The acting department is always buzzing with energy, even in the late afternoon. Students dart through the hallway with script pages in hand, rehearsing lines under their breath or bursting into impromptu performances. I sidestep a dramatic scene happening near the stairwell and keep walking until I reach Julia's department.
The minute I step into the shared cafeteria between the acting and musical theatre majors, I feel the shift. Voices carry louder, emotions run higher, and everything smells like hairspray and cheap perfume. I scan the room, trying not to draw attention, but that doesn't work for long.
Someone from a table near the vending machine leans over and whispers to their friend. A pair of eyes flick toward me. Then another.
"Hey—are you that person Felix tagged yesterday?"
I pause mid-step. A guy with bleached hair and a glittery water bottle is staring at me with open curiosity.
