and we scored

Scene 47

NINI

As I'm staring in the makeup mirror in front of me, I start to ask myself how I managed to survive the last few weeks. Ever since Caden and I broke up, my head has always been in-between. Both present and gone. Both trying to smile and crying. It's May now, the opening night of my play, and I still haven't shaken off the feeling.

I take another look in the mirror. Apart from the redness of my hair, I really look like Juliet. Most credit goes to the costume team of course. The dress is beautiful, and it immediately brings one back in her times. My hair has also been braided and now styled to form a tiara. I'm wearing makeup on, to make my cheeks look like I'm blushing. The only sign of the real me are my eyes. And the small-but-there faded red in them. The only proof of the time that went by.

Caden held his promise. He did his best to become the man I deserve. He greeted me every day at school. He waited for me with flowers or sweeties. He was there every time I was out too late rehearsing and brought me takeout, knowing I hadn't eaten. He texted me daily to say he's sorry and to remind me of how much he loves me. As if I could ever forget.

He became exactly the man I have always wished for. Truth is, he has always been that man.

He has always been my Romeo.

But then, there's also that part of me that starts screaming and shouting and breaking my heart all over again. Because he said he wanted to be my Romeo. He said he wanted to be him. But Romeo didn't lie to Juliet. Romeo didn't use Juliet as a fucking deal. Romeo didn't look at Juliet for months telling her how much he loves her, all to be discovered a fake in the end.

Romeo didn't hurt Juliet. Romeo didn't break her.

Caden broke me.

I can feel how tears want to start rolling down my cheeks again so I do the first thing I feel like doing to get my mind off of him. I stand up and walk out of my dressing room. On the way to the stage I meet Nyla, already dressed in her costume. She looks at me and immediately smiles.

"Gorgeous", she mouths and spins me around once. I start to chuckle and smile at her thankfully, saying in return how beautiful she is. Because it's true. She blushes and goes to meet Lance, to discuss something about the lines.

I make my way down the hallway and onto the stage. There, I peek through a hole in the big red curtains. The big theatre our school has rented for the play has already filled itself with people. All seats are taken and everyone is waiting for the show to start. All the guests are wearing fancy clothes, like gala dresses and tuxes. It somehow makes the night feel even more important than I already know it is.

My eyes wonder off to the row of seats I was allowed to reserve for my friends. All seats are taken except for one. I can see all my besties, all dressed amazing. Soph is wearing a beautiful pastel pink dress that is fit for a princess. She has a small diadem like a tiara on her head and some elbow-long gloves in the same color as the dress. There are pearls around her neck, her wrist and hanging from her ears. Next to her, April is also dressed like for a gala. She's wearing a long black dress, red lipstick on her lips. She also has a pearl necklace around her neck and one hanging from each ear. Dia came in a purple satin dress, her hair styled in a bow and two strands left to fall free. She has her headphones around her neck, but hasn't put them on yet. Nessie is in a white long dress, a heart-shaped necklace matching the look. Her black hair is braided in one braid, falling on her right shoulder. The Fab Five is here as well. All wearing tuxes and looking like they just stepped out from a magazine. Although Leo and Mark sitting next to them, all eyes are on the five guys. And I swear I could spot someone take a picture of them. Even if they noticed, they didn't make a scene.

My eyes involuntarily wonder to the empty seat between the Fab Five. Because only four of them showed up. Alec, Adam, Jacob and Noah. Not Caden.

I guess I deserve it. I turned down every single one of his attempts to get back together with me. But on the other side, he knows how important this play is for me. This day. I can't believe he didn't show up.

I look at the seat again, as if I'd like to shout for everyone to stop and wait for Caden to get here, so that we can start the play with him in the audience. A part of me, a part I tried to forget these last few weeks, still wants him there.

I can hear footsteps behind me and I'm eager to turn, hoping it would be him. It's fucked up but true.

However, the moment I turn around, it's not Caden who's waiting there for me. But Lance.

As our eyes meet, I can feel his gaze wondering down my body and then back up. My hips, my waist, my mouth and then my eyes. He swallows hard and then adds, his voice shaking: "We're ready to start."

I nod and want to walk away. Yet he grabs my wrist and says: "He didn't deserve you. Not one bit. I know he said he's your Romeo, but he didn't deserve you."

I can't help but look shocked at him. He tried to flirt with me before, but he never said it so directly. It wakes up a new sort of rage in me. One that makes me want to protect Caden. Although he used me, lied to me, faked our relationship. He is still also the one I wanted to kiss, the one who offered me love and the one who didn't look at me as if I were a nothing. He looked at me like I was his everything.

"We deserved each other", was the only thing I could say.

Lance nods as if he would have already guessed I would say that.

"Break a leg tonight", he adds before walking away.

"You too", I reply, trying to fake a smile. He sees it and offers me a real one in return. He then leaves the stage and goes to prepare on the hallway.

I sneak a last peek at the row with my friends.

The chair is still empty.

And something inside tells me he's not going to come.