Permanent Positions [1]

(Malory)

“So she really did it,” Katy states. “She really signed up for it.”

It’s around half eight at night and I’m just about done wiping a dining room table. Katy sits, watching me.

“Yea,” I say. “She had to, anyway, being a senior drama student with all this mandatory school crap. Olivia is a great actress; I don’t see why she wouldn’t be able to get the part. It should be especially easy for her to take it off my hands. I hope the teachers and Mrs Bev let her have it. I’m keeping my hopes up right now. Hope is all I’ve got anymore.”

Katy doesn’t go to school with us. I met her when I got the part time job here at Nadine’s. It was just a coincidence that she was my age. Nadine really believes in hiring young, ambitious people though, so they can get work experience before leaving school. That’s always a nice thing to do, I think.

“But would it really be so bad if you got it?” She asks, cringing.

I blink at her in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?” I exasperate. “We’re talking about Kyle Davidson. In Grade 7, he ruined my April Fest dress. I had saved up all my allowance money to get materials for it. I made that dress myself and I was so proud of it. He tripped me and it ripped while I fell over a giant bowl of punch. In front of everyone! -Including my shy date. Then, he threw a slushie over me in the hallway days after the dance, just for the heck of it.

“Then there was another time when Kyle had spread this awful rumor about me being pregnant. It circulated the whole school. “Top Student Malory Lloyd is pregnant”. Teachers were pulling me aside in the hallways asking me if I needed counselling for my ‘problem’ or if they could be of assistance. What a load of bullshit.

“And there was this time when we were two of the few students who were handpicked from the school to attend this cool university seminar about two years ago. Do you know what that crazy idiot did? He put fake blood on my seat right before I sat down. I was walking around with a big, red stain on my ass –unaware of the reason why everyone was staring at me until a teacher pointed it out just as we were getting back onto the bus to go back to school.

“He’s made me look like a complete fool in front of total strangers for as long as I’ve known him. And it’s obvious that he did most of it on purpose. He’s a sadistic turd. I hate him. Imagine all the stuff he’s done in between just to aggravate me. Things between us have escalated so much since the beginning that the sight of him alone makes my stomach turn. I wish he’d just transferred to some other school across the country or just flown right out of Canada for good. I don’t know why we have to share the same space. He might be a top student but his lack of common sense and courtesy should have been enough to kick him out of Audrey Burkes High a long time ago. Gifted, my foot. He’s gifted in being a pain in the ass! Ugh! If I think about it anymore I’ll just go mad.”

“So if Olivia does get the part...what happens then?”

“If Olivia gets the part, I’ll rejoice. If she doesn’t, I’ll find some other way to get out of it. And I’m sure Davidson’s got some plan hidden up his sleeve. He’s a disgusting pest with a cocky attitude but he’s not stupid stupid. He’ll figure something out. Just like Olivia is trying to help me, I’m sure one of his friends would do something to help him. His best friend Ron might pitch in.

“Ron’s this guy in my theatre class and he’s Kyle’s friend. In fact he’s probably more a leech to Kyle than a friend. He’s the only person who follows that clown. I don’t know why he does it. He deserves better friends. Anyway, for all I know, he might be the one to take Kyle’s part if Olivia gets the lead.” I think about it. “Hmm... Olivia and Ron as the leading co-stars... Well, they won’t fight. And Olivia would have told me if she had something against Ron, so I think it would turn out well.”

“Keep hoping I guess,” she says, tiredly. “In any case you’ll come running to me on Monday evening when your shift starts and I won’t hear the end of what’ll happen that day.” She sighs before continuing. “I might have to bring ear buds to block out your rambling after you finish getting to the main point. You have a habit of verbally repeating your agonies until you’re exhausted and need a drink.”

Looking down at the clean table, I let out a relieved breathy sound. “All done! Ugh, I can go home and finish that book I’ve been dying to finish for days now. I’m so busy during the week with so much.”

“I know. Everyone knows, Malory Lloyd. You do way too much. And then you don’t sleep at night. It’s getting a little worrisome, Mal.” Katy pities me. I scoff and roll my eyes at her in denial. She starts counting activities I’m involved in on her fingers. “The book club –plus, you read like everyday- ...the art club, the animal rights club, music class, you go to the gym, you’re working here every evening except Sundays, what else am I missing? Geography club; you’re in that, too. I honestly don’t know how you even manage it all. Don’t bother telling me. I’ll be entirely convinced you’re an alien.”

I frown, dropping my tired butt into the seat beside her. “I have to keep myself busy, Katy. If I stop, I’ll lose that drive I have and fall into a rut. I’ll become unproductive and take myself ten steps backward when all I want to do is move forward. I might even become depressed again. I don’t ever want to feel as low as I did back then. I need to keep moving. It’s the only way I’ll move at all. And anyway, it’s my last year of high school. If there’s any time to get busy and be productive, it’s now. After all, I might just head off to university when it’s all over.”

“That’s the plan?”

I scoff. “Honestly, Kitty, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m just keeping myself busy and being hopeful that time will reveal all.”

Katy’s concerned sapphire eyes soften as she raises her hand to check the time from the watch on her wrist. “You should head home. Take a nice long bath, jump into a pair of cozy jammies, finish that book of yours and most importantly; get some sleep.”