Chapter Nineteen: Connections:

It came together easily for him. Wallace clicked onto Martin with ease. The lead actor grinned at him.

“Mostly 90’s rock,” he said. “Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and the Clash.” Wallace’s jaw about dropped.

“The Clash?” he asked. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, man,” Martin said. “You too?”

“Why yes!” Wallace said. “Rock the Casbah is my favorite!”

“Dude! That was my anthem in high school!” the lead actor said. His friends had confused looks on their faces. Who the hell was this guy? And why was he here?

“So why this school?” Martin asked.

“Huh?” the country boy asked.

“Why did you want to come to this school?” the lead actor asked. Wallace rubbed the back of his head as he blushed.

“It’s kind of embarrassing, really,” he said.

“Try us,” Martin said. “We all are a bunch of art nerds.” Wallace stood up straight.

“I’m here because of someone I admire,” he said.

“An idol?” another guy in Martin’s group asked.

“You can say that,” the country boy said. He looked around. Professor Liz was nowhere in sight. She must have gotten bored with looking for him. Maybe she could latch onto someone else.

“What’s your major?” Martin asked.

“My major?” Wallace asked. He took a moment to think. “English, I guess.” The guys narrowed their eyes at him.

“What’s your concentration?” a third boy asked.

“I don’t really know,” the country boy said. The group gave him a strange look.

“How do you not know?” a fourth boy asked. Wallace just shrugged with his cup in hand. Martin held up his hand.

“Come on,” he said. “The man is here to have a good time. That’s why we’re here.” The country boy started to perk up. The heavy music pounded through the air around them. Wallace finished his drink.

“What about you?” he asked. Martin raised his eyebrow.

“Why are you at this school?” the country boy asked. The lead actor put his hands on hips and grinned.

“Rebellion,” he said. His friends grinned. Wallace gave him a curious look.

“Your folks don’t want you here?” he asked. Martin shook his head under the flashing colored lights.

“Dad wants me to be a football player,” he said.

“But you don’t like sports?”

“Not really.”

“Hey!” they heard someone shout. The boys looked up to see a girl with long brown hair waving them down. Martin grinned.

“Mia!” he said. The lead actor set down his cup and walked over to the girl. Wallace watched as he pulled her into a hug. She looked like she was giggling against his chest. They walked back to Wallace and the other guys.

“Wallace!” Martin shouted. “This is my girl, Mia. She works in the costume department for the drama club.” The girl with curly brown hair grinned as she chewed gum.

“Sup!” she shouted. Wallace gave her a little wave.

“Hi,” he said. Mia giggled and shrugged her shoulders. The wheels started to turn in Wallace’s head.

“Hey Mia,” he said.

“Hm?” she asked. The country boy stood up straight.

“Do you know a Julia Thatcher?” he asked. There was a pause between the three of them. Mia grinned big enough to show all of her teeth and her gum.

“Yeah, I know her! She’s my history tutor!” she cheered.

“Wait… she tutors?” Wallace asked.

“Yes,” Mia said. “She’s better than some of the professors here. Why? Do you need tutoring too?” Wallace smiled to himself with his empty cup in his hand.

“No, I just know her personally,” he said.

“You do?” Martin asked. Wallace broke into a huge grin.

“Why yes,” he said. “In fact, she’s from my hometown.”