Secondary Characters (Novella) - By Rachel Schieffelbein Page 0,21
at avoiding all human contact. The fact that no one seems to mind makes it even worse though. The closest thing I’ve had to a conversation with Amber lately is a Facebook tag. She thanked me and Lance via status update for helping her and Nick get together.
No problem, Amber. That’s what I’m here for, after all. The job of a secondary character is to help the heroine. And the heroine always gets her man.
All it cost me was a bruised ego and a few weeks of having to go into hiding.
Blech. I know I’m being over-dramatic and it’s all so stupid. A few weeks ago everything was fine. And it’s Lance. Obnoxious, loud-mouthed, thinks-he’s-so-hilarious (except maybe he kind of is), sweet, helpful, adorable Lance. Oh God, how did this happen?
When I get home after school I drop my crap in the entryway and bolt for my room. I shut the door and have my finger on the button to my stereo when I hear Sophie’s voice outside my door.
“Will you read to me?” she asks, and I can hear her tapping a book against my door.
“Not. Right. Now,” I say as nicely as I can.
“Will you play Mario Kart with me?”
“Not now.” My jaw tightens. I take a deep breath and try to stay calm. It’s not like she’s trying to annoy me.
“How about Just Dance?” Her voice is chipper, despite the first two rejections, and I can’t hold in my irritation anymore.
“No! Leave me alone,” I snap.
There’s silence on the other side of the door. No footsteps. She’s still standing there.
“You’re grumpy!” she finally yells back before stomping off down the hall.
Sorry, Sophs. Yes, yes I am. I hit the button on the stereo and lay down on my bed, hoping the music will drown out the rest of the day.
***
I’m not sure what the hell went wrong, but I’ve decided I’m not giving up just yet. Something about the way Mabel looked at me in English class made me think maybe, just maybe, I still have a shot. It may only be wishful thinking. Okay, it’s probably just wishful thinking, but I don’t care.
I head over to Nick’s after school, where I know he’s hanging out with Amber. I have one last hope. And I’m not afraid to beg.
“Please, Amber,” I say, trying to look sheepish and desperate. Which isn’t a far stretch.
“I don’t know. I don’t like to butt in.” She’s sitting on the couch with Nick, her leg swung up over his. They look annoyingly cuddly.
“Come on, if I hadn’t butted in you two wouldn’t even be together. The way I see it, you both owe me.”
“He has a point,” Nick says to her, running his hand up and down her arm. “I didn’t exactly wow you on our first date.”
No kidding. She giggles. “It was cute seeing you all nervous,” she says, the end of the sentence coming out in baby talk. She starts whispering in his ear and I look at the floor so they won’t see me roll my eyes and sigh. Oh my God! Knock it off people!
I grind my teeth. After all, I need their help. But inside I am ripping my hair out. No, I’m ripping their hair out. You’re happy and perfect, we get it already. Could it please not be about you for five freaking seconds!
They finally get done complimenting and petting each other. They turn and look at me like they’re surprised I’m still here. Or maybe they forgot about me altogether. I have no idea.
“Please,” I say again, pressing my palms together.
Amber sighs and twirls her hair around her finger. The clock ticks as she decides whether or not to help me or leave me in a pathetic pile of misery.
“Oh, all right. I guess it would be okay.”
“Yes! Thank you. Seriously, thank you.”
“Okay, I’ll do my best but I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to talk her into it.”
“Just don’t say anything to her about me pathetically begging, okay?”
Amber laughs and shakes her head as if to say, you stupid boy. She’s successful in making me feel about three feet tall. “All right, I promise. Not a word.” She puts her hand on her heart and I let out a sigh of relief and lean back into my chair. I close my eyes and think about the look on Mabel’s face in English class. Then I remember her standing in front of her locker basically telling me to get a life.
I hope Amber can