Chapter Ten

I try not to be surprised that Harrison doesn’t show up to physics again the next day. When Hillard is taking role call and looks to find Harrison’s seat empty once again, he lifts a brow at me as if he were asking me where Harrison was.

            I reply with a shrug, not knowing where Harrison could be. However, I have a feeling that he’s most likely off making out with some girl he picked up on his way to class. It’s still astounding to me that he can manage to have so many girls wrapped around his finger to use whenever he deems necessary.

            When the bell rings and I make my way out of the classroom, I feel my phone vibrate from my back pocket. I furrow my brow when I see that the text is from Harrison.

 

            Harrison: Lunch?

 

            I guess I’ll hear what he was off doing instead of going to class shortly.

            Just as I am about to reply to Harrison’s text I feel someone tap my shoulder and look over to find Levi smiling down at me.

            “Hey, Ava. What’s up?”

            I return his smile and slip my phone back into my pocket, leaving Harrison’s text message unanswered.

            “Nothing much. Just walking out of physics, thinking about going to grab some lunch. What about you?”

            “Off to lunch as well.”

            “Are you meeting your friends somewhere?”

            “Nah. I’ll probably just run home and grab something to eat.”

            I nod. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

            “So are you excited for rehearsal after school?”

            “Very excited. I’ve been excited ever since Daniels told me that we were doing Picasso.”

            Levi laughs. “I still can’t believe that I landed the role of Picasso. I hope that I don’t let anyone down.”

            “You won’t,” I state.

Levi’s smile instantly widens from my words.

“I’m sure you’re going to make a perfect Suzanne as well.”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” I laugh. “I was a little worried that I wouldn’t get picked, but I’m relieved that everything turned out in my favor. Especially with you playing Picasso. I was afraid that I would have to kiss Simon.” I wrinkle my nose, showing my obvious disgust for Simon.

“Hah, well now you won’t have to. Looks like you’re stuck kissing me.”

I feel my stomach do a back flip.

Oh, right.

“Looks like I am,” I laugh.

We walk in silence for a few seconds and I can’t help but wonder if he’s thinking about the kiss.

“You know, I saw you play Elle in Legally Blonde last spring. Of course you were wearing a blonde wig at the time, but you were amazing. I actually believed you were some air headed blonde girl who just happened to have a breath taking voice. Then I saw you walk out after the show though and realized that you definitely were not a dumb blonde, but you do have a beautiful voice. The most beautiful voice I have ever heard.”

I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling like an idiot and shrug. I’m not used to getting this kind of compliment, but I try my best to accept it.

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

“Just telling you the truth. You should come try out for some shows at the Loon Theatre House sometime. That’s where I’ve been performing for years and we could use someone with your level of talent.”

I laugh, “My level of talent? I’m no better than anyone else who auditions there, Levi. Especially you.”

“Give yourself some credit, Ava. You would run rings around everyone else. Even me.”

“I doubt that. If you have been performing at the Loon all these years then how come you haven’t tried out here at Wilson before?”

Levi shrugs and looks like he is lost in thought for a moment.

“You know how everyone is here. I guess I just wasn’t ready for everyone’s ridicule. But it’s senior year and I just realized that I shouldn’t care what everyone else thinks. Plus, if I want to get into NYU then having some school shows under my belt wouldn’t hurt either.”

I stare at him wide eyed as we stop in front of the doors that lead out to the parking lot.

“You want to go to NYU?”

Levi laughs nervously. “Yeah…I figured I could at least apply. They have a lot to offer and I have a lot to learn, you know?”

“I know exactly what you mean! I want to go there too…but I don’t know if I should apply or not. The chances of getting in are just slim.”

Levi laughs in disbelief. “Exactly!”

            I smile at him, amused by the fact that Levi and I have more in common than I thought.

            “Hey,” Levi says after a moment, “How about we both apply? Support system, you know? It’s worth a shot.”

            I shrug. “I guess so. I just don’t know if I can handle the disappointment if I were to be denied an audition.”

            “You won’t be denied. I promise. If you apply then so will I.”

            I look at the ground for a moment, weighing my options.

            You want this. So why not just go for it?

            I meet Levi’s eyes once again.

            “I’ll think about it.”

            He nods. “Understood. This is one of those decisions that requires more thought.”

            “I’ll let you know as soon as I decide. It’s just…heavy.”

            “I know. I should probably put more thought into it as well. There’s just apart of me that wants it a lot.”

            Levi looks down at his watch before meeting my eyes again.

            “Do you want to grab some lunch with me? It’s okay if you don’t, I just figured we could discuss shows and stuff. I mean, if you’re not too busy.”

            I can’t help but laugh at Levi’s nervous babble.

            “I would love to get lunch.”

            “Great.” Levi beams down at me before holding the door open for me.

            “So what do you think about Hairspray being our spring musical?”

 

            After lunch, Levi and I depart and both head off to our third period class. I can’t help but smile like an idiot for the rest of the day as I think back to everything we talked about during lunch.

            Levi and I swapped stories about what shows we have been in, expressed what our favorites shows are, and confessed how much we both have dreamed about being on Broadway since we could think for ourselves.

            It’s like I met the boy version of myself and I couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s nice to know that Levi and I have so much in common considering we need to have plenty of chemistry for our on stage performance.

            During the last class of the day, everyone sits quietly in the darkness as we watch a movie that our teacher insists on reshowing. I try my best to focus on the dialect that I have already heard once before, but I find my mind wandering back to Levi and his proposal to apply for NYU together.

            However, my thoughts are interrupted as I hear the door to the classroom open and see everyone around me suddenly perk up. I look to the door to find Harrison walking up to my teacher and whispering something in her ear. She nods to him and then turns toward the class, directly meeting my eyes.

            “Ava,” she mouths and then waves me to the front.

            I raise a brow in confusion as I slowly stand from my seat. I glance toward Harrison, but he is already making his way out of the classroom, which I take as my queue to follow him.

            Once I exit the classroom I find Harrison leaning against some of the lockers with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a serious expression across his face.

            I give him a wide smile as I approach him despite my confusion as to why he pulled me out of class.

            “Hey, Harrison. What’s up?” I ask with a special ring in my voice.

            “I don’t know, Grim. Why don’t you tell me?”

            My smile falters as I feel a new wave of confusion hit me.

            “What do you mean?”

            Harrison’s frown seems to deepen as he continues to stare at me.

            “Why did you stand me up at lunch?”

            Oh, crap.

            “Oh! I didn’t mean to. I thought I texted you back,” I say as I pull out my phone, realizing that I had never replied due to being side tracked by Levi.

            “But you didn’t.”

            I slowly look up to meet Harrison’s eyes once again, seeing the obvious annoyance in his expression.

            Here he comes to ruin my great mood.

            I narrow my eyes at him.

            “Is this really why you pulled me out of class? I don’t have time for this.”

            “Just tell me the truth, Grim. Did I do something?”

             I furrow my brow and quickly shake my head.

            “No, of course not. You didn’t do anything. I was just having lunch with Levi. We ran into one another and we just sort of lost track of time while we were talking.”

            I don’t know why I feel the need to explain so much. I do feel bad for not replying to Harrison’s text, but it was just lunch. I’m sure he found something better to do within ten seconds of realizing that I wasn’t going to come.

            “Oh. How convienient,” Harrison says as if he has a bad taste in his mouth.

            I narrow my eyes once again, feeling my irritation grow.

            “It is convenient. Us spending time together and developing strong chemistry is important for the show. Plus, I like him. He’s different from all the other guys at this school.”

            “So that’s what you want? That’s the kind of guy you’re in to?”

            In to? I didn’t mean I liked him like that. I just meant I liked him as a person.

            “What does it matter what kind of guy I’m in to?”

            “It matters, Grim.”

            I let out a frustrated sigh and run a quick hand through my hair.

            “I don’t understand you. Why are you so upset about this?”

            “When you make plans with someone, it’s common courtesy to follow through with them,” Harrison states sourly.

            I roll my eyes and fold my arms over my chest, preparing myself for an argument.

            “Oh, please. What do you know about common courtesy? You probably just ended up chatting up some random girl and getting her to second base behind the bleachers. Or maybe it was even Claire this time.”

            Harrison scowls at me. “Is that what you really think?”

            I furrow my brow and give him a quizzical look before nodding.

            “Yes. It is.”

            Harrison takes a few steps forward before he is standing right in front of me. I swallow hard as I see something in his eye. I can’t quite place it, but it looks as if he’s actually hurt.

            “Contrary to your belief, I didn’t make out with any girls. I sat in the grass, like an idiot, for the entire forty five minutes, thinking maybe you were just held up by something and you would show up at any time. However, you decided that you would rather spend lunch with Blondie and not even have the decency to at least text me back.”

            “Are you upset by the fact that I stood you up or the fact that I was with Levi instead?” I ask, furrowing my brow at him.

            “Does it matter?” Harrison snaps.

            He takes a step back and shakes his head as he stares at the ground.

            “Oh, and it’s nice to know how highly you think of me, Grim. I hope I live up to your expectations.”

            Harrison meets my eyes again, clenching his jaw as if he were trying to restrain himself from saying anything else.

            “What am I supposed to think of you, Harrison? We’ve been over this so many times. You’re nice to me one minute, but then you’re playing all of those other girls the next. I don’t see why you keep me around as a friend, yet none of those other girls get more than thirty minutes of your attention before they’re thrown out to the curb. You’re a cheater and a sleaze, but then you’re sweet to me. I’m sorry if I have mixed feelings about you and unclear impressions. I just don’t understand what you’re angle is.”

            I see Harrison’s jaw clench even more, showing his obvious anger.

            “You’re different,” he finally says as he looks away.

            I raise a brow at him.

            “What do you mean by different?”

            “Just different, Grim. God, I’m not going to f*****g spell it out for you.”

            I roll my eyes at him and don’t allow his harsh words affect me.

            “Alright, Harrison. This has been a wonderful conversation, but I’m going to get back to my English lesson now if you don’t mind.”

            I turn around and walk toward my classroom, hearing Harrison mumble something that I can’t quite make out.

            I spin around to face him again, feeling a new wave of adrenaline rush through me.

            “What was that, Harrison?”

            He meets me eyes, showing that he’s ready to stand his ground as well.

            “I said…” He pauses as if he was trying to compose himself.

            I watch as he runs a hand through his hair, grasping a handful of hair to let out some of his annoyance.

            “What is it with you and this Levi guy anyway?”

            “Why do keep pressing this subject?”

            “Just answer the damn question, Grim!”

            “No, I won’t answer your stupid question because you’re being completely ridiculous.”

            “No, I’m not. I’m just curious.”

            I scoff at him. “Curious? Yeah right. Ever since I started talking to Levi you’ve been all �"“

            “Shut up, Grim,” Harrison cuts me off.

            “Jealous!”

            “No, I haven’t.”

            “Yes you have, Harrison. You have no right to be jealous either. It’s not like I belong to you or something.”

            Harrison narrows his eyes on me.

            “Don’t act like your f*****g special or something, Grim.”

            I take a step closer to him.

            “Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought I was different.”

            Harrison’s expression turns completely cold as I mock him with his own words.

            If looks could kill.

            “I guess I was mistaken.”

            I nod, keeping my expression hard.

            “Yeah, I guess you were.”

            Harrison nods and takes a step away from me, returning his hands to his pockets.

            “I guess that’s the end of that then.”

            Well this took quite the turn.

            “It is,” I confirm. “Why don’t you go worry about your actual girlfriend?”

            “Why don’t you just let Levi finally get into your pants?”

            My jaw drops in shock as I let his words set in.

            “He hasn’t even tried to hit on me!”

            Harrison lets out a sharp laugh and rolls his eyes again.

            “Oh, yeah right. Of course he has! You just haven’t noticed because you’re so f*****g blind to it!”

            “Not every guy is as focused on sleeping with every girl they talk to like you, Harrison. He’s different. He’s sweet and enjoys the things I like! Sorry if that makes me enjoy spending time with him.”

            Harrison scoffs at me before giving me a mocking smile.

            “Why don’t you go ask him out on a date then?”

            “Maybe I will,” I fire back.

            But I don’t want to. I was completely fibbing. The truth is that I have no interest in Levi on a romantic level either. I’m only interested in being friends with him, which I should have confessed to Harrison. However, I wanted to annoy him. I wanted to prove that he was jealous.

            Jealousy is exactly what I see as Harrison balls up his fists and takes off down the hallway, not even bothering to say any departing words.

            Good riddance!

            I scowl at the back of his head as he continues to make his way to the end up of the hall. Once he is out of sight I allow myself to cool down, letting the impact of our fight set in.

            Well, Grim. You officially lost him. 

Author's Note

Ignore grammar problems! Enjoy, lovebugs!

Reviews

[Kaya]

Molly. You have a genuinely have a gift for putting the perfect amount of light and dark into your characters. I havnt used this site in a long time, but I logged in and, seeing your friend request, decided to read and review your first chapter. I couldnt stop. You have an incredible talent for writing. I'm loving your work and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Don't leave us hanging!!! Xx