Bad Press: Chapter 1

"And, scene!" The director and organizer of the play shouted when the few of us on the stage came to the end of the current scene. "Nice job everybody. That'll be it for the day." 

"Thank god," I muttered under my breath as I took a leap off the makeshift performing area that is dared to be called a stage. It was a wooden thing that you'd swear would break whenever you hit the surface with the back of your shoe. At least seven times today I swore I was going to fall right through. I bet that if I did the director would feel no grief. 

Mr. Cavalier is one of those people that you'd put a million dollar bet down that he either has no heart or has a stone in place of it. He's a good director and all, a great one at that, but it would have to be the end of the world to get any kind of emotion other than anger out of him. He only has two moods; angry and apathetic. If you ever meet him and see him in a mood other than those two, please take a picture or even a video and send it to me. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if there's something going on with him that he doesn't want to show emotion. I think he just remains dull and emotionless because that's what we're all well and used to so to see any change would bring up red flags and bring up conversation, and if there's anything that Mr. Cavalier hates more than the smell of spoiled fish, it's getting in a conversation. 

Nobody knows why Mr. Cavalier hates conversation, but nobody here in the community theater group has ever been bothered to find out. The seniors of the club say that there was a time, about five years ago, where he showed a broader pallette of emotions and noto just anger and apathy, but I won't believe it until I see some proof. They used to record every performance and rehearsal back when the group was first created to have tangible proof that theater and dramatic performance was the actual point of the group. Because the town gave the group town money to start up, get props, and everything else, they've started demanding proof that showed that we were actually performing plays and other works of literature. The town has been ripped off far too many times to risk it happening again. 

A few months ago the town discovered that people were organizing the start-up of a group and because the group sparked up interest from quite a large sum of people, they were almost required to fund it to a degree. What would happen in the end is that the groups were created with an idea that would originally start off as an astronomer club or gardening group, but those weren't the intentions that were pitched to the town. Instead of doing what they said they would be, they were instead using the money for trips to Vegas, gambling all the money then going back with what they had or leaving empty-handed. The only club that actually upheld to what they firstly committed to was the Travel club and the club was mostly composed of roadies. They went to wherever their favorite music act was playing and went to some museums around the area. The only reason why ther funds haven't been terminated is because they buy the tickets with their own pocket money. Not a bad idea if I do say so myself. I would have joined that club but apparently I'm not 'Roadie Material' so I was rejected entrance. Not a very big deal, I was accepted into this club in a heartbeat. 

I've always had an interest in the arts, well at least the performing and musical end of it, not so much for the physical art end. I'm able to admit if a work is pretty or not to my own preference, but I can't value them and see how a blank canvas titled 'Snowstorm' is selling for million upon millions of dollars, and art critics eat this kind of stuff right up! in that case, I could be an artist too! I sketched a picture of a butterfly back in 3rd grade that looks better than half the stuff in the multiple museums in the area, and even a couple abroad, I've seen. I'm soo tempted to go to the one on the other end of town and put my framed butterfly sketch on the wall. 

"Nice job," Someone complimented, me not able to recognize him yet. Yes, I'm immediately jumping to the conclusion that it's a man. I'm the only female still on set so it's kind of obvious that it would be a male. 

"Not too bad yourself, Joey," I returned with the flash of my award winning smile. Joey was probably the greatest friend I had made through this club, and one of the greatest friends I had made throughout the course of my lifetime. He's one of the sweetest people you'll ever cross paths with. 

I'm very fortunate and thankful to have met Joey. I've only been living in this town for a handful of months and was new to pretty much everything. When I joined this group I was oblivious to everything and I mistakenly ran into Joey when I was staring at the ground, paying attention to just about everything but where I was going, which is never a good idea in case you didn't know that. I was a little weary about befriending him at first out of the fear that his kind manner was just a disguise and he would soon turn against me, because this had happened to me too many times to count in my younger years. I've been tricked into doing just about anything you can imagine by the guy who was said to be the nicest person you'll ever meet. I'm sorry, but I don't think a nice boy would try to persuade someone to take narcotics. Just no.

I'm confident in saying that Joey is the nicest person you could ever possibly meet because I've known him for a time period that's going on seven months and he hasn't made me to anything that I didn't want to that would have a negative impact on me in the long-run. Okay, yes he has persuaded me into doing things I originally didn't want to but that was at a water park a couples towns away. Joey wanted to go on a water slide of a sort but he couldn't go alone and he didn't want to go with a stranger, I didn't want to go on it but he talked me into it as well as throwing an ice cream sundae into the deal. I'm still glad to this very day that I decided to go on that ride. Best ride I've ever gone on and probably ever will go on. 

"So what are you going to be doing later tonight?" Joey asked out of curiosity. The both of us had made our way off of the stage that had the power to kill any of us if we stepped in any place wrong and were now in another room of the building the group had adopted for the pratices. 

"I'm not really sure," I replied. "My ideal evening would be lounging on the couch and binge-watching Once Upon A Time so I'll be all caught up for the new season premiere tomorrow night but Jessica and Miranda are probably going to drag me off to the club that just happens to be the one filled to the brim with people. So stuffed that you are confined to one tiny square on the dance floor. One step too far in any direction and you're going down."

"That sounds like fun," He commented, sarcasm oozing right out of his words. 

"Clubs really must not be your thing," I concluded even though I already knew this. "You never use sarcasm in conversation unless the topic of the chat is something you hate with all of your heart. You really do not like clubbing."

"Have I ever said that I like clubs?" He inquired.

"You've got a point there," I said, starting back up into walking in hopes to quickly find where I last left my bag that I had stuffed some food in. "In the circumstance that I do get dragged off to a club by force at the hands of Jessica, Miranda, or both of them, will you please tag along?" I asked. "I almost always get super bored but they won't allow me to leave. At least if you came I wouldn't be totally alone when they decide to ditch me and go after the first cute guy that catches their eye. Please?" I begged, desperately not wanting to end up alone after being declared a party pooper. 

"Fine, I'll come," He gave in, somewhat reluctant to it but at least he knew that he wouldn't actually have to go dancing or drinking or anything else, just stay by my side and talk. "But as long as I can bring my phone."

"You've got a deal," I agreed. I already knew what he's likely to use his phone for and it usually involves something that's also entertaining to me so I have no problem with it. Joey either watches funny cat videos, listens to music, or we take turns playing different games that are usually Temple Run or Dumb Ways To Die. His phone also had two headphone jacks so as long as I bring my own pair, I'm more than welcome to listen to his music. 

"I'll see you later tonight then," He commented, a smile coming out of hibernation. When the topic of the club coming up the smile was wiped right off his face and even more so when I asked him if he would tag along. "And if the club doesn't happen, don't be surprised if I decide to pop in and pay you a visit."

"I'll see you later to," I returned. "And thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to pop enough popcorn for the both of us."

"Oh, don't forget this," He added as he swooped his hand across the ground to grab my little sack. 

"Thanks," I thanked before reclaiming it then exiting the building.