REALLY ✓

5: The Kissing Scene

*

School was finally over for the day, but I still had theater club rehearsals. I was dying to get it over with since I had special plans with Blake tonight.

For today's rehearsals, Judah and I had to stand on the stage as we read our lines. Mrs. Zee and Hallee sat at the director's table in front of the stage, while everyone else watched from the audience seat.

"We can't keep doing this, Jack," I read my script aloud.

"But I'm addicted to you, Rose. You're like my own personal brand of heroin—the fuck, who says stuff like that?" Judah cringed at the script in his hand.

"Edward-fucking-Cullen does. Just stick to the script, Judah!" Hallee yelled through her hands.

"Guys! Language!" Mrs. Zee interrupted.

"Sorry Mrs. Zee," Hallee apologized quickly.

Judah rolled his eyes dramatically as he turned back to me. He took a deep breath and spoke in the most apathetic way possible.

"You're like... my own personal brand of heroin," I could tell he was trying to hold back his laughter.

"I'm sorry Jack, we can't be together. I have to let you go," I spoke tenderly, trying to sound like Kate Winslet in the movies.

"No, stay," his words were so flat. He wasn't even trying at all.

"I can't stay. Goodbye Jack," following the direction on the script, I turned towards the stage exit.

"Wait," he said.

Then suddenly he grabbed my hand and turned me around. His hand gripped the side of my face and he leaned in, about to kiss me.

My hand flew instinctively to his cheek, slapping the life out of him. The sound echoed through the auditorium as everyone gasped in terror. Judah just stared at me with eyes wide open.

"Taya? What's going on, dear?" Mrs. Zee's voice cut through the dead silence.

"He tried to kiss me!"

"Well duh," he said shamelessly.

"Why'd you do that for?!"

"It says it on the script—Jack and Rose kissed," he said, pointing to a part on the script.

"What? No—it doesn't say that on my script,"

"We added that part last week, remember? During the table read? We asked you what you thought of it and you said yes?" Hallee spoke this time.

"I did?" I turned to see everyone in the room nodding unanimously.

Shit on a stick.

"Okay, I think there's just a little misunderstanding here. Everyone let's take five. Judah, come over here, we can get you some ice," Mrs. Zee announced and I let out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Damn Blondie. You like to play it rough, huh?" he said through his teeth, his hand rubbing his jaw as he went over to Mrs. Zee.

"What is going on with you?" Hallee raced over to me, pulling me to the side.

"I was so out of it last week. I didn't remember ever agreeing to this kissing bit,"

"I knew it. You were acting so weird that time,"

"I'm sorry Hals. Isn't it possible if we just don't do the kissing scene?"

"No, we need that scene. It's the climax of the entire show,"