"It's not so bad Chas," Emily said sympathetically.
"Are you kidding me? Mrs R expects Chas to play Juliet and Julian the role of Romeo! That totally sucks," Melissa was trying to braid my non-existent hair. It wasn't that I was bald or anything...it's just that they were short and really spiky.
"I can always make a fool of myself and force Mrs Renaldo not to choose me," I shrugged.
"Uh Chas...this is actually a really good opportunity for you. It would look amazing on your college S.O.P," Emily said.
"This is not high school musical Em," I rolled my eyes.
We were sitting in one of the school gardens during recess. We had finished our lunch early so that we could spend time in the beautiful school garden.
"She's kind of right you know. If you decide to pursue college in a course related to music such a thing would seem pretty impressive," Melissa finished making the braid and tied it with a sparkly golden rubber band.
I had never given much thought to college. I had always known I wanted to do something related to music but what? I hadn't thought about that. I was sure my parents would've expected me to go to Julliard...Yeah, as if Julliard would've taken me with all those suspensions and expulsions.
"I know right now it might seem that all you want to have is fun but when you'll graduate things won't be pretty," Emily said as she played with a grass strand.
"Whoa...slow down grandma." Melissa lied down on the ground.
"I don't know...I mean with my school record I don't think I have a chance to get in any good college," I shrugged nonchalantly but from inside I was having a sinking feeling. I really wanted to make a career in the field of music. Were my dreams going to be squashed just because I had been crazy about pranks?
"You still have time to make up for the lost time," Emily said kindly while plucking out a grass strand.
"I don't think so," I lied down next to Melissa and kept my hands on my eyes.
"Cheer up girl! I agree with Em...you can start over from scratch at Kelson Academy. You can play pranks and stuff but just keep a low profile so that the teachers won't suspect you and participate in all kinds of extra-curricular stuff so that the teachers will have no choice and will write down awesome letter of recommendations for you." Melissa got up and said excitedly.
I loved my old friends but my new friends weren't half as bad either. They were making me optimistic about my future. If I got selected for the play to play Juliet I could add it in my statement of purpose for college. And it didn't mean I wasn't going to have fun because if Julian played Romeo, I could torture him as much as I wanted and make him get into trouble at times. I had to do something which would have made any college want me as a student. Hell yeah, I was so going to do the play. I could even ask Mrs Renaldo to use some of my songs for the play as background music. I was getting more and more excited by the minute thanks to my friends.
"You guys are amazing," I grinned sitting up straight. "I'm so going to nail this stuff to make my college application cool. I thought I had no hope but now I feel a lot better."
"You should hang out with us...we are cool like that," Melissa feigned a smug expression.
"Whatever Mel," I nudged her with my elbow and she nudged me back. That started a nudging war between us.
Emily rolled her eyes, "You guys are so childish."
That made me nudge Emily with my elbow.
"Ow that hurt Chas," Emily rubbed her sides and nudged me hard.
All three of us ended up rolling in the grass nudging each other laughing hysterically.
"What are you? A kindergartener?" a voice scoffed.
"Don't you have anything else to do?" I said while taking out stray grass strands from my hair.
"Sure I do and it's much more important than rolling in the grass," Julian dusted off imaginary dust from his distressed jeans.
"Then why don't you leave and attend to your important task." He was really annoying me.
Especially when I saw his gorgeous blue hair...that's correct I said gorgeous blue hair, shimmer in the sunlight. Why did he have to be so infuriatingly hot?
"Whatever," he ran his hand through his silky hair tempting me to do the same but I resisted. "Juliet," he laughed mockingly. "What was Mrs Renaldo thinking? I'm sure you'll succeed in making everyone laugh on Thursday by your pathetic acting."
"We'll see that on Thursday for sure. I can give you glimpse of it right now though," I said clenching my hand into a tight fist.
"Hey! Hey Chas! No he's not even worth it," Melissa held me back.
"Besides you already have a punishment you don't want anymore," Emily looked at me warningly which reminded me of my new resolution of laying low. It's wouldn't have been called laying low if I punched Julian in the school garden so I stopped myself from doing so after taking in long deep breaths.
"Romeo with blue hair," I started laughing even though I knew it was lame. "Now that is new. As if you'll even get the role. I don't think so much arrogance and ego will fit in one room."
"Should I laugh? Just tell me when to laugh," he tried to look bored.
"Guys!" Melissa exclaimed. "Stop bickering!"
"He started it. You saw it Mel," I looked accusingly at him.
"Julian would it hurt to be nice to her?" Emily sighed.
"It wouldn't," he smiled. "But where's the fun in that?" After that he walked away.
"I don't believe this guy," I shook my head irritated.
"I think he liked you Chas," Emily narrowed her eyes and looked at Julian's retreating figure.
"I wouldn't bet on that," Melissa stretched herself.
Emily wanted to be a psychologist, so, I had discovered she had a habit of analysing people. It would have been a perfect job for her, being a psychologist I mean.
"He hates me," I nodded.
"No he doesn't. Do you remember the time when we were kids and found boys gross? At that time if a boy actually liked a girl he would pull her hair or tease her. It seems that it's the same case with Julian. Why would he waste so much time on you otherwise?" Emily stated.
"You are confusing harassment for infatuation,' I said trying not to think about how much the thought of what Emily had suggested thrilled me.
"I don't know so I won't say anything," Melissa closed her eyes.
"He does like her okay. If he didn't he would've told the teachers that you're the one who dyed his hair blue but he didn't—" Emily didn't have time to finish her analysis because a bell rang indicating that the lunch was over.
Yes, there was actually a bell which rang to remind the students that the recess period finished.
"Let's leave we have computer class," I got up glad the discussion about Julian liking me was closed.
*******
"Chas..." Melissa said hesitatingly as I stared at my computer's screen trying to discover which tool was meant for which purpose in Adobe Photoshop. I didn't know as I had missed a few classes due to enrolling in late.
"What does this freaking tool do?" I asked Melissa who was sitting on the computer beside me.
"Oh that's the clone tool, here let me show what it does," Melissa explained me the purpose of the stupid tool. She was really good with Photoshop.
"I was thinking about what Emily said during the break," she said. "She might've been right you know."
I tried to ignore her but she went on, "When you were not here Julian pretty much ignored everyone. I guess he thought that we are all beneath him and talking to us would be a waste of his time because let's face it the guy has an attitude problem but then you came and he changed."
"Yes he keeps insulting me, it certainly shows how much he's in love with me," I said sarcastically.
"I'm serious Chas," she said impatiently. "You know like in lunch he used to always sit alone and you saw how he was surrounded by people today. Maybe that was to impress you."
"I can't believe that I am actually having this talk."
"Okay I get the hint so I'll shut up now. By the way..." a big smile formed on her face, "What do you think of David?"
"David?" I turned back and looked over to a boy with jet black hair and grey eyes.
His nose looked as if it had broken once in a fight so he looked pretty badass according to me. I had talked to him in the History class and he seemed to be nice. We had talked about how much we liked classic rock.
"
He's cool. Why?"
"I think he's cute," Melissa blushed.
"Oh," I said and got back to my class work.
"Hello!" Melissa said unbelievingly. "That's all?"
"I'm not really good in girly boy talk sorry." I looked at her sheepishly.
"You're hopeless at times," she sighed.
"I think you like him...I think you love him," I started repeating the lines in a sing song voice.
She laughed, "You are so suited to Julian...he behaves like a little kid to get your attention and so do you."
"I do not. I hate Julian. He's such a bitch."
"I'm not going to say, I told you so, after a few weeks" she smirked.
"You're the one who behaves like a little kid. Julian and I? Yuck!" I made disgusted face even though I wasn't that disgusted from inside.
*******
"Take this book, it belongs to your section," Julian handed me a book.
I was standing at the fantasy section arranging the books as it was seven thirty in the evening. I was little shocked that Julian had come over from the science fiction section to hand me a book which belonged to the section I was arranging books in.
"Umm okay," I looked at him for a second and then went back to work. I couldn't believe that I had dreamt about him last night and the dream was a twisted scene form Twilight.
"You're welcome," he said sarcastically and went back to the sci-fi section.
After finishing my work I sat down with the book I had been reading the last time in a far corner of the library. I had a reason for sitting there. I was going to work on a song which I could show to Mrs Renaldo to use it in the play. It had to be a love song, not something I wrote usually. I had very less time to work on it since I had to finish it by Thursday.
No song, no college, I motivated myself.
I slipped in sheet of paper inside the book and started to write.
A love so great,
That it ceased to live,
They sealed their fate,
And didn't survive.
Why was I sounding so sappy? I was sure Mrs Renaldo was going to make fun of my song. I had just written down four lines and I already hated it. I decided to continue anyways.
They couldn't escape,
They couldn't take,
Weren't able to shape,
All their dreams.
A hand snatched away the paper.
"Julian," I gritted my teeth. "Give it back."
"What are you scribbling on this paper?" he looked at the sheet.
I was going to be embarrassed by him. He was the Deported's lead singer for God sake. My song was going to look like crap to him. Oh and he hated me so he would've taken extra efforts to insult me. I started to get up to take the paper away from his hand but he stopped me as read my sappy song.
"You wrote it?" he asked me surprised.
"Just give it back," I said unnerved. I had never shown anyone my songs except for Tiana.
He handed me the sheet back and I saw the hurt I had seen once before again in his eyes.
"You are good." His voice sounded hoarse.
"Umm thanks," I didn't know how to respond to a praise given by guy who hated my guts.
"I should get back to my book," He said walked up to another table and sat down with book he had been reading a day back.
*******
Author's Note: For all those people who like my book so far, I'm happy I'm able to hook you with this book. I wrote the song (Chas' love song) in two minutes, so I'm sorry if it sounds bad because that's all I could come up with in such less time.