all are elderly people walking barefoot on broken glass! Go!"
They got up pretending to hobble in pain and complaining to one another.
Peyton Ellis
This marks day 12 and the furniture is still outside the door.
And the takeout menus are still on all the doors. What's going on?
Mood = Curious 🤔
Tori showed them her locker, which Peyton found rather dull.
Trina asked, "Make what shine?"
"It's the title of the song I sang in the Big Showcase," Tori explained.
"Oh," the others replied.
"Whatever," Jade stated.
Tori continued to explain, "'Cause, you know, that's what got me here in the first place."
"I don't like it," Jade said, then drank some coffee. Her locker had scissors on it, because her favorite movie was The Scissoring – a movie where a girl comes back to life and kills her two friends with a pair of scissors – starting with the pretty girl.
"Maybe the words should be bigger," Cat suggested.
"Or brighter," Peyton said, messing with one of his many layered leather bracelets.
Damian usually made one for Peyton on their birthday. Peyton usually found the most strangest band names patches so Damian can add it to a battle vest.
They started talking over one another before Tori said, "Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah. I believed in my own choice and I don't need approval from others."
"Ah, the young female has learned the ways of 'The Bird Scene'," Beck stated.
"I still think it's dull," Jade told Tori.
"Yeah? Well, then maybe I should Make It Shine," Tori said and pressed a button on her locker to make the stars, windows, and the letters light up.
Everyone, except Jade and Peyton, were impressed.
Jade asked, "Are we going to eat or what?"
"Oh, yay, food," Cat said and they started to take off.
Beck asked Tori, "Come with?"
"Sure," Tori said.
Jade glared at Tori before taking Peyton's hand and leading him outside.
Peyton wondered why Beck wanted to be friends with Tori so badly. Whatever the reason, Tori was not becoming their fourth member in their relationship.