No One Can Know

     No one can know.

     Audrey sat gossiping at her lunch table, acting as if everything was as perfect and normal as ever.

     Acting.

     That was one of the only things she was good at.

     It was also one of the only things she had to be good at.

     To protect herself.

     And her secrets.

     She also enjoyed it.

     It was all a game to her.

     But it was a game she loved playing.

     Because she always won.

     And it was the only way to be someone she wasn’t.

     Someone important.

     Someone that others had to pay attention to.

     Someone her parents had to pay attention to.

     “I heard rumors that the school musical this year will be Cinderella,” a girl across from Audrey told the table.

     “You’re going to try out, right?” Another girl asked Audrey.

     “Of course,” Audrey said with one perfectly raised eye-brow, “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” She tossed her flowing golden hair, making the colorful plastic beads woven into the mini braids clink against one another.

     “You’d be perfect for the lead role!” Someone else exclaimed.

     “Yeah, I could totally see you as Cinderella!” Still another chimed in.

     Audrey smiled sweetly. “That’s the plan.”

     The bell rang and everyone hurried to class.

     Everything was perfect.

     On the outside.

     But no one can know.

     ~

     No one can know.

     Brianna quickly sat in the back of the classroom, hugging her books to her chest and setting down her backpack.

     Please, no one could find out.

     She squeezed her eyes shut.

     She tried to hide behind her caramel-colored highlights.

     But she wasn’t good at hiding.

     Someone would know soon enough.

     Pressure.

     So.

     Much.

     Pressure.

     That’s why she did it.

     “Brianna.”

     Her eyes flew open and she saw that almost every student in the classroom was staring at her.

     “Brianna, I asked you to please sit up and pay attention,” her history teacher, Ms. Williams, informed Brianna. “Is everything alright?”

     Her face turned a bright shade of crimson and her palms were starting to sweat again. She mumbled something about staying up late studying and adjusted her posture.

     That was a lie.

     That’s what she should have done.

     But that was so far from the truth.

     “Now, as soon as I hand these tests out, you may begin.”

     Brianna was sweating now.

     She removed her round black wire-framed glasses and fidgeted with them nervously.

     Guilt weighed heavy.

     But no one can know.

     ~

     No one can know.

     That was why Audrey moved out of earshot of her fellow students to call her mom during after school pick up.

     She started walking around the school building, sticking to the path.

     “Hey, Mom,” Audrey always felt small and tense when talking to mother.

     “Yes, what do you need, honey?” Her mom asked in a bored tone that indicated that she didn’t really care.

     “It’s carpool—you said you’d pick me up today,” Audrey accused.

     “Oh, did I?” Her mom was getting impatient. “I must have forgotten. Sorry, dear, I’m in a meeting. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

     “But you said you wouldn’t be late this time!” She yelled, anger dripping from her words like venom. “Instead you forget me completely!”

     Her mom had forgotten her.

     She cared less about her than Audrey originally thought.

     And it kept getting worse.

     Tears streamed down her face.

     Audrey didn’t know why she was surprised.

     She didn’t know why she bothered to care in the first place.

     That’s why no one could know.

     Audrey hung up.

     ‘Soon’ would be at least another few hours.

     She could try calling Dad but Audrey didn’t feel like getting into another parent-phone fight.

     Audrey looked up to find a girl with round glasses standing in front of her, staring. Brianna’s face was probably as tear-stained as Audrey’s.

     But now . . .

     Someone knew.

     ~

     Brianna knew.

     She hadn’t meant to know.

     “Sorry, I swear I didn’t mean to overhear,” Brianna said defensively.

     The other girl—Audrey—looked about ready to set the world on fire. Then softened a bit after taking a deep breath.

     “Just please don’t tell anyone,” Audrey looked truly desperate.

     “Of course,” Brianna replied. “It’s none of my business.”

     And now Brianna knew.

     But Brianna needed someone to know.

     Just before Audrey turned away Brianna blurted, “I cheated!”

     Guilt.

     Relief.

     A weight lifted.

     A tear slipped out.

     Audrey was going through enough.

     But Brianna needed someone to know.

     Otherwise the weight and guilt would crush her.

     She was so selfish.

     “What?” Audrey looked confused.

     “I cheated on my history test today.” Brianna confessed.

     Audrey looked even more confused, “Why? You’re literally the smartest kid in the grade. Why do you need to cheat?”

     Wow.

     That was a huge compliment coming from one of the most popular kids in school.

     “I’m really not. My parents just make me study—really hard. It’s a lot of pressure,” Brianna paused. “Sorry—I’m dumping this all on your shoulders when you obviously already have so much going on . . . I just needed to get it out.”

     Audrey smiled and for once it didn’t look like her too-big-it’s-fake-and-

everything-is-perfect-smile. 

     It was genuine and a little crooked.

     Brianna felt like she was seeing a whole different side to once thought perfect, popular, and pretty Audrey Rowan.

     She liked this new side.

     It was personal.

     And private.

     For the first time it felt like she actually knew Audrey.

     And she was someone she could befriend.

     Brianna gave a sad smile, “If you ever need to talk, I sit in the library during lunch. It’s quiet.”

     Audrey gave a perfectly glossed smile, “Thank you.”

     Now someone knew.

     ~

     Someone knew.

     Audrey’s head was still spinning weeks later.

     Hopefully Brianna wouldn’t tell anyone.

     Audrey would check on her at lunch today.

     Right now she stared at bold lettering.

     The announcement had been posted around the school on many papers this morning.

     The tryouts for the school musical—Cinderella—were on Tuesday. That was about a week from now, after school. 

     The bell rang.

     Audrey neatly folded the small poster and slid it into her backpack.

     She would look at it later.

     With the only other person who knew.

     ~

     Audrey knew.

     Brianna didn’t really know why it mattered.

     She half expected to be called to the office because Audrey told on her.

     But she wouldn’t.

     Would she?

     Audrey walked through the library doors.

     She looked a little uncomfortable, like she wasn’t supposed to be here.

     She was just out of her element.

     Brianna smiled, pushing her glasses up her nose and studied Audrey.

     Mini braids scattered through her golden blonde hair.

     Gold eyeshadow brought out the flecks in her brown eyes.

     Tiny gold hoops dangled from her ears.

     Nails painted pale pink.

     Tens of string and beaded bracelets hung from her wrists.

     Audrey set her gray backpack down on the chair across from Brianna and pulled out a piece of folded paper.

     “Can I join you?” Audrey looked nervous and fidgety.

     “Of course,” Brianna said. “What’s up?”

     Audrey sat down and started to eat her lunch. “I just . . . kind of need a friend.”

     There it was.

     The raw truth.

     Brianna could see it in her eyes.

     “Me too.”

     They smiled at each other.

     They both knew what that felt like.

     ~

     Someone knew.

     Brianna knew.

     Audrey knew.

     That lunch was just the start of a great friendship.

     Brianna confessed what she did to her teacher and she had to serve a few Saturday detentions.

     Audrey dropped her acting and everyone saw the real her.

     They two girls sat together in the library everyday.

     When the day came Audrey tried out for the musical and a few days later she got a call back. When the cast list was posted Audrey saw her name at the top of the list as Cinderella.

     Brianna told her parents why she cheated and how much pressure she felt. They understood and let her study at her own pace. She even signed up for stage crew so she could get a break from school every once in a while.

     Almost a month after that, Audrey’s parents got divorced.

     Audrey cried.

     Brianna cried with her.

     Everyone knew.

     But Audrey had Brianna.

     And Brianna had Audrey.