my lovely followers and readers,

finally I post the next chapter. I am sorry that I took longer than usual. I just am still adapting to life in the UK. I am excited to find out what you think about this chapter and make sure to read until the end. Something very unexpected will happen which make the whole story turn around. I did not plan for this to happen, it just did. So make really sure to read the WHOLE chapter. The picture shows Jasmeet's clothes after the incident and Shawn and Enzo. What do you think about her outfit? Do you like it?

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Courage is found in unlikely places. - J. R. R. Tolkien

Shawn's POV:

It always bothered me that she had a person with whom she could talk about everything. Despite being close with Enzo, it was not like that, I could come to him with everything. Another issue was that as a young man it was hard to show the true emotions and feelings. Everyone expected boys to be strong and composed. Being emotional made you automatically a weakling in the eyes of society. Back to Jasmeet, having a friend who was always there, made her also invulnerable when I insulted her. He was always there to catch, console or calm her down. This made her careless about my insults and assaults; in a way, she was immune to them. I knew that today she was vulnerable.

When I saw her walking alone to her locker, I could not help but feel a little bit sorry for her as I noticed Nathalie approaching her. Nathalie, I hated her guts. Last night I heard about the rumor that Nathalie declared war with Jasmeet. She was a desperate girl who just wanted to get into my pants. Surprisingly I did not want those girls right now, a thing that never happened before. She threw me a seductive glance and I rolled my eyes; she didn't get that I just rejected her yesterday and that I had no interest in her.
"Dude, she does not accept that you do not like her!" told me Enzo who stood beside me and watched the scene. It was good that we made up yesterday, I just could not be angry for too long with him. "Yeah, she does not get it. I really can not stand her!" I replied him. He chuckled and watched that Nathalie walked in direction of Jasmeet.
"Shawn, we have to do something! She is all alone today!" said Enzo. "Enzo, please I have no interest in helping this girl. She ist just an annoying know it all!" I told him in a stern manner. I could see that my answer did not satisfy him. However, I just ignored this and I opened my locker to retrieve my books for the first period.

Suddenly a loud scream startled me; I turned around and could not believe it. Jasmeet's clothes were very wet and after looking more carefully, I realized that it was green tea with milk. This time she really went too far; Enzo wanted to run in her direction but I held him back.
"Shawn, she needs someone to defend her!" he tried to convince me. I indicated with my head a clear no and surprisingly he remained next to me. Everyone was watching Jasmeet very carefully as they were curious, how she would react. It also interested me how she would handle this situation. A look at my classmates showed me that everyone held their breath. Aryan was also standing nearby, but he did not do anything to my amazement.

Then a strong and firm voice said: "Nathalie Moore, now you really went too far! I mean are you that insecure that you cannot handle the rejection of a guy and cannot see that you are nothing more than a small insect!" Everyone gasped visible and audibly. The owner of that voice was Jasmeet who spoke up. Despite being trenched, she seemed confident and unaffected that the Queen Bee just poured green tea with milk over her. Nathalie's face showed her clear surprise, not expecting her victim to say something. The girl was apparently much braver and courageously, as everyone including me reacted shocked. Without waiting for Nathalie to respond, she walked with her head held up high in direction of her car. "Why is she going to her car?" voiced Enzo my question. I had no idea why she went to her car. Was she going home or would she come back? I was really curious how she would react. 

Twenty minutes or so after the first period started, a soft knock on the door interrupted the teaching of the English teacher. After the teacher said yes, Jasmeet strolled casually into the room. Apparently, she changed into clean clothes and her freshly washed hair she wore in a pulled up bun. "Mate, this girl is really something else!" chuckled Enzo into my ear, who was clearly impressed by her braveness. I agreed with a nod and watched her sit down in the seat in front of me, as this was the only one vacant. She seemed really courageous and was not discouraged very easily. Despite crying yesterday she made the appearance of being calm and composed. Most of the girls whom Nathalie tortured were not as brave as she was. I decided to annoy her and started to poke her with my pencil. At first, she just ignored my attempt to irritate her. Out of the sudden, she turned around and fixitated me with a sharp glance out of her brown beautiful eyes. Hang on, beautiful eyes. I shook my head in disbelief and attempted to get this horrible thought of my head. I could not think that Jasmeet was anything near attractive. Wait; didn't this was the reason why I wanted to be friends with her in the first place? What was happening to me? Was I becoming soft towards this girl?

A quiet whisper pulled me out my thoughts: "What is wrong with you, Bradley? Why are you poking me?" I just replied her in a soft voice:"Well, Kaur. You are one to change fast in clean clothes very fast. Why did you come back? Didn't you feel offended or humiliated?" Jasmeet just began to chuckle inaudibly: "Bradley, you forgot that I am a proud Indian, even a Punjabi girl. We are fearless like lion. So Nathalie's act did not affect me so much!" I wanted to respond to her; however; Enzo who observed us motioned us to be quiet. Something was suspicious, they exchanged few glances and I could not help but feel that something was about to happen between these two. There was evident tension there, I was positive about this now.

The class passed quickly and as soon as the bell rang, everyone sprinted out the room except Enzo, Jasmeet and me. "Enzo and Jasmeet, I want you to two stay behind!" said the teacher in a strict voice. The two nodded and I just walked out of the room throwing a last glance at these two. About what she wanted to talk about, I thought to myself. This was weird as there was no assignment announced. I did not want to eavesdrop their conversation and headed to my locker to get my books for my most hated period, Physics. I noticed that Aryan stayed behind and waited for his best friend. It seemed like that they were on speaking terms again.

Enzo's POV:

"Enzo and Jasmeet, I want you to stay behind! I have to discuss something with you!" Mrs. Stevenson told the girl whom I was trying to avoid and me. We both nodded and she continued to speak: "Well, we have a problem with the play this year. We are planning to produce a piece of Shakespeare. The only thing is that Miss Moore's academic performance prevent her from joining this year. And the male lead showed us also his disinterest in this year's production so I am asking you two to fill in. While presenting some poems and topics you showed that you two have a clear talent for theatre! There is also no need to audition for this piece as well. You are already the lead!"

I was speechless; Jasmeet and I should play the lead in the piece performed this year? Why did she choose us? This had to be a dream! It could not be real that the two of us had to play the lead in a dramatic play.
I interjected: "Mrs. Stevenson, as you are well aware I cannot possibly join the theatre club. I am not even part of it. I have soccer practice and have to attend those! Therefore I have no time to engage in this project." The brown eyes of my teacher observed me carefully and replied me: "Miss Kaur and Mr. Enzo, the choice is final and I am sure that both of you want an excellent recommendation letter from me so I suggest that you come after class to the audition hall! I will explain all the details to you then!"

After saying this, she dismissed us and we stared at each other in disbelief. "I don't want to do this!" said Jasmeet when we walked out of the room. Did our teacher just bribe us with a good recommendation letter for the university? I could not believe it. The universe really hated me, I was never ever going to play with Jasmeet in a play together. Moreover, I had no talent in playing or performing.

Suddenly she stopped walking when she saw her best friend watiting for her. She motioned me with her head to walk to the next class and to give them privacy. I shot a nod in her direction  and thought about what was to come while strolling to my next period. Jasmeet and I in a play. I didn't even know which play it was. Why didn't she tell us this? It was evident for me that the knowledge of the name of the play would not heighten our excitement.  I did not follow the recent developments of the threatre club so I had no clue which drama they wanted to show this year.I had never liked performing in front of a crowd and since I was a soccer player it was clear that this was not the field in which I was very good in. I was more the sporty type, not the dramatic one.

After all periods finished,I headed towards the auditorium and saw a piece of paper attached to the pinwallof the theatre club showing the whole cast of the play. There it stood black on white, that Jasmeet and I were thelead for the play Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet, something screamed in me. I hated this play, I could not believe my luck. I groaned audible and asked myself, why Mrs. Stevenson did choose this play.

I had to kiss Jasmeet, the girl my best friend hated and the one who messed with my head. This could not happen! Why did we have to play in one of the most romantic plays ever written? We were for sure not compatible and I was positive that we would not make a good couple as we had no chemistry at all. I did not know then that I was so wrong thinking this. The events which were about to happen would make me question everything I thought I knew. I could not anticipate the way this play would change my whole life and my friendships. In this moment I just knew that I hated my teacher and that I did not want to participate in this horrible play. Nevertheless, I pushed the doors open and entered the room in which drama happened.

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so what do you think now? Jasmeet and Enzo in a play? this can only mean that they will eventually fall for each other or what do you think? I am really excited to find out what you think about this chapter. It was really unexpected and I did not plan for this to happen.

so please let me know in the comments section what you think. I can assure you the next chapter will focus more on Jasmeet and Aryan again. Promise!!!

Love

Sarah He.