Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved
Franca and her friends arrived at school running to get their English class. Their English teacher, Mrs. Linda was a force to be reckoned with if you were late to her class; her anger was truly a sight to behold.
Franca remembered not submitting her homework once; Mrs. Linda's reaction was frightening to say the least. She huffed and puffed making Franca think smoke was going to come out of her ears. She demanded that Franca should go home to get it; this caused Franca to be late to all her classes that day.
Zack, Anne and Franca made their way to sit in their respective seats; they brought out the items needed for the lesson.
Linda came in immediately. Her cheeks were rosy. Franca guessed that it was from the cold outside. All conversation came to a halt when she made her presence known to them.
"Class be quiet, no disruptions please. Today, you all are going to be conducting a role play on Shakespeare's Hamlet. You will be given 2weeks to complete it. It weighs 60% of your overall results in my class so you must all take it seriously. You will be split into teams; so you must work accordingly to help each other. I want you to convey the characters emotions well because it will be dramatized on stage. You make it your own; creativity would be appreciated"
"Listen attentively as I call your names because I won't repeat myself. Julius and Rebecca, Julie and Ben, Sarah and Andrew, Zack and Anne, Tyler and Franca" She continues pairing everyone up.
Franca was annoyed that she had to be paired up with Tyler. She couldn't understand why Zack and Anne got to be paired off together but not her. She glanced at the back of the class, to see Tyler making his way towards her.
"I guess we will be doing the play together" He says smiling. Duh, of course we are, Franca thought in mockery.
"Okay. I would like to play the part of Ophelia. I think you should play Hamlet. We could review Hamlet's soliloquy to make it more modernized to suit this time" Franca says, writing down points on her notebook.
"I agree with you, your take on it being modernized is on point; I think it is a great idea. Everyone would make their dialogue ancient like Shakespearian times. Ours would be unique, so we could have an edge in acquiring high grades in it" He says also writing down some points.
"Let's start then, write down your take on it whilst I do the same, I think we should compare each other's when we finish" Franca replies nodding her head in agreement.
Throughout the class, there wasn't anything said between them. It wasn't because they were avoiding to converse with each other, it was because they were both engrossed in the task. When they finished writing how they thought the role play should pan out, they both compared their points.
Franca found out that Tyler was very knowledgeable in Shakespearian history. She misjudged him as being all brawn and no brains; she didn't know half of the things he spoke about. She learnt her lesson to not judge a book by its cover.
Ironic isn't it? How else would one judge a book if not by its cover? Franca thought sarcastically. Well you get the point, she got the wrong impression about Tyler and she was sorry for prejudging him.
"Tyler I appreciate your efforts in the role play. Your points were very commendable" Franca replies after they had written some parts of the role play.
"It was nothing" He says smiling.
Franca couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face, his smile was contagious. They both stood off their seats, to organize their books into their backpack. Tyler said his goodbye and went off to his next class.
Zack and Anne strode over to Sarah and Franca, holding their hands. Zack and Anne told them that they had the same class together. They left, leaving Franca and Sarah.
Sarah strutted to Franca; she told her that the partner she was paired with was incompetent in the task. She detailed everything that he did, saying she had to do the task all by herself. She said he didn't contribute anything to the task but just sat there, chatting to his friends.
Franca felt sorry for her, she was grateful she wasn't his partner.
"Sarah, I know you are capable of doing it yourself without his help. You my friend are a grammar genius. You are like the English Shakespeare to the science genius Einstein" Franca said sarcastically, wanting to lighten her mood.
"Franca, you are so random. Who says these things? You are such an oddball" She says entangling her hands together with Franca.
"But you wouldn't change me for the world" Franca replied rolling her eyes. Sarah only shook her head dragging her to their next class, which was sports.
Franca rejoiced inwardly, it was one of her best classes. It was Sarah, Anne and Franca's time to catch up on the events of their life, although they called each other virtually every day.
They would often ridicule anyone that fell or did something embarrassing, like tripping off their shoes or something. They knew they shouldn't laugh at other people's misery, but they couldn't help themselves.
They changed into their sports apparel and headed to the sport hall. Sarah, Anne and Franca decided to play tennis, whilst Zack went off to his friends to play basketball.
When they got there, everyone was already occupied with their various games. Franca couldn't help but to scan the crowd for Jessica. Surely she wouldn't let go of Tyler easily?
Franca saw her chatting to her lapdogs or 'friends' if you could refer to them as that. They nudged her to look at her. She turned to Franca's direction smirking.
What is she up to? Franca thought, she had a feeling she was up to no good.
Jessica was such a bee with an itch; Franca knew this because she broke up a relationship. The couple in concern was very loved up, but she changed that when she went after him. She left him high and dry when he became infatuated with her. He even broke off his relationship with his girlfriend.
Franca wondered if Tyler knew of her cheating ways. Not dwelling on it, she engaged in a conversation with her friends. They began playing tennis amongst ourselves when she felt a tennis ball hit her head.
She glanced at where it came from and found out that it was Jessica. Franca chose to ignore her and continued playing again, but stopped when a ball hit her again. That was it, she said, she stomped towards Jessica.
"What's your problem, Jessica?"
"I was trying to decrease the large bulge on your head." Jessica replied smugly.
The straw broke the camel's back. Franca couldn't take it anymore; she grabbed Jessica's hair in anger, tightly clutching it.
Jessica cried in pain wanting to do the same to her, but Franca wasn't having it.
"Catfight" Someone shouted.
Anne came up to Franca, to stop the fight but she paid her no attention. There was no stopping Franca now; Jessica had unleashed the dragon in her.
Sarah made her way towards Franca trying to do what Anne had failed to do, but Franca ignored her as well. They held her to prevent her from hitting Jessica but to their dismay, they noticed that their hold on her didn't stop her, so they tried another tactic.
They both pleaded to Franca to leave Jessica alone, saying she wasn't worth it. This seemed to calm Franca somewhat because she released her hand from her hair.
Jessica's lapdogs catered to her wounded ego almost immediately, Franca shook her head at their reaction.
"Franca, I am disappointed in you, you knew she was just trying to rile you up but you still fell for it, I know that you are better than this, why did you let her bother you?" Anne asked checking Franca's hands for bruises.
"I just couldn't take it anymore. I guessed I snapped" Franca answered, hanging her head low.
"Franca control yourself around her; please don't let her get to you" Sarah advices pulling her into a hug.
"Alright girls, let's continue our game like this never happened, we have an audience" Anne says.
Franca looked around her, to see people whispering, whilst some of them were gob smacked. Franca's decided that her reaction to Jessica was unexpected, she was always introverted and never caused a fight, and she was surprised by her anger.
"I feel like a celebrity" Sarah says basking in the limelight shone at them.
"Sarah, always the attention seeker" Anne retorts.
"You both love it, I spice up the group dynamics" Sarah says placing her hands on her waist.
Anne and Franca looked at each other and laughed at her stance.
Tyler came up to Franca to ask if she was alright, he apologized for Jessica's behavior saying he saw what happened and that she was at fault for hitting her.
"It's okay Tyler; she just wanted a reaction from me"
"I know that, but she shouldn't have hit you"
Before Franca could answer him, Jessica and her 'friends' made their way towards her.
"Tyler, she beat me up because she is jealous of our relationship"
Can she hear herself? He broke up with her! Franca wanted to shout out loud.
Tyler didn't respond, his demeanour said that he didn't want to include himself in the feud between Jessica and her, Tyler wanted peace but Jessica thought otherwise.
"Say something Tyler" Jessica says her mouth in a pout.
"What I-" Tyler was cut short by what she did next.
Jessica pulled him to her and kissed him, but not before smiling smugly at Franca.
Tyler was stunned but that didn't stop him from pulling her closer to himself.
Franca couldn't believe what was happening before her, how could Tyler do this knowing she was looking on? Franca knew Jessica forced the kiss on him but he didn't stop her, and that was what hurt the most.
Franca couldn't watch anymore, she grabbed Sarah and Anne's hand, leading them out of the sports hall.
The teacher shouted at them, telling them to come back inside but they refused yielding to him.
Why did Tyler kissing Jessica caused a pang of hurt to go through me? Was I beginning to harbour feelings for him were the questions swirling around Franca's mind.
Sarah and Anne noticed her quietness; they stopped her from dragging them further.
"Stop Franca" Anne shouted making Franca gasp in shock, because she was usually calm and collected.
"Did you see what just happened?" Franca asked pacing back and forth on the hallway, trying to make sense of Tyler's reaction.
"Yes, but-"
"How could he kiss her in my presence?" Franca asked, hurt making its way known on her face.
"They dated each other for 2years Franca"
"What has that got to do with anything?" I can't believe you right now, you are taking her side"
"I am not and you know that. I was just saying that maybe he was overwhelmed by the kiss, that's all" Anne says sympathetically.
"He wasn't forced to reciprocate the kiss, but he did Anne, he did" Franca said, her voice merely above a whisper.
Sarah interjected." Franca, ignore them"
"How can I Sarah?" Franca cried. Franca hadn't noticed the tears that had made its way down her shirt, soaking it in the process.
"By not letting what he does to get to you, you are stronger than this Franca"
"Franca, you know I care about you, I was only trying to help" Anne says, wiping away her tears.
Franca thought over it and decided that they were right; they were her best friends after all and she trusted their advices.
"I know, just not the right way by the questions you asked me" Franca said to Anne, smiling sadly.
"I am sorry for yelling" Franca said to them both.
"Don't mention" They say simultaneously enveloping her in a hug.
Their warmth lifted Franca up a bit, and she returned the hug.
"Come on; let's go back there to let them know they can't break you, sticks and stones and all that" Anne replies gaining chuckles from Sarah and Franca.
"Let's go girls" Franca replies, making her way back to the sports hall.
The Sports teacher glanced their way when they made their way through, he shook his head and continued his conversation with a fellow teacher.
Tyler ran towards Franca, with Jessica in tow.
"I am sorry Franca, I don't know what came over me" He pleaded sincerely.
Jessica pulls him to her, glaring at him. Tyler tries to pry her hands off him, but she holds tight smiling arrogantly at Franca.
Franca just wanted to wipe the look of self satisfaction off her face but she stopped myself. She decided that she wasn't going to make a fool of herself. Franca smiled smugly at Jessica, enjoying the look of confusion Jessica gave her.
"I don't care Tyler, Just go away with her" Franca dismissed walking to the opposite side, leaving them standing.
Sarah and Anne shot them an appalled look and followed behind Franca.
Tyler and Jessica were inseparable throughout all the classes Franca shared with them. Franca ignored them all through the ordeal. After the classes, Franca came to a conclusion that she needed space from Tyler. She decided to go to Annie's house to clear her head, before heading home.