In the past, whenever a new school tahun started Paul and Hank would ride the bus together, excitedly speculating what might happen this year. Paul would listen to Hank happily anticipating the football games he would play with his friends at recess, and later his hopes and fears about whether he would make the football team. Hank would playfully talk as though Paul's musik and akting had already made him a successful star.
Today, Paul sat on the bus alone - atau rather, he felt alone, as two of his friends from last year's drama club sat on either side of him talking about what play the school might put on this year. Paul couldn't concentrate. Hank was several rows ahead of him, with several of his friends who were all shoving each other and making rude jokes about the students around them and laughing loudly. Paul frowned.
As they got off the bus, Paul hurried ahead to get inside the school building before Hank's friends could see him. They never seemed to be discouraged from making fun of him because Hank was there. As he passed the entrance to the boys' room, a group of unfamiliar boys, even bigger and tougher-looking than Hank's friends, were blocking the doorway.
"Come on, let me in!" The boy they were blocking looked vaguely familiar to Paul as someone who had been on the football team with Hank last year, though he was one of the smaller players.
"Oh, the little baby player wants to get in," mocked one of the unfamiliar boys. "Is it true anda were on the football team last year?"
"I bet he thinks he's gonna get back on again this year," another of the new boys chimed in. "Don't ya? anda think you're so tough?"
"'Cause we're gonna be the new football stars," the third boy added. "We were the stars at our old school. And we're not letting any baby players get in our way. Got that?"
And the three boys laughed and walked away, though not before making sure to shove the smaller football player with their bodies on the way. Paul's hands clenched. He was tempted to go over and ask the other guy if he was all right, but after Hank's friends, he was always a bit hesitant to approach anyone on the football team.
"Paul?"
It was his musik teacher from last year, standing behind Paul and smiling at him. Paul smiled back as much as he could right now.
"Great to see anda back here. I suppose we'll be seeing lebih of anda and your guitar?"
"I hope so, sir." Paul didn't want to admit all the trouble he'd been having with his songwriting. No need to spread around anything else that would make people like Hank and his friends think he was weak....
"I've got something here that might interest you." His teacher pulled a piece of paper out of the folder he was carrying and handed it to Paul. "There's a citywide talent tampil happening two weeks from now. Anyone from thirteen to eighteen is welcome to come and perform. Would anda be interested in entering with your guitar?"
"Me? Perform at a talent show?" Paul hardly knew what to say. His hands shook as he took the flyer from his teacher. He had never performed in front of an audience bigger than a school assembly. He had never performed somewhere where he would be getting judged, either. And he got quite enough of that these days from Hank.
On the other hand, he didn't want to back out just because he was scared. "Thanks. I - I guess I'll think about it."
And he waved at his teacher, turned, and headed to class.
Today, Paul sat on the bus alone - atau rather, he felt alone, as two of his friends from last year's drama club sat on either side of him talking about what play the school might put on this year. Paul couldn't concentrate. Hank was several rows ahead of him, with several of his friends who were all shoving each other and making rude jokes about the students around them and laughing loudly. Paul frowned.
As they got off the bus, Paul hurried ahead to get inside the school building before Hank's friends could see him. They never seemed to be discouraged from making fun of him because Hank was there. As he passed the entrance to the boys' room, a group of unfamiliar boys, even bigger and tougher-looking than Hank's friends, were blocking the doorway.
"Come on, let me in!" The boy they were blocking looked vaguely familiar to Paul as someone who had been on the football team with Hank last year, though he was one of the smaller players.
"Oh, the little baby player wants to get in," mocked one of the unfamiliar boys. "Is it true anda were on the football team last year?"
"I bet he thinks he's gonna get back on again this year," another of the new boys chimed in. "Don't ya? anda think you're so tough?"
"'Cause we're gonna be the new football stars," the third boy added. "We were the stars at our old school. And we're not letting any baby players get in our way. Got that?"
And the three boys laughed and walked away, though not before making sure to shove the smaller football player with their bodies on the way. Paul's hands clenched. He was tempted to go over and ask the other guy if he was all right, but after Hank's friends, he was always a bit hesitant to approach anyone on the football team.
"Paul?"
It was his musik teacher from last year, standing behind Paul and smiling at him. Paul smiled back as much as he could right now.
"Great to see anda back here. I suppose we'll be seeing lebih of anda and your guitar?"
"I hope so, sir." Paul didn't want to admit all the trouble he'd been having with his songwriting. No need to spread around anything else that would make people like Hank and his friends think he was weak....
"I've got something here that might interest you." His teacher pulled a piece of paper out of the folder he was carrying and handed it to Paul. "There's a citywide talent tampil happening two weeks from now. Anyone from thirteen to eighteen is welcome to come and perform. Would anda be interested in entering with your guitar?"
"Me? Perform at a talent show?" Paul hardly knew what to say. His hands shook as he took the flyer from his teacher. He had never performed in front of an audience bigger than a school assembly. He had never performed somewhere where he would be getting judged, either. And he got quite enough of that these days from Hank.
On the other hand, he didn't want to back out just because he was scared. "Thanks. I - I guess I'll think about it."
And he waved at his teacher, turned, and headed to class.
A few hours later, Una and Everett were comfortably snuggled up together on the couch, sharing the last of Una's chocolates which lay in the open box between them, as the credits rolled on the movie.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking meneruskan, ke depan to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's hari plans were on me," she said. "Next tahun I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of selanjutnya year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's hari together selanjutnya year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I cinta you, Una," he said.
"I cinta anda too, Everett," she said.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking meneruskan, ke depan to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's hari plans were on me," she said. "Next tahun I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of selanjutnya year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's hari together selanjutnya year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I cinta you, Una," he said.
"I cinta anda too, Everett," she said.
