*Vylad*

I sat in my chair, kicking my feet back and forth anxiously. I continued glancing at the empty seat beside me, chewing on the inside of my cheek. I'm sure he'll be here any minute...

I heard footsteps, I looked up excitedly. I turned around, only to be met with disappointment... Oh... It's Aphmau, Kawaii~Chan, and Nicole...

"Is this seat saved?" Nicole placed her hand on her hip, pointing at the empty the seat beside me. Kawaii~Chan clung to her side, as per usual, and Aphmau sat behind me.

"Oh, yeah--" I started, but Nicole sat down anyways. Okay, then...

"Aphmau Rolan said she saw you at the mall with Laurance last night," Nicole narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, that's… who it's saved for..," I trailed off, biting my lip, and placing my hands atop my lap.

"Aphmau Rolan?" Kawaii~Chan rose an eyebrow, sitting behind me as well.

"I'm right here."

"Laurance's not coming," Nicole glared at me, examining her nails.

"Is he sick?"

"He's at Model U.N. Or whatever it is this week. You know Laurance. Always jumping from one…extracurricular to another," Nicole shrugged.

"I don't know him that well..," I looked down.

"Well, he loves to try new things. He just doesn’t always stay with them after he...tries them. If you know what I--"

"We're just friends," I interrupted, attempting to get a point across.

"What?"

"I know you guys used to date? So, if that's what this is about…"

"Oh my Irene no!" Nicole scoffed, flipping her hair out of face, dramatically. "Laurance and I are totally over!"

"Yeah, he's so gross," Kawaii~Chan peaked her head in between us.

"He's not gross, Kawaii~Chan!" Nicole glared, before clearing her throat. "Friends. I'm so glad. Because, real talk, I would hate for you to think that the reason Laurance's not here...is he's already bored of you," Nicole paused before jumping to her feet. "Bye!"

The three of them, all walked off, chatting. I bowed my head, sighing a little. All I had on my mind was Laurance... What was she said, true?

*Dante*

I strolled into play rehearsal, spotting Nicole, KC, and Aphmau. All three of them waved at me, and I overheard a bit of gossip.

"

Laurance better not be inviting him, to his Halloween party," Nicole scoffed, before storming out of the room. Huh? What is she talking about? Oh, well...

I spotted Vylad sitting by himself. I took in a deep breath, and reorganized my posture. I strutted over to him, pointing at the empty seat beside him.

"Is this seat taken?"

"I…don't know," he gave a small sigh, before shrugging. Damn, he looks really down...

ZANE glanced over at me, feeding words into my mouth. "Then how about I sit here til whoever shows up?"

"Sure," Vylad shrugged once more, and I sat beside him. He looked up at me, a look of concern noticeable. "Hey, are you okay?"

"What?"

"At the mall yesterday, you were acting really--"

"Performance art," ZANE instructed me to say.

"Oh," Vylad gave a little nod. "Cool."

"Let's begin, people!" Mr. Gavin entered, clapping his hands; followed by Nicole, KC, and Aph. "Curtains rise on Athens...Georgia. The Center for Disease Control.”

Aphmau cleared her throat, preparing for her role as Doctor Theseus. "Now fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour draws aspace… Bring me Patient Zero!"

Kawaii~Chan, who was cast as Hermia, entered the stage with Nicole playing as Sick Helena. Nicole stood there, lazily placing her fist over her mouth. "Cough."

Wonderful performance there, Nicole! Bravo! Amazing! Haven't sden anything as talented in all my life! ...sarcasm.

"Doctor, why is her cheek so pale? How chance the roses there fade so fast?" Kawaii~Chan spoke dramatically. Too dramatically. She's trying way too hard.

"She has been attacked in the wasteland. Some say it's fairies. Some say it's spirits. Some say it's the return of the hostile alien race who visited our fair planet one thousand years ago this midsummer..," Aphmau monologued on, and I tuned her out.

I instead turned to Vylad, who looked so distraught. I whispered over to him, "so where's Laurance?"

"How should I know?" He narrowed his eyes.

"You guys aren't going out?"

"No--"

"REALLY?!?" I exclaimed excitedly...and then felt everyone's eyes burning into my skin. Shit.

"Mr. Heere! Your script is closed," Mr. Gavin glared, standing to his feet. "Which I can only assume means you’ve memorized your entire part. Please: regale us." I froze, not sure what to do. "Or perhaps you're simply wasting our--"

I rose to my feet outstretching my hand, "if we zombies have offended, think but this and all is mended, that we have but landed here, while these spaceships did appear, and this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream. …Or is it?"

"Well! It seems the rest of you can learn from Mr. Heere's commitment to the craft," Mr. Gavin smiled at me, before once again clapping his hands. "Hot Pocket break!" And with that, everyone else; besides Vylad and I; dispersed.

YᎾᏌ'ᎡᎬ ᏔᎬᏞᏟᎾᎷᎬ.

I sat back down, and Vylad was staring at me. It was clear to anyone, that he was impressed with my impeccable performance. Nice!

"You're really into this," he smiled a little.

"Why else would I be here?" I smiled back.

"Yeah... Right," he moved closer to me, staring into my eyes. "Can I ask you something?"

YᎾᏌ ᏟᎪN ᎪᏚK ᎷᎬ ᎪNYᎢᎻᏆNᏩ.

"You can ask me anything," I repeated.

{***}

"This is weird..," Vylad cleared his throat, looking around. "Say there's this person you pass in the hall every day. You've known him since seventh grade! You're used to thinking about him in a certain way, from the persona that he displayed."

I nodded along, as Vylad stood up. He bit his lip nervously, and I stood up as well. Huh... I never realized how short he was, and how tall I was. I guess Garroth was right. Slouching does make a difference...

"Then something changes, and he changes..," Vylad smirked, looking up at me. "From a guy, that you'd never be into, into a guy that you'd kinda be into. From a guy that I'd never be into, into a guy that I'd kinda be into! Is he worth it? Dante? Is he?"

Is he talking about me?

ᎾF ᏟᎾᏌᎡᏚᎬ ᎻᎬ ᏆᏚ. Ꮖ'ᏙᎬ ᏴᎬᎬN ᎪᏟᎢᏆᏙᎪᎢᏆNᏩ YᎾᏌᎡ ᏢᎻᎬᎡᎾᎷᎾNᎬᏚ. KᎬᎬᏢ ᏆᎢ ᏌᏢ.

"Say there's this person, that you never knew that well..," Vylad spun around, blushing madly.

ᎻᎬ ᏆᏚ ᎢᎾᎢᎪᏞᏞY ᏆNᎢᎾ YᎾᏌ.

"You thought that you had him pegged. But, now, you can tell, he's gone from a guy, that you'd never be into, into a guy that you'd kinda be into. From a guy that I'd never be into, into a guy that I'd kinda be into. Is he worth it?" Vylad faced me, giving hopeful eyes. "Dante?"

ᎪᏴᏚᎾᏞᏌᎢᎬᏞY.

"Absolutely," I repeated, in unison. I'm getting pretty good at this ZANE thing.

"I don't always relate to other people my age, except when I'm on the stage. And there are so many changes that I'm going through. And why am I telling this to you?" Vylad paused, tapping a finger to his chin, as he blushed harder. "Guess there's a part of me that wants to. I guess a part of me wants to, who knew? I guess a part of me likes to talk to you. I guess a part of me likes to, who knew? I guess a part of me likes to sit with you. I guess a part of me likes to, who knew? I guess a part of me likes to hang with you. I guess a part of me--"

Suddenly, the theatre door slammed open, and everyone re-entered. "Hot Pocket break over, people!"

"Back to play rehearsal," Vylad slumped back into his chair, smiling. I followed suit. "I know that it's weird, but it's totally true... The guy that I'd kinda be into..."

"The guy that you'd kinda be into..," I leaned closer to him.

"Yeah, that guy that I'd/you'd kinda be into..," we said together, as our faces were inches apart.

"Is..," Vylad smiled, tilting his head to the side. "Laurance..."

Wait, what--

~~~