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Summer 2007.
School’s out, and most students at JHS were rightfully looking for a summer job, and this included Jackson Smith and Exer Campbell.
Luckily for both them, they’d grown closer to the Miller twins in the past year. Especially after Pamela Lopez arrived in New mexico, causing quite a stir amongst the pre-established cliques.
The Miller’s owned a large country club named Lava Springs (rich kid things), and they’d managed to convince their parents to allow their classmates to work at the resort for the summer.
It was still unusual when they thought about it though. Being friends with the twins was something Exer wasn’t sure would happen in this timeline, but here he was.
He’d particularly grown fond of the blonde twin, David. He spoke to him quite a bit during the whole “the status quo is disintegrating before our eyes” incident from the previous year, where he got to know him past the “theater kid” persona.
The basketball team against the science kids, and the the other cliques (the drama club in particular) stuck in the middle. So many things happened in such a short amount of time, that the old status quo somehow felt ancient to him. Unfortunately, he’d hold on to a few of the insecurities that were installed in him by said status quo (which he had tried so hard to defend during the whole ordeal.)
David had become one of his best friends, and while it was odd to have the co-captain of the basketball team be seen the same vicinity as the self proclaimed king of the theatre department (or anyone from the theatre department to be honest), since it seemed like it represented everything Exer tried to suppress, for he had an image to keep up.
Nevertheless, he found himself content in hanging out with David while he worked. He was in charge of the café area of the kitchen staff, but occasionally he’d be requested (alongside Jackson) to accompany the twins out on the golf course, where they goofed off a lot (ESPECIALLY when Mr. Miller wasn’t around.)
It was also nice to not have the prying eyes of the rest of the team on them at all times.
Something about David just felt so familiar. But if he ever dared to consider any emotions past simple friendship he would immediately shut them down because…
He wasn’t really sure why.
-
One particularly sunny day, David sat outside, minding his own business. He wasn’t really sure where Brenda was, but he didn’t really feel like looking for her either, sometimes it was nice to be by himself (especially now that she’d given Jackson HIS place in the talent show, which was uncalled for).
He saw Pamela and Jolie approach on a golf cart.
“Hey David! Are you going to the staff baseball game?”
“I’m not Staff. Wasn’t invited”
“Oh i’m sure everyone would love to have you there!” Pamela insisted
“Exer’s gonna be there” Jolie added.
David didn’t even ask why she’d even mention him, he just looked away, avoiding the topic.
“I mean- Okay sure.” He agreed, as Jolie moved over allowing David to hop on the cart.
Soon they drove off to the batting cages.
-
As the golf cart came to a stop, and all three teens hopped off, Exer couldn’t help but feel a mix of confusion and joy as he saw the blonde come into view.
“Hey man, what’re you doing here?” Exer said as he walked up to the taller boy.
“Don’t have much to do now that im not in the talent show.”
“Wait you’re off it too?”
David nodded. Brenda was a really sweet person, but when it came to star dazzle, she could get some ideas that weren’t the best.
“Hey, you know, David here. knows how to put on a show” Pamela said, nudging him with her elbow.
David simply smiled, he liked getting recognition for his work.
“C’mon David, have the staff ever won a star dazzle award?”
“Hey now-“
“I know what you can do David. So why not do it for us?”
Pamela was right. Thoguh he hated going against his sister, Especially when she didnt mean any harm, he had done this show every year, and he knew the wildcats weren’t the best at coming up with, let alone performing in a show.
He wasn’t really sure how to go about planning any of this.
Exer, on the other hand, had been content with not participating to begin with. He had come to appreciate some aspects of theater, mostly thanks to Day, but he would never admit any of it to anyone. Ever. Which meant that his enthusiasm for participating in anything even remotely theatrical was nonexistent.
“Hey, if you wanna play ball, then grab a mit. But i dont dance.” Exer said confidently.
A few of their peers laughed a little. A small chorus of “ooh’s” could be heard.
David took that as a challenge. He had made a decision then and there. His new objective.
No, he wasnt gonna participate to take down his sister. Instead, he made it his mission to prove that Exer could in fact dance.
Because it was not that Exer couldn’t dance-
It’s that he wouldn’t. And David seemed to know why.
“You don’t think… dancing takes some game?” David asked, crossing his arms as he took a step forward.
“You got game?”
“A little.” He shrugged.
And that’s all it took for them to grab their bats, and begin the baseball game.
David’s plan was simple. Remind Exer that the status quo had been dismantled the school year prior, and that he shouldn’t box himself
Into one thing.
“I’ll show you that it’s one in the same: baseball, dancing, same game. Its easy!” He began.
“I wanna play ball now, and that’s all, this is what i do. There ain’t no dance that you can show me” he said back.
Exer was stubborn, and David knew that. He needed to somehow convince the other of stepping out of his comfort zone. Though he knew there was more to it than the staus quo’s lingering effects on the other.
There was something David knew well.
Theatre (and dancing) had its reputation, and he knew that Exer was afraid of being associated with it.
“You’ll never know, if you never try.” David tried. He noticed as Exer suddenly got nervous.
“There’s just one little thing that stops me everytime.”
Bingo.
He was right.
“I dont dance!” He exclaimed defensively.
“I know you can!”
“Not a chance!”
“if i can do this, then you can do that” He tried using this entire situation as an example. If David could do something so separate from the image others had of him, then so could Exer.
The whole baseball game flew by. David used the opportunity to flirt too, and he could swear Exer flirted back.
His team lost, but he didn’t care. He’d had fun, and could only hope that Exer had actually listened to anything he said.
As he dusted his shirt, now covered in dirt, Exer stopped him.
“Her Miller! Im not saying i’m gonna dance in your show…
But if i did. What would you have me do.”
All David could do was smile and walk away.