Falling like the Stars

9

Skye’s Point of View

I must be getting punished. That’s the only thing that can explain why the one good thing that has happened to me in the past months since I’ve been here, Jemma, is once again being taken away. I had no idea he was going to be here. Miles stood on stage and everyone in the crowd clapped given the fact that he was going to be the lead. All the girls were whispering with each other saying non-sense things like He is so fine, I wish he was mine, Skye is so lucky. I mean, really? You’re not missing out on a whole lot.

Once the clapping subsided, May motioned for Miles to take a seat. Of course he comes to sit right next to me. Jemma cringed at the sight of this. She had every right to. I am with her, I felt like throwing up knowing the bum was this close to me.

                “Alright that about covers all the major points I need to get through today…,” this was the one good thing that May had said this whole time. I went to straighten myself up to grab my crutches when she spoke up once more, “…All the crew have my permission to leave. Will the actors please stay for a table read? Actually that is not a question. Crew leave, Actors grab a chair and form a circle up here on stage.”

Everyone grabbed a chair for themselves and headed on stage to form the circle right in the center. Miles and Fitz had a little bit of an argument when deciding who would help take my chair up. Out of the two, I of course wanted Fitz to take it, but I had really wanted Jemma to do it. She did not even glance my way when we had gotten up from the row. I will definitely need to fix that. Although Miles had won the little tussle, May had placed us in a specific order of where to sit. Thank God. 

The first part of the table read went by pretty fast. Well, for me it did. It was only Miles and I talking since the first couple scenes revolve around the dream and our relationship. I have to admit Miles was good at his part. Maybe he had a natural talent or maybe he was reading the lines like as if it was real. He still tells me all the time how I made a mistake and that he will be waiting for me. He is going to be waiting awhile.

On the other hand, I hated my part. It was not necessarily the lines I hated, it was the emotion that I needed to bring out. May kept whispering under her breath, like you’re in love Skye, as I was reading all the fluffy lines.

                “…and even though I have a dream about this beautiful girl, just know Caroline, you are the only one I truly love.” Miles read his line not looking at his paper, but up at me.

                I made a grunt noise before saying my line, “uh, yeah…I love you too.”

                “Skye. Really…,” May set down her script and crossed her arms giving that infamous look, “…. Uh, yeah is not in the script. It is simply I love you too, read with the upmost passion. I mean honestly, are you trying to be bad at this?”

                “No. It just comes naturally.” The others began to laugh and I felt like the cool kid again. Well until I noticed Jemma shake her head in what looked like annoyance. I’ll shut up now. 

                “Alright everyone, that’s enough. Let’s just skip to the end of the script…”

I could not wait to get out of the theater. Yes, I wanted to be done with reading those lines, but I also wanted to find Jemma.

I looked around outside seeing some students leaving in their car and the others waiting for their ride. No sign of Jemma though.

                “So, will it kill you to try?” I turned around to find that Jemma and Fitz were both standing there.

                “Yup, and I am too young to die.” I tried to sound as funny/sarcastic as possible when responding to Fitz’s comment to lighten the mood. “Listen, I know I didn’t do too hot at reading the lines, but I promise I will work at it.”

                “Yeah, well you better. I will see you later Jemma, that’s my mom.” He gave her a side hug before walking off.

Jemma was looking at anything and anyone that was not me.

                “Jemma, I just want you to know, I swear I had nothing to do with--“

                “Okay, so I’m going to guess based off your recent behavior that you don’t necessarily care about classes or graduating, but you like school because your popular and will most likely never be on top again.” Jemma stated looking at me expectantly. Whoa. Where did that attitude come from?

                “Well, I’d say that that is thoroughly predictable.”

                “Your act only works on an audience, Skye.”

Jeez, what has gotten into her? I couldn’t help myself.

                “Okay, so I’m going to guess that you were never really popular in school. Fitz was most likely your friend since you were a kid and now the two of you are continuously attached at the hip. You sit at lunch table seven which was the reject table until Ward came along. You have exactly two ties and one cardigan. You like to look at your feet when you walk. And on your free time you like to hang out with the cool kids from the Stars and Planets and drama club. Now how does that sound?”

                A sarcastic grin formed on her face, “That sounds thoroughly predictab—“

She got cut off when I felt slight pressure on my back from the feeling of someone standing behind me.

                “Wow, what a speech Skye. I have definitely taught you well.” Miles said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

Jemma rolled her eyes before walking away. I was going to go catch her but I realized she walked away because her ride was here. Well, at least I hope that was the reason. I did say it to her kind of harshly, but it was a word vomit thing.

                “How many times do I have to ask you to please stop touching me?” I brushed off his hand away from my shoulder.

                “Okay sorry. Now, come one lets go.” He began to walk away.

                “What do you mean let’s go? Ward is going to pick me up.”

                “Our parents grounded him for a week for taking my car. You know that he can’t get his license for another two weeks until he turns sixteen. So it looks like I am your only hope.”

He was right, unfortunately. I had forgotten that Ward needed to sneak around when driving the car because he only has a permit. My parents are working at the church late and I had already told them not to worry about giving me a ride. I had no other option but to get in the car with him.

On the way to my house, he had his radio blaring with the songs we would listen to for anniversaries. I turned it down at one point so he could hear me.

                “Do you want to explain yourself?”

                “What?”

                “You know what I am talking about Miles.”

                “Fine. Let’s just say that Coulson found out somehow that you were not the only one at the lake that night.”

                “Somehow?”

                “I told him.”

I hit him on the shoulder and he knew exactly why. We had pulled up to my house by then and before I could get out, he stopped me.

                “Look, I know that you are made about the whole British and Scottish stunt I pulled, but I really want us to work this thing out.”

                “Their names are Jemma and Fitz. Okay? Get it right. As far as this thing, it is OVER. Do you hear me? Done. I will never give you what you want. Ever.” With that I slammed the car door and walked toward the front door.

Even though it was previously stated that drama club was going to be three days a week during winter break for rehearsals, they still asked us all to come the next day to help make posters promoting the play as well as get some extra time to go over our lines. Like school was really the place I wanted to be on a Saturday. To avoid another confrontation with Miles, I had my mom drop me off instead.

All the girls in the club, besides Jemma and I, were drooling over Miles and helping him with his poster. Jemma and Fitz were working together on their own poster. I had wanted to make my way to them, but the remaining guys were all surrounding me making drool faces as well. Although the attention was nice, it still did not give me the same feeling that I got the previous day when I had Jemma’s hand in my own.

May had called the actors to a separate room to work on our lines while the crew stayed behind to work on the posters. This time when we were doing the lead, I had decided to actually try. Despite the fact that I hated being pretend lovey-dovey with Miles, I wanted to do my best for Fitz. That did not work at all. I stumbled over words and was thinking so hard about memorizing that the emotion was lacking. Everyone else was picking up their lines like it was their first language. If I want to make an impression, I am going to need help. After an hour of the table read, May allowed for us to go back and make posters with the crew. Fitz stayed behind with May to go over a couple of things regarding the script, which meant Jemma was walking alone back to the room.

                “Jemma, wait up.” I began to move my crutches even faster to catch up with her speed. “I wanted to ask you something.”

                “I hadn’t even noticed you walking behind me, after all, I tend to look at my feet when I walk.” Even though it came out sarcastically, she still ended up smiling.

                “I’m sorry about that. It just sort of came out. I mean you kind of started that whole little argument.”

                “Yeah, I do apologize. I was just upset is all. I shouldn’t have took it out on you.”

                “Hey, you had ever right too. I would still be mad too after, well you know…What I did. … I really am sorry Jemma.”

                “Well, what do you say we call it even then?”

                “Whew. Agreed!”

                “Good. Now what did you want to ask me?”

                “Oh yeah. I was sort of wondering if you would be willing to help me with my lines…” Jemma was such a natural at her lines that she did not even bring her script with her today, “If not that is totally oka—“

                “A request like this is going to require flattery and groveling. It can’t just be for your popularity, Skye. It has to be for the common good of everybody.”

                “Hey, I am all with you. Leo Fitz deserves nothing but the best for this play. And I can definitely do the flattery part, but I think the groveling just might have to wait until my leg is healed.”

                We laughed in unison before Jemma finally was able to pull herself together, “Okay, I’ll help you but only because I have sworn to help the less fortunate.”

                “Hey!” I pushed her shoulder playfully and she reacted with a laugh.

Once most of the posters were done, Jemma had said that she and Fitz were going to head back to her house to run over lines. Despite my comments of I don’t want to intrude, I agreed to go with them. Since Jemma and Fitz leave legit next door to one another, Fitz’s mom did not mind picking us all up.

Jemma’s house was a simply two story home, not too big nor too small. It was just right. Walking in I had seen all the pictures of her and Fitz of when they were kids as well as the family portraits of her and her parents. That must be another reason why they are so close, they are both an only child. Her mom was like a splitting image of Jemma. She was very welcoming toward me. Her dad was just like her mom and then some. They were both great, just like Jemma.

It was difficult having to wake up so early three times a week during the winter break to go to drama club, but the only thing that kept me intrigued was the fact of knowing I would get to go to Jemma’s house afterwards and run lines with her and Fitz. They had also both been generous enough to “practice” their therapy skills on my ankle and it definitely helped because I no longer needed my crutches anymore.  Each time I would ask them if we could officially have the friend title, they continued to say that I was getting closer. And I will take that.

On the first day back to school to start the second semester, I had seen the group in our usual spot. Miles and Ward were running late, so they weren’t there yet. I walked forward and could tell that most of them were hesitant and angry. Raina and Triplett both glared at me before one of them finally spoke up.

                “Miles told us that you are all buddy-buddy with Simmons and Fitz.” Raina stated in a firm voice.

                “Well, they have both been helping me with my lines and I—“

                “Skye, listen up…” Triplett got up from the bench he was sitting on to face me, “…We do not associate with others outside of the group. You know that. After what they did to Miles, I mean come on. It is already bad enough that Ward is friends with them. Not you, Skye. It is either us or them. Here they come now, make your choice.”

The group is all I have ever known. Jemma was right, I am more worried about popularity than my classes. I most likely will never be on top again so I had to make a choice.

                “Hey Skye…” Jemma said with a smile, “So Fitz and I will see you afterschool?”

                I looked at the others and they all raised an eyebrow waiting for my response, “In your dreams.” I pursed my lips at her and the group all chuckled under their breath. Jemma did one simple nod before turning to walk away. Fitz glared at me before mouthing we will never be friends, and he walked away too.

I immediately felt the guilt. I made the wrong decision. I need to make things right. I will find a way to have both parties in my life. I had rehearsed what I was going to say all day to Jemma and Fitz when I get to their house after school. It took a lot of convincing for Ward to agree to take me to their house. He finally got his license so there was no need to ask Miles. However, when Ward heard from Jemma and Fitz what had happened, he was more pissed than they were.

Pulling up to the house I got very nervous. My plan has to work.

I rang the doorbell and knocked on the door twice, just in case. Jemma swung open the door with a smile. I quickly returned the smile, but she had discovered that it was me and slammed the door.

                “Come on, Jemma! Open the door. Please!” She swung back open the door and stepped forward forcefully, slamming the door behind her. “Whoa, you’re mad.”

                “You don’t miss a thing. Now, what do you want Skye?

                “Look, Jemma I was hoping that we could run lines together.” 

She pursed her lips and made a sarcastic smile, “Hmmm, Okay. But only if no one knows right?”

“Well, I just figured we could surprise everyone with how good I get.”

“Like… We could be secret friends.”

She had a huge smile on her face when she said this and so did I. That was my plan, to get them both to agree to be my friends in secret. Until I could convince the others to be okay with it, of course.

                “Exactly. Exactly, it’s like your reading my mind.”

                “Great, um, maybe you can read mine.” She went from having a smile to looking at me with hatred.

I tried to say something, but nothing was coming out. She turned and opened the door to walk inside, but before she could close it I finally spoke, “Jemma. Jemma, look it’s not easy for me. I can’t just be your friend. Not with how tightly I am bound with the group.”

                “Skye, I thought I saw something in you. Something really good. But I was wrong. Very wrong.” With that she slammed the door once again.

                “Damn it!” I shouted as walked back to Ward’s car.

The door opened and I turned to find that both Jemma’s dad and Fitz were standing there. I had no time to deal with them yelling at me.

                “I’m sorry. Sorry.”

I got into Wards car and slammed it shut.

                “So, I’m guessing your plan went to s**t, huh?” Ward asked.

                “Yeah…,” I turned to look at her house, “But I will figure something out.”