It was Monday. Oddey had mixed emotions after the damaged set, being told by Courtney in front of her crush, and in the meantime, she had to face the music by talking to Madame Vestia.

There was a costume check since she was also playing the extra. It was just a headpiece, to be exact, not the outfit. "I'm so so sorry about the balcony," she apologized hard to the professor while her hair was being styled for the play. "I should've checked what I did..."

"Ms. Empirio, it's alright," Madame Vestia replied, and to the art student's surprise, she did not seem mad about it too. "Mistakes happen. Let's just be glad that you did not get hurt."

"Sorry again, Mrs. Vestia."

"Listen. Don't beat yourself up. I know you didn't mean it. So now, just focus on how to fix it, and don't forget to discuss it with me."

Oddey felt a little bit better than Madame Vestia and did not get as angry as she expected, but still guilty that it happened. "I will. Thank you."

"No problem, Madame Empirio."

Once the forgiving professor got back to work, the girl looked at herself in the vanity mirror at the backstage dressing room. "That was close," she sighed in relief.

"Don't stress. It's over," said the stylist as she placed some pastel tiny fabric flowers on her dark wavy bob hair that was let down with some gold chains hanging around her forehead like she was wearing a flower crown. "Look at that, what do you think?"

Oddey admired her reflection in the mirror. "I love it. Great job."

"This is for the townsfolk, wait til you see what I did for the Juliet. I just wish you were the one that's wearing it. It looks better on you."

"Stooop. She's still Juliet."

Gage arrived in time in the auditorium and went straight backstage. He was about to be with some of the actors but then instantly spotted Oddey, still wearing the headpiece, because a few female casts wanted to check it out and also gave her a compliment.

The Romeo decided to go to her first when the girls were called to rehearse their parts on stage. That was when Oddey turned his way and saw him with her wavy hair swaying elegantly. "Gage."

"Hi!" He said to her, then pointed at the headpiece. "What's that?"

"Costume check."

"Oh. Uhm... sorry about Courtney yesterday."

"It's okay, it's my fault anyway," Oddey admitted. "I already talked about it to Madame Vestia."

"What did she say?"

"Well, she didn't get mad, but told me to talk to her about the solution before making it."

"Cool, that everything turned out fine. If you want, I can help you," Gage offered.

"Uhmm..." she stammered and gave it a brief thought about it. "Sure, I think I need the help I could get."

"Great." He then gazed at this girl with the headpiece on her.

Oddey noticed how he was just staring at her, so she touched her cheek. "Is there something in my face?"

Gage returned to reality. "Nothing, it's just that... that looks great on you."

The Oddey's cheek got red and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Really? Thanks."

They just looked at each other, but the moment had to be interrupted when they heard hands clapping. "People, people! rehearsal time!" Madame Vestia told her actors loudly. "Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio, we need you here on stage. NOW."

The guy turned to Oddey. "I'll see you later?"

"Definitely," she answered with a sweet smile across her face.

After about an hour of practicing Romeo misses Rosaline while talking about it with his cousin and close friend, Benvolio while Oddey tries to think of how to fix her problem.

When the part was over, the professor felt satisfied with it. "Brava, gentlemen," she complimented. "Now onwards to the next scene. Juliet! Juliet?" Then she noticed that the actress was not around. "Where in the world for art thou is Juliet? She should be here."

"She's talking with our Theology Prof right now," Gage answered. "It might take a while."

"Hmm... maybe letting them students participate in the play while they are having problems with their grades is a bad idea," Madame Vestia mumbled to herself because the stress was getting to her. "Alright. Understudy!"

"She's not feeling well," said one student.

"Oh dear me, of all the people who are not here," the professor exasperated. "We have to work on this today. The rehearsal must go on!"

"How? Both of our Juliets are not here," asked the assistant director.

The club coordinator had to think fast. She looked away to do that and then saw Oddey working with her team. "I got it now. Ms. Empirio, can you come here, please?"

The young artist stopped what she was doing and went to Madame Vestia. She went to the professor, "Yes?" she said.

"Well, my Juliets are not here, so can you be our Juliet for the time being?" Madame Vestia quipped, which stunned Oddey. "We need to start working on this scene today."

The girl was reluctant at first, having to dance with her crush, even for just a short time, but seeing her favorite professor looking so desperate. "Okay, sure."

Gage was relieved to hear that from the stage. "Oh! thank you," Madame Vestia expressed. "We are in Act One Scene Five. This will be doing this dance scene for the Masquerade Ball scene. Don't worry, it's simple."

"Got it."

Oddey went up the stage with the assistant directors, who stood beside her for guidance. "Gage, stand here. And Odette, go over there first until I tell you to come," she instructed them.

The two happened to lock eyes and somehow communicated through it. The Romeo did not mind at all to have the substitute Juliet with him. Although tense since she was not the actress, Oddey felt the same way about the situation.

"Montague boys are already in the masquerade ball. Everyone is dancing. Romeo is wandering around while he is mopping about Rosaline until Juliet appears dancing. She's beautiful and graceful being in that. This is where the love at first sight happens to Romeo, and he swoops in to get to her. Okay, let's begin!"

The assistant director and a choreographer taught Odette the dance when the guys recited their line for the scene. She would do a simple waltz from one guy to another. Fortunately, the set designer was about to catch up with the steps.

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear. Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So, it shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows," Gage said his lines and could feel the emotions from every word from it. Seeing this girl dancing gracefully on the stage was so real to him.

"Okay, Romeo, go to your Juliet," Madame Vestia directed him. The guy danced his way from one girl to the next one. After that, he got to Oddey, and they stood there face-to-face, waiting for the next instruction. "Now that you're both here. You got her. That's when you, Romeo, get your chance to be with Juliet and in your mind. Wow, here she is right in front of me, the prettiest girl in the ballroom."

Some of the members that were directing along with Madame Vestia were teaching a couple of the dance steps when Romeo got to Juliet. The two were side-to-side facing the opposite way. Their hands were raised with their palms touching as they were going in circles. There was no music, just the director's assistant counting their steps, though the two were looking at one another while they slowed dance.

"Beautiful. Now, stop and just look at each other first," the professor said, and that was what the two did. "I am loving this chemistry already. Let's proceed with the next part."

Gage took Oddey's hand, and they both pulled in closer, then pulled out. Next, he swung her around further to him, and then she twirled back to Gage so that her back was turned to him like he was embracing her.

So very close that the Romeo could smell her perfume scent, while the fill-in Juliet savored the moment to be wrapped around him, and felt his warmth from his hand and his chest that she could rest her head on forever. Nothing was more splendid than being with each other like that. It felt sweet, safe, and right.

After that, Oddey shifted to him once more so that she had both hands on his shoulder because she was told to, and then Gage put his by her waist. "Hmm... maybe go closer," an assistant director was just showing Oddey what to do by moving her though it was more of an accidental strong push that she got off balance and collided with him that their lips nearly touched. "Oops, sorry."

It was awkward. The two could not utter a word they just gazed at each other and smiled, finding comfort in each other's touch.

"I'm here! I'm here! sorry, I'm late," Courtney suddenly burst through the doors rushing towards the stage where Oddey separated herself from Gage.

"It's fine, go warm up. Everyone, let's take a five-minute break, and let's go from the top," Madame Vestia commanded. "Thank you for your time, Odette. You can go back to work now."

"No problem, glad I can help," Oddey replied and went backstage to continue working on the set.

Gage was confounded that it was over, "Hey!" Courtney popped up in front of him.

"Hey," he said to her in a less enthusiastic tone, and his eyes were staring at Oddey and then back at Courtney.

"Is it hard?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean the dance, is it hard?"

"No, not really."

"Okay, cool." But Courtney noticed that Gage glanced over to Oddey.

"So, did you meet her Dad in the exhibit?" she blurted bluntly since she remembered hearing the girl she loathed, saying them coming out of her own mouth.

The guy darted his head to her with this strange look on his face. "Huh? Her Dad?"

"Yeah, apparently her Dad is the CEO of Magnum Tradings. You didn't know that?"

"No, because that's not possible."

Courtney was puzzled to hear that. "What? Why not?"

"Because Oddey's Dad is dead," Gage answered.

"He's dead? Did she tell you that? That can't be true."

"Are you sure it was her?"

His best friend began feeling frustrated that he did not believe. "Yes. I swear." Not long after, Courtney had this expression of realization that she could use it to her advantage. "I saw it too with my own eyes. She and Rita were talking about it."

Gage looked towards the art student while she was talking to her crew, and a seed of doubt struck him about her identity. As much as possible, he did not want to believe that this girl was capable of being a liar.

Though the architect major instantly knew that if what Courtney was saying was true, then it could mean that Oddey was being untruthful towards him in his face, but also the fact that the girl could be the daughter of his father's enemy.

However, he shook it off, then said to his best friend he knew his whole life, "No, that's not possible."

"You don't believe me?" Courtney scoffed and began feeling mad.

"No, it's not like that. I'm just saying that. Maybe you heard it wrong." Afterward, Gage walked away after being called by Madame Vestia.

The upset actress got even more upset that he waved her off just like that, so she turned towards Oddey. "Or maybe she's lying to you," she muttered to herself.