Chapter XXIII
How, Oh How, Do I make Her See, She was always Meant, for, Mi...
“No. No. No. You should say it like this.”
They were alone in the Dorm auditorium. They were practicing center stage with the lights twilight bright. They were taking turns showing one another what each considered the best way to deliver their opening and closing statements. On the rubric, those parts collected the most points. So each of them knew, this was really important.
“Like this?!” She asked as she tried to mimic the advice Ralphy had given her previously.
“Look, you’re making this too hard. Get out of your own head.” He suggested as he used his right hand to hop the stage and stand next to Chanel.
“See, you keep doing your hands, like this, and waving your arms in the wrong motions. It doesn’t feel, believable.”
“Okay, Shakespeare...”
“Be serious... When I say it, the way you say it, watch and see if it looks real to you.”
“Ugh! This is dumb!”
“Come on, jump down and look at me, be you.”
“Ugh...” She grumbled as she jumped down to watch Ralphy perform.
“See... this is you.”
“...”
“This is me.”
“Ohhh, ok. I can sorta see what you mean.”
“Only sorta?”
“Ummm, yeah, sorta. Let’s try it this way, stand behind me, and show me like I’m your puppet.”
“You tryna be a puppet now> You know what goes up a puppet?”
“Imma put my foot, in that thing if it touches me...”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hurry yp and let’s get this done. I got homework to do.”
“Oh, now you care about homework?” She said, as she hopped back on stage and bumped, purposely, into his groin area.
“Hey now!”
“Boy shut up and teach me already.”
Russ walked towards the auditorium to practice his lines. He had been working all day, in and out, on his lines to make sure they were A1. He was finally ready to take the stage and practice, in what he would imagine to be a packed house. He walked towards the door. Grabbed the cold handle, and before he could open it, he heard Chanel’s giggle. He knew it anywhere. He also heard a familiar guffaw, but he couldn’t quite make it out. He opened the door, slowly, so he wouldn’t be heard. They wouldn’t hear him anyway, they were in their own world.
“There you go, just like that.”
Russ couldn’t believe his eyes. Chanel and Ralphy were dirty winding, center-stage. Her eyes were closed. Hiding his hands, as his hands gripped her hips. Ralphy’s eyes were wide-open, well, half-open, focused due south.
This nigga stole my bitch!
“WTF is that, Ralphy!”
“Russ, is that Russ?!” She asked looking back at Ralphy.
“Huh, What? Oh.”
“Don’t ‘Is that Russ’ me now muthafuckas. What’s going on up there?!”
“Uhhh, practicing. Why? You Campus PO now?”
“No, but this shit look like cheating to me...”
“Cheating for who? I’m single. Ralphy, you single?”
“Yeah, I am.” Ralphy managed as he stepped from behind her with his hands balled up in a fist, glaring at Russ.
“Ok, I’m kidding, Yall chill!”
“Or, what?” Russ said as he neared center-stage.
“Or get your ass beat fucknigga.” Ralphy said, as he hopped off stage.
“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Imma need oth of yall to take the foot off the gas, because this is starting to look like more than a disagreement.”
“What it look like to you?!” Russ asked with his eyes red as ember.
“It look like yall fighting over property...”
“We aint got no beef here.” Ralphy said looking from Chanel to Russ, fists still balled up.
“Nawl nigga... Guess not.” Russ said as he unclenched his fists and jaw. “No problem at all. Yall have a good practice. See you at tryouts in the morning.” He said, as he backed into the aisle, and bout faced before marching back to the Exit door through which he came.
What was that about?!
Email Chain
From: Russell Russ
To: Dean Dúmás
Subject:
Unfair Selections, HMS Trial Team
Hello Dean Dúmás,
My name is Russell, and I am a freshman here at The University. I am delighted to have been selected to attend this great institution. I believe my admittance, was based on fairness. I expected fairness to be extended to all aspects of my attendance, up to and including, the HMS Trial Team. That was not the case.
Unfortunately, I tried my hardest to be on the team. I spent countless hours practicing my lines. I missed sleep. I missed classes. I did everything; it took, to join the team. I feel, I was unfairly judged. That, plus, my background in theatre should have guaranteed my spot on the team, but I didn’t get that. I should have, but didn’t.
The two couples selected to join, literally couples, were Ralphy, Chanel, Young, and JuJu. They are all dating. They practiced together, and they all made the team. That’s so unfair! Words cannot describe how fed up I am with Gorgeous’ selection process. I can give you more details, over lunch, if you’d like to take the time out to meet with me.
I’m not a sore loser, sir. I’ve lost in life before. However, I took those losses when I shouldn’t have. Had I spoken up then, I could be in a different place today. Those days, are in the past, but my best days are ahead. Help me to realize those days before its too late.
Sincerely,
Russell Russ
