Chapter 6- Friendzoned

Paige's POV

Walking into the auditorium, I yawn, snuggling into my blanket some more. I'm so tired, I was up all night thinking about multiple different things. For one the play parts are supposed to given out today, second was that the real Jake last night or just him trying to get me talking. Also did I imagine that little remark I heard him say? I shake my head, now isn't the time to dive into Jake drama. I've had only one tutoring session with him and there is already drama that isn't a good sign. I take the seat next to Robbie, and apologizes for falling asleep right away. 

"Nah it's fine, I barely was awake when I left." I smile, laying my head back. All I need is a pillow right now! "Have any parts been given out yet?" I ask, rubbing my eyes. I blink a couple times getting the rest of my tiredness out, and the door opens. Revealing Jake, and he is with Georgia. She is tottally sucked into his whole persona. I sit up, totally pissed off Everything from last night was fake. Just a play of his thought of. I fell for it there for a minute too, never again. 

"Nothing yet. Are you worried?" He asks, stealing some of my blanket. I lay my head on his shoulder, feeling like an idiot and not wanting to be here. I'm worried about the part yes, but right now I can't focus on anything but Jake. I must've imagined his comment, as I was walking out the door.  "You really that tired?" He asks. 

"No." I sigh "Pissed off." I admit.

"About?" He questions, and I feel him move. I take my head from his shoulder, and see he is looking at me. 

"Not with you!" I assure him, he nods agging me on. What do I say? I'm sure as hell not going to say Jake is on my nerves. That will bring up more and more questions. Georgia leads Jake to the stage, and they sit directingly in front of Robbie and I. Which is directly in the middle of the stage, it's Georgia's way of showing off. I role my eyes, looking away. "Just... school stuff." I reply, closing my eyes. 

"Alright everyone quiet down! Take a seat, off my stage." Mrs. Oliver waltz in like she normally does. Holding multiple play books in her hands.  Oh god, I sit on the edge my seat. Georgia pull Jake into the seat next to me, and she sits next to him. Once Mrs. Oliver is on stage, she shines with excitement. It's contageous. "Alright, everyone! Our gospel girls will be Michelle, Jannette, Georgia, Larissa, and Angelique." She pauses, and I lose my excitement. Damn, I didn't get any of them. Robbie pats my knee, trying to cheer me up. "Francis will be playing Pain, and Greg will play Panic." she says again. Everyone claps and I lean back. What the hell? Neither of us got the parts we wanted!  I lean back, no longer really listening. I thought I did good! She said I did good, I don't know about Robbie, but I know he can sing, maybe she wants him in a part that sings more?  "Phil will be playing Philoctetes." More claps. "Paige will be playing Megera!" She smiles at me, and I turn scarlet red. She is joking right? Robbie next to me smiles, clapping. I lean back, not happy at all. I got the main girl part! Not cool!

"Aww come on Paige, you know you deserve the part." Robbie whispers, and I don't reply. Even if I deserve it, I don't want it! I've never had a lead before, why didn't Georgia get it?

"Mark will be playing Hades!" Mrs. Olver goes on, more clapping. "Now... drum role please!" She says, getting ready to reveal Herecules. I panic. Oh god I have to kiss who ever it is! That's why I don't want leads, they do all the kissing and lovey dovey stuff. "Herecules, will be played by ...." She pauses for effect. "Robbie Shroeder!" She finally reveals, and I turn red again. Robbie. I have to kiss Robbie?! I bring my hands together clapping for him. Gosh it's going to be so awkward, we're just friends. Friends shouldn't kiss. She hands out play books then and highlighters.  I look at Robbie who hasn't said anything, and I shake his knee. 

"Hey you deserve it!" I say, it's true he does. 

"Yeah..." He sighs, opening the book. "We better get highlighting." He begins, and I look down at my book. He must realize we have to kiss. He isn't happy about his part at all! Gosh I should switch. "At least you're Meg though. Now it wont be so awkward doing some of the scenes." He says, and I turn pink. He knows he has to kiss me? .. And he is okay with it? 

"I guess so." I reply. We get to highlighting, and before I know it the bell rings indicating first period. "See ya later." I say to Robbie, getting up and grabbing my things. I leave the room, and go to my locker. I stuff the play book in, making sure not to crumple it.

"Congrates on the part. You're going to do great." Jake says next to me also opening his locker. 

"Thanks." I reply shortly, grabbing my things for French class. I walk away, not wanting to stand there and deal with him.

"Whoa!" He says, catching up. "What's with the third degree?" He asks, walking next to me. I refrain from roling my eyes, I've been doing that a lot thanks to him lately. 

"This is how I normaly treat you." I sigh. 

"Paige last night-" He begins. 

"Nothing happened." I stop looking at him, nothing happened. "I told you I wouldn't tell people you had daddy issues. And I wont. That's it." I begin walking again. 

"I'm not talking about that!" He grits through his teeth. His parents are a touchy subject I see. "I'm trying to be friends with you. Not trying to hook up with you." He mumbles. 

"Oh really?" I say, and he actually roles his eyes at me. "I'll see you later Jake." and I go into the French room. I l watch him through the door. He looks pissed, I'm still not falling for his tricks. I look down at my book, what if he really is trying to be my friend? I lay smack my head down on the desk. I'm crazy for even thinking that! Even he did want to be friends, I wouldn't want to be friends with him. Not with the way he treats girls. 

The day goes by fast, and the next thing I know it's studyhall in seventh period, and Carmen is telling me all about Wyatt. I nod and do the whole entire Mhhhmmm trick as if I'm listening.  she sighs, and she stops talking for a while, in aww from everything. From the bits I did hear though it sounds like Wyatt is treating her good, although everything seems slightly rushed. They're already getting to the nickname stage. It's been three days only. 

"Oh, I heard you and Robbie got the main parts for the play!" She says, and I look at her. She is giving me the boy look. 

"No Carmen." I shake my head. "Robbie and I are friends only. Nothing more." I say.

"Good, he isn't the right guy for you anyway." She smiles, and there is something slightly off about the way she says it. Jealousy maybe. I must really be crazy! Her jealous of Robbie and me? No way. The rest of studyhall goes by, and I happily go to eighth hour. We actually get class in today too. Once class is over though, I stay for a few minutes and chat with Mr. Parker. 

"So, Mrs. Oliver was talking about how excited she is for the musical." He brings it up. "She thinks that it's going to be one her best productions." 

"Really?" I ask, drawing on his white board. She has doen a lot of good work, I can't believe she thinks it's going to be her best.

"Yeah, she was talking about how Robbie and you are going to do perfect playing Meg and Herecules." He says glances at me, from the homework assignments he is checking. "She says you two are good at hiding your feelings towards each other." He smirks at me, and I shake my head.

"No, Robbie is a friend." I say, looking at him. I used to have a crush on him, but yeah it never went anywhere I got over it. "He is my best friend."  I add.

"Oh sure.." He says, and I chuck the marker at him, nailing him in the face. He laughs, and holds his hands up in defense.  "Robbie.. Schroeder right?" He says. I nod, walking over and grabbing the marker. I need something to draw with.

"Yes." I say, coloring in the flower I drew. 

"He is a nice kid." He sighs, and I turn looking at him. 

"Oh, is he?" I ask.

"Yeah, he is smart and behaved. Good sense of humor. I can picture you two." He looks up at me. I just shake me head. "He isn't terrible looking either." He says. 

"Are you telling me to go for it?" I ask, looking back at the board. This conversation has taken a turn towards awkward, he knows that when I was younger.. well when both of us were younger I had a crush on him to. It's gone now, but still slightly awkward since he is my teacher.

"No.. yes. I don't know." He says. " I do know you haven't had a a boyfriend.... I'm just wondering." He says. 

"I'm not lesbian if that's where you're going with this." I say, and he laughs. 

"No." He says calming down. "Just wondering if you're talking to someone... or even interested in someone." He says.  

"Hmm, no not really." I admit, and he changes the subject. Thank god. Although he choose a subject I wouldn't like to talk about still. Tutoring Jake.

"I'm really happy you're doing it you know." He says leaning back in his chair. He must be done grading papers. "Is he behaving correctly? I do know the type of kids he is." I put the marker down, thinking. Of course Jake has made a bunch of passes at me, but is that really something I should talk to him about? We already talked about Robbie, one talk about a boy is enough for me! 

"No, actually he is behaving. I think he knows he needs to get his grade up." I reply, thinking about what his father said to him. Gosh, he does need to get his grade up. He did do his worksheet Wednesday too. God, I was a total bitch to him this morning. What if he was telling the truth? Jake can't just be friends with girls though, there is always some benefits thing going on then. I think at least. I shouldn't have brought up his dad either that was crossing the line. Maybe he does have bad parent problems! Worse then what I heard last night.  "Hey, I gotta get going. I forgot I was a speech to do." I say, grabbing my things. 

"Okay. Later." He says, packing all of his stuff. He must be leaving too.  I sign my name on the board next to my flower I drew, and wave leaving.  I stop by my locker putting away my history book and grabbing my Speech notes. I do have a speech to write.  I drive to my dorm, and go inside in a rush trying to get all my things up to my room. Once I have everything on the ground I turn around heading to the kitchen. I have a stash of Hershey's Cookies-in-cream bars. I'm craving one at the moment. Stealing one, I rip open the package and break a piece off. I hear the creaking of the front door opening and closing in the distance. I get up, and stuff the boxes I have back into it's in a break in the cupboards, it's a spot I only know about apparently.

"What are you doing?" Jake's voice drifts into the kitchen. I jump up banging my head on the top of the counter. I hold my head, muttering swear words.  "Sorry didn't mean to scare you." He adds. I mumble more sitting back down in the chair and breaking off more chocolate.  He stands across the table from me, just watching me. What is he doing here? Anne's room is right down the hall if that why he is here. 

"What?" I finally ask, breaking off another piece of chocolate and offering it to him. He takes it, and eats it before he replies. 

"Can we go somewhere more private maybe?" He asks, and I shiver. He wants to go somewhere private with me? That's not good. 

"Like outside... not my room." I say, and he smirks a second. 

"Well, where ever. Just private." He informs me. I stand up bringing my chocolate with, and I lead him outside to the back patio that none of us ever use. It's for bonfires, but we never need to have one because other dorms beat us to it.  "This is fine." He sits in one of the chairs, I sit in the one next to him. I lean back trying to not be so tense. 

"Well...?" I say, looking at the sky. It's quiet a second still, I look at him. He is looking at me. I sit up, clearing my throat. "Hey.. I'm sorry about this morning.. I shouldn't have said some of the stuff I did." I apologize. 

"Apology accepted." He replies, smiling. I give him another piece of chocolate. "I actually wanted to talk to you about the whole tutoring thing." He says. "I was wondering if next week we could have two sessions. I wont be around for spring break, and Mr. Parker said I need do something about it." 

"Depends what day." I say. "Wednesday and either  Monday or Thursday will work for me. I'm busy Tuesday and Friday." 

"Oh?" He says, giving me a questioning look. "Gotta date?" 

"No. Tuesday after school I have a dance thing, and Friday, I'm leaving to go home." I tell him, and he still gives me a confusing look.

"Dance thing?" He raises an eyebrow, and it makes me laugh. 

"Yes," I say, but he wants more information. "I've been in the dance club since I was little.. and now I'm not as interested in it.. I'm doing my farewell recital." I say, looking away. It's odd to be telling him this. No one at school knows about my dance career other then Robbie and Mr. Parker. I have no idea why I actually told him, I'm guessing it has something to do with me feeling bad for this morning.

"You can dance?" He laughs. 

"Ballet." I nod, crumpling up the wrap to my now finished chocolate bar. It's some what embarassing for me to talk about it. Everyone thinks ballet is dumb nowadays, it's all about hip hop and all that stuff. But I love it, I just have to much going on to keep it going, and I just do it for fun, so I can still just go to a studio when ever to just mess around. 

"Really?" He asks, his interest peeked. "You've been in it since you were young... and it sounds like you're gonna miss it so why quit?"

"I guess I'm just not as into as I was before, but yes I will miss it." I say, and I can't help but like the fact that we are having a normal conversation. "Anyways... Monday or Thursday.." I say changing the subject. 

"Oh! Right.." He says, "Hmmm Monday." He says. I nod. Monday it is.

"Is that all?" I ask, he nods. I stand up, roling shoulders. It's a beautiful spring day out side. I might just bring my speech stuff out here and do it! That's a good idea. I'm going to! I walk with him back to the front of the building, he has his hands in his pockets, and he is looking at his surroundings. I still can't help but wonder... we just had a a nice civil and normal conversation. He didn't hit on me or anything. Maybe he was telling the truth about the friend thing. "Hey... last night.. did you say something as I was leaving?" I ask, and I stop in front of the stairs, waiting for him to reply. 

"What?" He says caught of guard. The door opens and Rachel and Anne come out. 

"Jake!" Anne smiles, and I back away. I don't want to see any of this shit!

"I'm busy." He says to her, and she frowns, and I can feel her glare at me. I look him up and down trying to understand him. "I did." he says and pulls me back to his face. I make an O shap eiwht my mouth, now still feeling Anne's raging stare. 

"Well, I' guess.. I better get my speech done." I sigh, then say goodbye. I walk away before he can really reply. I run into the living room, and peek out the windows. I see Anne interogating him, and he looks tired. I close the curtains, and go to my room. Jake didn't look one bit into her at all. She got friendzoned!