Permanent Positions [3]

(Malory)

It’s lunchtime and I am starving. The bell rings and Olivia flies into my classroom on her heels, pulling me out before I could grab my lunch. “Are you Monday’s shot of caffeine? Slow down! Olivia, this is ridiculous!” I knew I should have slept in. I should have slept in and made excuses not to come to school today at all.

She drags me all the way from the senior block to the auditorium. The room is becoming filled with students who are interested in auditioning for April Fest. I spot Mrs Beverly at the front as she leans against the podium, waiting for everyone to settle in.

“Okay. We’re here. Let’s leave before someone sees me.”

“Don’t be absurd,” Olivia says.

I accidentally lock eyes with Mrs Beverly and she goes to the microphone, calling me out in front of everyone and beckoning me to join her at the front.

Is it too late to get plastic surgery and change my name?

Is it too late to become a hermit crab and live in a shell on the beach for the rest of my life?

The microphone gives some feedback and I wince as I walk to the front. I paste on a plastic smile and greet her. “Hi... Mrs Bev.”

She puts a hand on my shoulder and stares at me. I try not to stare back as she speaks. “I’m glad you showed up. Good job. Where’s that Davidson? Is he planning to show up?”

“I don’t know,” I mumble. “I hope not.”

“Now, now, Malory,” Mrs Bev says in a spirited voice, obviously hearing me. “That doesn’t sound like the spirit of someone making an effort to cooperate.”

I’d rather have my fist cooperate with his face.

Davidson strolls into the room from the left wing of the stage with his hands shoved into his black pants pockets and his hair draped messily over his face –as always.

Cue the not-so-internal eye roll.

Ron is, as always, following behind him as his shadow.

“Am I late?” Kyle asks, unbothered, standing beside Mrs Beverly.

Thankfully, the delusional maniac manages to bother Mrs Bev with his presence enough that she takes her hand off my shoulder and turns to him with a surprised and satisfied smile. “Not at all,” she says.

“What a shame,” he states, briefly glancing at me before turning to face the crowd.

This dimwit. He wouldn’t dare miss this or be late –he was never the type to deliberately do something that would affect his academics –or, in this case, his non-academics. I wasn’t the type to, either. We didn’t get to the top of our classes by slacking off. As individuals, I’m certain we’re both disciplined. The real chaos lies at any point where Davidson and I cross paths. I wish I could avoid him.

If one of us decided to bail on this, who knows what Bev would’ve done? In the very least, I knew that both Kyle and I weren’t the type of people to risk facing the consequence. Though, I would never call this cooperation. Not even silently. I’m just doing this to save my own skin.

“I’m glad you both showed up,” Mrs Bev then states. “You’re off to a good start. If one or the other of you isn’t cooperating, you both go down. Remember our deal.”

We both go down? Harsh. Now I’m going to have to beat Kyle’s ass if he ever decides to ditch rehearsals. Damn it.

Mrs Bev calls the room to order and everyone takes a seat. Kyle, Ron, Olivia and I all sit in the front row, beside each other. Bev begins by thanking all students who signed up to audition. She then introduces the teachers of the drama department –Mr Richards, Mrs Cole and Miss Jenkins- who will be in charge of judging the acts and organizing the production.

She goes over the basics of April Fest –especially for all the new students who have never been to it or been involved in it before.

April Fest is an annual event at Audrey Burkes High. As if the student body isn’t already concentrated in well-off families that fund the school, the April Fest significantly strengthens the school’s financial stability. It keeps this place polished. The event is made up of a combination of talented acts that take place in a concert setting. This is then followed by a play. The play is usually the climax of the evening. Our April Fest is generally held in the first week of April. It’s a three-day event. The solo acts change every night, and the play becomes more refined, too. I’ve always loved being a part of the team that puts on April Fest. Even though as a drama student it was often a lot of practical work and studies, it was more fun and experience than anything else. It brought me so many memories during my time here at the school. I’ll definitely miss all of it when I leave.

“Usually, we hold general auditions to see what talent we can choose from for the event,” Mrs Bev says. “Auditions are open to all students who are hoping to participate as solo acts at the festival or as member of the cast for the play. After the auditions, the best acts are chosen and notified and they may begin rehearsing for their performances. Occasionally they must present an update on their progress to the drama teachers, and the actors who are called back for the play are grouped together for a meeting in which roles are assigned. From then on, rehearsals for the play begin. This year, however,” she says, “there will be a bit of a change in formalities.” She laughs, looking into our direction.

If I didn’t express my embarrassment before, my face was now blood red with shame.

“Please do not be alarmed,” Bev says, “if some of the people you see crossing the stage this year surprise you.”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“Did she really have to say it like that?” Kyle complains to Ron. “Now I feel like everyone’s eyes are on me.”

“I guess she confirmed it then,” Olivia says. “Neither of you are getting out of this.”

Mrs Bev announces the commencement of auditions.

Kyle turns to Ron. “Hey. Roomie.”

Ron replies with a depressed hum.

“Do we have to audition?”

As the unbeatable three-time winner of the Male Student Exemplar Award, Kyle’s level of stupidity is unfathomable. I don’t care that he has zero knowledge on the concepts of theatre. He just asks the dumbest questions.

“Auditions are part of the formalities. You and Malory may not necessarily have to, though, or at least it won’t matter whether you do or not, seeing as Bev has obviously already made up her mind. Whether your audition is good or bad she’s going to make you a lead anyway, so I don’t think they’ll find an audition necessary. They may decide to have you audition to get a feel of your level of skill and know what they’re working with, and that’s about it as far as yours would go. Olivia and I will have to audition just like everyone else –that is if we’re going to be onstage at all. I doubt they’d make us audition if we’re just working backstage. Whatever happens, they’re not gonna let anyone else off the hook. You guys can probably check the list of people who signed up. If your name isn’t there, you don’t have to audition.”

“I didn’t sign up,” he says.

“His name isn’t there,” I butt in. “I checked it when they posted a copy of the official list on the notice board during break, this morning.”

Ron nods, turning from me to Kyle. “Well, you don’t have to wait around watching the auditions, either. I’m gonna stay to watch a few, though. Auditions are entertaining for one of two reasons. One, the person is extremely talented. Or two, the person isn’t talented at all. It’s funny.”

Ron’s a cool guy. We both study most of the same subjects -hence the reason he’s in my class- and he’s always been a great partner to team up with when groups are mandatory.

I internally snort as I think about what he’s said about untalented people. “Hey, Ron. Remember that time we went to the Drama Fest and there was a girl who completely froze on stage for the play? She just stood there for a solid three minutes...” I want to laugh but I shouldn’t.

“I felt really sorry for her. She looked as young as twelve,” he comments.

“And that guy dressed in literally nothing but a loincloth, rubbed from head to toe in oil,” I allow myself to laugh. “Could you imagine being that drenched in oil? God, the things people do for the performing arts.”

He almost gags before bursting out into laughter. “Oh, I remember, alright. The image still haunts me.”

A classic Kyle, on his bipolar overly-attached-girlfriend pills, rolls his eyes and turns to me. “Hey, Captain Charisma, I don’t talk to Olivia and I’m in the same class as her. If you hate me so much and you’re trying to avoid me at all costs, stop your loud mouth from yapping in Ron’s direction.”

My smile fades and I turn from Ron to him with a sombre expression. “Hey, Petty Pete, Ron isn’t you. I can have a civilised conversation with him.”

“You’re such a spiteful, aggressive, stubborn, self-pleasing animal, Lloyd.”

Hah! I’m wounded.

“You’re one to talk, you big bully,” I spit.

“Bully? Is that what you’re calling this, now? Bullying? You practically welcome every nightmare that comes your way by flinging the door of opportunity wide open!”

Kyle is somehow capable of annoying and provoking the hell out of me by just existing. I don’t believe there was ever a time when Kyle has backed out of a fight with me, but the truth is that usually my words are like cannonballs while his are nerf gun bullets. They really don’t do that much damage -not the way his uncivil pranks do. He just doesn’t have the verbal skills like I do.

There are, however, a selective few times I can remember when his comments left me at a loss for words. That was when I realised it. There was more to him than what I thought I knew. There is more to him than everything I think I know. Not that I’d ever let him know I was once intrigued by the supposed middle-meanings of certain things he’s said... or that I wanted to know more. I’d never let Kyle Davidson think I was ever that interested in his words... or lack of words... or choice of words... whatever the case might be. I have to protect my pride... so no. No way. Never. Even if I have questions, I’ll never ask them. I’ll never try to figure it out. He’s nothing more to me than someone I’m being forced to work with. He’s just the thorn in my side.

Kyle and I go off on a tangent at this point, and while we’re yelling insults and threats at each other, Ron and Olivia branch off into their own conversation between us.

“Captain Charisma?”

“Petty Pete?”

“They’ll never stop, will they?”

“Just let them burn themselves out,” Ron says, “It’ll happen eventually.”