"Ok Class! Today We are starting on our first play!" Mrs.Everheart announces.
It's Thursday already, and yesterday's practice went so much better than Tuesday's. Today is our last practice before our first game against the Bulldogs.
I'm in my third period, drama class. It just started, yet I really can't wait for it to end. I'm dying of hunger. Well not really dying, but you catch my drift.
"Since this is your first play of the year, I've decided to base it off a movie that hopefully you've all watched, or heard of. We'll be doing our play based on the D-" She stops mid sentence as the auditorium door opens. "Ahh, Mr.Austin, it's nice of you to join us. Please hurry and take a seat."
I discovered that I have Cody for this class. I've also discovered I have Lance for photography, then I have Austin for English and all three of them in P.E.
"As I was saying, our play will be based off of Disney channel's High School Musical." She announced proudly.
Choruses of groans and protest are heard around the room. I have no problem with it though, as long as I'm not really in the play, but a mere person who works backstage.
"Hush up, everyone has to audition! No exceptions. Auditions are this Saturday at 12 in the afternoon. This a part of your grade, you'll either be in the play, or helping backstage. No exceptions."
"When is the play?" A classmate asks from the front row.
"Ahh yes, it's going to be a month from now."
"Psst. Kaeleah. " Someone whispers from behind me, I ignore them as I try to concentrate on what the teacher is saying. I feel something hit the back of my head, I assume it's probably a paper ball.
"Kaeleah!" Another paper ball hits my head. I continue to ignore it, trying to focus on the details about backstage workers.
"Damn , Kaeleah!" This time I turn around ready to tell whoever it is to fuck off. I catch the paper ball before it hits me square in the face.
"What do you want?" I growl out as I lock eyes with Cody.
"Let me take you out, to dinner and a movie." He sings referring to a song from a few years ago.
"Leave me alone." I turn around.
The class goes by and when the bell finally rings I'm the first one out the door. My stomach growls, encouraging me to walk faster.
The cafeteria food here is good, it's not like the gross school lunches you see in movies and TV shows. I grab a slice of pizza and a burger, a bottle of blue Gatorade, and a red velvet cupcake, then make my way over to our the usual table.
Since it's a big group, we push two tables together. Each table fits six people. There's me, Jay, Tyler, Devin, Raymond, Caleb, Andrea, Mariah and her boyfriend Alex, and sometimes Aly sits with us.
I sit myself in front of Tyler and Ray, sitting next to Jay. I quickly dig in to my delicious looking food, taking a bite of pizza first.
"I'm surprised you're not fat, eating all of that food. No wonder why guys don't date you." A voice says from behind me.
I turn around and sigh when I see enemy number one standing behind me.
"Why can't you ever leave me alone?" I say and turn around. "Are you," I pause for dramatic effect, "In love with me or something?" I question and hear the group laughing behind me.
"Ugh, as if." She says and crosses her arms. "Hey Tyler." She says using a seductive voice? I don't know, she sounds more like a screeching cat to me. I watch as she leans down and places her head on his shoulder as her hands run down his chest.
"Oh, Hey." He says trying not to hide his disgust as he tries to remove her hands from him.
Elaina. Where do I even start? Her and I have always had a bad relationship. I can't even remember how or why it started.
She was also one of Tyler's flings from a years ago. She has this crazy idea that Tyler is in love with her. Which is totally not the case. Tyler is known as the schools biggest player. He literally embodies that star football player stereotype. Handsome, smart, hot, and a total heart breaker.
"Are you seriously trying to seduce my best friend?" I say rising to my feet as I laugh whole heartily.
"What? Are you jealous that he's mine?" She asks snobbishly, taking a step back from him.
"Jealous? Of that? Are you serious?" I say looking at Tyler who's currently trying to balance my tray of food on his head and a spoon on his nose. Total dork.
"You're just mad cause I get more guys than you." She says.
"No, I'm mad because you keep bothering me." I say and flick her forehead.
"Ew, don't touch me." She says pushing me back using more force. She's pretty strong, I'll give her that, but I know I'm much stronger.
I push her back and she falls to the floor. I kneel down so I'm looking her straight in the eye and when she looks up I say through gritted teeth, "Don't ever try and push me again. Get in my way one more time and I won't just be pushing you to the ground." I finish and walk out of the cafeteria with all eyes on me.
You would think that I'm popular. I'm star quarterback, friends with some of the hottest guys in the school, but I'm not. Girls try to be my friend only because I'm close with the guys.And guys? They're a bunch of pigs who are only looking for sex.
My phone rings in my pocket, I pull it out to answer it not even bothering to read the caller ID. "What?" I snap to the person on the other line.
"Wow! She finally answers! Seriously sis, calm down. I can literally feel your emotions coursing through me." I hear his voice and run a hand down my face in frustration.
"Kael, seriously, shut up." (Kael is pronounced as Kell)
Kael is my twin brother. We look exactly alike, well except my hair is obviously longer and I have highlights.
"Well I'm sorry for calling to see if my lovely sister is feeling fine."
"I'm sorry." I say and sit underneath a tree in the front lawn of the school.
"So tell me what happened." He coaxes.
"Enemy number one is what happened." I mutter.
"Elaina?"
"She was irking me so I flicked her forehead. She pushed me so I pushed her back, harder. Then she fell, then I threatened her and left the cafeteria." I tell him simply.
"And where was Jay, Tyler, and Ray when all this was happening?"
"I don't know probably laughing at Tyler cause he's such a dumb ass."
"What about the other guys? You know Devin, Caleb, and I'm assuming Alex was there too?"
"I don't know. Can you come home already?" I ask kind of pessimistically. He hasn't been home since summer and I have been holding an unnecessary grudge.
"Last time I checked, I have one more week in here. If everything's fine."
"What do you mean if everything's fine?" I ask him.
"Well they have to get me all checked out before they give the go ahead." He replies.
"I'm just glad you're awake and haven't forgotten anything." I say sighing at the end.
It's quiet for a while until Kael speaks "Who is this?"
"It's Kaeleah" I say feebly.
"Who?" He says.
"Kael?" I ask dimly.
"What?"
"Kael, stop fucking around." I say about to cry.
"Who is this?"
"Oh my god, Kael!"
"I'm kidding." He says laughing.
"What the fuck dude! You made me cry!" I say wiping the few tears that escaped.
"I'm sorry Kae, I love you."
"I'm gonna kick your ass Kael!"
"Ha, like you can take me down."
"You know I can." I say which is a total lie. "Our first game is tomorrow." I say, pulling at the grass.
"Really? That's great! Make sure Dad or John records it and come by right after so we can watch it!" He says eagerly. "That is, if you're not still giving me the silent treatment and holding a stupid grudge over my head."
"It'd be so much better if you were playing." I grumble out. "Maybe I'll let the grudge simmer for a little longer." I joke.
"Please don't. Let's call a truce."
"The truce will be discussed with the board. On to other matters now." I joke, knowing once I heard his voice the grudge was long forgotten.
"Did Coach give my spot away?" He asks. Kael played as a forward back.
"Yeah, but it's probably temporary."
"Who'd he give it to? Don't tell me he gave it to that sophomore guy, what's his name? Kyle? I don't know, but he sucks so bad and wouldn't even be able to block you if his life depended on it." He scoffs.
"No. The guys would have never let that happen. There are three new guys on the team. They're starters. One of them has your spot, but coach was saying until you get your all clear he's filling in." I tell him.
"And you're okay with this?" he asks tentatively.
I scoff, roll my eyes and say "Yes and No. So, get this, I have a back up quarterback. "
"What? Are you serious?"
"Dead serious."
"Yeah, you better bring the game footage tomorrow."
"I will, I swear." I hold my pinky up, knowing he was doing the same.
"Is your pinky up?"
"Of course." I answer.
"Pinky swear." We say at the same time and I make the pinky swear gesture with my finger.
Kael and I swear by pinky swears. If either of us were to break one, the consequence was death. No joke. Kael made the rule when we were six when he made me promise not to tell our dad he was the one who ruined his signed 49ers jersey. Since that day we have never broke a pinky promise between each other.
The bell sounds above me, and I cough loudly trying to hide the sound. I was enjoying talking to my brother, and I've been ignoring him for my own personal selfish reasons.
"Was that the bell?"
"No." I quickly lie.
"Kaekae, get your ass to class, and don't argue with me."
"Fine. I'll swing by after practice If I'm not too tired." I swing my bag on and start walking to my next class.
"Oh and tell Matthews and Carter that the first thing I'm going to do when I get out of here is kick both of their asses!" He uses Tyler and Rays last names, causing me to roll my eyes.
"I bet you will. I have to go now." I hang up after I hear him say goodbye.
----
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Lance asks coming up to me while were running our usual 10 laps.
"Yeah, not really worried though."
"Why not?" He asks trying to keep pace with me.
"The Bulldogs aren't much of a challenge." I say truthfully.
"Oh, cool. So who's Kael?" He asks.
I almost stop running, but I don't. "Umh, what are you talking about?" I ask acting like I don't know what he's talking about.
He catches onto my act and gives me a deadpan look. "Really Kaeleah? I was up in the tree when you were talking on the phone."
"Why were you? Never mind." I was going to ask why he was in a tree, but him and Tyler are practically the exact same person, so forget it. "He's my brother." I tell him.
"Oh, so where is he?"
"He's in the hospital."
"For what?" he asks seeming interested.
"He slipped into a coma during the summer." I say like it's no big deal, but it is. I could've lost my brother.
"How?"
"Uh, he was with some people one night and they were on their way back from a party. They were all drunk, so that didn't help when a semi swerved into their lane causing them to turn to avoid it. It was raining and they spun off the road." I tell him.
I never had a problem sharing what happened with Kael. It wasn't a secret, the crash made it to the front page of the local paper the next day. My phone flooded with calls and messages when the article came out. Everyone wanted to know what happened as if it wasn't already written about.
"Oh, well I'm sorry?" He says trying to be sincere.
"Don't worry about it, he's perfectly fine." I say happily, because he is.
"Okay huddle in!" Coach blows his whistle and we all jog toward the center of the field where he's standing.
"Ok guys, our first game is tomorrow. I don't want to work you guys too much today even though I really want to."
"Well that's nice." I mumble earning a laugh from the guys.
"Shut it Anderson." Coach warns.
"Got it captain." I say and salute him.
"Lets just run by some plays today. Did you look over the play book?" He says and looks at me.
"Yep."
"So, what do you wanna try?" Coach asks me.
I stand up in front and explain the play. "Ok, has anyone heard of the Statue of Liberty play?" I ask and no one says anything so I'm assuming it's a no.
"Ok well that was expected. This play is barely used. So when the ball hits my hands I'm gonna stand like I'm gonna throw it, but I'm not. Cody, you come and snatch the ball from me and run it down. Got it?" They all nod so we get in formation.
I get in position behind Alex.
"Hike!" The ball hits my hands and I make it seem like I'm gonna throw it. Before Cody even gets the ball, I get tackled.
I sit up, and look around. "Seriously?" I ask looking up at Nathan, the guy who tackled me.
"I'm sorry Leah!" He says quickly.
"It's cool, it's cool. Let's try that again, Cody where were you? You can't let something like that happen during the real games."
"I'm sorry Kaeleah, I forgot the play." He explains.
"You're supposed to come and get the ball out of my hands and run it down." I explain slowly.
"Ok, ok, I got it."
"Get in formation" I take my spot.
"So have you talked to Kael?" Alex asks.
"Play first, talk later." I say and he laughs because he knows how serious I get.
The ball hits my hands and I take my stance, I feel the ball leave my hand and watch as Cody runs it down for a touchdown as if it were a real game.
"Yes! That's what I'm talking about! Yes!" I yell fist pumping in the air. We play it a couple more times and practice Hail Mary before coach calls off the end of practice.
---
Author's Note:
Surprise, surprise! Kaeleah has a twin! The Game will be posted in the next chapter which will probably be updated tomorrow because I seriously have no life and all I do is lay at home on my couch and read.
Edited: February 4, 2022
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Lots of love, jeadeaday ❣️