OLIVIA

My costume was a cream Renaissance silk gown with a green laced corset. I could hardly breathe because of how tight it was, but my waist had never looked so snatched. It looked fake.

I was nervous. I was more than nervous. I felt like I was seconds away from passing out. My classmates had already begun their performances, but Colby and I had decided to go in the middle, right after Bella.

I still haven't seen him. I somehow escaped him all day. Maybe he was giving me space. I didn't realize how much my world revolved around this man. I constantly think about him.

It's usually little things. Like Colby's usually at Finance at this time. Colby's at practice, then.

I used the excuse of being nervous not to have to talk to Bella and Sadie about my feelings. There's plenty of other time for that. Honestly, I felt fine about the play. It's just the getting on the stage and beginning to speak part that freaks me out. Once I get going, I'll be fine.

I just have to fake it for at least two more hours, and then I can go back to being grumpy and sad.

I combed my fingers through my curled hair, staring at myself in the dressing room mirror. I hardly recognized myself. I looked different. I never imagined myself playing dress-up as a character from the 1500s.

I brushed my thumb over the cover page of the script. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. This was really fucking tragic. Both endings of this play turned out horrible. I lost Romeo twice. In the play and in real life. Tragic.

There was a knock on the door. Huffing, I got up and opened the door, preparing it to be Sadie. She did a good job pretending to be Romeo. She also put in a lot of effort, making Romeo seem above and beyond.

It was not her.

It was Romeo. Juliet's knight in shining armor. Literally. He wore a knight costume that looked so... real. A sword was peeking through behind his head, strapped to his back. He looked hot. Like seriously so hot.

He looked just like Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie but with curly blonde hair.

He stared at me as I stared at him. We were both too stunned to speak.

He finally cleared his throat; his face was full of curiosity and desire. He was probably curious as to why I hadn't slammed the door in his face, and I must have looked as good as I thought he did.

"You look beautiful," he says, gripping onto the sides of the door frame.

My lips curve upward, "So do you." Damn it! I already fucking caved into him. He truly looked too damn good in the costume. He should think about becoming a knight. He should keep the costume after this.

He pushed a hand out towards me, and in it was a red rose. My eyes threatened to water as I plucked it from his fingers. "Thank you."

We say nothing for a moment as we continue to stare at each other. I'm glad he is keeping his distance because I want to do anything else to him right now.

To Romeo. Not Colby. Colby didn't exist right now. He wouldn't until later.

My anger and depression dissolved inside me, making room for the knight.

"You ready to get this shit done?"

I laugh, "Yeah. I'm so excited to dump that script in the garbage the second we're done."

One of our classmates walks down the hall, "Showtime, you two!" She chirps.

My stomach drops, and I suddenly am not ready to get this shit done. I swallow hard as we look at each other. I snatch the script off the table, "let's go."

We walk side by side down the hall, his palm resting on my back. His touch felt nice. It was calming. I wanted it to be the opposite.

Just pretend. Just pretend for a little longer.

We walk up to the side stage where Bella and her partner are finishing their play, a reenactment of Hamlet. I almost choke when I peek around the curtain and see the crowd. It was full of the entire football and baseball team.

I turn to look at Colby wide-eyed. "What?" He asks, concerned. I point to the crowd, and he goes to peek his head around the curtain. He huffs, "I am going to fucking kill Crawford."

The theatre was otherwise packed, no doubt people hearing that the star Wake Forest baseball pitcher is in a play.

The curtain closed, and Bella walked back to where we stood, smiling ear to ear. "That was actually so fun."

I stare at her dumbfounded. She's got to be kidding me. "I bet."

She looks between the two of us, "Well, break a leg." She squeezes my shoulder as she walks past, leaving us alone.

Colby takes my hand, and I almost yanked it from his grip. But then I remember. Romeo. Romeo. Romeo. He leads us onto the stage, where we both take our positions slightly across the room from each other, where Romeo first sees Juliet at the party, and it's love at first sight.

I take a deep breath, staring at Colby from across the room. The curtain rips open, and he starts speaking. I'm in a trance as he begins speaking in Shakespearean, which I still don't understand. He's speaking of Juliet so highly, and I am falling down Colby's rabbit hole once again.

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

For a moment, I forget it's a play. The emotion is too strong. His gaze on me while he speaks has me on fire.

My heart beat quicker the closer we got to each other until there was no distance between us, and we both declared our love for each other. I mean, Romeo and Juliet declare their love.

I almost fold when his hand grazes my jaw, and his lips brush against mine. I almost press myself against him and take him on the damn stage.

His lips somehow taste even sweeter than usual. Is it my desire making them taste better?

The tension. It's unbearable. Can the audience feel it? I haven't even once glanced at whoever was out there. I couldn't tell you who was where. My eyes haven't left Colby's the entire time.

My breathing gets deeper as we speak to each other in the language of love. We fight through all the hate, ignore our families, and choose each other.

Suddenly, I'm taking the sleeping drug, and Romeo takes the poison. When I wake, I mourn Romeo. I feel how I feel right now. The emotions seep out of me as I mourn this man who broke my heart, and therefore I must break mine too.

I stab myself with the fake dagger before flinging myself onto Romeo's limp body. The curtains slam shut, and the crowd applauds. They begin to whoop and holler for Jonesy, and I can't help but smile.

Colby helped me off the floor, and we headed back to the dressing room before we spoke.

The tension is loud when he closes the door behind him. Is it sexual tension? Or is it the fact I'm supposed to be mad at him right now?

He grins at me as he walks towards me. My heart pounds in my chest as I stand frozen, wondering what he is doing.

He slowly moves as he looks for a sign to stop. I don't give him one.

He snakes his arms around my waist before pulling me close to him and lifting me. I gasp as I quickly wrap my arms around his neck as he begins to spin me around. I grin back at him.

Our faces are inches apart as he stops. "We're finally done with this stupid shit."

"Thank goodness."

He places me back on the ground, but I don't let go. Instead, I pull him towards me again and kiss him.

I don't even know what overpowered me. It's a habit.

I pull away, still shocked. "I-" I stutter, letting go of him, unsure what to say to explain my actions.

I'm still mad at him.

He doesn't let me go, though. He rests his forehead against mine, "Fuck, Liv. I'm so sorry."

Tears brim my eyes. I swallow hard. "I- I don't want to fight tonight," I say, the tiredness in my voice coming out of me. "Can we just talk tomorrow?"

He lets go of me, takes a step back, and nods. "I have a game tomorrow. Afterwards?" I forgot he had scrimmages this weekend.

I nod, a tear spilling from my eye. I hate being so fucking weak.

His face is unreadable when he reaches his hand out, wiping away the tear with his thumb. He presses his lips to my hair before backing away completely. "Have a good night, Angel."

With that, Colby leaves me alone in the dressing room, more tears falling after his departure.