‘Hey its ok’ Aubrey smiled at him confidently. ‘You can still improve.’
‘I want to improve’ Haru said to him. ‘I want to, I want to be better in so many things...’
‘Sandwich?’ Aubrey offered then.
‘What?’
‘I got food?’
‘That was… random.’
‘Is it?’ Aubrey said, shuffling away and crawling across the stage. ‘I brought food today in case I got hungry’ Aubrey explained as he moved backstage. ‘I brought a lot of food, in case the others are hungry. They should be here soon.’
Aubrey returned to Haru’s side, sitting back beside him and handing him a sandwich.
‘You’re not fussy are you?’ Aubrey said to him, handing him a sandwich with prawns in.
‘Oh no’ Haru said taking it. ‘I mean, I mean I’m fine. I mean.... I am not a picky eater.’
Haru began to feel a little awkward then, angry at himself for fumbling so often, but he felt nervous sitting so close to Aubrey, but Aubrey was completely relaxed, eating his own sandwich happily.
‘What do you have?’ Haru mumbled.
‘Pickle’ Aubrey grinned.
‘You like pickle?’ Haru asked him.
‘You don’t?’
‘Its fine I guess.’
Haru looked away then, beginning to eat meticulously.
‘I like moments like these’ Aubrey spoke suddenly then, breaking the silence.
‘Moments like what?’
‘It’s just peaceful’ Aubrey said. ‘I like hanging out with friends and all that. I get tired of the teachers and lessons.... whatever’ he grumbled, continuing to eat. ‘The others should be here soon. Lessons would have finished by now’ he said. ‘Then we can continue working on the play. Wouldn’t you like that?’
‘Yes, I would’ Haru said. ‘I think that would be really nice.’
‘You think you can handle it?’
Haru turned to Aubrey.
‘Hu?
‘Do you think you will be ok on stage? Last time you collapsed.’
‘I’ll be fine’ Haru spoke unconvincingly. ‘I promise.’
They sat in silence for a short time, continuing to eat their sandwiches.
When Aubrey was finished his, he leant back, resting on his back on the floor of the stage, arm over his eyes as he sighed tiredly.
‘I hate this’ he groaned. ‘It’s so boring...’
‘What’s wrong?’ Haru asked him.
‘Nah, I’m just bored.’
Haru watched him for a short time, before facing ahead again. He glanced up as the doors to the hall opened, and Sasha, Ben and Amelia entered the hall.
Aubrey sat up quickly, his expression breaking into a smile as he saw them approaching.
‘Oh, thank god you’re finally here’ Aubrey exclaimed. ‘What took you so long?’
‘We were in class’ Sasha said, glaring at him. ‘I’m guessing you weren’t?’
‘The hell I was’ Aubrey spoke sharply back. ‘Class is so boring.’
‘It might be more interesting if you actually paid attention’ Ben said to him, as they slowed to a stop before the stage.
Amelia glanced towards Haru then, smiling sweetly.
‘Hey Haru.’
‘Hey Amelia’ Haru smiled back.
Sasha glanced at Haru briefly before looking back to Aubrey.
‘You’re going to get expelled if you carry on like this’ Sasha warned him.
Aubrey only shrugged at that.
‘Do you want to go back home?' Sasha asked him sharply.
‘Hell no’ Aubrey replied sourly. ‘Are you kidding me?’
‘I think you should stop skipping out on class’ Ben told him seriously.
‘But why?’ Aubrey replied.
‘Because I’m sure that none of us would want to see you expelled’ Ben told him. ‘We would miss you if you suddenly vanished.’
‘I wouldn’t’ Sasha answered quickly.
‘Oh, now Sasha don’t say that’ Amelia worried, ‘you don’t really mean it.’
Haru watched them silently, feeling amused. He found them all so funny, though they didn’t mean to be.
‘Would any of you guys like a sandwich?’ Aubrey offered, ‘Haru and I already had ours.... oh...’ Aubrey said, seeing Haru was still eating. ‘Well I’ve had mine.’
‘We can have a quick bite to eat’ Sasha smiled excitedly. ‘Then I would love to just start practicing the play.’
‘I’m not that hungry’ Ben waved her away. ‘I’ll help Aubrey get some of the props out, which scene are we working on?’
‘We’ll decide over a sandwich’ Sasha said to him. ‘Aubrey, where are they?’
‘They’re in my bag.’
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