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Chapter 6: Dead Stares

Just as expected, she didn't get in. Well, Crystal did got in on the final selections, and unpleasantly seen by the one whom she had just tried to ignore. After being eliminated, heading back home as quick as possible was her best option in life, knowing her ex would just try and catch up with her like a stray.

Well, she did forget about Aeon who's been waiting for her by the theatre the entire three hours, thinking she'd just been among the top finalists left in there. And Meena luckily texted her a while ago that she's already home now so there was no need for her to worry about her best friend.

On the brighter side, Brian didn't even got a clue about what she just did. They just continued being themselves, lazying or working out in each unoccupied sides of the building. School isn't much different either, it's like the moment he showed up to her again didn't happen.

"I can't believe I've forgotten my history class homework," Meena sighs, catching up to Crystal. "Miss Roos is so scary, good thing we had a substitute teacher today."

"Yeah," was her only reply. Meena's smile fades as she sees the life drain out from the girl next to her.

"Are you okay?"

Crystal nodded, side glancing towards her, "I'm fine. How about you? Are you really okay with what happened?"

"Aww geez, is that why you looked so glum lately? I'm okay. Mr. Moon got me to be a stagehand, and the best part is I get to see how beautiful the theater looks like from inside out!"

She abruptly turns to her friend with a shocked expression, "Stagehand? Stagehand?! Are you out of your mind?!" Her voice got a ton of attention from the hallway.

The elephant shushed her and pulled themselves in a much more secluded part of the school, "Look, I know, I know, it's a bit disappointing to hear. The whole neighborhood is still thinking that I got a re-audition, but look on the bright side! Among these times that I'll get to help with the theater, maybe I'll have the chance to ask Mr. Moon again."

"What stops you from doing that now?"

"Mr. Moon is quite... a busy person. It's like if you try and talk he'd just quickly shut down the whole conversation."

Crystal deadpans, reaching in her bag for her phone, "Do you want me to go there with you so that you can properly ask to be in the show?"

"No! No need! I-I don't wanna trouble you any further than I already had—"

"Look, anything is better than to spend my entire afternoon thinking of what I should do for the damn final projects."

Meena's heart raced in another raging anxiety, "Crystal, really you don't have to. We can just hang out at Wildflowers Cafe, get some drinks and snack and just talk of random things like we always do—" then she just realized something and regretted the option, ".... Oh.. Right. I'm supposed to help with the rehearsals..."

Her eyes gleamed brighter than before, "That's great then!"

"Please don't do it," her hands clamped together in plead, "I promise I'll ask again, just please let me do this myself. Please?"

After pondering over it for an entire minute, Crystal realized how inconvenient it would be to push further. It's better if Meena can manage to do things on her own, her confidence was what everyone was worried about after all. A very shy elephant with a great set of pipes, working as a stagehand instead of reaching her dreams. Well, this would be the last chance that Crystal would accept that she doesn't want her help, but after that...

"Okay. Promise me you'll get in the contest. Is that clear?" she stares her right in the eye, something that her best friend knows not to back out from when the words are already set on stone.

"Yes.... I promise." Meena nods, trying to look as positive as possible. This girl sure looks scary when she does that, maybe put a cigar on it and Crystal would totally look like a gangster girl.

Once satisfied, they both went on their separate ways. After hearing the name of that store, Crystal suddenly craved for a milkshake at Wildflowers. And off she went to her short lived destination.

"Mocha hazelnut! Now this is heaven," she sighs happily as she walks out the glass door. Only after five steps and her drink gets spilled on her shirt, also startling the person she bumped into. "What the friggin f—"

"I'm so sorry, I was in a hurry! I'm really...." the guy apologizes and then recognized the girl as soon as she looks up at him. They're not that far on the height difference, just a head smaller. "...Crystal?"

"It's you," she paused to stare, flurries of uncertain emotions threatens to make her mouth move to burst out unsatisfactory words. Crystal quickly snapped out of it and moved away, but Johnny had instantly grabbed hold of her wrist.

"Wait—"

"What?!" she glared, more intensely than she did to Meena earlier. Those eyes were obviously screaming take one wrong step and you're dead.

Johnny pulls his hand back, remembering what she does to people whom had angered her, "I'm sorry. I—Well you're— I mean," he scoffs, scrunching his face to mentally scold his uncooperative tongue, "Okay, I'm setting it straight. You know I'm not good at this, and I've tried to find you ever since the audition—Wait no, what am I— We've got off on the wrong foot, right? We should talk at least," the glare's still there, and it just makes him even more jittery. That's it, he sighs, gives up, rubs his face, then glances back at her after inhaling some air back in his lungs, "Can I... at least get you a new shirt?"

Crystal stares at him dumbfounded and glances down at her wet milkshake stained shirt that had made her upper undergarment visible.