Page 14 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

“Make that less than five seconds,” I correct.

“Oh my gosh! It is him! Declan! Declan!”

At once, the entire auditorium is screaming and clapping and whooping and chanting.

“Settle down, everyone!” Principal Nakamura calls.

With another smile, Declan removes his sunglasses and cap, and tilts his head to the side to shake out his dark hair. With the mic in hand, he saunters to the front edge of the stage so he can be closer to the students, and it’s in such a confident way that makes him look—yeah, well he looks darn good. There’s an aura around him that’s just so…I don’t know, cool and alluring. It’s insane that I see it all the way from here. He seems even more charming than when I first met him on the set of The Beat of My Heart. As though the more time that passes, the more charming he gets.

“Thanks, Miss Lane,” he says, flashing her a grin. “Miss Lane told me she’s looking for a male lead to star in the school play and asked me if I was available. I told her I would be more than happy to take on the role. The script sounds amazing, and I’m really looking forward to helping out the theater department. And I can’t wait to get to know all of you, too.”

I stare at him with my mouth hanging wide open. Charming dude said what? He’s going to star opposite me in the play? No way. No freakin’ way. This is worse than a nightmare. It’s a night terror!

“Guys, I’m hyperventilating.” I grab hold of both their arms. “I’m going to faint.”

“Mia, calm down,” Rylee says.

“The corners of my eyes see black.”

“It’s been a while since I was part of a show,” Declan continues as his eyes roam around the students in the auditorium. “And I love—” His voice cuts off when his gaze lands on me. He just gapes at me, his eyes and jaw growing wider and wider. Some of the kids turn around to see what the heck he’s staring at. Declan shakes his head and puts on that smile of his. “Anyway, I’m really glad to be attending Edenbury High this semester.”

Attending Edenbury High?

Principal Nakamura holds up her hand before anyone can cheer. “We want Declan’s stay here to be as pleasant as possible, so we ask you to please limit the number of videos you post of him on social media. Declan would like you to post videos every so often, but please remember that he is a student here just like you, and he would like to be treated as such.”

“But I also like my fans to know what’s going on in my life,” he says with a chuckle that can melt any girl’s heart—except for Mia Park’s.

“Please use discretion,” Principal Nakamura continues.

Rylee leans over to poke my arm. “This must be what it was like when your dad came to Edenbury High.”

My jaw falls open again. She’s right. Dad came to live in Edenbury when he was trying to lay low after all those lies were spread about him. The school also had an assembly. Mom missed it because she had a dentist appointment, so she had no idea he was arriving, or that she would be his tutor. In fact, she didn’t know what the famous teen star Asher Park even looked like because she wasn’t into those kinds of TV shows or movies.

How the heck am I living my parents’ life?

“That’s crazy,” I whisper back to Rylee.

Miss Lane takes the mic from Declan. “The drama department is very thankful to you, Declan. We are sure to put on one heck of a performance.”

The theater kids and some others cheer, but I just sit here totally stumped. Is this seriously my life right now? Having to spend months with a guy who is one of the worst jerks in the world?

“I’ll see you all at rehearsal,” Miss Lane says, then she and Declan walk off the stage.

VP Rivera makes a few more announcements and then says, “Everyone, head to your classes! We have about twenty minutes left to class. I repeat, every student must head to their first period class!”

As everyone gets up, most of them gushing how exciting it is to have Declan in our school, I just sit here in total befuddlement. What are the odds that he came to my school? Is the Universe playing some sick joke on me?

Should I quit the play? No, that’s ridiculous. I won’t let him drive me away from something I love. Besides, I’ve been acting nearly all my life and know how important it is to be professional. I’ve worked with people I didn’t like before and I know I will do so throughout my career. The only thing that matters is the play.

I’m about to get up, but then a sudden thought hits me. “Oh, gosh,” I gasp.

“What happened?” Rylee asks.

“It’s a romance,” I say, eyes widening in horror and disgust. “I’ll have to…I’ll have to…” I can’t say the words because it’ll make me puke. So I just motion kissing with my lips.

Rylee and Zoey gape at me. “Oh, no,” Zoey says.

“I need a bucket,” I say. “Someone, fetch me a bucket!”

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