Drama class-I

We all finish our lessons, just as the clock chimes. I look at it, and see the time is correct at 4:30. Packing all our bags we get prepared to leave. "Finally," Maria says.

"I have been waiting for these to end, forever." A girl with curly hair comes near us. "Hey Cam"

"You are also interested in something like this? I didn't know."

She smiles and says "Yes, it is something new, so wanted to give it a try."

I smile at her. But then my eyes move to a certain someone at the corner. "Ibrahim?"

He lifts his head at his name being called. "You are going too—?"

"Can he not?" And of course, the one who cannot just let people have a bit of serenity spoke up. "Ruppen."

"Yes babe, Rosaline."

"What babe?!" I glare at him. "Aren't you?" He smirks. "Babe."

"Who on earth even gives you these nonsensical thoughts, or do you just make them up?" I just can't stand this guy. This arrogancy mixed with the level of foolishness, always makes me go crazy.

"What's wrong, babe?"

"I am not your babe, stop calling me that." I sometimes wish there would be a gun that I could use to mute this guy's arrogance and ridiculousness every time he tried using them.

"Stop fighting will you?" Maria cuts us both. "He started it."

"I just called her 'babe'." Ruppen shrugs, in a way as if he didn't just irritate me.

"Why would you?" Lucas says. He hadn't said a word until now. 'Why would he suddenly?' I glance at him.

Ruppen turns around, facing him he smirks, "Is it a crime?"

"You bet," Lucas says. But, there is something off with his tone. I glance at him, and his fists. He tightens his fists whenever he gets super mad. But, right now what set him off?

Before he could express a word, I grab his hand. Eyeing Maria, I say to everyone, "We'll be off now. See you all at the theatre?"

All the kids nod in agreement, "Yeah yeah."

"See you two, soon."

Still holding Lucas' hand, I exit the classroom dragging him behind me. After we walk a couple of steps away from the classroom, I stop at the stairs. Glancing back, I look at him. He is looking at me, too. We both stare at each other, but neither of us speaks.

Turning my head, I head towards the stairs, still holding his hand in mine. We both climb the stairs and get to the topmost floor, and into the roof.

Walking inside the roof, I close the door behind us. "Luc."

"What's wrong?" I glare at him because I know he won't say anything if I am any lighter on him. "What are we friends for? If you can't even share your worries with us?"

He stays quiet, the whole time I keep on shouting. I close my eyes, to try and calm down. I knew there was something amiss, but that was the only thing I know at the moment. I don't know anything more than that. Something was bugging him, and he wasn't confronting anyone of use about it.

"Luc." I softly call his name. Opening my eyes, I look at him. "I know something is bothering you. Can you please," I pause, "Please just say what it is? Instead of hiding it away inside of you, and suffering in silence, can't you just say what it is?"

It was not just today. He started acting strangely for some time. "Lisa, I—"

"What?"

"I am just—I am so. Argh." He raffles his hair and looks away. "I am so confused right now. Everything is a mess," his lips quiver as he says.

"everything?" I ask. His eyes, which he is trying so hard to hide are a little watery. Even though he is trying hard to hide it, I know he is holding himself from crying.

Despite his face being tilted, and him trying so hard to conceal his emotions, I can tell he is deeply distressed about something.

"Is it something I can help you with?" I quietly ask.

He looks at me but doesn't say anything.

"Luc," I call him.

Sometimes in life, you just feel so vulnerable. Times, when you want to help someone, but it's just that you aren't sure how. Or if you'll ever be of any help, at all.

I hold his hand and squish it gently. That is the only thing I can do now, besides waiting and hoping whatever is bothering him will get away soon.

***

We both arrive at the amphitheatre, at the back of our school. "As far as I can remember this was a storeroom, right?"

"Yeah." Lucas nods. "But the school management decided to refurbish it, into an amphitheatre."

"What about the previous one, then?" I ask him about the original theatre we had.

"That one is for more official purposes for the school to use when hosting events. But this one, is more for the students, to use for cultural practices and stuff." Lucas explains.

"Oh."

Entering the hall, we spot the other kids sitting in the first and second rows. "Hey." Maria spots us first.

"Is everything alright now?"

Slowly all the kids come and encircle us. "Hey, are you both alright?"

I glance at Lucas, and then at them. Smilingly, I try to say, "Umm yeah. We are good."

"All of you are participating?" I look at them all. "Yeah."

"It will be a fun experience," Kevin says.

"A rare one, so why miss it," Kevin adds. "And it is a free course, on top of everything else." Maria winks at all of us, as she topples over the seat. "Come on. A guy announced that it is going to begin."

"Alright," I say, and we all grab seats accordingly.

Something that stunned me though is, "Cal?" He wasn't interested in any of these, or at least that's what I knew. He looks at me and shrugs. "Just wanted to try."

"No, you should." I smile. "I am so glad we all are doing this together."

Although not everyone here is people I like. "Babe."

"Alex."

"Such girls, with no experience, aren't worth it at all."

But, still. You don't always have a choice in things in life. You just have to accept the way things unfurl, along with the people life brings along. Doesn't matter if you do, or do not favour them.

And just like Maria had said, just within a few minutes, the blonde-haired guy, better known as 'Mr beefcake' appeared on the stage. He also had a reddish brown-haired male, along with him.

"Hey everyone." Jacob smiles, looking at us all. "I am glad you all chose to give this class, a try. Thank you to every one of you, for your time. I promise none of you will be disappointed."

"He knows quite a lot of sweet-talking," I murmur.

"But isn't it cool?" Maria giggles.

"I don't think I agree so much, on that."

"This is Matthew Edwins. We both have degrees in cultural drama and arts. And along with him, I am going to construct your classes."

I stare at the other guy. He is also a sturdy male, but Jacob seems to be more athletic than him.

"Good afternoon everyone." He smiles, as Jacob hands something over to him. "Alright. So know that we have introduced ourselves, we would like you all to do the same."

"But, slightly differently." The guy says.

"What more? What else does he want?" I murmur. "I don't understand where this is going." I hear Cambria whisper, from the back.

"I think I do." Maria mumbles. "Huh?" I glance sideways. "You do?" But, she doesn't get the time to respond, because right then they announce.

"You all are requested to introduce yourselves, along with performing an act of your choice," the guy named Matthew says, before adding, "You have to do something, anything you want."

"This is necessary because that way we will get to know you and your capabilities more. But, of course, if any of you are uncomfortable with it, you may leave." He says. "Though this is a free course, I expect every one of you to respect it like any other class of yours. So, if you think this might not be what you'd be able to do, then please leave."

'He is so straightforward with the matter.' I glance around the hall and see a few kids leave and others hesitating to leave. I look at my friends, and they all look back at me. Exchanging a look, we nod. Deciding to stay back.

"Okay, let us start from the right side." Jacob walks to the right side of the stage a little, and points at the boy sitting at the very right corner, on the front row. "Yes, the boy with glasses please introduce yourself."

The guy stands up and walks up to the stage. He bows slightly, to the audience and says "Hi! I am Rick.

Not all the kids were from our class, some were from other years too, so there were many foreign faces.

The guy sings a song, which I am certain I have never heard before. It was some sort of zombie rap, perhaps.

Anyways, the second girl went up to the stage and performed. All the students are given 5 minutes to finish up.

And one by one all the students were going up the stage and performing, and now it was Maria's turn.

"Best of luck." Though I know she will not need it, both me and Luc are still with her, nevertheless. "Good luck."

She winks at us, chattering away to the stage. "Howdy!" Maria cheers. "I am Maria. You can call me Aria if we aren't too close."

The crowd laugh at her words. "I like going out, partying and enjoying life."

I smile, seeing her conquer all the laughs and make people giggle relentlessly. She is a person, I wouldn't be able to live without. She is the one among the four of us, who constantly knows how to enjoy, and 'enjoy life' just as she said. She truly is an expert at knowing how to enjoy life.

Maria performed the song 'Let's kill this love' by BLACKPINK. This song was her absolute favourite. "No wonder why she chooses this one," I whisper.

"She is in love with this one," Luc smiles.

After she finishes rocking the stage, with her awesome dance, awes trucking the entire auditorium, the queen finally comes down, and a full series of applauses follow.

"It was awesome."

"It was so cool."

And now, it was my turn. "You. The 'highly conceptual' and 'visionary' Miss—"

"Lisa," I say.

"Lisa." He smiles. "Please," Pointing towards the stage, he gestures at me with his head.

"I don't know what I am even going to do," I mumble.

"You will do great." Cambria shows me a thumb-up sign from the back. "Fighting." Kevin shows his fists, knuckling them at me.

"Good luck," Calvin says. "What is there to wish her so much for?" Ruppen snickers from the back. "It's not like she is going to a battle or something."

"A-aish." I glare at him. "Shut up."

"Just do whatever comes to your mind. No need to think about the consequences." Lucas says.

"But, what if I—" mess up. I don't get to finish, because he cuts me off, "You won't."

Even with me not finishing my sentence, he understood. Looking into his eyes, I feel as if whatever they say will never be false. That's what I have been feeling for the last I-don't-know-how-many-years I have known him.

"Just do it."

"Hmm." I nod at him and slowly turn my head before exchanging eye contact with everyone. Smiling at them, I turn my head and walk toward the stage.