CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

spectacle

no one could have the energy to talk to a crowd of people that they don't like at seven in the morning. i was just trying to get to my seat on monday, but the table in the back of the class was unreachable. the clones, secret theater kids, and other classmates who auditioned on thursday swarmed me immediately.

"y/n! where is the cast list?"

"who got emily, y/n? who got peter?"

i tried to push through, scanning the room for the substitute teacher or walker, someone who could help me escape the bombardment. who i recognized as mr grant ( thank goodness he was our sub ) had his headphones in. walker was not there yet.

i concluded that the only way to get the crowd to dissipate was to tell them the truth. "we haven't made any official list yet, but i promise by the end of the week there will be."

the chaos subdued into disappointed frowns. i, too, was bummed that the list wasn't posted just yet, but it was me to blame. the group chat between the three of us was a relic as of now.

speaking of the now, today was the bake sale. i had the sudden revelation that the disappointment could impact how many people want to support us, so i made a second announcement. "walker and i are having a surprise bake sale to fund filming!" i smiled brightly to contrast their faces.

some interest was renewed. "this period?" asked jamie.

i nodded as i made my way over to my seat. luckily, most did the same, but some people followed me, including the clones and michael. i had no clue why they were continuously following me. this was a situation where i wished opposites didn't attract.

madeline's nose was crinkled. "if it's this period then where is walker?" she asked me. i sighed. of course it was about him.

over her shoulder, i could see michael trying to get near his ex. he did the motions of an actor preparing to go on stage before joining her in front of my table. now it was so obvious that he was in the theater program. i couldn't help but wonder if madeline knew as well.

i eventually responded. "he's on duty to bring in the pastries and other things," i reluctantly explained, "so he'll probably be here soon."

"what other things?" the nosey girl said. then she noticed michael next to her and gave him a dirty look. "like the cast list? that has my name on it as emily, i would assume? and peter listed as someone other than michael."

"i'm obviously gonna get peter. you, on the other hand, are gonna be an extra," he claimed. suddenly, i had a front and center view of an oddly intimate stare down between the two of them.

tasha chuckled to violet then whispered, "oh my god. they, like, literally have to get back together."

i found it entertaining to watch the exes and the way they could easily be butterfly kissing if they didn't have such hatred in their eyes. at the same time, i found it quite irritating that they were doing this right in front of me like it was their audition.

"are you gonna cheat your way into getting the part like you cheated on me?" michael mocked. the group of onlookers muttered. apparently, this information was unknown to many.

madeline hesitated, her eyes darting back and forth on his. she was contemplating saying something, i could tell. then she went through with it, pouting sarcastically. "i really hope you don't get the role, michael. you've already gotten so many in the theater program that nobody knows you're in. that would be a shame."

the bell rang and through the small cracks in between the surrounding classmates' arms, i could see mr grant removing his headphones. he clapped enthusiastically. "everyone go to your seats. let's get started!"

but nobody around me moved a muscle. michael was speechless among the rest of the crowd. they were just fed two chunks of confidentiality. "is that why you cheated on me?" spat michael.

walker arrived, cautiously getting to his old seat next to me. for once, people were too focused on someone else to acknowledge him. i noticed him though. he was confused as to what he walked in on. his hands cradled a large container of cupcakes, and his bag looked like it just ate all of them, bugling at the top. i assumed that was his hoodie in there.

i greeted him with a smile and a silent warning of the eyes to stay silent. he nodded and sat down just as madeline snapped back, "of course it was! when i found out that you were in that cult, i knew i didn't want to date a two-faced hamilton-whore. it was an ick. i planned on breaking up with you the next day, and i was in the mood for kissing someone that night."

michael backed up in hurt. now he didn't want to be in the spotlight. he glanced around the room, heating up. then his eyes latched onto the cupcake container beside him. everyone froze in anticipation as he unlatched the handle on the plastic, then within a second took a chocolate frosted one and planted it into madeline's chest.

walker, me, and everyone else gasped. madeline's gasp was delayed, a more dramatic sigh let out after the rest. the body of the cupcake slowly released from the fabric and stickily smooshed onto the tile.

mr grant popped up behind the crowd. "what's going on here," he asked ominously.

"my favorite shirt looks like it just got shit on!" madeline bellowed. her arms were suspended in the air in repulsion.

mr grant let out a hearty chuckle. "it looked like shit in the first place."

she looked around, terrified, as the class erupted in laughter. "mads, let's go clean up in the bathroom," said jamie. then the two left the room hand in hand.

mr grant studied the scene with arms crossed. "cupcake throwing looks much more fun than pie throwing."

"hold on. my... friend, maeve bishop, has you seventh period and i know the crazy things you guys do," i said. "we didn't bring these in for that. would it be okay if we have a bake sale?"

"oh, yeah. totally," he said. "how much for one?"

"two bucks," walker stated.

mr grant patted michael's back. "you heard him, two bucks. got any cash, kid?"

"i gotta pay for it?" he whined.

grant nodded with pressed lips. "yup." michael reluctantly pulled out some harshly wrinkled bills from his pockets. the crowd snickered as he handed me two bills. i was proud to be one of the conductors of madeline's and michael's punishments, embarrassment.

others started to come up to us and show us their money. by the time the crowd was cleared and people were sitting on tables, downing cupcakes, and chitchatting, we had rolled in over dollars. pretty good. that could get us a new flash kit certainly.

walker blabbered to me about how difficult it was to get the container out of the house and into school. apparently, he wrapped his hoodie around it and only got it out once stopped by dowery. she was suspicious of the abnormally shaped clothing, and that's why he was late.

"i shouldn't forget to give you that," he said. walker unzipped the bag and pulled out the hoodie.

accepting the second-time gift, i said, "thank you," and hugged it tight. then i placed it on my lap and removed my sweater. i had a tank underneath in preparation for this, don't worry.

"you're putting it on now?" walker asked. he was a bit surprised for some reason.

"yeah, why not?"

"i don't want you to stain it."

"what, do you think madeline's gonna come up to me and do what michael did to her?" i fully put on the hoodie. it was just as comfortable as before.

it was like i summoned her. madeline appeared out of thin air. "walker, i just saw you give that to her." her voice was timid. "and y/n, i would never do that to you." not in front of walker, at least, i added for her.

he stared at her in confusion. "is there a problem with that?"

madeline pointed to her shirt, which was inside out because they had probably failed to get out the stain. "well, i figured since i'm in need of a new top you would spare that for me. you have the resources, y'know. kind of rude if you ask me."

"i'm sorry." he said it almost like a question. "i mean, it's not my hoodie though. it's y/n's." that wasn't a lie, technically.

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thank you for reading chapter 34!