Find Out Who Your Friends Are…Fighting
Kyle and Nick sat in the cafeteria, waiting for swim practice to start. It was the night before the big school play opened, so there were mostly drama geeks wandering around; ”So how’s that geeky chick doing? Still like her, despite it all?” Nick glared at Kyle.
“Genevieve,” he said pointedly, “is fine.” Nicholas couldn’t help taking a dig back at Kyle; “How’s that Spanish girl?”
“Emilette,” Kyle responded, his tone matching Nick’s perfectly, “is everything, and more, than I was hoping.” Kyle refused to let it go at that. “I'm sure whoever you’re really interested in is being drawn closer by the day.” Nick pushed his chair back violently, standing over Kyle. Kyle stood up and the boys faced off, fists up. A crowd of drama kids surrounded them, cheering on their fight. In the back of his mind, Nick knew it was dumb to fight, and that the drama geeks were only cheering because nothing ever happened after school at South Bay, but Nick still felt the draw of their energy. Kyle thought how many people in the school would be enjoying the story. The co-captains of the swim team, fighting it out in the cafeteria, supposed best friends. But they both were too proud to back down and too angry at hearing their girlfriends insulted to consider their actions rationally.
In the back of the crowd, Lauren, standing stock-still, watched with stunned and horrified fascination as the action unfolded.Genevieve wouldn’t want this. She thought, but knew there was no chance of her stopping it on her own. She stood for a moment, watching the two circle each other, looking angrily across the gap that separated them. Lauren didn’t understand what they were fighting over, but she knew she had to stop it. Tucking a strand of short blonde hair behind her ear, Lauren ran off toward Drama Wing, where she knew she could find her friends. Any one of them would help, and stop the fight before things happened that would crush Genevieve, who was friends with almost everyone in Drama Wing. They wouldn’t want the fight to go on if it would hurt Gen.
Lauren ran, literally, into Antoine in the back hallway of Drama Wing. Antoine caught her easily and swung her around, Lauren smiling widely at him. Everyone was running around preparing for the show, in ridiculous costumes that gave the whole wing a comic air. That makes sense, considering the show’s acomedy, Lauren thought. The set managers were yelling into their walkie-talkies, and there were many kids practicing their lines, fixing their makeup, or studying the script. Kids were running around, actors and actresses were on stage in the auditorium, trying to perfect their scenes. Costume managers were fitting their actors into the outfits they’d wear on stage, and, in Lauren’s opinion, there was general mayhem, and she had serious doubts about ever finding Tyler and Vivian. Antoine led Lauren to where Vivian and Tyler, who had the leads in the play, were practicing. Vivian was leaning on Tyler Night, tracing the lines of his face. Lauren tried to explain to them what was happening, but she was talking so quickly Antoine covered her mouth with his briefly, lightly. Lauren lost everything in her head, and managed to squeak out instructions for them to follow her.
Lauren returned to the scene, Antoine, Vivian, and Tyler following her blonde head faithfully. Antoine assessed the situation quickly, and rushed into the middle of the cheering crowd. Tyler hung back, Vivian holding his hand understandingly. Tyler looked like a lost puppy amidst all the cheering drama kids. Vivian wasn’t saying, nor doing anything. Lauren couldn’t believe her friends wouldn’t do anything to help Genevieve. It’s up to me to stop it.Lauren thought. Before someone gets hurt. Lauren wasn’t feeling as understanding as her best friend. She pushed Tyler to the side, disgusted, muttering “coward,” and elbowed her way through the crowd behind Antoine’s shaggy brown head. The crowd partedrespectfully. Lauren laughed. She knew she was someone to be respected and feared for her acting talent and her attitude, not to mention how she handled conflict. And she knew that was why the crowd parted the way they did. But it didn’t stop her feeling quite superior as she waltzed to the center of the action,
Lauren reached the center of the group, where, Lauren was slightly happy to see, it appeared no punches had been thrown. Both boys circled each other wearily. Antoine stepped between them, a head shorter than the two boys and looking significantly smaller than the two opponents who faced each other off. Kyle and Nick glared at each other over the smaller boy’s head. Lauren was even shorter than Antoine, and a year younger, being only a junior, where Antoine was a senior, like Tyler. Kyle and Nick were juniors, but lacked respect for drama geeks regardless. Antoine’s seniority wasn’t helped by the shaggy brown hair which gave him a boyish quality, covering his ocean-blue eyes. Despite being shorter than Antoine, Lauren’s height was compensated by her attitude. Her short blonde hair and blue eyes had an effect that demanded respect, and for more than just her acting talent. Lauren kept all this in mind as she stepped beside Antoine between the two feuding boys. Lauren stepped sideways, putting a hand on Nick’s shoulder.“Genevieve wouldn’t want this.” She whispered. “She hates when people fight! Back down, now Nick. Someone’s gonna be hurt.” When this didn’t work, she added, “Genevieve’s gonna be hurt, Nick.” Lauren was happy to see Nick back a little way’s from Kyle, his fists up, but more relaxed. Kyle followed, lowering his hands to his side carefully. Lauren backed away. Kyle and Nick looked at each other, shaking hands.
“No harm no foul?” Kyle asked, grasping Nick’s hand. Nick nodded. Antoine smiled at Lauren, raising her pulse just a little. She took his hand and led him from the circle, as some of the drama kids dispersed, to be followed by a few others.
Vivian hugged her friend fiercely, her strawberry-blonde ponytail bouncing against her neck. “You were so brave!” Vivian squealed.
“But here’s the thing,” Lauren said, voice low and serious, “We don’t need to hell Gen. It will only worry her, and make her start hurting and worrying. None of us want that.” Lauren veered angrily on Tyler. “Or, at least, I don’t. You won’t raise a hand to help a friend. You are the worst kind of coward. You won’t even stand up for your friends. It’s such a shame.” Lauren marched off, followed by Antoine, who tried, in vain, to calm Lauren’s mood.
***
Unknown to everyone, Genevieve had seen everything. She’d had to go back to school for her history book. Since she was falling behind in class, it had been deemed “necessary” by her father. Genevieve had hated the whole scene. She’d watched with fascinated horror that resembled Lauren’s. She was angry and hurt. Worse, she was scared. What if Nicholas had gotten hurt? What would Nick have told her? Another question nagged Genevieve, and that was what to tell Emilette. Genevieve had been pleased, however, watching Lauren step into the middle of the fray to stand up for Genevieve. Genevieve’s mom had always said that’s how you knew who you’re friends were. Genevieve watched as Kyle and Nick headed toward the natatorium, and then, clutching her History book, scampered to the door of the school.
“Everything OK?” Genevieve’s dad asked over dinner. Genevieve had a weekend at her father’s once a month, and this was it. Genevieve loved staying over at her father. Because they so rarely saw each other, she highly prized their time together. She didn’t harbor fantasies of her father suddenly deciding to move back, like some divorced kids. Genevieve had been living with the divorce her whole life. It didn’t bother her. But she did wonder, but times like this, she was glad she had just her dad, not both parents, because this was one thing she could not discuss with her mother.
They had ordered Chinese food, Genevieve’s favorite. “Gen? What happened?” Genevieve rolled her eyes. Her dad knew her too well.
“Yesterday, Nick and Kyle got in a fight. They had both insulted the other’s girlfriend.” The word still sent chills down Genevieve’s back. “Me and Emilette.” She explained to her confused father. Genevieve’s dad looked uncomfortable, but he nodded, so Genevieve continued. “Lauren saw it and tried to stop it. It was great. But I heard them after. They aren’t planning on telling me. I don’t know how to tell anyone I saw anything.”
“Don’t,” Genevieve’s dad said around a mouthful of Chow Mein. Genevieve nodded.
“That’s what I was thinking too. Thanks dad.”
“He fought for you, so obviously he likes you, Genny-girl.” Genevieve nodded. “But I can’t say I like it.”
“Dad, you said he was standing up for me!”
“I meant you dating.”
“Dad!”
“And I haven’t met the boy.” Genevieve’s father finished.
Genevieve laid in her room that night and found that she wasn’t even surprised that she hadn’t heard from Nick. He no doubt couldn’t face Genevieve, couldn’t lie to her, but didn’t want to tell her what happened, so he wouldn’t say anything. Genevieve’s father checked in on her and saw her staring at the ceiling. “Baby girl, he just doesn’t know how to face you, I'm sure it’ll be OK. Go to sleep.I love having you here You’re going back to your Mom’s tomorrow.Sleep is necessary, it’ll give you the strength you need to give that boy a piece of your mind tomorrow. Just don’t break his neck. I want to at least meat him first.” Genevieve laughed and rolled over. This was why she loved her father. Even in a dark situation, he could make her feel so much better. She closed her eyes, grateful for the merciful escape of sleep.
