Not So Invisible

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I hate the weekends where Cheyenne has to go stay at her dad’s house. That means on Monday she can’t make it to school. Her parents didn’t want to go to court for custody, and they decided that since Cheyenne made a friend in this town that she should stay. That was good for me. But Cheyenne didn’t not want to see her dad, so they arranged for her to spend one weekend every month at her dad’s. It’s nice, but her dad lives four hours away, so she can’t get back to school.

Today sucks. It’s that Monday she’s not here and Laci is taking full advantage of it. Charlie and Jake aren’t in any of my classes, they’re just in my lunch.

“Hey geek. Where’s your side-kick?” She asks me that every month when Cheyenne isn’t here. I tell her the same thing every time. Don’t you think she would get it by now? Or is she that dumb?

“At her dad’s.” I say with a bit of harshness in my tone. I’m so not in the mood. I had a twenty-four hour shoot yesterday because my “mother” (movie mom) showed up five hours late. The director wasn’t mad because you know, she’s famous and all. Laci looks at me and notices my dark circles.

“Rough night? Did you lose your book?” I am just about to punch her in the face when my principal walks in to the classroom. Principal Nelson, how can I describe him? He’s young, probably thirty, thirty-five. He’s very handsome and is genuinely nice to everyone in the school. His outfits are normally a suit, but there are times when he wears tan slacks and a nice looking shirt.

“Samantha Patrick?” He looks around trying to spot me. I poke my head from behind Laci’s perfect body.

“That’s me.” I say silently. He smiles really big and walks over to me.

“You have a phone call in the office.” I look at him weirdly. Why didn’t he just have the office ladies page me down?

“Okay?” I get up and follow him down the hall to the office. Before we walk in to the office he stops me.

“So, how come you never told us?”

“How come I never told you what?”

“That you have the lead in a Steinberg’s film!” He says fairly loud. I shush him a little bit.

“Oh yeah that.” I say calmly. I didn’t want anyone to know until the movie came out! Why, why, why did he have to find out when I’m just starting production? “So is Cheyenne.”

“Cheyenne Wilson?”

“Yeah.” He nods slowly and he tries to hold in his excitement. He has two movie stars in his school. I can see it now: Two Invisible Teens Become Stars in Blockbuster Film! There will be so much press. “But promise me you won’t say anything.”

“Why not?”

“Because I just want it to be on the D-L until the movie comes out. Then we’ll surprise them. How’d you find out anyhow?”

“I have connections.”

“Didn’t you say I have a phone call?”

“Oh yes. It’s your producer.” He blurts out. There you have it, his connection. I guess he wiggled his way in to finding this information from the office lady. “He said he was your ‘father’”. I nod. I don’t have a father, and Principal Nelson knows that. So doesn’t the ladies at the office. I smile and push myself in to the office. I pick up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Sam darling, this is Johnny. Sorry to disrupt you at school, but we have to reschedule your shoot that you’re doing with Zach. He can’t do it tonight because of prior commitments so is it alright for you to miss school tomorrow? I mean, you and Cheyenne. Cheyenne still has to do a couple of scenes with Mark. I guess tomorrow is the only time Mark can shoot. It’s okay though because he’s only in a few scenes.. Okay I’m rambling. So can you make it?”

“Well, you’ll have to talk with my mother, I mean, my manager about that. But I’m pretty sure it’s okay. What time?” I can’t believe I’m going to be on screen with the hottest actor ever! Zach Brandam has played in so many films. He’s been a bad boy, a school jock, a loner, a punk, and most importantly he’s been a hot vampire! Oh how handsome he looked in that movie. And I, Samantha Patrick, an extra, a nobody, an invisible girl at school, is going to appear opposite of him!

“Five-thirty, sharp. Prep will begin then.” I nod in to the phone, and then I realize he can’t see me.

“Okay. See you tomorrow bright and early.” I can hear him smile, Johnny is such a flamer. I love him to death for that. He’s like my best friend whenever Chey isn’t around. Johnny and I can talk about girl stuff, like shopping and guys. He’s a perfect listener and advice giver on guys.

“Bright and early, girly. Ciao.”

“Bye.” I hang up the phone and turn to walk out, but instead I turn in to Warren Matthews. Warren is the most popular guy in my grade. “Oh, sorry.”

Warren just smiles at me and moves aside for me to walk by. Why is he being nice to me like that. Normally he’s say something jerky and be on his merry way. Oh no, did he hear me talking to Johnny? When I pass him he says, “No biggie starshine.” What the hell?! Starshine?

“Huh?” I am so confused. Is he trying to make fun of me? Or did he know that I am going to be in a Steinberg film? He winks at me and picks up the receiver to call someone. I just shake my head and walk out of the office as quick as I can. I didn’t want anyone to know. This time I like being invisible. I like it when Cheyenne isn’t here, no one can bother me. I don’t want these fake friendships seeping through my wall that I formed when I started school.

I try to avoid people throughout the day, but news spread fast. Damn my gossipy principal! “Hey, is it true you’re going to be a movie star?” Those questions are what is being thrown at me left and right everywhere I turn. I politely say “Yes.” and continue on my way. This is not what I imagined instant popularity would feel like. Sure, I thought that I would like it, you know, being followed and “loved” by all. But this feels really creepy. Everyone is being fake and I don’t like fake people.

I enter the cafeteria with so many thoughts running through my head. I wish Cheyenne was here, that way she could take some of the questions herself. I spot Charlie and Jake at our table and run to them. “You guys I need you to save me!” They just laugh.

“What’s the matter Sammy?” Jake asks in between bites. I scowl at his lack of etiquette. He quickly swallows. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I say and I sit down across from them. “Everybody knows!”

“About your secret?” Charlie asks with a bit of interest. Cheyenne and I already told the guys about our stardom the day after they weren’t here. I trust them enough not to spill our secrets... but what if?

“Yeah, principal Nelson found out. Now the whole school knows. This is bad.”

“What’s so bad about that?” Jake asks. He runs his hands through his loose blonde hair. “Don’t you want to be noticed?”

“Yeah, but not like this! I don’t want people to instantly want to be my friend just because I got to kiss Zach freaking Brandam!!” I say the ending a little to loud. I know this because people are staring at me with such awe. “Ah crap!” I quickly get up and run out of the cafeteria. Jake and Charlie follow me, and then some other girls who want to get the inside scoop follows me as well. Luckily I have my own secret spot in the school no one knows about, not even Cheyenne. In the gym there’s a little room on the stage where there used to be an individual music lessons. Now, it’s just a storage for props and stuff but it is a nice hiding spot. No one goes back here.

I sit on a couch to try to calm myself down. It’s not going to be a big deal, I mean it’s not like it’s going to be chaos at my school right? I’m still that no-body-smart-girl...

“Samantha?” A guy’s voice echoes in to my hiding spot. Who is it? It doesn’t sound like Jake or Charlie... “I know you’re in here.” I sink down in the couch some more hoping he wouldn’t see me. I hear footsteps coming closer to me. So much for a secret hiding spot. “Helloo?” I pop my head up to see that he is standing at the doorway.

“Yeah?” He jumps a little at hearing my voice. He must of had second thoughts of me being here. “What do you want?”

“Sam it’s me.” I stare at him for a little more and then I realize who it is.

“Zach? Zach Brandam? What are you doing here?!” I got up from the couch and put my hands up to my face to cover up my blushes.

“Well, I wanted to see how you lived. Plus I sort of wanted to apologize about tonight. There’s this press conference that is mandatory according to my publicist. Crazy person that girl.” He smiles weakly. I can tell he’s a little nervous. I don’t blame him, I mean this is a strange school.

“Oh, well it’s no biggie. I just did a twenty-four hour shoot yesterday. So I like the break.” I smile back and walk closer to him. “Wait, how’d you know I was in here?”

“Well, I saw you walk in to the gym when I came in so I followed you in here before your friends came in.” He leans on the door frame. “They were your friends right?”

“Two of them were. The rest were ‘fans’... if you can call them fans. Their just stuck up wannabees.” He laughs at my remark. “Yeah, I don’t really care for them too much.”

“I can see that.” His brown eyes twinkle while he laughs. I let out a nervous giggle. Oh my God! I’m in the same room with Zach Brandam! And he came to see ME. Maybe today doesn’t suck that much...