Draft Number 2.5: Changed descriptions, majority of this chapter, and plot holes. This chapter is a bit long, so I'm debating on splitting it up. Tell me your thoughts on the new version! (if you've read the old one, that is :)

Warning: Slight language, Fights

***The flowers are to show the change in POV!***

In the midst of the growing crowd, Rowan found himself standing, frozen, his eyes fixed on Julie in utter disbelief. The silence of the onlookers created an almost surreal atmosphere. The only sound that seemed to penetrate the heavy silence was the rhythmic dribbling of a basketball, echoing through the room, each bounce resonating like a heartbeat in Julie's ears. Her own heart began pacing as she realized what she'd done.

"I-" Before Rowan could get another word out, a streak of red came down his nose, dripping down to his chin before plopping on the ground.

Julie couldn't react. She didn't know how. An apology began stirring up in her head, but as it was about to leave her lips, he began laughing. She flinched from the unexpected reaction coming from Rowan.

He breathed out in order to stop his uncontrollable smile and silently ran to grab the ball that Julie had thrown. Without hesitation, Rowan threw it to her and she easily caught it, still phased.

"Good shot, Carden. My nose agrees with me."

"What?" she said, unable to say anything else.

The double doors burst open without warning, the sudden thud causing Julie to jump in surprise. Her heart raced, and any hope of forgetting the current incident vanished in an instant as she recognized the person standing in the doorway. He was a tall, threatening figure, one which everyone dared not to cross. In his arms, he held two badly beaten up boys, both of which she recognized instantly.

"Mr. Myers and Ms. Carden, what on Earth is going on here?!"

Oh boy... Julie thought. To know what happened here, you'd have to go back to this morning. A very eventful morning.

Grayson and his friend, Sebastian, stood outside the weathered doors of their poorly funded theater room, their laughter echoing through the dimly lit corridor. Grayson's joy eventually subsided, and he wiped away tears of laughter, pausing to catch his breath.

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Sebastian pushed the creaky doors open, inviting Grayson to follow him inside. As they entered, the room's environment instantly enveloped them. Dim stage lights cast long shadows, which flickered several times before shutting off completely. The air was thick with the unmistakable scent of sweat and the faint aroma of candy, likely from the stale gum littered everywhere.

Grayson's gaze swept over the familiar surroundings, taking in the worn-out props placed around the room. The theater room was uniquely designed, with the gymnasium adjacent to it, sharing a connecting door that allowed for easy access between the two areas. Beyond the gymnasium lay the open field where the soccer team was currently running drills, their enthusiastic yelling and the thud of soccer balls echoing through the paper thin walls.

Grayson and Sebastian had intentionally sought refuge in the theater, avoiding the grueling soccer drills under the scorching sun. The mere thought of enduring the blazing heat was enough to make them shiver despite the weather.

Behind the heavy, red velvet drapes, an old dressing room stood out. Its door was tainted with scars, whether it be from paint or chips of wood flaking off. In front of it, the props and set pieces were strewn around haphazardly, creating a breeding ground for disaster to strike. As Grayson attempted to make his way to the dusty, old room, his foot caught on a stray prop, and he stumbled momentarily, his hand finding support on the peeling wall. After regaining his balance, he let out a relieved breath, grateful for avoiding what could have been a painful fall. Grayson managed to keep himself up, using his entire body to prevent another accident.

"Did you hear the rumors?" Sebastian asked, offering a hand to pull him up. Gray gladly took it, stabilizing himself completely.

He peeked out the foggy, old windows to see the captain of their team getting scolded, leaving him feeling even better about skipping. Seb groaned and put his back to one of the walls, slowly sinking to the dusty ground. Little feathers from a nearby hat began floating after the sudden gust of wind. Sebastian waved them out of the way, clearly annoyed from the heat. His dark hair fell into his eyes and obstructed his view, but he left the strands alone.

"I'm so tired," he mumbled. "These rumors are going to be the death of me. Did you hear them or not?"

Grayson shrugged before replying, "What are you talking about? Everyone is being suspiciously quiet." He paused for a moment before adding, "Something is going on, and we clearly don't know what it is."

"Not that, you idiot," Sebastian said, finally looking up and moving his hair from his face. "The play. Auditions are supposed to be next week. I heard those two are supposed to be in it. They're so privileged. They don't even have to audition to know they have the part."

Even though Gray was puzzled about his friend's sudden interest in acting, he decided not to ask since it seemed as though he was jealous. Despite never having an acting role, Sebastian was invested in the latest news. He could be counted on to know every detail about the last theater act of the year.

"Really? I even heard Rose is joining." Grayson pulled out his phone and showed Seb the soon-to-be cast members. He stared at the list, processing it for an abnormally long time, making Grayson question his friend's intel source since he should have already known. Seb saw his friend's face and grumbled.

"No shit. I already knew that. You don't need to look at the list to know Rose is going to join that." He turned away, refusing to face Grayson.

"Wait, isn't she Rowan's ex? Why is she with..?" Grayson trailed off, waiting for Sebastian to finish his sentence.

"Yeah, and one of Julie's friends," he clarified. "Makes sense how she broke poor Rowan's heart. Friends all act the same." He let out a few incoherent words before shoving his phone into his back pocket.

"Are you still mad that Julie rejected you?" Grayson asked, his face expressionless and almost taunting. Sebastian stood up, brushing off the mixture of dirt and fake feathers he'd gathered onto himself.

"Of course! She thinks she's too good for anyone," he insisted, crossing his arms as if he were officially stating it.

"Or... your pickup lines are absolute trash." Sebastian instantly shot him a piercing glare that made Gray stop talking all together.

"Either way, they're both bitches, and you're an arrogant ass. That's my final verdict," he declared, throwing his hands into the air.

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Grayson asked, his brows furrowing as he scowled at Sebastian.

"When did I say that?" By that point, he had already lost Gray's attention to something in the distance. He squinted his eyes to see what had drawn his focus away.

"Isn't that Alan?" Sebastian asked, opening his eyes wide again. He turned to Gray who let out a long sigh at the sight of Alan.

"Here we go," Grayson muttered.

Alan spotted the two from the other side of the window. Grayson threw his backpack onto his shoulders, while Sebastian picked up his phone he accidentally left on a table nearby. Alan thrust the doors open, glaring at the two standing there sheepishly.

"What are you two doing here, all alone and unsupervised? You're supposed to be running drills," Alan asked, not pleased with the situation. Deep down, Gray already knew this was going to end badly for everyone.

The doors leading to the outside opened, revealing Julie walking in, twirling a bundle of keys in her hand. Alan turned and let out a smile as he saw her. She did the gesture back, looking back towards the cooler filled with water. Julie grabbed the handle and began rolling it out.

"You all can continue whatever you were doing," she said, acting completely oblivious. She stared specifically at Grayson as she walked out, giving him the largest fake smile possible. As the doors opened, she raised a middle finger at him, to which he just did it right back at her.

"Did you just flip me off?" Alan asked, already clearly irritated by something else. Julie smiled behind Alan's shoulder, sticking her tongue out at Grayson as she stepped outside.

"You little-" Gray started, but immediately stopped. He noticed his friend's head shaking at him and then looked at the now furious Alan.

"Clearly, that was a yes," he said, his voice steely and cold. "Are you trying to start an argument?"

"No," Grayson mumbled, his voice soft. "I wasn't doing it to you. Julie, she was right behind you."

Gray realized there was no going back. Everyone knew he liked her and was close friends with her brother.

Could this day possibly get any worse? he thought.

"And you think that's any better?" Alan questioned, making the two cower in fear. He scoffed, trying to contain his rage. "You basically insulted one of my best friend's siblings and me at the same time. What should I do with you?"

"Nothing?" Sebastian suggested. "We'll just get going to practice," he said, tugging Grayson along. He was startled for a moment, but followed Sebastian out the doors.

As the scorching sun began smothering them, Grayson could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead, trickling down the sides of his face. The overpowering heat made every step feel heavy and labored, and he knew it was only going to get worse during practice. Although the theater room lacked a proper cooling system, it offered some respite from the blistering sun outside, but now they were back in the unforgiving heat of the soccer field.

Their coach's booming voice carried across the field, demanding an explanation for their absence. "Where were you two? Dress out and come back here in five!"

Sebastian, the more enthusiastic of the two, replied with forced excitement, "Yes, sir! But first, I need water." He turned to Grayson, his eyes practically glimmering with hope.

Grayson couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's theatrics, and he gestured toward Julie, who stood nearby with a cooler of cold water bottles in hand. "At this point," Grayson teased, "You'd be better off drinking your tears."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and brushed off the joke, determined to get the water he craved. He strode over to Julie confidently, but his self-assuredness quickly dissipated as they engaged in a 'heated' argument over the price of the water. Julie had a knack for negotiating, whether it be for grades or for a spot in the upcoming play.

Grayson watched the exchange with amusement, knowing that haggling with Julie was always a losing battle. He couldn't help but laugh when Sebastian returned empty-handed, defeated by Julie's negotiation skills.

"How much did she charge you?" Grayson asked, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Twenty bucks for a bottle. She said it was a discount," Sebastian grumbled, his pride clearly wounded as he headed towards the locker room in search of water.

Grayson finally let out the laugh he'd been holding back, earning yet another irritated grumble from his friend. "It's not funny!" Sebastian shouted over his shoulder, not bothering to turn back.

"It's kind of funny," Grayson retorted, still grinning as he followed Sebastian closely. He looked back at Julie, who appeared pleased with herself. She reached down to the cooler, pulled out a bottle, and threw it to Grayson with a wink.

"I'm only giving you this because that made me laugh," she mouthed, her eyes sparkling playfully.

"Yeah, right," Grayson mouthed back, mocking her. He caught the bottle with a smirk and shook his head, before cracking the seal open and taking a long, refreshing swig.

As they walked together towards the locker room, Sebastian's eyes lit up as he noticed the cold water in Grayson's hand. He couldn't resist the temptation and tried to grab it, earning a teasing shove from Grayson.

The coach's voice boomed once more, growing impatient as they took their time getting back to the team. "What is taking so long?!" he yelled again.

Sebastian yelled back with renewed enthusiasm, "We got it!" Seb's eyes were plastered on the bottle as he spoke. He quickened his pace, and Grayson followed close behind, their laughter echoing across the field.

Julie sat alone on the scorching bleachers, seeking any form of relief from the relentless heat. She fanned herself with a piece of paper she found nearby, but the attempt did little to ease her discomfort. The sun beat down mercilessly, casting its unyielding rays upon the soccer field, and the stifling air enveloped her like a suffocating blanket.

The entire surroundings seemed to wither under the unrelenting heatwave. Even the once-lush grass around the bleachers had died, turning a dry and weary shade of brown. Julie let out a tired sigh, feeling drained by the weather. Today was exceptionally unbearable, and it seemed to sap the energy out of everything, including her.

Giving up on her makeshift fan, Julie curled up on the bleachers, drawing her knees close to her chest and resting her head on them. Beside her, she heard the soft scratching of a pencil on paper and turned her head to see Ben, another student from the school, working diligently on his notes. Despite the heat, he remained focused, but the sweat glistening on his forehead showed his discomfort clearly.

"Why are you even here, Ben?" Julie asked, her tone laced with exhaustion. She watched as he wiped a bead of sweat from his face, breathing in deeply as he straightened his back.

"I could ask you the same question. You look like you're overheating," Ben retorted, his voice carrying a hint of concern. He picked up his notebook and attempted to use it as a fan, but the effort was useless.

"I'm here because of my brother," Julie explained, reaching for another bottle of water to quench her thirst. But Ben was quick to interject, noticing her excessive drinking.

"You're drinking more than the entire team." Ben pushed the bottle away from her and made her place it down. Julie let out a frustrated groan, deciding to save some for later.

"To answer your question," Ben continued, shifting the conversation. "I'm here because of Rowan."

Julie's expression turned serious. "When does this end?" she asked, hoping to divert the topic away from herself.

"Another hour from now," Ben replied, turning back to his work. He rummaged in his bag and pulled out a small, portable fan, activating it to provide some relief from the oppressive heat. Without a word, he extended it towards Julie, who accepted it gratefully.

"Thank you." Julie leaned back against the bleachers' support structure, closing her eyes as the fan's gentle breeze cooled her face. She found herself succumbing to the exhaustion.

The rhythmic sound of the fan's blades and the distant shouts of the soccer players became relaxing, ushering Julie into a light slumber. The warmth of the sun slowly faded away, and for a brief moment, she felt a moment of tranquility amidst the chaos.

When was the last time I've been outside like this? Julie asked herself. After an eternity of being trapped, she was free. Having the ability to leave her house felt like a fever dream playing out in reality.

As the cool wind from the fan faded away, she could feel herself slipping away.

This is the life. Laying outside in peace without a single-

"Julie!" a voice called out. Julie immediately woke up from her slumber, her eyes snapping open instantly. Ben flinched as she shot up to her feet, looking around for the voice. He grabbed the fan she had dropped beside him, shoving it back into the depths of his bag.

Julie's heart raced as she spotted her brother Jayden waving her down from the soccer field. Hopeful that their practice might be ending early, she eagerly ran towards him, only to be met with disappointment.

"Before you ask if we're leaving," Jayden began, addressing her question, "No."

Julie's enthusiasm waned, giving way to irritation as she asked, "Then why did you call me?"

"I asked him to," a voice came from behind her. She turned to see her friend Rosaline standing awkwardly, awaiting Julie's acknowledgment. "I didn't want to be the one waking you up."

Jayden quickly returned to his team, and the practice resumed. Julie turned back to Rosaline with a wide grin on her face. "I'm so glad you showed up. Watching paint dry seems more fun. I've been trying to leave this place for ages.

"Well, I mean-" Rosaline attempted to explain herself.

"No, Rose," Julie interrupted. "Before you say anything, I know you love taking my brother's side, but no."

"He's usually the reasonable one. For example," she emphasized the last word, "You just got back from your grandparents' house. You can't just go home by yourself. You don't know that many people here."

Julie sighed, too tired to argue, and plopped down on a bench beside Rosaline. "Isn't your ex here?" she asked, turning the conversation away from herself.

"Hm?" Her focus was elsewhere, momentarily on the soccer field and its players. After a brief pause, she replied, "Rowan? Yeah, he's on the team. Why do you ask?"

"Of course," Julie said dismissively. "It doesn't matter."

That's a lie. She secretly told herself. It does matter. You two fight as soon as you make eye contact nowadays.

As Rose left to grab her belongings from the locker room, Julie's mind wandered back to Grayson and Sebastian. The realization hit her that they never actually left the building. With the locker rooms connecting to the theater, it was highly likely that the duo, who hated both Julie and Rosaline, were up to no good.

"Ah crap," Julie muttered, instantly springing to her feet. She dashed towards the theater, her heart pounding in her chest. She burst through the theater doors, only to be met with the sounds of heated arguing.

"What's happening?" Julie asked, her voice blending with another person's. She turned to see the last person she wanted to encounter right now: Rowan.

"I heard yelling, then I saw you running. Julie, right?" Rowan inquired, tilting his head slightly. "I was just looking for our missing team members, but... Rose?"

Julie silently mouthed to her friend that they were in trouble, and Rosaline looked back at her with wide eyes. As Rowan stepped towards Rose, the two boys stepped back slowly before running off to their team. Julie caught sight of Alan and silently cursed under her breath.

If Alan told Jayden what happened, Gray and Sebastian would not survive the rest of the year. On the team, at least. Julie snapped back out of her thoughts, coming back to the situation at hand.

Tensions escalated as Rosaline confronted Rowan, and the air crackled with suppressed emotions. He attempted to defuse the situation, but his words only seemed to add fuel to the fire.

"So, you're still avoiding me?" Rowan questioned, waiting for Rosaline to reply, who remained silent. "Come on, Rose. Don't be so childish."

"I'm not childish!" Rosaline suddenly erupted, startling both Julie and Rowan. Her outburst caught the attention of onlookers, but she seemed oblivious to the growing crowd. "I'm tired of you thinking that everything will just go back to the way it was because it won't!"

Julie's concern deepened as she noticed the facade Rosaline was putting on, pretending to be stronger than she truly felt. The situation was getting out of hand, and Julie tried to persuade her friend to leave, but Rosaline was too engrossed in her emotions to pay attention.

Rowan attempted to justify his actions, claiming it was a misunderstanding, but Rosaline wasn't having it. The more they argued, the more people gathered to witness the dramatic scene unfolding before them.

"Maybe you shouldn't have been so controlling," Rowan finally said, striking a nerve with Rosaline. He revealed the bracelet he had given her, questioning why she still wore it if she felt the way she did.

Julie could see the hurt in Rosaline's eyes as she struggled to process his words. The situation was spiraling out of control, and Julie realized it was time to intervene. However, both Rosaline and Rowan snapped at her to stay out of it.

Feeling overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation, Julie instinctively took a step back, looking for a way to distract herself. Her eyes landed on a shelf in the back, and a reckless thought crossed her mind.

Should I do that? She knew it was a terrible idea, but at that moment, it felt like a way to divert attention from the heated argument.

"At least I can handle it when my ex moves on, but you just can't seem to do that."

"You-" Rowan's face took a direct hit from one of the painted basketballs kept as props. Everyone turned to see Julie with another one in her hand, ready to throw another one if her friend was hurt again. The entire room froze as warm, red blood came spilling out from Rowan's nose.

She couldn't handle the guilt building up inside her chest. She just wanted the argument to end. Julie knew her friend wasn't being genuine, but she couldn't do anything about it.

Julie finally realized what she had done and dropped the other ball. The one she threw dribbled across the entire floor, becoming the only sound in the room.

Delightful. Horrible start to a horrible year.

Leaving votes helps my dying motivation!

-Hershey