The Best Friend Equation

Chapter 20 - Lights, Camera... Wait, what?!

I stared down at the excerpt of the script in my hand. I was also very aware of Luke who was as still as a rock next to me. Everyone had gotten their parts and there was a dull roar as the students started chatting.

"Um, do you want to discuss the scene?" I asked nervously.

He looked up at me, blinking. "I – uh." Then his eyes dropped down at the script again for a minute. When he looked back at me, his eyes were careful and intent. "I think we should wing it."

"Wing it? Are you crazy?" I whisper-shouted. "I'm freaking out over here!"

"Doll." He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "It's going to be okay. Remember the extra cred for your college resume? Besides," he said, tilting his head and smiling in reassurance, "I'm right here with you."

That did give me a smidge bit of courage. Problem was that along with him, there were like thirty other students. Not to mention, Ms. Martins. What if she thinks I'm horrible and refuses to give me even a participation certificate? What if the others laugh at me? Oh, they're definitely going to laugh at me.

Luke was watching me carefully as if he could hear everything I was thinking and knew that I was this close to hyperventilating. "Aria," he muttered, his face solemn. "Can you keep your focus on me?"

My mouth dried as I stared at him. My gaze traced every line of his face. His eyebrows. His fringe of hair that fell on his forehead. His straight nose. The small cleft in his chin. His strong jaw. His lips. The shadow of stubble on his cheeks. His green, green eyes.

Then I lost my train of thought. "Are you okay?" Luke asked, frowning with concern.

"I—."

"Okay, class. Time's up," Ms. Martin interrupted, beaming at all of us. "All of you please sit back until I announce your and your partner's name. Once you're called, I'll check your script and give you some suggestions. Other than that, you're free to act out the part in your own way. Again, this is just a fun exercise so there's no need to worry!"

Yeah, as fun as a heart attack, I thought in gloom.

"Alright, so for our first pair we have..." she said, briefly consulting her clipboard. Then I almost did have a heart attack, because she said— "Aria and Luke!"

Next to me, Luke swore softly. "What are the odds?" he muttered, scoffing sarcastically.

One in thirty by two, my panicked brain answered immediately, so something like six percent.

I stood on numb legs and followed Luke to the middle of the circle. Breathe, Aria. Just breathe.

"Great!" Ms. Martin clapped the tips of her fingers in a dainty fashion. "Let's see what you got." She stretched out her arm towards me and I handed her the script. "Ooo!" she squealed excitedly. "This is one of my absolute favorites! From the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice."

She turned to Luke. "I don't want to assume but I think you're going to play Mr. Darcy, right?"

"Definitely."

"Wonderful! Now in this scene, Mr. Darcy has just saved Elizabeth's family from ruin and only Lizzie knows about it. They are both madly in love with each other and even though until now his higher status had kept him from pursuing her, he can bear it no more. He had proposed to her before and she had rejected him. But now things have changed. So, you need to show that yearning and desire in your acting." She giggled. "I know that being friends you probably would find this incredibly awkward but that's what acting is about. For about ten minutes, you need to pretend that you're in love with each other. Can you do that?"