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Cassio breaks our kiss with a deep chuckle. “Oh please, you and Ellie have made me endure more vomit-inducing makeout sessions than I could possibly make up for in a lifetime. Bianka and I owe you at least one.”
He smiles down at me and winks–his signature move that makes butterflies come to life in my stomach. But he doesn’t lean in for another kiss. Instead, he brushes the pad of his thumb lightly across my lips, letting it settle at the corner as he peers into my eyes.
“Good night, my beautiful songbird.”
His fingers leave me, and I fight to stay on my own two feet as he and Lucca make their way across the room. They climb through the open window and out onto the fire escape once more. I’m rewarded with one more brilliant smile before Cassio’s face vanishes into the night.
And then I’m left in sudden quiet as I take a second to process what just happened.
“So, I take it you two are getting along again?” Ellie jokes lightly.
I release a breathy laugh and turn to find my friend grinning broadly.
“I expect to hear all the juicy details, including what in the hell Cassio could have said to make you change your mind so completely.”
“I guess it’s a good thing we’re having a sleepover, then, isn’t it?” I ask. Because I’m going to need a good long conversation with my friend about the night’s turn of events and how Cassio and I will possibly make this work moving forward.
8
CASSIO
“Everyone pair up–male-female to the best of your abilities. I know we have a few more ladies than gentlemen, so any pairs with two women will have to decide who’s going to play Romeo for our exercise today,” Professor Burgmann says as he paces along the front of our Dramatization and Emotional Acting classroom.
I glance toward Bianka as Ellie flashes her a mischievous grin and then shoves Bianka lightly in my direction. I don’t claim to be an exceptional performer like Bianka is, but I find pretending to be at odds with Bianka a fun challenge. Still, all I want to do is kiss her again, which makes this a lot harder.
But we both agreed that at least until she graduates, it’s better to keep our relationship under the radar because my father has such a hand in the arts department. And if he finds out that we’re together, Bianka could end up banned from Rosehill. I could never forgive myself for that.
So, as other students pair up quickly, seeking out their friends and comfortable partners, Bianka and I drag our feet toward each other.
“I guess you’ll have to do,” I drawl, stopping in front of Bianka and raising my voice just enough to carry across the room to Hannah Fiore, the daughter of my father’s consigliere. She’s the one most likely to rat on us, so our performance in class will have to be as convincing as whatever we might be able to achieve on stage.
Bianka rolls her eyes in an exaggerated fashion, performing the disgruntled princess act with well-practiced precision. “Oh, please. Like you’re having to sacrifice quality by running lines withme? Pay attention. You might actually learn something,” she shoots back, crossing her arms.
I struggle to keep my smile under wraps until Hannah’s watchful eye shifts away, her partner pulling her attention from us; then I wink, unable to resist giving Bianka a small sign that the banter is all in good fun. The way she bites the soft, full pad of her lower lip in response makes me jealous of her teeth.
“Quiet down!” Professor Burgmann calls as the noise level rises with everyone paired up. “Pass these around,” he adds, handing several stacks of printed booklets to the students nearest him. “We’re running lines for a particularly poignant emotional scene today, one I’m sure you’ve all heard of before.”
Glancing down at the names running along the left side of the page, I’m immediately confident that it’sRomeo and Juliet. They’re all over the page. It’s clearly going to be a romantic scene, a perfect opportunity for me to spend time with Bianka without being too blatant about it.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since our conversation this weekend, and I’m still working on how to make our date happen. But since the moment she pulled me to her and kissed me, I can’t seem to think of anything else.
And as I skim the lines Romeo has in this scene, I realize it’s incredibly fitting to our situation. It’s Romeo’s confession of love to Juliet, and the best part–this means I get to touch Bianka. Technically, the stage directions for this script say we’re supposed to kiss before the end of the scene, but I doubt I can get away with that much and not draw suspicion. I’ll have to take what I can get.
“Spread out, everyone. Find a spot far enough from other partners, so you’re not influencing each other’s scenes. Take a few minutes to familiarize yourselves with your parts, and then begin your run-throughs. I want you to practice everything we’ve covered over the past week–facial expression, emotional evocation. Dig deep, people,” Professor Burgmann instructs. “Oh, and as a little extra motivation, consider this an informal first audition to this fall’s play becauseRomeo and Julietis what you’ll be putting on for this semester’s production!”
Bianka gasps beside me, and when I glance down at her, excitement dances across her face.
“I love this play. It’s one of my favorites,” she whispers up at me, seeming to forget we’re supposed to dislike each other in her moment of elation.”
“This one?” I ask skeptically. “But everyone dies in the end.”
Bianka laughs, then catches herself and straightens her face as best she can. “Yeah, but it’s about two lovers defying their families to stand up for what they believe in. To follow their hearts.”
It strikes home as I realize she could easily be talking about us. Our families don’t want us together. We’re attempting a secret relationship to be together. But if that’s supposed to make me feel better about my decision to be near Bianka, it doesn’t. As I said, everyone dies in the end.
Is that what my choice will lead to?I mean, I’m not dumb enough to poison myself–I don’t think–but what if my desire to be near Bianka ends up hurting her in the end?
I can’t think like that. Sure, our families might both be far bloodier than either the Montegues or the Capulets, but when push comes to shove, neither of them wants war. And I’m not messing around with Bianka. What I feel is real, and I will do whatever it takes to protect her from harm. Even if my father is her greatest threat.
