Chapter 7

The next morning, as she expected, Gina was still kind of tired. She accepted Matt’s offer gratefully before theater started. He never noticed the looks that the other kids were giving them as she slept and he did some homework.

When the bell rang for class to start, Matt turned to the sleeping girl next to him. She’d been sleeping for so long, his left arm was falling asleep! Smiling soothingly, he woke her up with a gentle shake. Her eyes opened and she blinked blearily in the light.

“Hey, come on. Time to wake up and get into theater.” She smiled sleepily at him, but sat up and stretched. Matt tried to ignore the sudden chill without her warmth on his shoulder. He gathered up his books and things as Gina grabbed her bag. She helped him up and they went into class together.

They had a substitute, so they played some improvisational games. Gina sat in her usual back row, far corner seat. She rarely raised her hand to go up, because she wasn’t the best at improv. Matt, however, was wonderful at it. He could really think on his feet, while Gina was better with planned things.

Once class was done, the pair parted ways. Matt went to Math, while Gina left for her locker, then Earth Science. As she shut her locker, her best friend Andy Hillbert leaned against the locker next to her. His dark brown bangs fell into his mischievous green eyes.

“So, how long have you and Matt Collins been together?” He threw out the question casually, a small smirk playing over his handsome features. He was considered by most of the female population of the freshman class of Baxterville High to be the handsomest male in their class. One of the reasons he and Gina were best friends was because she wasn’t easily swayed by looks and was able to have an intelligent conversation with her.

“What do you mean by that, Andy?” Gina looked honestly puzzled at the comment.

“You know what I mean. I walked past the theater room this morning.” His smirk gained much more of a cheeky quality as she began to head to Earth Science. They were in the same class, so Andy followed her. That’s when Gina realized what he must be talking about and blushed slightly. It wasn’t enough for anyone but those who knew Gina well to notice, but Andy picked up on it well.

“Oh, that… Matt was just being a good friend. He knows that I was really tired after staying up to study lines. Don’t start that, now!” Gina cut Andy off, “I’m fine now and I was fine then.” She didn’t want Andy starting up on his tirade about her working herself too hard.

“I just don’t want you wearing yourself out.” Andy’s voice betrayed his concern for her. Most of the female population of their class envied Gina. They all supposed that they were going out, or that they had gone out. In all honesty, Andy did like Gina. But he knew that she didn’t see him like that.

“I’m fine, Andy. Honestly! As for Matt and I, we’re just friends. You understand that?” She protested. Andy only grinned deviously as they reached their classroom.

“Me thinks the lady doth protest too much!” He quoted. That only gained him a smack and a ‘look’ from Gina.

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Later on that day, Matt got the same sort of treatment. This time, it was from a mutual female friend of theirs, who happened to have seen them as he woke her up.

“Come on, Matt. You know you like her.” Erica Morisson teased as she took her seat across from the young man in the cafeteria. Matt wasn’t even paying attention, but staring out the window at the small drifts of snow.

“Hey, dude?” She waved a hand in front of his face. That snapped him out of his daze.

“Huh? What did you say?” Matt shook his head to clear it of his daydreaming. Who had he been thinking of? Why was he daydreaming?

“Only that you know you like Gina Smith.” Erica flashed him a mischievous smile. Matt didn’t like the looks of that at all.

“What are you talking about?” He asked her, truly not comprehending. For all his attempts to escape it, his mind was still halfway in dreamland.

“This morning. I saw you two outside the theater classroom. Why else would you let her sleep on your shoulder, then give her such a sweet smile as you woke her up?” She looked at him slyly before turning her attentions to the tray in front of her.

“I was just letting her sleep on my shoulder because she didn’t get any sleep the night before. Would you believe she stayed up the whole night simply to study lines she already knew perfectly? If she doesn’t get Beatrice, I’ll be the one to kill Mr. Johnson!” He said vehemently, picking up his chicken patty. Erica crinkled her nose in disgust as he took a bite.

“I don’t see how they can call that food and sell it, let alone how you can eat it,” She picked up the yogurt on her tray, “But I’m not going to change the subject. Why are you acting so defensive of her?”

“I’m not acting defensive of her. I’m being a friend. I know that she did much better than any girl Mr. Johnson auditioned for Beatrice last night.” He looked at the blonde in disbelief. Why is she pressing this?

“Really? Well I know you wouldn’t do that for me.” Erica stated calmly, taking a spoonful of yogurt.

“What?” Matt was lost again. Typical male.

“You wouldn’t let me, or any other friend of yours who’s a girl sleep on your shoulder just because she stayed up the night before.” Erica elaborated, her blue-gray eyes watching him closely.

“Well, I’m sure Andy would have let her do that, too.” Matt responded, a hint of bitterness in his voice. He took another bite out of his chicken patty. Erica almost dropped the water bottle she was drinking from.

“Andy!? I doubt he would even know about it! Gina wouldn’t tell that track star unless he asked her straight out about it. He wouldn’t ask, because he wouldn’t understand. He doesn’t get drama. She’d tell you, because she knows that you’re there and you understand what’s going on and you ask.” Her mouth dropped open, “Are you getting jealous of Andy Hillbert?!?”

“No! I’m not jealous! Why would I be jealous?” Matt froze as he said this just a bit to quickly for it to be believable.

“You tell me.” Erica asked as she finished up her yogurt. Matt looked at her disbelievingly.

“I don’t like Gina Smith.” He said to his chicken patty as he picked it up to finish it off.

“You keep telling yourself that.” Erica smirked as she got up to dump her tray. When she came back to grab her backpack she left him with these words, “Unless you can honestly, truthfully say that, don’t bother trying to convince anyone else.”