The Fairest Stars

Chapter Twenty Seven: 'Fair and honest.'

However, others weren't so successful. Many people forgot lines, Callum's outfit half dropped off during the balcony scene, earning uproarious laughter from everyone, and a small bow from the now scantily clad Romeo, and several cues were entirely missed as people attempted to pin their costumes on to prevent the same thing from happening to them.

It had been a long, long day, Kael reflected, as the final scene played out. They'd ended up cutting the scene where Paris died, sparing Kael the trials of having to act out his own death twice, and instead had him at the tomb with the parents, as the death of Romeo and Juliet was discovered.

Seeing Isis lie there, perfectly still, fake blood splattered all over her, and what looked like a dagger sticking out of her chest, made his heart wrench inside of him. He couldn't imagine what he would do if this scene was actually real. Even the mere thought of losing Isis was terrible enough; he was too cowardly to think about it properly, instead turning his mind away from the horrible thought.

Then it was over, and Isis got up, a huge smile spreading across her face as she realised that they'd performed it, and they'd performed it well, despite the many mistakes.

Practising how they were all going to bow, Kael shot Isis a look which he hoped told her how proud he was of her. She flushed at the admiration in his eyes, and winked at him.

'Isis!' Lydia said, shaking her head. 'We can't have Juliet winking at Paris! She just killed herself to escape a marriage from him.'

'Oh yes,' Isis recalled. 'Sorry about that.' Turning back to Kael, she gave him an evil glare, and poked her tongue out at him. 'Better?' she asked Lydia.

'It'll do.'

After dropping Isis back that evening, Kael passed the fancy dress shop he'd purchased his wig from, and stopped short. It was a good job that there were no other cars on the road.

Getting out, he saw the wizened old man who had sold them the wig just about to lock up, and raced to his side.

'Sir?' he said, politely.

The man turned. 'You again, eh?' He peered behind him. 'You haven't got the little one today then?'

'No,' Kael said, rather bemused. 'But I was wondering about something.'

'Yes?'

'Well, would you have enough outfits for school play of Romeo and Juliet?' Kael asked. 'We need them for next week, I was wondering if we could hire them?'

The man frowned. 'You'd better come in, laddie.'

Following the shop owner into the well stocked shop, Kael looked around him. There must be enough outfits. There had to be.

'How many will you need?' the man asked, fingering a velvety outfit that would suit Callum rather well. Well, better than that ridiculously decrepit old outfit he'd worn today.

Kael counted up. 'Probably fifteen male outfits,' he said. 'Then a few dresses for the beautiful Juliet, two more for the other ladies... and that should do, I think.'

The man rubbed his chin. 'Hm. Let me go and see.'

Disappearing through a door marked PRIVATE, the man left Kael alone in the shop. Looking around, rather wistfully, Kael wondered if he had enough in his wallet to pay for the hire of all of these outfits. He wasn't sure how much he had on his card, but it should probably do. His spending had dipped right down now that he wasn't buying alcohol almost every weekend for various parties, or buying expensive clothes when they were allowed out into the local town. He much preferred his life now.