When I heard a high keening squeal, I had to go check it out.
The cast list for the spring musical had just been posted, and Archer, Tom, Dinah, Sue, Molly, Ember, Doug, and Noah were all gathered around it. The falsetto screech had been from Doug, and his exuberant vertical leaps would have made him a shoo-in for either the varsity basketball team or the Miss America pageant.
Archer himself had a huge grin on his face. Despite the fight we'd had last week, I was excited for him. I knew what it had to mean.
"Did you get Seymour?" I asked.
Archer wheeled at the sound of my voice. He looked surprised but not angry.
"Yep," he said with a little bow. "Seymour Krelborn, at your service."
"That's great!"
"Yeah, thanks."
"And what role are you playing?" Ember asked, looking me up and down.
Archer blushed. He didn't look at Ember, just put his hands in his pockets and shuffled a second before he asked me, "Um ... can we talk a little bit?"
"Sure," I said.
We walked a few feet away and stood by the wall. I noticed some of the Theater Geeks shooting me dirty looks. Not Sue, actually, but Ember and Tom for sure.
"I was a jerk," Archer said. "I'm really sorry."
I almost said, "It's okay." It was reflex, at least for me. People say they're sorry, I want to make them feel better.
But what he'd said wasn't okay. It had hurt. That didn't mean I was going to hold it against him—already I wanted to forget it had ever happened and be cool with each other again—but "it's okay" wasn't quite right.
"Thanks," I said.
"And you didn't mutilate your head. Your hair looks good ... kind of."
I laughed. "Don't worry—you don't have to like it. A couple months and it'll be totally back to normal." Unless I needed to keep it this way for Nate, of course—but I didn't say that part out loud.
"Up for Ping-Pong?" Archer asked.
"Bring it. How about this afternoon?"
"Oooh, can't. First rehearsal. How about over the weekend?"
If things went well, I'd be with Nate over the weekend.
"Maybe. I'll e-mail you; we'll figure it out."
"Great."
We stood there a moment, smiling—but without anything else to really say.
A high-pitched, breathy voice squealed from down the hall. "Seymour! Seymour! We need you!"
"Sue got Audrey." Archer explained the voice.
Of course. The female lead opposite Archer. Sue must have been over the moon. I felt a pang of jealousy, but I told myself that if Archer were really into Sue, they'd be together already.
"You guys'll be great. I know it. Congratulations."
I wrapped my arms around him for a hug.
Bad idea.
Hugging Archer felt really good. Not like hugging Nate. A hug from Nate was an electrifying prelude to everything daring and sexy and exciting. Hugging Archer just felt right. I still wanted so badly for him to feel the same way, but I knew he didn't. I was suddenly a giant, hollow ache.
If I stayed in his arms, I'd start to cry.
I needed an escape. Now.
I saw one stalking the halls in a BeastSlayer cloak. Perfect.
"Oh! Gotta run," I told Archer. "See you in English!"
I trotted over to Robert, who seemed very busy pretending to be part of a SWAT team. He slinked between classrooms, then leaped into each doorway, shooting invisible energy jets from the ends of his outstretched hands.
At least that's what it looked like. I'd say it was odd, but this was Robert Schwarner.
"Robert, wait up!"
"'I take orders from just one person! Me!'"
"Star Wars?"
"A New Hope. Han Solo."
He stalked down to another classroom and jumped into the doorway, shooting more invisible bolts. I followed.
"Come on, stop for just a second. I want to ask you something."
Robert turned to me, folding his hands into the long sleeves of his cloak.
"Okay, this might be a weird question," I said, "but ... were you at the Works in Philly on Friday?"
"Do gerbils juggle in your retainer case?" he asked.
Okay, now he'd lost me. "What?"
"That's a weird question. Yours wasn't at all. I was at the Works. I saw a great show. And the Ruse was good, too."
He grinned, but a second later his co-BeastSlayer-cloak- wearing friend, Gabe Friedman, leaped from a classroom with a wild howl and zoomed out of the building. Robert scrambled after him, leaving me stunned.
Did Robert Schwarner just give me crap?
I was pretty sure he did—and I had to admit I was kind of impressed.
The bell rang, which meant I wouldn't see Nate until lunch. The hours until then? With the exception of seeing