Having my sister in the front row of my first real rehearsal made me nervous. Of course, there was nothing that I could do about it. She had every right to be there.

Emma Kate kept us all on our toes. The ship the crew finished building was insanely cool and only slightly dangerous once half the cast stood on it. Chase reassured us that he would be sure to do another round of reinforcement to make sure it was structurally sound.

It took all morning to block the entire first act. First, we had to go over the epic shipwreck. Then I got to sit beside my sister in the audience while Lexi, Kayleigh, Jude, Lorne, and Emma Kate blocked the second scene. Then when Emma Kate was ready, we ran the whole thing from the top.

By lunchtime, Emma Kate seemed satisfied with the act. Bradley had mentioned that this week was all about stage direction and that we'd be blocking an act every day. I wouldn't need to have my lines memorized for another two weeks, but it was never too late to start.

"So, where do you eat lunch around here?" Shayna asked. "Since Lizzie's cooking is nonexistent. I have time before my tour later this afternoon."

"Where's Jack?" I asked.

"Oh, he texted earlier," Shayna said. "He didn't want to ruin your rehearsal, so he's been in the lobby the last ten minutes."

"Parker," Lorne called across the theater. "Who's your girlfriend?"

"Show my sister some respect, Lorne," I replied.

Lorne looked at Jude. "Wow, he's showing his sister around."

"You were good up there," Shayna replied.

Lorne frowned. "It can talk. Lovely."

Shayna, to her credit, didn't balk. I was about three seconds from clocking Lorne in the face when Kayleigh stepped in between us.

"I want to leave," she said. "I need to lay down."

I wasn't sure why she made the announcement, but immediately Lorne turned to her and started talking in hushed tones. I turned to my sister.

"Sorry about him," I said. "Apparently, I'm always a problem to him."

Lexi walked over. When I was on stage, I saw she'd already introduced herself to Shayna. I probably should have told Lexi I was coming, but after spending the whole weekend between the weight room, and leaning lines, I hadn't gotten a chance.

"So, you met the Dean's nephew," Lexi said. "My ex-boyfriend is a pain. Try not to judge us all by his shining example."

"Sometimes exes are the worst," Shayna said. "You should meet mine."

That nearly made me laugh out loud. I didn't miss Shayna dating Juan. Maybe I was biased because Jack and I had been friends for ages, but he was much better for her.

"You have lunch plans, Lexi?" I asked.

"Nothing specific," she said.

Shayna smiled. "You should join us. I heard there's this really good café nearby with cheese in the title."

Lexi turned red. I hadn't told my sister where Lexi worked. Only that she was my friend, helping me with theater things, and she was also an athlete. Having my sister eat where Lexi worked seemed a tad embarrassing for her.

"I think I'd rather have Italian," I said. "Ornella's is good and close."

Lexi grimaced, and I knew immediately I'd made a mistake. Ornella's was a sit-down place with fancy dishes and prices that were usually reserved for college student splurge nights.

"We're going to Ornella's?" Maddox walked by. "Cool. Cool. Who's driving?"

"Or we could go to that taco stand," I suggested.

"Italian sounds good," Bradley said. "And the portions are big at Ornella's, so we can split dishes."

Lexi's shoulders relaxed slightly. I wondered if there was a polite way to cover her meal that wouldn't embarrass her since I picked one of the priciest joints in the city without considering everyone's financial situation.

Sure, Maddox and I would be fine, but everyone else? I wasn't so sure. I didn't want Maddox to have to foot the bill for everyone. That tended to leave people uncomfortable, especially at fancy places like Ornella's. Not to mention I was bringing two guests.

Shayna told Maddox we'd meet him there and pulled Lexi and me toward the door. Right outside, we found Jack waiting in the lobby.

He was decked out in some corny school spirit shirt that looked like it came straight from the campus store. His blonde hair was slightly rumpled, and his million-dollar smile made girls like my sister weak in the knees.

"Hey, buddy, what's up?" I asked.

"All good," Jack clasped my arm with his in a combination of a hug and a high five before quickly stepping back. "Finally came out to see the big man on campus."

"You mean the big man who's taking theater because he failed an intro to art class," Shayna had a mischievous twinkle in her eye. 

"Hey, things happen," Jack said. "I'm not judging. Maybe your brother's a horrible painter. Great to see you, man, though."

Jack and I went way back. We played flag football together on the same team as kids. He was always there if I needed him, and it was great to have such an old friend.

The fact that he was dating my sister was a little weird at first. Every day though, it got a little easier. Shayna laughed more when Jack was around, and I loved to see my sister so happy. Not to mention Jack's smile was always more genuine when he was beside Shayna.

Jack's hand slid into my sister's as they stood side by side. Lexi looked at their interlocked hands and smiled.

"So, you must be Jack," she said.

Jack held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. You must be Lexi. Parker mentioned you. I'm Jack Garrison."

Lexi shook his hand gingerly. Her face was pink. I would never completely understand how Jack had that effect on girls, but once again, Jack was sweeping girls off their feet.

"We're going to Ornella's for lunch," Shayna said. "Do you want us to meet you there?"

"We can all fit in your Prius, babe," Jack smiled. "Unless you have another idea."

I nodded. "You okay with that, Shay?"

My sister grinned. "Oh yeah, I'll drive."

Jack and Shayna headed towards the parking lot. I turned to Lexi, who was staring at them with a slightly gaping expression.

"You coming?" I asked.

She looked a little mystified. "Don't you want to spend time with your sister and her friend?"

I grinned. "I've spent a lot of time in your world. It's time to bring in a little of mine. Come on. Shayna's car seats four."

By the time we rolled up to Ornella's, Lexi was still looking a little dumbstruck. I guess riding in a car with my sister and her boyfriend singing through "Gee, Officer Krupke" from the West Side Story soundtrack as a duet was a little strange, but Shayna and I had watched so many classic movies with our mom that this was old hat.

The only part that I found impressive was that Jack knew all the words too. I guess that might have had something to do with the fact that his uncle had a theater background, but I'd never known Jack had a decent voice.

When we walked into Ornella's, the hostess pointed us to a table in the center of the restaurant. That's where we found Maddox, Lucas, Chase, Bradley, Emma Kate, Riley, and Cynthia waiting on us at a section of four tables all pushed together.

"Saved you all seats," Maddox said. "Everybody, this is Parker's sister Shayna and..."

Shayna smiled. "This is my boyfriend, Jack."

I sat at the end of the table next to Bradley. Lexi took the seat across from me, and Shayna and Jack took seats at the other end of the table in between Lucas and Maddox.

"They'll collect our order in a minute," Bradley said. "I always get spaghetti here."

"You're so boring," Emma Kate rolled her eyes. "It's adorable."

When I opened the menu, I found much fancier Italian items than spaghetti. I had just settled on gnocchi when I looked up to see Lexi staring at her menu with intent. Her ears were the same color as her hair.

Seeing as my entrée cost four times the amount of a burger meal at The Cheesy Café, I understood why she was sweating. It was easy to forget that everyone had different means; lunch for someone might mean a chunk of monthly rent to another.

"Lex, what are you getting?" Bradley asked.

"I'm leaning towards a cup of minestrone soup," Lexi ducked her head behind the menu.

"Isn't that an appetizer?" Cynthia asked.

I locked eyes with Maddox at the other end of the table. I should never have suggested this place. Lexi's face was hotter than fire, and as good as an actress as she was, I could see right through her.

"I'll split a carbonara with you," Emma Kate said.

Lexi nodded as if this settled the matter. She was already reaching into her wallet and counting out cash to hand to Emma Kate.

"No need," Maddox said. "Lunch is on me."

"Maddox," Lexi could hardly meet his eyes. "I can't let you pay every time."

"Lexi, my parents literally give me a monthly fund to use for parties," Maddox said. "For some reason, they think I need the extra help to make friends. It's not a big deal."

She put the money back in her pocket but didn't look very happy about it. I made a mental note to thank Maddox later and be sure to cover Shayna and Jack's meals myself. Maddox might have a party budget, but if he paid for everyone at the table here, he might be spending close to a half grand easy. Ornella's was about to make a huge chunk of change off starving college students.

Lexi barely spoke another word the entire meal. The conversation was mostly at the other end of the table between Shayna, Riley, Maddox, and Cynthia about Shayna's aspirations for nursing school after she got a biology degree. On the other hand, Jack still wasn't sure what he wanted to go to school, much less what he wanted to do.

"That's completely valid," Bradley said. "I feel like half our classmates barely know what we're doing after college. Just this summer, I started considering teaching drama. Maddox doesn't know what he wants, and even Lexi doesn't have a full plan."

"But I don't even know what I like," Jack said. "I'm decent at most school subjects, and I might still play football in college. My dad always pushed me towards engineering or law."

"You'll find your calling," Bradley said. "Trust me. It'll come. Be yourself."

It had taken me a while to decide what I wanted as my major too. It had taken my senior English teacher to tell me that he saw the makings of a teacher in me. It was only then that I realized how much I loved mentorship and how that was really teaching.

After a while, my plate was completely empty, and I was lost in a deep conversation with Bradley and Jack about our parts in The Tempest when Shayna tapped my shoulder.

"I totally lost track of time," she said. "My tour is in ten minutes."

"EK, if you can take Lexi back to campus, I'll take Jack and Parker," Bradley said. "That way, you can drive straight to your tour, Shayna."

"It's cool," Emma Kate said.

Shayna looked a little dumbstruck. I'd tried to describe my new friends' generosity to her over the phone. She'd listened to the story about Trevor, but it looked like it was only just now sinking in.

"I wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone," she said. "I mean, you guys already paid for lunch."

"Go to your tour," Emma Kate said. "We'll take care of the rest."

"You can trust them," I smiled. "We'll catch up later, Shayna. There's a cool ice cream place we can check out later before we go to Dad's."

I watched my sister go with a smile on my face. It was great to see her here with my new friends. I was so lucky that these people had let me into their group with such open arms.

The theater department kids were better than any other group I'd ever hung out with on campus. They had hearts of gold, for who else would just let a jock like me into their inner circle without so much as blinking? I had a feeling that by the end of this summer, I'd owe these guys everything, and I'd have to find some way to repay them.

Hey everyone!!! Sorry for the delay. School is really hectic, but since it's Fall Break, I had a moment to finish this chapter. I'm hoping to get the next one done soon. Once the school holidays start, I'll have a little more time for updates. I know this was kind of a filler chapter, but I promise the next one won't be. Thank you for your patience. It means so much to me that you're reading this. Feel free to vote or drop me a line if you enjoyed this chapter.

--- Eliana