Four

There were heaps of people in the hall and almost all the seats were taken. Kay-Lee’s stomach did an uneasy turn as she looked at all the people waiting to audition. The girl at the door asked her what role she was auditioning for and Kay-Lee told her she was going for the lead. The girl directed her to a group of girls at the front of the hall, all busily looking over the script for the audition, which was given to her after she sat down.
Kay-Lee looked around for Adam and finally spotted him sitting with the music guys, strumming his guitar. He must be auditioning for the band. Kay-Lee looked over the script. It wasn’t really a script. It only had two lines she had to say and two other tasks she had to complete. She had to sing a song of her choice and demonstrate fainting.
Kay-Lee was suddenly intensely nervous. She hadn’t done anything like that before. Not even acting. She just thought she’d have a go and hope for good luck, but all these people were drama geeks and choir nerds who could easily make her look stupid in comparison.
Kay-Lee’s stomach did another lurch. She forced herself to calm down, telling herself that she wouldn’t get another opportunity like this. She focused on the task ahead of her, and decided to choose a song to sing first. Her favourite song at the moment was “outside looking in” by Jordan Pruitt because she loved the lyrics and sweet melody. It was probably the only song she knew well enough and felt comfortable singing in public. Plus, Jordan Pruitt wasn’t that well known, so no one else would pick that song, she hoped.
Looking at the two lines on the page, she repeated them in her head over and over until she had them memorised. “I don’t want this to wreck our friendship but I have to tell you. And if everything gets ruined and it gets awkward and weird I don’t know if I can do it. And I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help falling in love with you”. That was the audition line for both the female and male leads. Kay-Lee had a feeling she was going to like this play. Then again, it depended on who got the parts.
Kay-Lee looked over in Adam’s direction again to find him looking at her. He smiled widely and put his thumbs up, mouthing ‘good luck’. Kay-Lee smiled and mouthed ‘you too’. She really didn’t care if she didn’t get the part, helping Adam write songs would be fun, he was sure to get that part. He was the best songwriter Kay-Lee knew and she could listen to him pick out different chords and riffs on his guitar forever.
It all happened too fast. Kay-Lee watched girl after girl get up on the stage and absolutely ace the audition. Kay-Lee got even more nervous as she walked up the stage steps to stand in the centre. The judges (the drama teacher, play writer, and casting directors [which were senior drama students]) asked her to perform the fainting first. Kay-Lee asked if she could drop ‘dead’ instead and the judges agreed, curiosity and surprise flickering across their faces.
Kay-Lee fell to the floor of the stage with a light thud, arms sprawled, eyes wide open, and stayed there frozen, while everyone looked at her in disbelief before erupting into wild applause. If they didn’t know any better, they’d actually think she had dropped dead then and there. After the judges had made everyone quiet down, Kay-Lee continued her audition. She sang her song from start to finish without faltering and recited the lines with the right amount of hope, excitement and sadness in her voice.
Everyone cheered and clapped after all her performances and she blushed and ran off stage. The casting list was going to be posted the following week and Kay-Lee had her hopes up. She was going to go to the library to study for a bit when she remembered that Adam hadn’t auditioned yet.
Kay-Lee decided to stay and watch. When Adam stepped on stage with his guitar, the judges told him to recite the lines. “The what?” he stammered. The judges told him that he better deliver his lines if he wanted the lead. “The lead? You don’t understand I..” one of the judges cut him off telling him to hurry up and spit it out or stop wasting their time. Adam said the lines then and Kay-Lee wondered how he knew them. He was so convincing, and Kay-Lee was drawn to his performance as everybody else was. He played a song on his guitar, singing the lyrics quietly, and Kay-Lee recognised the song as one of his originals. It was about the way he felt drawn to someone he shouldn’t, someone he knew he could never be with. The song fit perfectly with the play. Kay-Lee remembered when she had questioned him about the lyrics and he had said he’d read a book that had inspired him. There was something about the way he blushed and looked down that made her think otherwise, but she hadn’t pressed him any further.
Adam walked off stage and over to Kay-Lee when he had finished.
“Hey. I can’t believe they messed that up and confused me for auditioning for the lead! I can’t even act, I can’t believe I didn’t just walk away” he said to her, rambling on about how weird he felt.
“Stop. Talking” Kay-Lee said, putting her finger to his lips.
“You talked to me. Guess you’re facing a life sentence now, eh?” Adam said, despite her finger being in the way. A smile played on his lips as Kay-Lee narrowed her eyes at him.
“What?” Adam asked, suddenly nervous.
“You were amazing. There are no words Adam. You...I...I...Just can’t believe it Adam. You were truly incredible” Kay-Lee said in awe.
“Not so bad yourself” Adam said.
“So I guess we’re talking again. Good thing too, cos it was killing me Lee Lee” Adam said looking down.
“I’m sorry. If I knew I wouldn’t have...” she started to say.
“Don’t worry about it Lee Lee” Adam said as they walked out into the sunlight.
The mystery remained of who would get the parts and Adam had a secret hope deep inside of him that he would get the lead. It was stupid really, and he had no idea why he wanted it so bad. But he did. Wanted it like a drug.

Three

Kay-Lee woke up the next morning in her bed, dazed and confused. The last thing she remembered was being in Adam’s room. “Huh. Well stranger things have happened...” she said to herself, crawling out of bed and over to the window to see if Adam was up yet.
Nope.
She really had to stop doing that. He’d probably think she was a stalker and he would get scared off. Just like everybody else seemed too. Not like it mattered, the only person she needed in her life was Adam, she was sure of it.
Kay-Lee turned on her stereo and started dancing around her bedroom while getting ready for school. She was just doing a massive turn and pose when she saw Adam staring at her from his window with the wackiest hair she had ever seen. She grabbed the closest notebook and wrote “msn” in huge letters and held it up to the window. Adam immediately understood and made a dramatic dash for his computer doing the “running man” to mock her. He would pay for that.
Kay-Lee and Adam both signed onto msn within seconds of each other.
Adam: What’s Up?
Kay-Lee: Your Hair, That’s What :)
Adam: Haven’t You Heard? It’s The Latest Look
Kay-Lee: Of Course It Is...Cos You’re Such A Trend Setter...
Adam: I Could Be!
Kay-Lee: Whatever...I Would Be Soooo Much Better!
Adam: Evidently...Judging By Your Killer Dance Moves...
Kay-Lee: Shame!
Adam: LOL. See You In A Few...I Gotta Try And Tame The Jungle On My Head! :)
Kay-Lee: Well, Good Luck With That...Bye
Adam: Bye
Adam signed off, Kay-Lee shortly after. School was going to be exciting today because the school play auditions were at lunch and Kay-Lee was going for the leading role. Adam kept telling her that she would get it but she was still really nervous. Adam was hoping to get a part as a backstage person, songwriter for the play maybe? He’d never done acting before and he didn’t intend to start now. Besides, music and art was his thing, not drama. Adam was pretty sure he wasn’t able to dance either, the only person he’d ever danced for was Kay-Lee when they were mucking around and judging by her hysterical laughter, he wasn’t very good.
Adam was waiting on the street when Kay-Lee finally emerged from her house,
“What took you so long? We’re gonna be late” he said.
“A girl’s allowed to be fashionably late, right?” she replied, a smile on her face.
“But its school uniform, how can you be fashionably late? Sometimes I feel like I don’t understand you at all” Adam said, shaking his head. Kay-Lee suddenly stopped walking and whirled around to face him, looking straight into his eyes.
“Adam, how could you say that? You know me better than anyone” She said.
“Kay-Lee, I was joking”
“Well, you’re not very good at it”
“Sorry, I’ll work on my knock knock jokes”
Kay-Lee poked him in the ribs and laughed. He always knew how to bring a smile to her face.
“Ha! I’m getting better already! You’re laughing!” Adam said, enthusiasm in his voice.
“Well it’s not hard to do” Kay-Lee said in a mocking tone.
“Oh yea, total giggle pot” Adam replied.
“Hey!” Kay-Lee partially squealed, punching Adam in the arm.
“You know it’s true!” Adam said, ducking out of the way of a second punch.
“I hate it when you’re right” Kay-Lee said, a pout on her face.
“I’ll try and lay off the smugness” Adam replied sarcastically.
“Impossible” She said in a definite tone, pout still clear on her face.
“Probably. You know you’re cute when you’re angry” Adam said, trying hard not to laugh.
That did it. Kay-Lee stomped off ahead in a huff, pretending to ignore Adam. Adam ran up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her from behind. She didn’t push him away, but she still didn’t talk.
“Aw. You’re seriously not gonna talk to me?” Adam said in her ear, arms still wrapped around her.
Silence.
“You won’t last long, you know” he said, letting go and walking beside her.
Kay-Lee refused to speak, she was determined to win this bet. She kept walking straight to school, with Adam trailing beside her, complaining mostly about the whole non-talking thing. He was having a conversation with himself, because Kay-Lee wasn’t giving in. She was much too stubborn for that. Kay-Lee smiled to herself, pulling her mobile phone from her pocket. She sent a text message to Adam:
I hope you enjoy talking to yourself because I don’t intend on answering you. I bet I can last a whole day without talking to you, so I’ll see you after school.
Adam’s phone beeped and he got it out of his bag, reading the message from Kay-Lee with a frown on his face.
“You always did love a challenge, didn’t you?” he said with no response, naturally.
“Fine. Have it your way. I’ll see you at lunch for the school play auditions anyway” he said, suddenly quickening his pace. Kay-Lee grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her and looked at him questionably. To answer her question, the school bell rang in the distance and Adam grabbed her hand and broke out in a run. If they didn’t make it to roll call on time, there was no doubt Miss Anderson would skin them alive and eat their livers. She was a witch, obviously from some uncharted, evil island. “Maybe she should go back to her island” Adam thought as he and Kay-Lee ran through the school halls in the direction of the classroom. The second bell hadn’t gone yet, but it would any minute, and Miss Anderson just loved the opportunity to put students on detention. Adam and Kay-Lee were through the classroom door and into their seats just as the second bell rang. Miss Anderson gave them the death stare, but she was powerless, because they had actually made it on time.
“This morning’s announcements” she said through her teeth, so it came out as a hiss. “Choir practice is at the first half of lunch and auditions for the school play will be held all lunch, open for all year groups. Basketball team meeting in the hall at recess and football team training after school” she finished and everybody broke out in excited whispers. Adam looked at Kay-Lee and attempted sign language. Kay-Lee couldn’t help smiling, but still refused to speak, getting out a piece of paper.
Are you coming to the auditions with me? I really need you there.
If you want me there, I’ll be there.
Thankyou.
Kay-Lee smiled and shoved the paper back in her bag. Along with many other things, Miss Anderson certainly had no tolerance for note-passing. Kay-Lee was so excited about the auditions; she practically jumped out of her seat when the bell went. The day passed so slowly, and Kay-Lee stared at the clocks in her classes before lunch, willing the hands to move faster, but with no luck. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, lunch came and Kay-Lee rushed off to the hall.

Two

Kay-Lee was sitting at home, attempting to complete the mountain of homework that was scattered all over her floor, bed and desk. Feeling depressed and totally brain-dead, she decided to text Adam.

Hey Ad,
I am totally drowning in homework here! Wanna come over and help me? Please?

Kay-Lee sat on her floor, staring at her phone, waiting for a reply. Finally it buzzed and she flipped it open to read Adams reply.

Hey Lee Lee!
Thrilled u texted coz I am having uh “issues” with the history stuff and I know that’s your thing. Wanna come to my place instead for a study sesh?

Kay-Lee laughed and looked out her two-story window to see Adam at his window on his knees with a pleading puppy-dog look on his face. She waved and picked up a piece of paper, writing “be right over” in big letters, and holding it up to the window. Adam jumped up and down in mock-excitement, going into happy-dance mode. Kay-Lee laughed even harder, running out her bedroom door and grabbing two apples from the kitchen counter on her way out.
Adam was already waiting at his front door and grabbed Kay-Lee’s books to carry them for her upstairs to his room. Kay-Lee stared at Adam with a determined look in her eyes.
“Are you thinking what I am?” she said.
“I think I am B2!” Adam replied.
“Race Ya!” Kay-Lee screamed and ran up the stairs at full speed, all the way into Adam’s room, collapsing on his bed.
Adam staggered into his room a few seconds later, dumping the books on his desk, and sprawled out on the bed next to Kay-Lee.
Kay-Lee was silent, staring at the sloped ceiling above Adam’s bed. She loved Adam’s room, it was just sooo him. Adam’s room was in the attic, and he had his guitar and amps in one corner, and his bed under the sloping roof. Everything was either black or bright red. He had a black electric guitar, black furniture and a red feature wall. All over his desk were art supplies; he had converted that corner of his room into a mini art studio. Covering most of the walls were posters of his favourite bands and artworks he had made, but Kay-Lee’s favourite display was all the photos that covered the sloping roof above his bed. Adam loved photography and mostly took awesome photos of them together.
“What are you thinking?” Adam asked her, rolling on his side to look at her.
“I was just looking at your photos” Kay-Lee replied.
“Which one is your favourite?” he asked
“The one of us splashing in the fountain at the park” Kay-Lee laughed, remembering the day.
Adam was doing a ‘happiness’ photo shoot and had insisted on her help. He had set up his camera on a tripod in the park with his camera on timer. Then he had put washing detergent in the fountain and they had splashed and played in the bubbles. Bubbles were everywhere and they were soaked, yet they were the two happiest people on the planet. Funny how the simple things can make you so happy and how just one person can bring so much joy.
“Lee Lee?” Adam said, waving his hands in front of her face, snapping her out of her reverie.
“I believe we have homework to do” he said.
“Uh, don’t remind me” Kay-Lee said, rolling onto her stomach, burying her head in the pillows on the bed. Adam wrapped his arms around her waist and started tickling her stomach, which he knew was her only ticklish spot.
“Hey…that’s….not….fair” Kay-lee choked out between giggles. Adam stopped tickling her and pulled her close to his chest, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the bed.
“Hey! Put me down!” Kay-lee shrieked, trying to wriggle free.
“I want to show you something” Adam said, putting her down in one of his red bean bags, picking up his guitar.
“Did you write a new song?” Kay-Lee asked, with curiosity in her voice.
“Yea, I did. I wrote it for you” he said, strumming out the first few notes. Adam played the song to the end, his fingers lightly brushing the strings. When he had finished, Kay-Lee looked at him with stars in her eyes.
“That was incredible Adam” she said.
“It’s alright, but I still don’t have any lyrics” Adam said, looking at the ground.
“I can fix that” Kay-Lee said with a smile.
“Oh right, lyrics queen, sorry I forgot” Adam said with a smile.
“Bow before her majesty the queen!” Kay-Lee said in a mocking tone. Adam put down his guitar and got down on his hands and knees, making a huge show of his bowing. Kay-Lee laughed and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him up from the ground and dragging him towards the desk.
“Time for homework” she said.
“Yes, your highness” Adam replied with a huge smile spread across his face.
For the next two hours, Adam and Kay-Lee did homework, laughing and talking together. By the time they had finished, they were both on Adam’s bed, exhausted.
“I should probably go home, Ad” Kay-Lee yawned.
“You think you’ll make it there without dropping on the lawn asleep?” Adam joked, but it was too late, Kay-Lee was snoring. Adam leaned over her to grab a blanket and she wrapped her arms around him. Adam lay down on his back and Kay-Lee put her head on his chest.
Adam looked down at her sleeping and played with her hair. She really was gorgeous and he was so lucky to have her as his very best friend. He traced the line of her jaw with his finger and pulled her closer. He looked at her face and made a promise to himself never to hurt her. Kay-Lee was everything to him, and if anything happened to her, if he ever hurt her, he couldn’t live with himself, he would never forgive himself.
“Adam” Kay-Lee whispered in her sleep.
“Kay-Lee” Adam whispered to her, kissing her forehead and cradling her against his chest. This was friendship at its very best.

One

Kay-Lee Thomas was one of the most beautiful girls that the people at her school had ever seen. She was tall and lean, with long lashes and long, blonde, wavy hair that fell all the way to her waist. Her skin was pale and smooth and she had the biggest green eyes anyone had ever seen.
You’d think that with her natural good looks that she would be arrogant and naturally, friends with all the mean girls in school, but she wasn’t.
For a sixteen-year-old girl she was anything but ordinary. She was envied by all the girls and admired by all the boys, but she didn’t care for anyone except her one and only best friend, Adam.
Adam was a shy boy who loved art, and spent every spare minute of his time in the art studio at school. Usually, only seniors were allowed in the studio, but the teachers only permitted two year ten students to use it, Kay-Lee and Adam. They were such quiet students; the teachers let them get away with it.
Kay-Lee and Adam were never apart; they lived next door to each other, and were always together. Their relationship was not what it looked like from the outside. They weren’t in love, it was the kind of deep friendship that you couldn’t read about or see in movies. The kind of friendship where the other would jump in front of a bullet to save their friend. And when they were together, no one else in the world existed, and nothing else mattered.
Kay-Lee was at her locker one morning before school, feeling miserable because Adam was sick and couldn’t come to school. She wrapped her fingers around the tiny locket on her neck and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. It was only one day, she kept telling herself, but a day seemed like an eternity without Adam. The locket had been a gift from Adam, and she’d had it for as long as she could remember. Whenever Adam wasn’t with her, he told her to keep the locket to remind her of him. It seemed like a trivial thing, but that locket was her most valued possession.
As Kay-Lee was getting her books from her locker, someone slid their arm around her waist. Hoping it was Adam, she turned around quickly, only to see the face of Josh Williams, the biggest jerk in school. He had tried this every time Adam was away, and he certainly wasn’t going to get away with it this time. Kay-Lee pulled the collar of his shirt, so his face was inches from hers. She spun him around and pushed him up against her locker, leaning her body up against his.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time” she said as she put her face even closer to his. Josh couldn’t believe his luck, the hottest girl in school was about to make out with him! Just as he leant in for the kiss, Kay-Lee’s locker door slammed in his face.
“Don’t ever try anything with me ever again” she said in an icy tone and walked swiftly away up the hallway to cheers from all the girls standing by. They had all been hassled by Josh Williams, and they loved seeing him get what he deserved. He fell to the ground and rubbed his face, which was going red from where the door had hit it. Slowly, he got up and shut the locker door, and walked off, thinking to himself that he’d just push his face into hers next time instead of waiting for it. Would there be a next time? He was Josh Williams; of course there would be a next time.
Later that morning, Kay-Lee was sitting in English, absentmindedly staring at the rain falling against the windows and wondering what Adam was doing. She curled her fingers around the locket once more, thinking about that morning when she got the better of Josh Williams, and smiled to herself. That was one of her finer moments, and she was proud of herself. Someone slid a note across her table, and it stopped in front of her. On the top of the folded piece of paper, it said “Kay”, so it must have been intended for her. Kay-Lee sighed and unfolded the note.

I saw you this morning with Josh. It was awesome. I think we have all been waiting to get some revenge so thanks, you’re our hero! Do you want to meet up for lunch today or something? I noticed your boyfriend wasn’t here, and you shouldn’t have to sit alone.
Write back,
Leah

Typical Leah, thought Kay-Lee as she scribbled back a response. Everyone just seemed to assume that Adam was her boyfriend. He was more than a boyfriend to her, so, so, so much more then any boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. No matter how many times she told people that Adam was just her friend, people just assumed she was lying. Leah only wanted Kay-Lee to sit with her at lunch so the boys would notice, and maybe notice her in the process.

Leah,
How many times do I have to tell you that Adam is just my friend? Believe it or not it IS possible for girls to be friends with boys. And, no, I do not want to meet up for lunch today, I already have plans. Thanks, but no thanks.
Kay-Lee

There. Let her absorb that.
She wasn’t technically lying when she said that she had plans. She didn’t have them yet, but she was already planning in her head.
Kay-Lee intended on going to the sick bay, looking pale, which was not a challenge, and going home. She couldn’t stand another moment of the day without Adam.
The minutes to lunch seemed to pass slower and slower, had the second hand stopped or something? Kay-Lee stared at her watch, and tapped the top of it, willing the minutes to go by faster. Finally, the bell rang, and she ran off to the sick bay.
Of course she got out of school with no trouble at all; she looked paler than usual today. Kay-Lee guessed it must have been the rain.
She started walking home, and got to the corner of her street, when she saw Adam sitting on his front lawn, like he was waiting for her.
“I thought you were sick!” she yelled out.
“I am! But I knew you wouldn’t last long and would chuck a sickie!” he yelled back. He really did know her too well.
He stood up to meet her, and she ran the rest of the way, jumping into his arms, and causing both of them to tumble onto the lawn in a heap, erupting in fits of laughter.
“You really can’t live without me, can you?” he said with humour in his voice.
Kay-Lee smiled at him as she seriously thought that over.
Perhaps she couldn’t.

Hey There

This blog is dedicated to my book "forever and a day" previously titled "poison ivy".
I hope you like it. To check out my other work, visit my other blog:
www.rebekahrant.blogspot.com