Taking the stage

Episode Four

 I looked at the picture again, it wasn’t one from a magazine that I had seen before. Just solidifying the fact that this could definitely be his phone. The idea of going through this phone was so tempting that my finger ached. I stopped myself, hoping that whoever had my phone would respect my privacy. My phone. Ugh I released a sigh, all of my stuff was on my phone, Photos of my parents, Song ideas Id put in my notes, the reminisce of my past life before moving here. Anxiety swam through my body, I hadn’t been ready to say goodbye just yet, the thought of losing everything stole my breathe. Before I though more about it my fingers were running across the numbers on the phone. I placed the phone to my ear and waited, one ring, two rings, three rings. A lump formed in my throat and a tear ran down my cheek. It felt like I was losing everything all over again. “Hello?” the voice on the other end sounded angry. “Um hi, I think you have my phone.” My voice came out slightly pained emotion still lingering. “Ya, I think you stole my phone.” The angry voice accused. “What? I didn’t steal your phone!” I practically yelled into the phone. “Ha, I recognize my own number.” He laughed. “Look, I think I bumped into you in the lobby and somehow our phones got swapped.” I tried to calm my tone, yelling at each other wasn’t going to solve anything. Another laugh sounded across the line. “Are you kidding me, you ran into me on purpose, to jack my s**t!” “Your probably a crazy fan, I know one of my songs is your ringtone.” His laugh this time was humorless. “I am not a crazy fan, and my ringtone was written by Kingston.” I stopped myself realizing I probably sounded like a crazy fan anyway. “Look I just want my phone back, you can have yours back, I don’t want it!” I finished trying to sound more sincere. “How did you get into my phone?” “What?” I was confused by his tone change. “You called me from my phone, How. Did. You. Get. Into. My. Phone?” “Oh um, your passcode is the number four.” I stuttered slightly at the venom in his voice. “What? Your going to sell my pictures to the tabloids?” His voice raised to a yell, “What?, no I..” “Going to sell my text messages for a story?” “How about the ones between me and Jade, about her cheating on me huh?” He yelled. My heart ached at the rawness in his voice, “She cheated on you?” “Please, I’m sure you’ve gotten an eye full going through my phone.” “I swear I didn’t go through your phone, and I don’t plan on it, I just want my phone back.” It was a quiet plea in comparison to him out burst.  “Whatever!” He said hanging up on me. “Hello?” I said over the dead line. “No, no, no” I said pressing call again on my number. But I was greeted by my voice on the other end. “You’ve got Sid, sorry I missed your call, please leave me a message and I’ll get back to you.” I hung up and tried again, over and over the results were the same. “You’ve got..” I hung up again.  Great what am I gong to do now?  I through myself on the mattress and cried silently till sleep over took me.

 “Sid! Wake up!” a pounding on my door pulled me out of my sleep. I rose up looking out my window the sun was streaming in through my curtains I was probably cutting it close if Ashley had to bang on my door to get me up. “Ill be ready in ten!” I hollered running around my room trying to get ready. I swapped my sweats out for jeans and replaced my over sized t for a tank top. I slide my feet into a pair of socks and then my sneakers. I know I have a bag in my locker of different shoes for dance later. I ran a brush through my lightened tangles, Throwing a cap on to try and tame my hair some. I was down the stairs, bag strung over my shoulder five minutes later. I hid Liam’s phone in a jacket pocket in the back of my closet so there was no chance of anyone finding it. “About time, we got to go!” Ashley said irritated. Her brother Jason just shook his head as he followed he to the car. Jason’s School was right down the road from North Brook and he road to school with us every morning even though he was just a seventh grader. “You know Ashley, being a b***h will give you wrinkles.” He said as the car pulled out of the driveway. My eyes widen at his bluntness, he was too young to be cussing like that but it was no secret him and Ashley didn’t get along. “f**k you, you little prick.” He responded checking her reflection in her phone screen, causing Jason to laugh as he looked out the window. Noticing his smile was short lived his face took on a more serious expression. “Are you excited about seventh grade?” I asked him. He turned his face to me plastering on an indifferent smile. “Ah no big deal.” I nodded feeling like maybe it was a bigger deal than he was letting on. The car came to a stop and our driver Mark opened the back door, Ashley quickly got out leave without another word. I went to move looking over at Jason. His eyes were back on the window. I leaned over pulling him into a hug and whispered “Your going to do great today!” before pulling away exiting the car. “Thank you Mark” I smiled at him before making my way up the stairs of North Brook. “SID!” I heard a voice up ahead yell. I looked up seeing Ash at the doors waiving so fiercely her blonde curls bounced. I ran up the last few stairs and hugged her close to me, I had missed her these past couple weeks. “Girl you would not believe the break I had.” She said fanning herself as she recalled her vacation. “Oh ya?” I asked her smiling “Who was hot tub guy?” I said wiggling my eyebrows as we made our way down the corridor to our lockers. All the Junior lockers were down the same all just out side of the recording studios. “Oh, you mean Enrique?” She giggled then paused “Or was it Alexander?” I loud out a laugh and shook my head pushing her forward. “Come on.” I shook my head as we moved down the hall. She continued to tell me about her wonder break and all of her conquest, Apparently Enrique or Alexander was just one of many foreign delicacies she tried while in Canada.  “But I will see you later Babe, I got to get to Dance before my partner Duncan losses his s**t. Love you.” She said wrapping me in a quick hug and blowing me a quick kiss and she was gone.  I put my bag in the locker and turned around to head to production when I ran into the man who is actually working with me to produce my single this year. A senior who wants to be a produce and work on the bored when he graduates. Unfortunately said senior was also the first guy to show me any interest since I started here and even more unfortunate on night when we were working late together I had gave in to his flirting and kissed him. It wasn’t a bad kiss but it felt like I assume kissing a best friend would feel like. I felt no sparks so it hasn’t happened since, not for his lack of trying ever since that night he has been almost unbearable unless he’s behind the glass in the recoding studio. He’s one of the best producers we have this year and I would hate missing the chance to work with him, but the look he’s giving me right now is making my skin crawl. “Hey beautiful.” His smile spread across his face. “Hey Travis.” I said with much less enthusiasm. “Ready to go record?” The smile still plastered to his face. “Yup.” I said popping the p, moving around him to the studio.  

 “And I have just enough hope to get back up and try again.” I sang into the Condenser mic. The music in my head set fading. “Great job Beautiful!” Travis said over the studio intercom. I nodded breathe a little hard catching my breath. “Want to give it another try? “ He asked. “Ya, from the chorus.” I answered him moving back in front of the mic. I walked out into the hall rotating my neck trying to loosen my shoulders. I still can’t seem to make the song sound the way I’m looking for. Even though Travis keeps reassuring me it sounds amazing, Maybe I should sing a different song.  The bell rang dismissing us from our current classes. I moved away from the wall walking over to my locker grabbing my dance shoes, I kicked off my tennis shoes walking off towards the dance studio on this floor, the one Seniors and Juniors use.

 "Hey!" someone called out to me as a hand clasped around my arm. I turned to see who it was, making eye contact with a pair of shades and a baseball cap. I jerked my arm releasing it from his grasp. "Who are you?" I asked taking a step back. "Are you Sid?" He asked looking around the emptying hallway. I take another step back even more on alert then before. "What do you want?" I asked again. The bell rang signaling the start of the last class of the day. The guy looked around the now barren hall and took a step towards me. "My name's Liam Jackson." I c****d a brow at him looking at him a little closer and began laughing . "Oh? " I laughed even harder. His mouth formed a straight line. "What's so funny?" I could tell he was getting frustrated. "Liam Jackson?" I asked. "Yes Liam Jackson as in Liam Jackson from B4." He said lowering his voice. Causing me to laugh even harder. "Does that work for you trying trying to pick up girls?" I laughed out. "Look! you have my phone, can you just give it back and I'll leave." He frowned and let out a frustrated breath. I looked at him. "Prove it." I said watching as he lowered he looked over his glasses leveling me with an Icy grey stare.