Ella;
I slammed my lunch tray down on a cafeteria table and sat down with a huff. Everyone was buzzing over the whole Jonas-in-the-play thing and it was starting to bother me. He was already as popular as you could possibly get; he was dating Carla Smith, Queen Bee; he was the star third baseman on the baseball team; not to mention he was in a band with his brothers. And now this. How degrading.
“Did you hear?” My best friend Amy came scurrying up to the table, carrying a tray that had a leafy salad and a juice box on it. She sat down and leaned excitedly over her salad, her brown eyes sparkling from behind her cat’s-eye glasses. “Joe Jonas is in the spring play!”
I rolled my eyes and stared down at my cheeseburger. “I heard,” I mumbled.
Amy rummaged around as she replied, “Isn’t that amazing? Rumor has it that his girlfriend thought a sensitive, emotional man makes the best boyfriend, so he joined the drama club! That’s so sweet.”
Pause. Real Story: Joe was caught feeling up Carla behind the dugout after the opening game of the season. Coach Carr was pissed, so he sentenced Joe to drama club hell instead of detention, so as to not mar Joe’s spotless record.
Of course, you just couldn’t have the star third baseman sitting in detention for a week and a half.
“Ella?” Amy said, “Are you okay? You look kind of… angry.”
I smoothed out my expression and flashed her a bright smile. “Fine, Amy,” I said in my best cheery voice, “just ducky.”
She nodded and smiled back. She carefully poured Thousand Island dressing all over her salad and then frowned. “Maybe I put too much,” she mumbled. Then, she shrugged and dug in. “I can’t believe he’s in the play, though,” she said through a mouth full of food, “that’s so amazing.”
“Yeah, amazing alright,” I muttered. “He doesn’t even know how to act and he’s the lead. What was Ms. Lane thinking? He’s going to ruin the entire thing and my chances of getting into Julliard.”
“There’s more to life than just getting into Julliard, Ella,” Amy replied. “That’s all you’ve been talking about since freshmen year. Julliard this, Julliard that. I need to get into Julliard!”
“It’s important to me, okay?” I said. “It’s the best drama school in the country, and I want to act for the rest of my life. I need to hone my craft, and in my opinion the only way to do that is to go to Julliard.”
Amy sighed and stabbed at her salad. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
I looked at my cheeseburger and then pushed it away. “No. Not hungry.” Two dollars and seventy-five cents wasted.
Something hit me in the back of the head. I whipped around, glaring at the other students sitting around. Then, I spied the Populars; Joe Jonas, Carla Smith and the rest of their ‘entourage,’ sitting at their usual table laughing their asses off. At me.
“Hey Eleanor!” Joe called mockingly. “Regina says to stay away from her! She doesn’t want puke on her skirt again!”
I gritted my teeth and turned back around as they continued to laugh like hyenas. “Stupid jock. Stupid friends. Stupid Regina,” I muttered.
Their laughter eventually died down and they continued to pick on someone else. They think they’re so high and mighty, just because they’re star athletes or cheerleaders or the richest kids in the town. Why can’t it be like High School Musical, where I could be a way nicer, brunette version of Sharpay? No, of course not, because the nasty always win.
“You know what they say, though,” Amy said with a grin, “if a guy picks on a girl, that means he’s got a crush on her.”
I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. “That’s from grade school, Amy. It doesn’t count now.”
“You’ll see,” she said with a nod, “you’ll see.”
I grabbed my bag from the seat behind me and abruptly stood up. “I’ll be in the auditorium if you need me. I have free period.” I threw my bag over my shoulder and stormed out, passing the Popular table. They were still giggling. Idiots.
The walk from the cafeteria to the auditorium was short. I cut through a couple of hallways and down the main stairs, and suddenly I was in the vast room full of chairs with red fabric. I hurried down the aisle and hopped up onto the stage. Instantly, I felt better.
“Ella?” a whispery voice asked.
I turned to see Ms. Lane. “Hi,” I said quietly.
She shuffled over in her shiny black Church shoes. She shakily sat down beside me and let out a rush of breath. Then, she smiled at me. She had glasses like Amy’s, only a bit more outdated. Thick-rimmed, black. But behind them she had sparkly hazel-green eyes. Mrs. Lane, I mean. Not Amy.
“How are you, dear?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”
She reached over and patted my hands, which were folded in my lap. “I’m excited about this play. It’s a modern Romeo and Juliet, you know.”
“I know.” I winced. The modern Ro-Ju thing was a good idea at first, until of course, Mr. Jonas had to stick his tongue in Carla’s mouth behind the home dugout.
“I think this is going to be our best yet,” she continued, “when the Jonas boy learns from you, he’ll be a very good actor.”
Yeah right.
“The representatives from Julliard will be very impressed with your work, Ella,” she said sweetly, “you’re one of the best actresses to ever grace this stage. You work so hard. If you don’t get that scholarship to Julliard, I’ll be vastly surprised.”
And I’ll be disappointed. So disappointed I might jump off a bridge.
But I don’t say that.
“I need to get going, Ms. L.” I hopped down from the stage and smiled up at her. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. “I gotta catch up with Amy.” And apologize for storming out on her like that.
“You do that, sweetie.”
I turned on my heel and hurried back to the cafeteria. Amy was probably already gone, early to her next class -- English? Global? I glanced at the clock. It’s Tuesday, so… Calc. I peeked my head into Mr. Jamison’s Calculus classroom and saw Amy, earlier than all the other students, with her books spread out and prepared in front of her.
I slipped inside, carefully tip-toeing over to her seat. “Hey, Amy?” I said cautiously. No telling how she felt about me running out on her like that.
She looked over her shoulder and grinned. Good. She’s not pissed. “Hi, Els.”
“Sorry for storming out on you like that,” I said sincerely. “I’m just so mad about the whole Jonas thing…”
“I understand,” she said, nodding. “He can be a real joker sometimes.”
“Miss White, are you quite finished?” Mr. Jamison stood at the front of the classroom with his arms folded. He never really liked me.
“Sorry, Mr. J,” I said with a sheepish smile. “See you, Amy,” I told her, and then hurried out for free period.
In my haste to get out, I smacked head-long into someone’s chest. The person’s books when flying everywhere and I ended up on my butt. “Oww,” I groaned.
“Way to go, Eleanor,” a familiar, taunting voice snapped.
I looked up into the gorgeous face of King A.sshole, Joe Jonas himself. I forced my face into a scowl and stood up. “Sorry, Jonas,” I replied, folding my arms, “maybe next time you won’t stop short in the hallway.” I don’t think he actually did that, but whatever. “And it’s Ella, just FYI.”
He rolled his eyes. “Like I care what your name is,” he scoffed. “Now excuse me, you’re blocking my way.”
I stood my ground and narrowed my eyes. “You move first,” I shot back.
“No,” he replied, narrowing his eyes too.
God, he was gorgeous. Especially with his eyes sparkling with annoyance like that. I don’t care that it was annoyance at me; it was just so hot. I found myself struggling to think up with a good comeback as I gazed at his beautifully structured face.
“What’s going on out here?” I heard Mr. Jamison call. “Mr. Jonas, Ms. White, you’re both late for your classes. Get a move on, please.”
I clenched my fists and waited for him to move. When he didn’t, and I heard Mr. Jamison clear his throat in warning, I moved to left of the King and stormed away.
Stupid, beautiful jock.
Chapter One
