I don’t think I heard a single word of dialogue. If Greg asked me what the scene was about, I wouldn’t have been able to tell him. I was transfixed by the two dicksome Kings.
My eyes followed Trey and Ayaz around the stage, mesmerized by their strong, dramatic voices and the transformation in their features. When Trey rested that bowler hat on his face, every muscle in his body transformed. He stood differently, his inflection and accent changed, his face lit up with a passion I had no idea he could possess. He was in his element, but in a different way from Courtney. Where she craved the adoration of the crowd, the chance, Trey’s joy came from immersing himself in someone else’s story and using his own body to bring that story to life.
While Trey was a fox, Ayaz lookedstunning. Something about the cut of that suit on his fit body and the way the black brought out his dark eyes made my chest tight. When he performed his lines, his features softened, his face losing its characteristic cruelty. I thought again of that sadness I’d seen in Ayaz’s eyes after the maggot incident and wondered what was going on in his life that made him who he was.
After their scene was done, Trey and Ayaz took their turn at a duet. Trey sat behind the piano and pounded out the jaunty tune while the pair of them sung about taking back New York City. They were amazing – their voices deep and resonant and note-perfect. Each note thrummed between my legs like foreplay.
Their polished performance made it clear to me just how much professional training they’d had. When Trey sang the last perfect note, the gathered students erupted into applause. Despite myself, I clapped, too. Greg gave me an odd look, and I lowered my hands.
One by one, the other students performed. It was a real mix of talent levels, with some obvious stars and some even more obvious uses for the vaudeville hook. Tillie’s screeching rendition of Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ was so awful Dr. Halsey stopped her after the second verse.
“Is there anyone else to audition?” Dr. Halsey called out.
“No.” Courtney leaped to her feet. “I’m obviously the lead, so I’m happy to start by—”
“We’d like to audition,” I called down from the back row.
“Of course. I’d forgotten you two were there.” Dr. Halsey smiled. “Please, take your turn now.”
As Greg and I descended the steps to the stage, Courtney’s girlfriends hissed at us. I heard someone mutter the word ‘fag-hag.’ Greg blanched and I resisted the urge to start punching monarchs.
Calm down. Beat them on stage instead.
Greg and I opened with a dramatic conversation between the main characters Veronica and JD – we’d drawn from the musical and the 90s film to create a cohesive short scene that showed off both our talents. Then I sat down at the piano, and we launched into our medley.
Greg’s voice had never sounded better. He shimmied and shuffled around the stage. Seeing him having so much fun spurned me on, and my notes rang brighter and carried more power. I closed my eyes, picturing my mom sitting at her piano at the jazz bar, playing and singing along with me. The notes flew off my fingers, and I knew I’d played and sang flawlessly.
We finished with our grand flourish. I kicked the stool so hard it toppled off the front of the stage. When we took our bow, only Dr. Halsey clapped. I opened my eyes and the first person I saw was Trey. He leaned against a folded seat, his arms folded, his head tilted to the side as he studied me. He didn’t look pissed off, just… curious.
Beside him, both Ayaz and Courtney were competing in the best Kanye West impersonation. They both looked livid, like their heads would explode.
“Congratulations, you two,” Dr. Halsey exclaimed. “I’ve seen enough. You’ve won the lead parts in our school production.”
Wow. I beamed.We did it! Two poor kids from the wrong side of the tracks actually beat the monarchs.Sweet revenge bubbled in my stomach, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. It took everything I had not to poke my tongue out at Courtney.
“But they’re scholarship students,” Courtney screeched. “They can’t take our roles—”
“The roles go to the best performers. Hazel and Greg did an amazing job. Well done.” Dr. Halsey looked genuinely pleased, which made a rare bubble of gratitude float through my chest. I wanted to have a teacher that I actually looked up to. “You’ve each earned 50 merit points, and an additional 10 points for every week you turn up to rehearsals on time and learn your lines.”
Wow.50 points, just like that. Greg wrapped his arms around me in one of his comforting hugs. We did a little gleeful dance. As I stared over my shoulder, Courtney met my eyes. Her cheeks burned with red fire, and a cold smile played across her lips.
I beat her.My triumph turned to dust in my mouth.She’s never been beaten before.
I’m going to pay for this.
Chapter Nine
Word that Greg and I had landed the lead roles spread across school like herpes. As we made our way into the classroom wing the next morning, students tossed wadded-up balls of paper at us, yelling things like ‘gutter whore’ and ‘maggot faggot.’Can’t they think up more imaginative insults?
One spitball hit Greg’s temple and stuck there. He raised a hand to brush it off, and the corner of a condom wrapper hit him in the side of the face.
I picked the wrapper off Greg’s shoulder and inspected it. Something about it looked strange – the company’s logo was more retro than I remembered it. Maybe it was some kind of limited edition condom. It would figure rich people would have something like that.
Courtney’s cruel eyes followed me all over the school. My stomach rumbled, but I didn’t dare eat anything in the dining hall in case she’d poisoned it. Adrenaline burned through my body as I sprinted between classes. Around every corner, I expected her to be waiting to visit some new torture on me.
The whole school buzzed about the news that two scholarship students would be playing the leads. Apparently, this production was bigger news than I’d thought – it formed part of a week-long arts festival the school put on for parents, alumni, and specially invited guests in the second semester. A few years ago, the president came.
As Greg, Andre, and I walked into physics class, a hand fell around my shoulder. Quinn’s dazzling eyes met mine, and his whole face broke into a smile. I pulled away. Quinn’s smiles meant trouble.
