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Samuel was on his way to his dressing room when the loud roar of applause from the audience reached him. He blinked in surprise as he hadn’t expected the play to start so soon.
He heard his name across the corridor and turned to see Stacey hasten towards him. He paused and waited patiently for her to reach him. He waited again for her to catch her breath.
‘Are you done with the make-up team?’ she asked after catching her breath.
‘Not really but they have their hands full with the other actors.’
Stacey’s eyes roved quickly over his face. ‘Doesn’t matter, your make-up would be enough. Now hurry, Miss A wants you up front.’
Samuel frowned in confusion. ‘But my first scene isn’t up for a while.’
‘I know but she insists,’ Stacey replied as she flipped through her clipboard.
Samuel nodded. ‘I’ll be there shortly. Anything else?’
‘I don’t know,’ Stacey paused her flipping and frowned. ‘I have the feeling I’m forgetting something.’
‘Something like what?’
Stacey sighed. ‘Who knows? I have so much on my plate right now my mind is a jumbled mess.’
‘Well I’m all good here. Everything is going according to plan so you have nothing to worry about.’
Stacey bit her lip and nodded though she didn’t seem reassured. ‘I’ll leave you to it then. Remember-‘
‘I know,’ Samuel cut her off. ‘Up front in ten minutes.’
‘Five.’
‘Five minutes,’ Samuel amended amusedly. ‘Now go hound someone else and let me get ready. I’ve got this.’
‘You better,’ she muttered threateningly.
Samuel gave her a thumbs-up and she turned to walk away only to walk right into someone.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ the stranger apologised in a soft voice.
Samuel blinked in surprise. ‘Pearl?’
Pearl looked up and smiled at him as she held Stacey’s hand to steady her. ‘Are you alright?’
‘Yes, yes. I’m fine, don’t worry.’
Stacey straightened up and with a grin at them both, she walked away.
Pearl turned to Samuel and beamed at him. ‘Hello, Romeo.’
‘What are you doing here?’ Samuel asked as he pulled her close for a kiss.
‘I came to wish you good luck but then again you don’t need it. You are already amazing on stage.’
Samuel chuckled. ‘Thank you but I would need all the luck I can get. This is my first time performing in front of so many people. And there are cameras!’
Pearl giggled. ‘They are pretty terrifying, aren’t they?’
‘Yes, they are.’ Samuel pouted. ‘Help me.’
‘You don’t need any help.’ She patted his chest comfortingly. ‘You are the bravest person I know. You got this.’
Samuel’s smile dimmed a little. ‘I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as we hoped. I know you wanted us to do this together.’
Pearl shrugged. ‘There would be other plays. The main reason I wanted to do this was to spend more time with you and we can do that after the play at your birthday party. Are you excited about that?’
‘I’m a bit terrified honestly. Your parties have a reputation of being pretty wild.’
Pearl smirked. ‘Of course, otherwise what fun would they be?’
Samuel frowned. ‘Are you really sure you’re okay?’
Pearl kissed him on the lips. ‘Stop worrying. At least, I don’t have to worry about you kissing another girl. They took all the kissing scenes out since it was Jayden so I’m cool. Now go break a leg. Not literally of course, I do love your legs so much. Among other things.’
Samuel shook his head and grinned as he watched Pearl walk away after giving him a suggestive wink. He turned and entered his dressing room, closing the door behind him with a sigh.
He blinked in surprise when he looked on the dressing table and his eyes landed on the neatly wrapped package on it. He walked over and studied the blue bunny printed wrapping paper with furrowed brows as he wondered where it could have come from.
There was a note attached to the gift and he picked it up, reading it carefully.
It’s so strange that you were born on Valentine’s Day but it also seems so right. I wondered what to get you for your birthday but I couldn’t think of anything. Then I remembered what you got me for mine. Do you remember? You dragged me out of the manor and into the woods to give me your gift. It was an art set of all things. I remember how surprised I was that I didn’t know what to make of it. Then you went further and asked me to paint right there. You made me create art for the first time in a long time when I never thought I could again. It seems right you would get my first painting.
You asked me to paint the most beautiful thing I saw and I guess in some way I did. I know we agreed not to talk to each other but I do hope you like it and I just want you to know that I really am sorry and I never thought I would say this but I miss you.
Happy Birthday Samuel.
Best wishes,
Jayden.
Samuel stared down at the note for some time until a sharp knock drew him out of his thoughts.
‘You’re on in five!’
‘Give me a minute,’ Samuel called back. He placed the note down and unwrapped the wrapping paper. He raised the lid from the box and picked up the framed painting that lay inside.
His mouth parted and a breath escaped from his lungs when his eyes fully beheld the painting. He remembered that day in the woods. He had sat down to paint with Jayden after giving him the gift but had gotten distracted and abandoned the painting to play with some bunnies. The last thing he remembered was dozing off on the soft grass and the feeling of soft paws and whiskers on his face.
There he was in the painting. The light streaming down through the leaves in the trees and fallen on the little clearing where he laid. His eyes were close and his face was peaceful as little white bunnies surrounded him with one placing their tiny paws on his face.
The painting was breathtaking, the colours so vivid they seemed to bring it to life and the style was so extraordinary it was clearly the work of a talented artist. He felt a soft smile creep along his face as he raised a finger to trace the outline of the bunnies.
His door opened and a frazzled stagehand appeared. ‘What are you doing? Your scene is up next!’
Samuel reluctantly placed the painting on the table and turned, following the stagehand as he walked out of the room. They rushed through the corridors, barely making it in time.
‘Where were you?’ Miss Alberta hissed as she pulled him forward. ‘You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago!’
‘Sorry, I-‘
‘It doesn’t matter now. You’re up next. You know what to do?’
‘Yes.’ Samuel answered as stagehands descended upon him and prepped him up. ‘Where is Jayden?’
‘Getting ready for his part. We made a few changes to his part so his opening lines would be on the balcony not the feast. He would just walk through that scene.’
‘Can I-‘
‘No time, you’re on now.’
The stagehands parted and Miss Alberta shoved him forward. Samuel walked forward and took a deep breath before he stepped onto the stage. He glanced at the audience and saw Paul sitting in the front rows with his camera. He gave him a smug wave before hitting the record button. Leo and Cam were sitting by him and they gave him a thumbs-up. He smiled at them before turning to focus on his part.
Jayden came out of the side room just as Samuel began his performance. He stood on the wings and watched as he dazzled the audience. He really was a great actor and the audience seemed to love him. Seeing him up there, enjoying himself brought a small smile to Jayden’s lips.
Miss Alberta came to stand beside him. ‘He’s good, isn’t he? So charming and entrancing. I can see why all the girls like him, he’s almost perfect’
‘Not almost,’ Jayden responded with a small smile gracing his lips. ‘He is perfect.’
‘I guess so,’ she turned to him. ‘You ready for your part?’
‘What exactly am I supposed to do again?’
‘Yes right, sorry for the last-minute changes. You are just going to walk across the stage and basically smile and look pretty. Your lines would come in at the balcony scene.’
‘I think I can manage that.’
‘Good, cause you’re on.’
She shoved Jayden towards the stage and a cheer erupted from the audience. He heard several wolf-whistles he was definitely sure were started by Leo. He did as he was asked and just stood there, smiling and looking pretty as the other actors delivered their pieces.
The scene changed and he was ushered back backstage. His clothes were hurriedly changed and Miss Alberta appeared. She was looking tense.
‘That was good. That was a good first start. Everything is going according to plan. Your next scene would be up shortly. You would deliver your opening lines on the balcony etc, etc. Do you remember the words?’
Jayden nodded as the attendants stepped back. Miss Alberta looked at their work appreciatively.
‘Excellent. How do you feel?’
‘Ridiculous.’
‘Nonsense, you look enchanting. Any man would die for you which is what we’re banking on.’
Jayden rolled his eyes as someone came to whisper quickly in Miss Alberta’s ear. She nodded and turned to him. ‘Looks like you’re up. This is it, good luck.’
He was ushered up the makeshift balcony put up on the stage and he took a deep breath before stepping out into the open.
The lights.
That was the first thing he noticed. The lights that lit up the stage blinded his eyes, causing him to blink rapidly as they struggled to adjust to the intensity.
He wished they hadn’t adjusted because as soon as his vision cleared the next thing he noticed was the people. They were numerous black shapes that stretched as far as his eyes could see.
He could feel their eyes, their stares burning on him. When he appeared on stage previously he was surrounded by other actors which had taken a large portion of the attention of him. But now, he stood alone. A solitary figure on the stage and all their attention solely on him.
His skin began to crawl and his breathing became heavy. He was petrified. The knowledge that all their focus was on him, on every action, on every breath caused the words to die in his throat.
The audience sensed something was wrong and began to grow restless. They whispered amongst themselves and a few snickers erupted making it even worse.
‘What’s going on?’ Miss Alberta whispered urgently to Stacey. ‘Why isn’t he doing anything?’
‘I don’t know. Do you think it could be stage fright?’
‘It can’t be stage fright.’ Miss Alberta hissed. ‘He was alright before. Go from behind and get up there, find out what’s wrong and fix it!’
Stacey nodded and scrambled quickly to obey. She climbed to the back of the balcony and whispered urgently at Jayden out of sight from the audience.
Jayden heard her but try as he might he couldn’t move. Even if he could speak he had completely forgotten his lines.
Miss Alberta was in panic mode as she paced backstage. Everything was falling apart despite all her meticulous planning. She had started biting her nails when Samuel appeared.
‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know, stage fright probably. Oh my God, this can’t be happening.’
She started to pull out her hair but Samuel stopped her. ‘I need to go to him.’
‘What? No, you can’t. You are not supposed to go on until later. It could ruin everything.’
Back in the hall, the audience had grown more restless and were muttering loudly now. Cameras began to flash as Leo glanced worriedly at Paul.
‘What do you think happened? What’s wrong with him?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Paul mumbled, his brows furrowing in worry.
‘He just froze all of a sudden,’ Cam added.
Noel began to fret in his seat and he subconsciously grabbed Paul’s hand, causing him to blink and look down in surprise. Noel realized what he had done and immediately let go, muttering an embarrassed apology.
Paul smiled reassuringly and reached out to grasp his hand, holding it gently in his own as he squeezed comfortingly. Noel felt his cheeks burn as he turned his attention back to his friend on stage.
Meanwhile backstage, Miss Alberta was trying to hold Samuel back as he attempted to go on stage.
‘If you go then the whole play could fall apart there must be some other way we can help him.’
Samuel glanced on the stage and gently but firmly removed her grip on him. ‘If there is, there’s no time to figure it out. He’s about to have a panic attack. I need to go now.’
He stepped on stage and walked up towards the balcony. Jayden blinked and looked down as he approached.
‘Jayden,’ Samuel called, keeping his voice low so only the two of them could hear his words. ‘Are you alright?’
‘I think I forgot how to breathe.’
‘It’s okay, we can breathe together. Close your eyes, deep breaths. In, out. In, out. In, out.’
Jayden nodded and did as he was instructed and soon his breathing steadied. He opened his eyes and glanced at the audience but Samuel spoke again.
‘No, don’t look at them. Look at me.’
He moved his eyes away from the audience and locked them on Samuel’s hazel orbs. They were gentle and warm as they looked back at him.
‘It’s alright, I’m here now. Forget about them, it’s only you and me. We’re the ones that matter. We’re the only two people in the world.’
Jayden nodded. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered.
Samuel smiled. ‘It’s okay. I’m sorry too. We were both idiots.’
Jayden cracked a grin at that. ‘But you were the bigger idiot.’
Samuel laughed under his breath. ‘Sure, why not.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t mention it. Do you remember your lines?’
‘Faintly. Good lord, this is embarrassing.’
‘Yes it is but who cares. You’ve never cared about anyone’s opinion anyway, so why start now?’
‘True. Fine, let’s get this nonsense over with it then.’
Samuel beamed brightly and turned his microphone back on, stepping back as he mouthed Jayden’s lines to him. Jayden followed his cue and turned his microphone back on, repeating the lines out loud as his voice slowly grew with confidence.
Soon Samuel didn’t need to repeat the lines to him and his performance enthralled the audience who grew quiet as they watched enraptured as the play progressed from one scene to the other.
‘Art thou gone so? Love, lord, ay, husband, friend! I must hear from thee every day in the hour, for in a minute there are many days: O by this count I shall be much in years. Ere again behold my Romeo!’
‘Farewell! I will omit no opportunity that may convey my greetings, love, to thee.’
As Samuel and Jayden played their parts, they actually felt as if they were really the only two people in the world. No one else seemed to matter as the audience and even the actors on stage with them disappeared into a mist.
They were in their own world which added to the magic and the audience felt that which caused them to grow even more captivated with the performance. The entire auditorium were on the edge of their seats as the action and drama gripped them and when Samuel and Jayden delivered the death scene, they did it so perfectly that there wasn’t a single dry eye in the entire room.
The entire auditorium erupted into thunderous applause when the lights dimmed and the curtain slowly began to descend on the moving image of Juliet lying dead on the body of her beloved.
‘That was amazing! Bloody brilliant! Oh my God, I’m so proud of you both!’ Miss Alberta declared as soon as the curtain had completely descended.
Samuel and Jayden smiled amusedly at each other as she continued her rant. ‘Did you see that Stace? Next stop, Broadway! Then Paris, then London, then Rome… oh the possibilities are endless and it’s all thanks to you two geniuses.’
‘No, no,’ Samuel disagreed with a bow. ‘It’s all because of our brilliant theatre director.’
Miss Alberta giggled, obviously pleased. ‘See, that’s why you made a great Romeo. Now just be sure to mention that during the interviews.’
Stacey smiled apologetically at them as she grabbed Miss Alberta’s hand and began to pull her away. ‘Come on, let’s leave them alone to rest. We need to get you ready for your interviews.’
‘Stop trying to get rid of me Stacey, didn’t you hear? I’m brilliant. And people said I couldn’t pull it off especially with two boys as leads. I would like to see their faces now, I doubt even Shakespeare himself could have produced a play like that…’
Her voice faded away as Stacey dragged her off. Samuel and Jayden glanced at each other and broke out into laughter.
‘That was…’
‘Exhilarating?’ Jayden asked amusedly.
‘Yeah.’ Samuel smiled at him. ‘You were amazing out there.’
Jayden grinned back. ‘Well, you were not so bad yourself. Personally, I thought you were a bit overdramatic but judging from the applause I’m clearly in the minority.’
Samuel placed his hand over his chest in a dramatic gesture. ‘Me? Overdramatic? You wound me.’
‘My point.’
They grinned as they stared at each other, the minutes feeling like seconds as they got lost in each other’s eyes.
‘Samuel I-‘
‘You two get over here, it’s time for the curtain calls.’
Samuel chuckled and stood. ‘Come on, whatever it is you can tell me later.’
Jayden nodded and stood, following him to the edge of the curtain just as the list of the casts was being announced.
‘Samuel Asamoah as Romeo and Jayden Mills as Juliet.’
Samuel squeezed his hand before they both stepped up on the stage again. They were greeted with a thunderous roar as the audience shot to their feet. It was a standing ovation!
Samuel smiled brightly and waved whiles Jayden just placed a small polite smile on his face as they joined the rest of the cast up front.
Flowers flew on stage and landed by their feet as the audience continued to applaud. Cameras flashed brightly and the applause seemed endless.
Miss Alberta sidled up to them and whispered. ‘It is customary for the two lead actors to step up and take a big bow after the call.’
‘Right,’ Samuel nodded. He turned to Jayden. ‘Ready?’
‘Always.’
Clasping each other’s hands, they walked up to the front of the stage and gave a huge bow which caused the applause to grow even louder.
It was a heady experience and as Jayden turned to look at Samuel, the crowd, the lights, the cameras, the applause, it all seemed to vanish. Samuel turned curiously to stare at him and when Samuel’s eyes met his, he knew. He could no longer deny the feeling in his chest.
Jayden stepped closer to Samuel, pausing briefly before crashing his lips onto his, his eyes fluttering close as he locked Samuel’s lips in a passionate kiss.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Who am I?
I’m a fucking… GOD. Hehehe, I know, I know. I’m amazing.
After 48 parts, 43 chapters, 121k words, they finally KISSED!!!
I’m literally screaming right now. And to think y’all had doubts on my ability to captain this ship.
Apology accepted😌.
But….
This doesn’t mean anything. Jayden kissed Samuel, how do you think he would react to this?
Find out in the next chapter, ‘Hidden Truths.‘
I think this chapter deserves a vote, don’t you? Don’t forget to light up that star!
Till we meet again.
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