1.

DREAM

I had the dream again. Every night for the past two weeks it has been the same, never changing.

I'm walking through the hallway of my new high school, or at least I think it's my new school, and
this strange woman comes up to me and grabs me by the hand. She looks straight into my eyes, it's as if
she knows me from somewhere.
"You must come with me," she says as she pulls on my arm.
"Let me go. Ow, you're hurting me. Hey, are you listening to me? Let me go, now!" I try pulling my
arm out of her hand but her grasp is so strong.
Part of me, my rational side, is screaming yell for help, then there is the other part of me saying
find out what she wants. That's just me being morbidly curious, I think to myself. Okay, follow her and find
out what she wants. What could it actually hurt? There are plenty of people around, if she tries anything
funny just scream for help. So i let her pull me down the hall.
"He's here, I know he is. Can't you feel him close by?" She turns and asks me with the strangest
look on her face. It's almost like she thinks I know what she is talking about.
All of a sudden she stops. She begins to look around us and then starts pulling me in the opposite
direction. This is getting a little ridiculous. Maybe she is just messing with my head. Just as I start pulling
on my arm again, she speeds up her pace. She pulls me down a hallway that is crowded with people. We
fight our way through the bodies.
"He's here," she says again.
"Who's here? You know, you are really starting to get on my last nerve."
"There he is," she says with a sigh.
She makes a sharp right towards a row of lockers and goes up to someone I can't see clearly, it's
like there is a fog around his face. All i can tell is that he is thin and tall. With a sigh of what I would call
relief she places my left hand in his and walks away. As I'm watching her walk away I feel a tightening
around my hand. His hand is so warm and familiar, like I know this feeling.
"Hi," His voice deep and full of emotion.
Just that one word fills me with joy. I'm almost afraid to look up, but i do it anyway. As I look up the
fog disappears and I see the most amazing blue eyes I have ever seen. He's a full head taller than me, so
I have tilt my head back a little. His hair blonde hair is in neat spikes. A smile breaks out on his face, it's
like the sun bursting through rain clouds.
Suddenly he leans down as though he is going to kiss me. Just when his full lips are about an
inch from mine i wake up.

Why does it always have to end just as it starts getting good, I thought with a little laugh.
"Lorik!"
Grrr..."I'm up!"
"You don't want to be late on your first day at a new school, do you?"
I think my grandmother is more excited than I am about this year. This is the year everything is
going to change, new school, new everything. I can reinvent myself. No one knows me or anything about
me. My past is all a mystery to these people. As far as any of them know, I'm just an ordinary girl with no
real past to speak of.
Getting dressed was an easy process, I already knew exactly what I was going to wear, my new
purple silk blouse and my black jeans. How I was going to do my hair was a complete mystery to me
though. I played with my hair while looking into the mirror. There isn't really much I can do with it, it's jet
black, straight as a piece of paper, and falls to the middle of my back.
"Lorik, time to get down here!"
"Guess I'm leaving it down," I mumble as I run the brush through it one more time.
Racing out the door, I run right into my grandmother, her arm raised as if she was about to knock.
"Sorry grandma, I'm coming. Am I late?"
She just smiles, "No Lorik, you're actually early."
"Then what's the rush?" I ask with a little laugh. "If I'm early, I'm going to go fix my hair."
Just as I start to turn away she grabs my shoulder and turns me around. "I said you were early for
school but not for your surprise."
"Grandma, you know I hate surprises," I groaned.
She begins to push me towards the stairs. "Well, you're going to love this one."
My grandfather is at the foot of the stairs with a huge smile across his face. "Have you told her?"
There is excitement in his voice as he looks up at grandma.
"What are you two up to?" I ask worried. "You're both acting really weird."
I have never been one to like surprises. For me surprises never turned out how they were
suppose to. This is going to be bad, I think to myself. Let's just hope it's nothing like my last surprise..I let
the thought drift away. Why on earth would I think that?
“Okay, close your eyes and follow me,” my grandfather tells me with excitement shining in his
eyes as I reach the bottom of the stairs.
“Um..How can I follow you if my eyes are closed?”
“Well then, take my hand and close your eyes. Don't worry I won't let you walk into a wall.” He
laughs at his little joke but it just makes even more nervous.
“Is this really necessary? Why can't you just show me without all the theatrics?” My voice sounds
shaky even to me.
“Oh, don't such a stick in the mud,” laughs my grandmother.
Taking a deep breath I close my eyes as I take hold of my grandfather's hand. His hand is warm
and familiar, reminding me of days when I was little holding his hand and going for walks. I smile slightly
at the thought.
I hear the front door open and I can feel the early September breeze on my face. It seems like it
should be a nice day, something to look forward to.
I start to feel around with my free hand as my grandfather leads me outside. “I think I know where
this is heading,” I tell the both of them. I'm starting to get excited. Taking me outside only means one
thing, a car, right?
“Oh, let us have our fun Lorik,” grandma says a little annoyed by me not playing along. “Just go
with it.”
“I'm sorry grandma.” The excitement is building up inside of me and I try to hide my smile knowing
they are watching to make sure my eyes are closed.
As I step down onto the porch I feel the urge to peek but I know it would ruin their fun. I can feel
the sun shining down on my face and see the light through my eyelids. Raising my face a little towards
the sun a pair of blues eyes flash behind my eyelids.
“Oh,” I realize to late that I said it out loud.
“Are you peeking my grandfather asks, disappointment in his voice.
“No grandpa, something just came to mind and it kind of surprised me.”
“Oh really, what was it?”
“Just a part of a dream that I have been having, nothing too important. I don't really understand
why it just came to mind.”
“Well, Lorik, you can open your eyes now.” There is a smile to his voice as he says this.
Slowly I open my eyes and have to blink a few times trying to get use to the brightness even
though the sun was shining through my eyelids. As I allow my eyes to adjust to the light, I look up at the
sky. There are very few clouds and the sky is a brilliant blue. I smile, yes it will be a very nice day...At least
the weather will be nice.
In just the few minutes it take me to look up at the sky, my grandfather is down the steps of the
porch. He is standing next to a car with his arms wide looking like a showroom model.
“Surprises,” he yells loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear. “It's not much but we
thought you might like to drive yourself around instead of having bum a ride from two old geezers like us.”
He finishes with a laugh.
Sitting in the driveway next to my grandparents Caravan is a 2002 Honda Accord. It's cute, it
looks like it has just been painted, black with purple pinstripes.
“Oh my gosh! I love it!”
My grandmother smiles,”We were hoping you would like it.”
“Like it? I love it, but you know you didn't have to get it for me. I don't mind being seen with you
two. It's not like I have a rep to protect.” I laugh at the idea of being embarrassed of being seen with my
two favorite people in the world. In fact I'm actually happy spending time with them.
“This just makes it easier on you, you won't have to wait around for a ride if one of us has the van
and you will be able to help with errands.”
“Ah, I see what this is all about, now you have someone to pick things up from the store for you
when you don't want to leave the house,” I laugh.
“Don't just stand there looking, come down here and see how she feels,” my grandfather says.
“But if she don't fit we'll have a little trouble taking her back.”
Shaking my head I walk down the steps, my grandfather has a weird sense of humor. “Don't even
think about taking this back, I love it. It fits just fine.”
“Wait a minute, let's get a picture of this,” grandma exclaims.
While we wait for grandma to get back with the camera, I take the keys offered to me and unlock
the doors, hearing the chirp of the alarm. Inside there are Tinker Bell seat covers with a matching steering
wheel cover. The crystal hanging from the mirror makes it just perfect.
“Got the camera,” grandma says as she returns. In her hands is the digital camera my parents
bought her last Christmas. She just learned how to use it.
“Great, but I just gave her the keys,” grandpa says with a smile.
“That's okay I'll take a picture of her sitting in the driver's seat. Go on Lorik, sit down and let's see
how it looks.”
Sighing dramatically, I sit in the driver's seat knowing they would love how I look behind the
wheel. I have to admit I like how it feels sitting here. The seat is so comfy, like it was made just to fit me.
I can't believe they bought me a car. I must be the luckiest girl ever. I can't stop myself from
smiling. I have to have the best grandparents in the world.
“Say cheese,” grandma says breaking me out of my thoughts.
I look over with a huge smile on my face. “Cheese.”
“You look great in that car,” grandpa says smiling. “We were going to wait for your birthday but the
first day at a new school is a big thing. Also, we thought you would want to arrive in style.”
“Well, I think that's enough time with the car for now, I want her to eat before her big day,”
grandma says, starting to sound like her old self.
Grandpa frowns and mumbles, “Party pooper.”
Smiling, I get out of the car and reset the alarm. It's almost habit, being from a big city, to be
cautious. It is so different being in such a small town. I miss the sounds of the big city at night and the
bustle of the days. It has taken some time to get to sleep at night without the sounds of horns.
“Are you coming Lorik?”
“Yeah,I'm coming. What's for breakfast?”
“How do blueberry pancakes sound?” My grandma asks with a smile.
“With fresh blueberries? Um.”
Just as I start walking up the steps I hear someone running up the sidewalk. Looking over I see
Paul, the boy from down the street, coming at full force. He has his head down, so he isn't watching
where he is going.
“Hey Paul, you're going to run into a tree if you don't watch what you are doing,” I yell out.
He raises his head in shock, almost tripping over his own feet. “Hey Lorik! Do you think your
grandparents could give me a ride to school with you?” He pauses as he gets closer, “Hey nice car, who's
is it?”
“Mine,” I answer with a smile. “How about I give you a ride instead?”
“That would be awesome!”
“Feel like a little breakfast first? Grandma is making pancakes and I'm sure she wouldn't mind
and extra mouth at the table.”
“Sure sounds great, I forgot to eat trying to get here in time,” he answers with a smile.
Paul and I have been friends since I was a kid. We use to play in the dirt together making mud
pies and having dirt fights. Whenever it was time for me to go home I was always sad to say bye to me
friend, but I knew I would see him the next summer.
He has really grown into himself. I remember when he use to wear glasses and have braces.
Now he is a bit of a hotty, with his wavy blonde hair and hazel eyes. I wonder if the girls here see him for
who he really is or if they still see the nerdy him from before.
As he reaches the steps grandpa comes to the door. “Hey Paul, did you get a gander at Lorik's
new ride?” Grandpa is always mixing his old time slang with new age slang, it's kind of funny if you think
about it.
“Yeah, that's a nice car. Wish my rents would loosen up and get me one but they said if I want a
car I have to buy it myself.” Paul's mouth pulls down into a frown. “It's not like I have a job or anything.”
“Well, why don't we talk at the table, I smell some blueberry pancakes being made. That's why I
came out here, grandma sent me to see what's taking you so long. Now I know,” grandpa wiggles his
eyebrows a bit. I think he and grandma have always had it in their heads that we were a bit more than
friends but I don't look at Paul that way.
“Oh, get in the house, grandpa.” I laugh at him.
The smell of pancakes is in the air as we walk in the door. I love grandma's blueberry pancakes,
they always take me back to when I was a little kid and I would help her make them from scratch. We
would always make a mess, getting flour all over the place. I would eat the blueberries leaving very little
for the pancakes. I love blueberries.
Walking into the kitchen always brought back memories of helping grandma with the cooking. It
always felt so cozy in here. The light yellow walls and oak cabinets have always been there. Not much
changes here and that's just the way I like it.
“Almost done,” grandma calls over her shoulder taking a second look as she sees Paul. “Hi there
Paul. How have you been, honey?”
“I've been fine, Mrs. Powell, thank you. How have you been?”
“Oh, I have been just fine, dear. Did you bring your appetite this morning?”
“Yes, ma'am,”Paul says with a smile, making himself at home in the first chair he sees.
“So, Paul, you say you need a job?” Grandpa must have something cooking in his head.
“Well, sir, I think that's the only way I will be able to get a car, but there aren't a lot of jobs in town.
I would have to go to out of town but I don't know how I would get there without a car. There is the
dilemma.”
“Well, that is a problem. What would you say to helping out at the store? I could always use
another person.”
“That's a great idea,” grandma agrees as she sets a stack of pancakes on the table. “And that's
enough business talk, eat. The kids have to be at school in forty-five minutes.”

The drive to the school was pretty short, we didn't live to far from the school. Paul chatted the
whole way. Telling me about the teachers again, as if he hasn't told me about them a few hundred times
over the past week. I think he is more nervous about than even grandma about my first day. Granted I
was starting in the middle of the semester, and I barely knew anyone here. Paul was just about my only
friend in Onaway. I never really had the opportunity to make many friends during the summers I spent
here as a kid.

2. New School
 As I sit in the principal's office, I can't help but think that it's just like my last principal's office.
Same certificates of higher learning, even the smell was the same. It is the mix of books and dust. The
only difference is the person behind the desk.
“Lorik, I would like to welcome you to our school. We are quite pleased to have you here. I don't
know if you knew this but I taught your mother.” Mrs. Cramner wasn't exactly what I had expected of my
new principal. She has to be in her mid fifties though you would have trouble telling by the way she
dresses. I have never seen a principal dress the way she does. Today she is dressed in a pair of jeans
and a button down blouse with her hair pulled back into a french braid.
“No, ma'am, I didn't know that,” I said with honesty in my voice.
“Your mother was one of my favorite students, she was so bright. You look just like her, you
know.” She has a smile on her face, “Though your eyes are different, if I remember right she had brown
eyes.”
“Yes,” I say forcing a smile, “Both she and my father had brown eyes. We don't really know where
I get my eyes from.”
I hate having the same small talk with people who knew my parents. It's always the same, You
look just like your mother but where did you get green eyes from? Then there is always the little joke, Are
you sure you weren't adopted as a baby? These usually came from people that know I'm not adopted,
they have known me all of my life.
My eyes had taken everybody by surprise when I was born. They say that all babies are born with
blue eyes, not mine. From the moment I was born I had green eyes, but they aren't just green, they are
almost the same color as a field of clovers, as my grandpa says.
Everyone in my family has brown, so when I came along with green my mother did a little
research. No one on her side of the family has ever had anything but brown eyes and she went back as
far as her great-grandparents. And there is no way I get them from my father's side, he is from Iraq and all
of his family have brown eye as well.
“Well, Lorik,” Mrs. Cramner said. “I just want to let you know that if you have anything you need or
need to talk, I have an open door policy. We also have a great counseling team at your disposal. I know
with the loss of your parents you are probably going to need someone to talk to and we are here for you.”
“Thank you ma'am.”
“You can come in here, Paul,” she called out. “Lorik, Paul will show you to your first class. Here is
a map of the school, so that you can find your way around after that. Though I'm sure you won't have
trouble getting someone to help you.”
Paul comes in just as she finishes. “What is your second period class?”
I look down at the paper that was just handed to me, history is the first class I see. “After history
with you I have calculus. Please tell me you take calculus.”
“Nope, not smart enough,” he says with laugh.
Handing him my schedule I ask, “Do you have any other classes with me today?”
“What you take drama for?”
“What's wrong with drama?” I can't help but let the hurt seep into my words. “I thought it would be
fun.”
“Well, good luck with that. The teacher is a bit on the nutty side, if you ask me. You'll see when
you get there.”
“Anyway, do we have any other classes together?” I'm starting to get a little annoyed at his
teasing. I have always thought it would be fun to take acting lessons and try out for a play but my parents
wanted me to be a serious student. This is my chance to change myself, though I still want to hold onto
the girl my parents wanted.
“Yeah, we have science together, and lunch.”
“Good, I don't want to have to eat lunch alone.” I was relieved.
“With the way you're looking today, I don't think you'll have any trouble finding someone to eat
lunch with,” he says with a wink.
“Let's get to class,” I groan.
 Walking into class, I felt the butterflies start in my stomach. This was going to be a long day, I
could feel it. I could also feel the eyes of everyone on me as I walked up to the teacher's desk. As I
handed her the paper I'm suppose to have signed by every teacher today I took a peek at my new
classmates. Yep, I was right, everyone is staring at me.
“Hello Lorik, I'm Mrs. Lexner.” She has kind eyes, they are filled with sympathy.
“Hi.” Does everyone know? I thought this would be a new beginning.
“You can take the empty desk in the back next to Marie.” She hands me my book and points to a
desk next to a girl with red curls.
Walking down the isle I can feel everyone watching me, there are even a few whispers. I wonder
what they think of me. Sometimes I wish I could read minds.
As I sit down I take a quick glance around the room looking for Paul. Of course he is watching
with a smile on his face. I can't help but smile back, it's hard not to smile when he has such a goofy grin
on his face. Just as I am about to sit down he sticks his tongue out at me, I can't help but laugh.
The girl next to me giggles at the same time I do, I guess she noticed Paul and his silliness.
Sitting down, I look over to my right to introduce myself but she is already looking in the opposite
direction. How strange, I think to myself. She was obviously watching me and Paul but now she is acting
like I'm not even here.
Looking down at my desk feeling a bit embarrassed I hear someone clear their throat. “Hi, I'm
Ryan.”
The deep voice startles me a bit. I wasn't expecting such a deep voice from such a timid looking
guy. Ryan has to be smaller than me, and I'm five feet four inches. He is also quite skinny with a thick
bush of dark brown hair and horn rimmed glasses. To be honest he wasn't ugly though, behind the
glasses he has beautiful hazel eyes, and as he smiled at me I noticed his teeth are perfectly straight and
a brilliant white.
“I'm Lorik.”
“Yeah, I know. I think everybody knows who you are,” he says with a bit of a laugh. “We haven't
had anybody new here in a long time, so you are news to everyone here.”
Great, there goes my chance of being the mysterious new girl. I couldn't help but scowl at the
thought of everyone knowing everything about me and expecting me to act a certain way. I would also
have to deal with everyone knowing about my parents, that is something I'm not looking forward to.
The look on my face must have startled Ryan because he asked, “Are you okay?”
“Um, yeah. I just don't like being the center of attention. How much do people actually know about
me?”
“Not much, we just know that you are from Detroit and that you came to live with your
grandparents.”
“That's it?”
“Uh, well, there is the rumor that your parents died in a car crash,” this he said shyly, as though
he was afraid to say it. I almost felt like laughing at the look on his face...almost.
So people do know. My heart sank to my feet. Why do my grandparents have to live in a small
town where everyone knows everything about everyone else? Couldn't they live somewhere far away
from Michigan and the people that have heard about what happen?
Just when he looked like he was about to ask a question the teacher started class. The rest of
class I tried to figure out what people were going to be asking me all day. I wonder if they are going to be
as shy as Ryan had been or if they are going to be bold and just come out and ask what they want to
know.
History flew by without me even noticing what was talked about. Now it's time for calculus and my
mind is busy with worrying about what everyone knows and wants to know. I'm so wrapped up in my own
thoughts I don't even notice Ryan standing by my desk.
“What class do you have next?”
“Uh, calculus. Now all I have to do is find it,” I say with a laugh.
“I'll show you the way. What are your other classes? Maybe we have other classes together.”
I show him my schedule but I could have told him it, I know it already, history, calculus, drama,
english lit., lunch, physical education, and study hall. I'm actually lucky to have been able to pick my
classes this late in the year. Under normal circumstances I probably would have had to deal with what
classes they wanted to put me in. But thanks to the fact that everyone felt sorry for me, I got to choose.
 “Didn't anyone warn you not to take drama?” That's the second time someone has said that to
me. “The teacher is a real nut job,” he finishes with a laugh.
“Yeah, I heard about that from Paul.”
“Oh, you know Paul?”
“We kind of grew up together. He lives down the street from my grandparents, so we use to play
together when I visited during the summer.”
“That's cool.”
We are walking down the hall and it feels like people are just gawking at me, I can't help but feel a
little self-conscious. I can feel myself blush knowing that everyone is watching me. I'm not much for being
the center of attention.
“Is there any other things I should know about this school, any dark secrets?” I have to laugh.
“Well, you do have to watch out for the school lunch, but you could say that about any school's
lunch.”
“Yeah, most schools have sucky lunches. My old school, in Detroit, had pretty good pizza
though.”
“Our pizza isn't so bad. The meatloaf you have to look out for though,” he laughs. “Here you are,
calculus. Mr. Brenner is pretty cool.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate your help, you seem really nice. Hey, you never said if we have any
other classes together. Do we?”
“Um, yeah, we have english lit, study hall, and drama together,” the last he said hesitantly.
“Uh, I thought you said the drama teacher was a nut case?”
“Yeah, she is,” he says awkwardly, “but she has her moments of coolness. Like when we do our
spring play.”
“I look forward to it.” I can't help but smile at him, he is such a nice guy. “I'll see you in eniglish.”
Walking into calculus is probably just as scary as history. Everyone is staring at me, and this time
I don't have Paul here for support. I can feel myself start to blush again as I walk up to the teacher.
Mr. Brenner has kind eyes and there is only a little hint of sympathy as he hands me my book and
tells me where to sit. I think I'm going to like him. I really appreciate that so far the teachers haven't asked
me to introduce myself to the class.
“Hey.” The whisper wasn't exactly quiet but I don't think it was meant to be.
“Who me?” I ask the girl to my left.
“Yeah, I see no other new girl in your seat,” she says with a laugh. “I'm Corrine, some people call
me Rinnie. You're Lorik, right?”
“Um, yeah, hi. How are you?”
“So, what all classes do you have? Did you have to get stuck with something lame? I heard you
got to pick your classes.”
“Yeah, I did. I just picked classes I thought I would like to take.”
“Okay, class, come to order.” Mr. Brenner has a bit of a squeaky voice for a man his age. He has
to be in his late forties, early fifties. He's not an unattractive man, though he seems to be balding in the
front and is starting to get a spare tire around his waist. I can't help but wonder if he had taught my
mother or if he came here after she had already left.
Calculus went by almost as fast as history but I was able to pay more attention to what was being
said. I really like calculus, I like the way the answers always add up. There is homework tonight but that
was okay, I had already don't this work at my old school so it would be easy.
“Hey, Lorik, do you think you might want to get together sometime and do homework together?
We could meet at the library or at one of our houses?” Rinnie's questions catch me a little off guard. I
really hadn't expected anyone to be this friendly so fast. I was expecting them to be curious about me,
talk about me behind my back, then maybe after a few weeks want to get to know the real me but not on
the first day.
“Sure, that would be great, but I don't think I know where the library is. We could meet at my
grandparents' shop and go from there. Or if you want we can go directly after school one day, I have a car
to take us there.”
“Oh, you have a car? How cool. I wish my parents would give in and get me one but they say I
have to earn one for myself.” She said this making a sour face, like the thought of working was not her
idea of how to spend her spare time.
“Um, do you know where the drama class is? I have drama next but I have no idea where to go.” I
have to laugh at myself just a little, it's so frustrating being new.
“Drama is held in the auditorium across from the gym. I'll show you the way, I have drama next
too. It's a pretty easy class which is why I took it this year, you know, easy A.” I think I'm starting to like
Rinnie, she is just like my friend back home. “We better be going before we are later for class, Miss
Valentin isn't too great on tardiness.”
“Okay. Is she really as nutty as everyone tells me?”
“Nah, she is a bit eccentric but she is a great teacher. Anyway, who have you been talking to?”
“Oh, um, Paul Anders and Ryan, but I don't know his last name. He was in my history class and
said he is in drama too.”
“You know Paul Anders?” She sounds a little shocked by this fact.
“He lives down the street from my grandparents, so we kind of grew up together during the
summers that I visited,” I explain. “Do you know him?”
“Here's the auditorium. And yeah I know him, well kind of. We don't hang out or anything. We
aren't part of the same crowd.” She seems a little uncomfortable about telling me this. “That's Miss
Valentin at the front of the stage.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate you showing me around. You wouldn't happen to have english lit next,
would you?” I had to laugh a little at the desperation in my voice.
“No, sorry.”
The auditorium isn't very big so it doesn't take me long to get to the stage. Just as I get closer the
lights go up and I can see the teacher, which stops me in my tracks. Standing on the stage is the woman
from my dreams.

3. Drama

It is almost as if my dreams were coming true. There she is, looking just like she did in my
dreams,dark, curly hair with dark eyes. She was even dressed in the same fashion, long, flowing skirt,
baggy shirt tied at the waist with a scarf, maybe three or four necklaces hanging from her neck, and
strappy sandles. She kind of reminds me of a gypsy.
She looks up as I get closer, “You must be Miss Albahir.”
“Uh, erm, yes. I'm Lorik Albahir,” I stammer, my word practically falling over each other. I must be
going out of my head. There is no way this is the same woman from my dream, but she looks just like her,
I can't help but think.
“Welcome to drama class, I'm sure you will enjoy yourself. I have just a few rules that I hope you
follow. One, always be on time. Two, if you must be late, make a theatrical entrance. Three, never turn
your back to the audience. Follow these simple rules and we'll get along just fine.”
Maybe she is as nutty as Paul says she is.
“Well, my young thespians, my assistant is still out sick but will be returning tomorrow. So, the
planning for the spring play is put off till he returns to us.” The announcement brought a few groans from
around the auditorium.
“Is the play still going to be an original piece that you wrote Miss Valentin?” I looked in time to see
that the question came from a small dark haired girl.
“Yes, I believe so but I'm not too sure on which piece we will be using.”
I turn to Rinnie, “She writes her own plays?”
“Yeah, sometimes they are the craziest things you have ever heard of. We have to turn down a lot
of them because they just aren't made for high school theater. I think she forgets that this is a little town in
the middle of nowhere,” she says with a laugh.
“Has she always worked here or is she from another school?”
“She came here from New York. I have no idea why anyone would want to come here from New
York. You know, she actually worked at a big time acting school there.” You can hear the awe in her voice
as she says these words. “There are a lot of rumors about why she left and came here. Like the one
where she was having an affair with her teaching assistant. But I don't believe that, she would never do
something so untasteful.” This she said like it was her best friend she was defending.
“Maybe she just wanted a change of scenery.” I said this trying to make peace for her, even
though I had said nothing to cause the war raging in her head. “So what are we suppose to be doing
today, do you know?” I'm only asking to change the subject and because no one seems to be doing
anything at the moment.
“Oh, you came on a free day, so we pretty much get to do what we want. Most of us study our
lines but since we haven't picked the play yet we can just sit and chat or study if you like.”
“Hey Lorik.”
I look up to see Ryan coming towards us. Rinnie looks at me with her back to him and rolls her
eyes, she must not like him. I wonder what she has against him, he seems like such a nice guy. Maybe
she isn't into nice guys, I think to myself, but then she does seem interested in the fact that I know Paul.
Interesting.
“Hi Ryan.” I can't help but smile as I greet him.
“So, what do you think of our drama teacher? Isn't she a little out there?” He laughs at his little
joke.
“Yeah, but she seems really cool so far,” I have to laugh back as I look up at the stage.
Miss Valentin is speaking to a small group of students. It looks as though she is directing them in
a skit of some sort. I can't help but wonder if I should go join in or stay in my little group of three.
“Lorik, I was wondering if you wanted to come meet a few of my friends over there,” Ryan asks as
he nods over his shoulder towards a group of kids talking a few rows from us.
“Sure. Want to come Rinnie?” Already I feel close to her and want her there for as support.
“Erm, yeah. A few of the people I was going to introduce you to are over there. You see, Ryan is
my cousin and we basically have the same friends,” she seems a little hesitant to explain.
“Oh, well that's cool. I wish I was closer to my cousins but we are too different.”
As we follow Ryan over to the group of kids I notice the the butterflies have come back and it
feels like they are trying to tear apart my stomach. I can't help but wonder why I keep getting so nervous
about meeting new people today, I'm not usually a nervous person.