Early in the morning, Oddey walked out to the campus garden while listening to her favorite song with her headphones on until Gage emerged in front of her, "Hey," he greeted.

"Oh, hey," Oddey said back and took off the headphones.

"Where are you going at this early?"

"My first class starts in two hours, so I'm just gonna go have breakfast in Usagi."

"By the way, I tried to find you yesterday after the audition. Where'd you go?"

The young artist couldn't tell him the truth that she didn't like seeing him hugging his female best friend, "I... uhm... was with Rita, she wanted to go out and wanted me to go with her," she lied.

"The thing is, I was about to ask you to celebrate," he told her.

"Oh, sorry."

"It's cool, I am about to ask you maybe you want to celebrate now in Usagi. I haven't had my breakfast either. My treat, what do you say?"

Oddey was taken aback, "yeah," she nodded. "I like that."

"Let's go." The two headed to the cafe together.

Once they got there and after ordering their breakfast, they waited by having their drinks first. Oddey took a big sip of her beloved beverage in the cafe, "Nothing like a warm cream macha to start my day," she expressed.

Gage could not help but snicker quietly at how she slurped her drink. "Is that your favorite?"

"Yup."

"Ahem... So now that I got the part, are you still up for helping me rehearse my lines?"

The girl was taken aback that he still wanted to work closely with her. "Oh, uhm... as long as you buy me my frappuccino," she kidded. "Nah, I'm just kidding. Yes, I'm up for it, Romeo."

Gage chuckled, "Very funny," he replied in a sarcastic tone

"So how does it feel like now that you're Romeo?" Oddey asked.

"I don't know, to be honest, I have mixed feelings because one part of me is freaking out, and the other part of me is like, wow, I'm Romeo."

"I get it, so congrats for getting it, you and Courtney."

"Thanks."

"I bet Courtney is thrilled."

"Yeah, very, this is also her first time playing lead here in Carm U. You can say she's been waiting for this moment since last year when we were freshmen."

"Yeah, I can imagine. Good for her, and it's great that she proved that she's deserving the role of Juliet."

"Right," Gage choked because he was not sure how he felt about himself and Courtney being in a historical romance play of the century. "Me and her. To be honest with you, it's gonna be hard and awkward."

"How?"

"I mean... okay, had it been another girl, it would've been twice as hard for me. So I guess Courtney being Juliet is... cool because it's... her."

"Yup." Oddey comprehended by just nodding her head because she saw his point.

"It's gonna be a long two months of rehearsing. Plus, I have this diorama to build for this exhibition for architect majors."

"Oh! for the internship thing."

"Yes, that. It's why I didn't want to be in the play in the first place, I got a lot on my plate."

"I think some people just underestimate the workload of an architect student."

"That's so true."

"Yeah, that's what they thought too about fine arts students. I mean, if they think it's so easy, why don't they take it?"

"Bring it in." Gage put it up for a high-five, and Oddey gave it to him, and then they laughed it off. "Well, I'm here, so I had to stick with it."

"It'll be over before you know it. The theatre club seems fun anyway that you hardly even think. You got this."

"That's true, and thanks." Gage smiled at her.

"Well, thank you for treating me to breakfast," she told him and then giggled after that with their food already being served to them.

----

Hours after the students' classes, the theatre club's actors began rehearsing, and the others were building the set. Oddey and Gage were doing two different things in one place.

"Alright, people! Gather around," Madame Vestia said loudly by clapping her hands. "I want to thank the volunteers for signing up and taking the time to be here helping us and now that we have the actors, extras, costume designers, tech people, and the backdrop crew. We have about two months to make this play that Carm U can be proud of and glue our audience in their seats. Let's do this!"

Oddey and her helpers were going to start on the work on the set. There were boxes, materials, and tools needed that arrived in the auditorium. The students lifted those boxes to the stage even though Oddey had to be carrying one.

It was a little heavy, but she could manage, though it was a struggle that Gage couldn't help but go to her. However, Courtney was there, and smoke was coming out from her ears.

"Here. I'll help you," he offered by beginning to lift the container.

"No, it's okay, I got this," Oddey assured him.

"No, come on. Let me help."

"But Gage, you heard her. She got this," Courtney interjected, then she turned to Oddey, but she was still talking to Gage. "One of the rules once you get the lead is that you don't need to lift a finger."

Oddey just kept quiet and tried not to look affected. "Court, I'm just lending a hand," Gage replied.

"But you don't have to. Our only job is to rehearse."

"Gage, it's fine, she's right anyway, and there are plenty of people here I can ask for help," Oddey told him. Then another guy came and gave her a hand anyway and went with him to the stage as they carried the box.

"Come on, you are not in props anymore, and we have a lot of work to do." Courtney pulled him away.

"Alright. Alright," the frustrated guy responded.

The rest of their time, the two stars of the play were practicing the first part of the scene and Madame Vestia was directing other actors on what to do while Oddey worked with the other members of the club. "Our first scene will be the brawl in the street of Verona, so first up will be Benvolio and Tybalt in a fray, and then Prince Escalus comes in to stop the fight," the professor instructed the actors.

"In a fray? what does that mean?" Courtney questioned as she and Gage were at the audience scene to read their script.

"Fighting," Gage answered. "I'm surprised you didn't know after begging me to stay in the meeting to watch the documentary of Shakespearean words and terms and their meanings."

"Well, it's a good thing you paid attention then."

"Apparently, someone has to," he mumbled, and from his tone, Courtney decided not to talk and just kept reading her lines.

Once the session ended, the art major talked to her crew and was about to leave the auditorium. "Thanks, guys. We can fix that edge tomorrow,"  she said to them. "Anyway, I have to get to class. See ya, guys."

Gage watched her walk away, so he went after her. "Hey, hold on."

Oddey stopped and turned to him. "What's up?" she asked.

"Listen, I'm sorry about Courtney, she's... no filter," he apologized.

"It's nothing, I know what's that like, but that's okay. She is right. My job is to do the set and you to rehearse."

"Yeah, I guess I got used to being a prop and set crew that I tend to lend a hand."

Oddey giggled a little from that. "No worries," she said. "So how's the rehearsing?"

"For now, it's okay, but this is just day one, so I'm waiting for the worst to come til the tragedy strikes."

"Wow, I can see your enthusiasm."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to unload."

"It's cool. I understand."

"Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow for... you know."

"Yeah, you too," Oddey replied to him with a gentle smile on her face, then turned around and left while Gage just watched her walk to the elevator and then went back inside the auditorium.

Courtney went to Gage since she heard what he and Oddey were talking about, "What are you guys doing tomorrow?" she quipped.

"She's just gonna help me practice," Gage told her.

"Well, I could do that with you, I mean, from the characters we are playing, we should at least work closely."

"Yeah, but how could you do that when you are working on your grade at the same time?"

"But..."

"Court... it's okay, Oddey can help me while you focus on your studies."

"But she's in props," Courtney argued.

"Well, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't get the part," Gage defended. "Which reminds me, shouldn't you thank her?"

"Huh?

"You said that if I got the part of Romeo, you'll thank her."

Courtney got quiet yet bitter that he was right that if it wasn't for Oddey, Gage wouldn't get the role that she wanted him to play, "okay, you got me there," she responded. "Let's just get out of here, I have an essay to finish anyway."

Gage just rolled his eyes and shook his head at his best friend's indenialness. "Fine."

----

In the girls' dorm, the two best friends were having dinner in their dorm eating instant ramen. "This is good, but remind me to save money for real food," Rita said, then slurped a noodle into her mouth.

"It's not so bad, at least we got something to eat," Oddey replied.

Her bestie dragged a noodle with her plastic fork with slight disgust. "Still. Instant noodles are not very healthy to eat. We should get something organic."

"Maybe if you stop buying the latest trends every time you get paid. At least you got away from spending your niece's birthday budget money."

"Ugh... you should keep me blindfolded at every shop we pass by."

"Will do."

"So, how was the first day of working in the theatre club?" Rita asked.

"It's okay, I get along with the other set crew and the actors too," Oddey answered.

"That's good, so it didn't bother you that Gage and Courtney are playing lovers?"

The young artist pouted. "Hmm... just a little. Courtney kept rubbing in that she's Juliet."

"Ugh... she is such a bitch."

"Gage said that this is the first time she gets the lead."

"No wonder, I mean her head is getting bigger just the idea of it," Rita scoffed. "But I don't think that's the only reason why she's so cocky."

Oddey tilted her head in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Because Gage is Romeo. Pfft... she thinks that she can mark her territory by making him the leading man of the play. She is so pathetic thinking that she could get Gage that way."

The love-lorn girl sighed. "I think she planned this to a tee, but it's not like it matters."

"You're right, it's not like he's into her or anything."

"But they are best friends."

"Yeah... and ?" her gal pal's brow raised.

"I'm just saying that they're tight. Gage seems to cherish their friendship. We both know that he doesn't want to be in the play, but Courtney made him."

"There's nothing to worry about. It's not like they can just magically fall in love on stage," Rita assured her.

"I know, but I shouldn't even be falling for him," Oddey moaned.

"Well... you can't fight your feelings, bestie."

"It's not like I can try."

However, her best friend decided not to say anything since she disagreed with that idea and just continued eating her instant ramen.