"Pick your own team!" Dallon exclaimed from the front of the group had gathered around the announcement poster outside of the drama room's door, "This is the best!"

Brendon stood at the back of the group, watching his friends claim one another with rushed words. Everyone was so excited. Why didn't he share in it?

"Brendon!"

He turned as Ryan moved through the crowd to stand next to him. His smile was wide and excited, much like everyone around them.

"We're totally set to do our song! You still down?" He winked before nudging Brendon with his elbow.

"Totally." Brendon flashed a smile. Dead Girl Walking, he could do that. It was just an acted song. He could act and sing at the same time; no problem...

"I'm so excited!" Ryan hugged him tightly before pulling away, "I'm going to claim the trenchcoat!" He rushed before disappearing into the crowd of students.

Brendon walked around the crowd. The door to get into the classroom was clear, giving him quick access to escape the crowd before the bell rang.

The inside of the drama room was unlike most on campus. First of all, it boardered with the actual theater, giving them access to it pretty much whenever for practice or stage set up. Second of all, there were no desks. Chairs littered the room, giving students places to sit, while clipboards sat stacked on counters that lined the walls. Under the counters were tools and smaller props. By Miss Mulany's office was a long rack full of costumes ranging in every color of the rainbow. (Most of them were thrift store finds or handmade by crafty students, parents, and occasionally Miss Mulany.) Along the floor underneath that were the stage shoes.

Brendon chose a seat by the door that lead to the theater. It was close to a counter, giving him something to lean against after dropping his backpack to the floor and plopping down in the chair.

He felt tired today. His energy was just nonexistent for some reason. If he really wanted to, he could fall asleep right here...

"Hey, Brendon?"

Brendon sat upright at the sound of the voice that had called out softly to him. The exhaustion was gone as he turned in his chair to see Dallon looking down at him.

"Hey!" Brendon smiled, "What's up?"

Dallon grabbed a chair and slid it closer to where he stood before sitting himself down in it. "Not much. Just thinking about what to do for the scene, you know?" Dallon's bright, blue eyes held a sparks of inspiration behind them, "Do you have any plans?"

Brendon nodded, trying to pull himself out of the endless pools that were Dallon's eyes. "Y-yea! Ryan and I are doing something from the Heathers."

"Cool!" Dallon grinned."I haven't fully decided anything yet, but I was thinking about maybe-"

Dallon was cut off by Kenny jogging over next to him. Brendon held a stiff smile on his face as Kenny spoke something that Brendon didn't even bother to listen to. He didn't really turn his hearing back on until Dallon turned to him.

"Catch you later!" Dallon waved before getting up and moving across the room with Kenny.

"Yea! Later..." Brendon sighed. He suddenly felt tired again. He propped his arm against the counter beside him and leaned his head against it. He shut his eyes, letting the noises of the room around him become fuzzy background noise.

Brendon faded in and out of consciousness until someone softly began to shake his shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ryan's voice was soft and concerned, "You've been asleep most of class."

Brendon nodded, bringing his hand up to rub against his eye. "Yea, Fine, Ry..."

Lips pressed against his cheek for a quick moment. "Class is almost up. We can practice tomorrow, okay? I've already got the costumes claimed."

"You're the best, Ry." Brendon opened his eyes to see Ryan smiling at him. When their eyes made contact, Ryan leaned in to press a kiss to Brendon's lips.

"I know I am." He said with a wink.

Brendon smiled as Ryan took the empty chair next to him that Dallon had previously been occupying. Brendon looked around the room, but the taller boy wasn't there. He must have been up on stage.

"Get a load of Patrick!" Ryan laughed, pointing across the room.

Patrick was wearing a curled, blond wig on his head. He was holding his hand over his mouth as Max Schneider and Tyler held skirts up against each other just in front if him.

"Whatever they're doing, I'm living for it." Ryan laughed, clapping his hands together like an amused seal.

"Did you get a skirt for me?" Brendon asked as he stretched his arm up over his head. He noticed a piled of clothes in the space between himself and Ryan, but it was mostly consumed by a long, dark coat.

"Yep." Ryan looked at Brendon mischievously, "You're gunna look so hot in a skirt."

"You're just going to be hot in that coat." Brendon countered with a small laugh.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Joke's on you, I'm always hot." He booped Brendon's nose with a wink.

Brendon smiled. Ryan was fun to be around. He always seemed so uplifting. He pushed his limp strands of wavy hair away from his eyesight and began to ramble on about something, but Brendon couldn't hear him; he was lost in his own thoughts.

Ryan was keeping one of his arms close to his gut, which seemed strange to Brendon. Was he not feeling good today? Usually, if that was the case, then Ryan would be quiet and mopey, but he hadn't been like that today.

"Hey," Brendon cut Ryan off mid-sentence, "what's wrong with your gut?"

Ryan's eyes momentarily widened, but he quickly shook his head and his them from Brendon. "It's nothing! My arm's just tired from holding up that heavy coat." He smiled sweetly at Brendon, "Were you even listening to a word I said?"

"Uuuhh..."

"We should try to learn our lines tonight so we can really get into acting it out tomorrow." Ryan repeated.

Brendon nodded, "Yea! You're right." He forced a smile, "Color me stoked..."

Ryan just smiled, not seeming to notice Brendon's trailed off tone, and set forward into an excited, but rather one sided, conversation.