8/12 Recording 1

“And here we have Grace in her natural habitat.”

Grace rolled her eyes and shoved my face aside, turning the knobs to her locker. Her spider-like fingers pointed my camera to the ground and she tapped her foot at me, arms crossed over her chest. Though she seemed mad, there was a half-smile on her lips and a sparkle in her eye.

“You know you’re such a dork with that thing. I can’t believe you still even have it.”

“I’m surprised it’s still running. Like how old is now?”

We both placed a finger to our chins, tapping as we thought, then we broke into a fit of giggles. We looked ridiculous. Grace finally got her locker open, digging out one of her textbooks for math, tucking it under her arm and slipping her English journal into her backpack. It was a cute backpack, pink with some white ribbons and her favorite Hello Kitty cat on the front and sides.

She gave me a questionable look, and it took me some time to catch onto it, remembering that I too had English to get to once the bell rang. I stuffed my camcorder into my back as safely as I could and then tore my locker open after a few failed attempts. Attempts that Grace never failed to giggle at. Once I could get it open, I tossed my books inside and closed my locker, sighing in relief.

Grace flung her bag over one shoulder, flashing her million-dollar smile at me. The same smile that broke the hearts of many boys in the school. And not to mention some of the male teachers too. Grace was head cheerleader, no shocker there, and I was her somewhat, somehow, goofy childhood friend. We made a promise all through childhood that we’d stick by each other’s side until graduation. And though Grace was usually busy with her cheerleading tryouts and extracurricular activities, whoo that’s a mouthful, she made time to spend with me between classes. We’ve been close ever since kindergarten.

“Are you going to start up your nerdy blogs again?” She kept in pace beside me as we walked to class together, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

I shot her a glare, seeing her smile innocently at me. “It’s not nerdy.”

“Oh please, any girl who spends half an hour a day blogging about the latest Space Wars action figure and comic book has to be a nerd.”

I scrunched my face, “It’s Star Wars, Grace. And hey it’s pretty popular since the newest movies came out.”

“Wait, there’s movies?”

I gave her a dumbfounded look as we took our seats, setting my backpack aside me on the floor, kicking it under my desk. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not. Is that with that one hot actor guy who turns into like Dark Valor?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, “It’s Darth Va- forget it I don’t even think you will even remember this.”

The brunette grinned wide and shook her head, “Nope. Now, did you get those notes done?”

“Grace, you can’t keep copying off me.”

“Oh hush, that’s what you said freshman year, and you’re still doing it and we’re juniors now. Hand, it over.”

Groaning, I obeyed, handing my notes over as she gave my cheek a kiss and began to copy my notes. We were five minutes early, we always were, sitting in the middle of the class side by side. Grace had her make-up bag off to the side of her, switching her hands between her notes and applying her twenty pounds of make-up. How she managed to not sweat it all off throughout the day and practice made me wonder if she was some kind of special goddess.

My make up today was light. I had on some eyeliner and mascara, and a little bit of foundation, but only enough so I didn’t look pale in the school lights. Grace used to try and drag me into the bathrooms in the morning to make me her Barbie doll but after freshman year ended it seemed to stop and I praised the gods for it.

My mom would say that I bordered between the lines of tomboy and a girly girl. Looked closely enough and there I was, a fine line. My own brunette hair was tousled around after I ran my fingers through it enough times this morning after my shower. I picked at the blue fingernail polish on my fingers, seeing some of the paint already chipped off. Grace had this thing of painting my nails whenever she slept over, whether I was asleep or not. I usually woke to a different color each weekend.

You can already guess the color it was this time. Blue. I loved the color blue.

I picked at the tie on my uniform, sighing with boredom. This is how our mornings usually started. Grace wanting to go to class early to talk and do her make-up, but she never talked and was only focused on her looks. I would typically start up a conversation, but it never carried well. It was either too nerdy or she had completely no interest.

Glancing at the clock I prayed the little hand moved just slightly faster so the bell would ring and class could start. I needed something to distract my brain from all this boredom. I tapped my nails against the desk, feeling Grace’s hand suddenly swing out and grab mine. She didn’t look up from her notes, still scribbling with her left hand.

“You know how I feel about tapping, Kat.”

I blushed, “Right. Sorry. Just really bored.”

“I know, I know. You tell me all the time, nerd. You’ll have your notes back here in a second. Why don’t you just doodle?”

You know, that wasn’t a bad idea. I dug into my bag, head under my desk as my face was nearly buried inside it. Then there was a new voice echoing off the classroom walls, a voice I had never heard before. I tried to look up, but when doing so the back of my head hit the metal bar on the desk.

I groaned, rubbing the spot as a soft voice spoke up. “Oh, no I’m so sorry!”

Looking up, I winced at the sharp light that hit my eyes. My eyes instinctively shut tight, sealing off any light. I rested my forehead onto the top of my desk, feeling the cool wood against it. Grace’s hand, yes, I know Grace’s touch anywhere, rubbed the top of my head gently, and I could hear her stifling a giggle.

“Will she be ok?” It was the soft voice again.

Grace finally giggled, “Yeah, no worries. She has a tough head.”

If I could flip her off, I would, but my head was spinning too bad and it ached way too much for me to even open my eyes. There was the rattling sound of a pill bottle and the thump of a water bottle on my desk, Grace giving my back a soft pat.

“Take those, it will help.”

I groaned.

“Kat, class is going to start, take those.”

I forced my eyes open, finding myself staring into the brightest blue orbs. The girl gave a shy blush, peeking up from her backpack as she drew a folder from it. She sat two seats down, blonde hair in pigtails, some bangs dangling around her face. She had to be new. I knew just about everyone in this school.

Grace, with her ever so loving attitude, moved the bottle to my lips, her other hand guiding the pills to the same destination. She was motherly when it came to me, sometimes it was sweet, other times it was just an intervenience. You know, an inconvenience and an interjection into whatever I was doing? Okay, so it’s not a real word, but it’s my word.

I shoved them away in embarrassment, but when I looked back up the girl was facing the white board, arranging her pencils in a neat matter. Her hair seemed… white. Like the kind of white you only see in movies with a bunch of effects? Or that one female who’s in charge of all those dragons? Yeah. I’m a nerd, and that show is on my list of things to watch, unfortunately for the show, the list is very long. But I will one day get to it.

Anyhow, back to the blonde. She was quiet, as quiet as a mouse. Even her voice was soft. Like she whispered everything she said. As if she was scared to speak up. She looked beautiful in the school uniform, a brown button up shirt with a black tie and white long skirt, though Grace tucked hers a certain way so it only fell below her knees without compromising any rules. The girl had on black socks, pulled up to her knees, and matching dress shoes. Both were planted on the floor, feet tucked together. She didn’t cross her legs while sitting.

I gave Grace a glance. Unlike someone.

As if reading my mind my best friend undid her legs and leaned towards me, smacking her lips together after applying her umptieth layer of lip gloss. She batted her eyes at me, grinning like a fool.

“What do you think?”

“You look the same as you did yesterday, Grace. ‘Cept your hair isn’t tied back.”

She made a face, “That’s because I learned that I look like a potato when I do that.”

I snorted, nearly spilling the water bottle, “Who said that?”

“Nikki did.”

“Nikki, from Chem 2? That Nikki?”

Grace nodded.

“What does she know? She always looks like a potato.”

Grace giggled at that, fixing the lid on the water bottle and stuffing it back into her bag as the bell rang. She mouthed a thank you to me, patting my hand. She returned my notes. Then the day began with tired teenagers herding into the room, wiping the morning sleep from their eyes. Though I would be able to believe some were sleep walking. Others huddled into the corner of the room, throwing their bags onto their desk to use as a makeshift pillow.

And so, began English class with Miss Vivaldi.

 

•••••

I tried to speak to the new girl once class let out, but she somehow disappeared into the crowd gathering outside the door. I bit the inside of my cheek, sighing inside. Grace took her time, picking up her back and making it to my side. Her eyes scanned the crowd, then back at me knowingly.

“You’re curious, aren’t you?”

“About what?”

“Leona.”

Who?

“Leona?”

“The new girl.”

So, she was new. I knew it!

“Nah.”

She gave me the Don’t lie to me I know you too well kind of look, but then it disappeared when she smiled at her newest boyfriend of the month. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him like she wanted to eat his face. I made a face at the two, disgusted, only to have Grace give me her traditional flipping of the bird whenever I did so. It made me giggle and I quickly grabbed my camcorder.

Turning it onto record, I zoomed in on them when they parted.

“And this ladies and gentlemen is the sickingly show of two love birds in the middle of the hallway. Will they be late for class? Will true love conquer all?” Then I turned the camcorder towards me, “Find out, on the next episode of Dragon b-”

As if on que they groaned and shoved me away, moving together to their next class while holding hands. I turned the camera off, sighing, sliding it back into my bag. That was Jax Zander, aka, boyfriend number three of this month. Grace usually gets bored with her new boyfriends fast. Either they’re not funny enough or they’re a slob, won’t compliment her in the morning without make-up, or get this, don’t bring her flowers each and every morning. Grace was picky, she could never find “the right man”. Maybe her prince charming was stuck in a tree, that idiot.

Now me? I was single and happy. I didn’t like being with someone and having any strings attached. There was less drama in life that way, and anyone who knows me knows that I didn’t need any more drama. Speaking of that, I had Theatre Arts coming up. Grabbing my schedule, I gave it one quick look over, crumpling it up and putting it back. It was all the way across campus. I tried to see if Grace was still waiting in the hallway, but she was completely gone, not a trace of her.

I hated walking to classes alone, I always had Grace by my side, but with a grumble I moved my feet out of the front doors of the main building and walked with my head down. Watching my own feet move while I made it to class made time pass by a little faster, aside the occasional bump into other. So many of them were either not paying attention, didn’t care, expected me to move first, or all of the above.

Though, when I did bring my head up, I could’ve sworn I saw the white hair of the new girl. What was her name again? Leona? I read about that name somewhere in my French class. I dabbled in French sometime last year as a Sophomore, it was more of a requirement. Her name. Didn’t it mean lioness? I had to giggle at that. She wasn’t a lion, she was a mouse. How ironic.

After wandering the halls, lost, I finally found the entrance to the theatre room, standing in the doorway in awe. I was in awe at everything. The size of the place, the amount of people in my class, how well the crew did on repairing this part of the building in such short time. I had been in here before to watch our school plays of the typical Romeo and Juliet or Grease, both fantastic by the way, but during a scene of The Nutcracker for Christmas last year one of the mice ended up knocking over a light, causing the place to quickly catch flame. I guess the student council was in charge of how it was going to be rebuilt and the school wasted no time in rebuilding it.

Mr. Nico bowed to his students when they approached the stage and he gestured each to sit down, giving me a stern look when I showed up late. His arms were crossed, foot tapping just like Grace.

“You’re late, Miss…?”

“Emerson. Katrina Emerson.”

He looked over his clip board, fixing his glasses on his nose. Then with a check by my name he let me off with a warning and excused me to my seat. I chose the best one behind the rest of the kids, wanting room for my own space. Though sadly it didn’t last longer than five minutes when more kids started to enter the class. Soon, I was squished between two Drama geeks.

Mr. Nico started roll call once the second-class bell rang and the students were quiet. He went down the line, starting with his A’s. When he reached the L’s, I recognized some of my friends. Lilith from middle school, and Laya from kindergarten. We used to tease her and call her Princess Laya, y’know from Star Wars? I know, I’m a nerd.

But the biggest name that drummed in my head was Leona’s. Leona Beau to be exact. She had to be French with a name like that. Beautiful Lioness. That’s how her name read out. I mean, that is if my French was even right, right? Wow, a lot cooler than my name. I didn’t even know where our heritage came from.

Poking my head up a little more above the seats, I did in fact see her. Well her hair, but still her. The teacher continued with name call, distracting my thoughts as I threw out a quick here when he called my name. He went along until he reached the end of the keyboard and introduced himself to us. Then moved onto the next thing on hand, which was testing out our understanding of Drama.

When he called a name that person had to go onto the stage and act out whatever piece he threw at them. Whether it be from Shakespeare, some other old guy in history, or a scene he threw together himself, he wanted to see where each of us stood.

That’s when his eyes fell upon Leona, and they lit up, as so did his smile when he called her name. She bowed slightly when she stood, arms crossed neatly in front of her as her feet moved up the stairs and to the stage.

Then her own pair of eyes looked towards our teacher and he nodded to himself and to her for a bit of time while the cogs in his head rotated around and around. Until he was finally done thinking. I swear you could see the smoke poor from his ears.

“Miss Beau, can you sing?”

She nodded.

“Do you know the words to Etranger Au Paradis?”

She nodded once more, speaking softly into the mic, “Every last word.”

Mr. Nico grinned at that, “Excellent. Begin.”

I didn’t know what to expect to come from such a quiet mouse of a girl, but whatever I sorta imagined was blown away the moment she opened her mouth.