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Mrs. Vance had come up with this brilliant idea during our winter break that we would be in a play. Oh, and not just any play, the worst play to watch if you’re not the lead female, which I wasn’t.

“Ok, so does everyone know where to stand? Ok, so we need Romeo over here…Jim, come here, please.” He wasn’t paying attention. He was talking to Karen, his arms crossed at his chest and with a wide grin. When Mrs. Vance called out his name, his eyebrows lifted, and he looked toward her without moving his body.

“Come on, stand over here.”

“Oh, ok,” he smirked at Karen and then walked toward the teacher.

“And Juliet...Karen, come here, dear.” Yes, she was Juliet. Her hair made more sense. It was easier to control and put up in one of those loopy-braided things. Wondering who I was. I was her mom. Yes, I was Lady Capulet.

“Ok, Lord and Lady Capulet, come over here. You’re going to be in the background of the party.”

Roy and I headed to where she was standing. I crossed my arms in front of me, wanting to crawl into a hole under the stage.

“This is so lame,” Roy huffed.

“Oh, yea. I mean, do we look like we could be her parents?” I motioned my head towards Jim and Karen.

“Yea, right? Um, hey, what are you doing after school tomorrow?”

“What? Oh, I don’t know. I was probably going home and work on that history project.”

“The one due next Friday?”

“Yea, I just want to get enough time into it.”

“Wow, Pammy, I didn’t think you’d be that dedicated.” I didn’t bother correcting him.

“Well, yeah, I guess I am.”

“Oh, I just wanted to know if maybe you’d want to..uh get a soda… or something maybe at lunch uh… I can get you a Coke.”

“Oh, ok, um…sure.” This newfound friendship Roy was trying to create was still really weird for me, he stopped pulling my pigtails and pinching my arm, but sometimes I wished he would just go back to that.

The stage was full of us all. This was when Lord and Lady Capulet threw that large bash, and Romeo and his friends crashed the place. When Romeo and Juliet first saw each other, it was horrifying. I tried to stand looking at the back of the stage the whole time so I didn’t have to see them smiling. At least it looked like Roy was in as much pain as I was.

***

Karen did a great job as Juliet, acting like she was in love with Romeo. It was too good of a job.

At this point, I knew they were boyfriend and girlfriend, they held hands when we walked out to the playground, and they sat with each other at lunch but did they need to rub it in?

Jim hardly ever spoke to me, sometimes, I would catch him glancing at me, but he never held eye contact when I noticed.

And now, I get to see it on stage with music and everything, dreadful. 

We came to the end of the play, and she lowered her head down to his mouth, kissing him, hoping for hints of poison. I should’ve had some in my pocket to throw at her. She wasn’t supposed to honestly kiss him. She was supposed to kiss his cheek, but I guess she was taking certain liberties with her role.

 “Oh, come on,” I was surprised to hear Roy whisper, but I held back the laugh that was trying to escape my throat. That was precisely what I was thinking.

She lifted the sword lying next to Romeo’s body and plunged it into her armpit, collapsing onto his body.

“Good, she’s dead. Can we leave now?” Roy was standing beside me on the side of the stage, fidgeting with his fingers.

“I know, huh.” I was just relieved to have someone, anyone, share in my sentiment.

“Bravo, Oh Bravo! That was wonderful, oh yes, so wonderful!” Mrs. Vance stood in the first row, clapping loudly towards the stage, “Please, I hope you’re this great tomorrow night for your parents! Oh, Karen, you were wonderful, just wonderful.”

Karen got up and gave a wide grin, and I saw Jim look up at her and smile with the left corner of his mouth. That used to be my favorite smile. Now it was directed at her, and I hated it.

“Ok, kids, let’s all head to the cafeteria for lunch. That was just wonderful.” Mrs. Vance pointed towards the stage door, and we all filed out.

“So, do you still want to buy me a coke?” I cocked my head at Roy as we walked towards the exit.

“Oh..yea, sure!” He smiled brightly, and I could see his eyes light up.

“Ok, let’s go.” I walked close next to him. Every once in a while, I would bump my shoulder into his arm. He didn’t seem to mind. We walked to the cafeteria silently and sat with each other during the meal.

Maybe Jim being with Karen was going to be alright. I always had Roy.


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