Malory and Kyle must participate in the annual April Fest production as the leading co-stars. If they can cooperate by the end of the production, their long records of uncivilized behaviour towards each other will be forgotten. 
Malory and Kyle attempt to cooperate, grabbing the opportunity to make a positive impact on their own future. In the process, they become entangled in the chaos of the other’s personal life. Malory learns of Kyle’s disturbing reality, and Kyle learns of Malory’s scarring past. Can these two brilliant but messy teens learn to rely on each other in the face of their silent battles?

Between The Lines

 I spot Malory and Olivia waiting for me in the cafeteria, just as they said they would. I leave the lunch line with my tray and head towards them. I can’t get the image of Kyle’s yellow-green bruise out of my head. What happened? I mean it’s none of my business but… 


 “So, how has your day been so far?” Olivia asks. 


 I realise I’m not eating. I’ve drifted from reality. 


 “You seem a little... out of it. Somethin’ bothering you?” Malory asks. 


 “I don’t know, to be honest. Today just feels… strange, somehow.” 


 “Strange? In what way?” Mal asks. 


 There’s a big-ass bruise on Kyle’s face. 


 “I’m just not used to people doing things like what you guys did for me this morning. I’m still thinking about it,” I lie, laughing. I bite into a potato wedge and hope that the topic dies. “So, how’s practice for the play coming along?” 


 Malory groans. “It’s ridiculous. I haven’t even had a proper rehearsal yet because of the stupid old M.I.A. Moron.” 


 Kyle’s hiding something. I wonder if this is something I should get my dad involved in. Who knows? It could be gang-related. Who leaves a bruise that bad on the face of a guy like Kyle? There are only two ways he seems to exist in the world; invisible around others or intimidating enough to make people run away. 


 “Don’t worry too much,” Olivia tells Malory. “It’s only been two weeks. The teachers are away that working with you and Kyle would be a handful. I’m sure they expected to have some hiccups in the process. Plus, they’re working with other actors to be productive while you guys sort out your own mess. And even Ron and I are doing a pretty good job, just in case anything goes wrong. Ron is always going on about how he loves the play-” 


 “I used to love, love, love it! Until one day the universe said ‘Well since you love it so much you might as well share it with the person who pisses you off the most. Balance is everything!’” She interjects, groaning and biting into a fry. 


 Olivia steals a fry from her plate. “Well, on the bright side, you’re not complaining about having to do it with him anymore. You’re more pissed off about him not being there for practice. That’s progress, I’d say.” 


 Not that I’ve known Malory for very long, but it really does seem that way. She doesn’t truly hate him. Or maybe she used to and she just doesn’t anymore. Something’s changed. 


 If cooperation between Kyle and Malory was the plan of the principal all along, then it’s definitely working. It’s a slow and painful process for everyone –especially for Malory and Kyle- but thank goodness for people like Olivia who can point out the positive little things. I’m sure she’s not the only one who noticed they’ve started to change their attitudes towards each other. 


 “I still wish it wasn’t him,” Malory says. “But I’ve gotten tired of complaining. I know that if we don’t do this, the next threat Bev will bring up out of the blue will probably be expulsion and I do not want to be a hobo.” She grabs a bundle of fries and shoves them all into her mouth in one go.


Brewing Angst [6]