Chapter 5: The First Rehearsal Disaster
1024 Words
Cole:
This was a joke.
No—this was worse than a joke.
This was a goddamn nightmare.
I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to walk out of the theater entirely as I stood in the center of the stage, staring at her.
Juliette Warner.
The girl I was supposed to be in love with.
The girl I was supposed to touch.
The girl I was supposed to kiss.
It was supposed to be Candice.
A sharp pulse of irritation shot through me. This was exactly why I never agreed to anything outside of football. Candice had dared me to join this play, saying it’d be easy, that I’d get an easy A, that I’d get to make out with her, a hot theater chick, under the stage lights.
That was the only reason I agreed.
Then I found out she was the lead.
And now I was trapped.
Juliette shifted awkwardly in front of me, fidgeting with the edges of her script, avoiding my eyes. Good. At least we were on the same page—neither of us wanted this.
"Kingston," Professor Langley’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Are you paying attention?"
I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders back. "Yeah, yeah. I’m listening."
Langley let out a dramatic sigh. "Alright. Let’s take it from Romeo’s confession. This is a huge moment, people! Intensity! Desire! Passion!" He clapped his hands. "Juliette, step forward."
She swallowed hard and did as she was told, moving closer to the edge of the stage.
I didn’t move.
"Kingston," Langley barked. "Follow her."
I clenched my jaw, but I took a slow step forward, dragging my feet like a condemned man marching to his execution.
Juliette stiffened. Like she could feel my irritation rolling off of me.
"Closer," Langley instructed.
I stayed exactly where I was.
Langley groaned. "Closer, Kingston. Romeo doesn’t love Juliet from across the damn stage."
My teeth ground together, but I took another reluctant step forward, stopping just a few inches away from her.
The air between us felt weird.
Uncomfortable.
Tense.
I hated it.
"Good," Langley muttered. "Now, take her hand."
I blinked. What?
Juliette froze, too.
Langley waved impatiently. "Come on, Kingston. Take her hand!"
I hesitated.
This is ridiculous.
But Langley wasn’t letting this go, and I already knew that if I argued, I’d be stuck here even longer.
So I did it.
I reached out, grabbing her hand—
Except I barely touched her.
My fingers hovered just over her skin, like if I actually made contact, the whole damn building might burst into flames.
Langley groaned. "Kingston, what is this? Take. Her. Hand."
My jaw ticked.
I didn’t want to.
But I did.
I wrapped my fingers around hers, forcing myself not to react to how warm her skin was, how soft it felt.
It was nothing.
It meant nothing.
Langley hummed approvingly. "Better. Now, look at her."
I didn’t move.
"Kingston," Langley said again, voice laced with impatience. "Look at her."
I clenched my jaw but finally, finally, forced myself to do it.
I turned my head.
And met her eyes.
Everything felt different.
I didn’t know why.
She was the same girl. The same awkward, quiet, out-of-place girl that I had no business standing this close to.
And yet, for one brief second, something flickered in the space between us.
I didn’t like it.
It felt too real.
Too close.
Like maybe—for a moment—she wasn’t just some girl who didn’t belong here.
Maybe she was… something else.
The thought made my stomach twist.
No. Stop that.
I ripped my hand away, stepping back so fast it was borderline rude.
Langley groaned dramatically. "Kingston! What the hell?"
I couldn’t do this.
I needed air.
"Can we take a break?" I muttered, already moving off the stage before anyone could answer.
I heard Langley sigh in frustration, but I didn’t care.
I needed to get my head on straight.
I was halfway through pacing the empty hallway outside the theater when someone cleared their throat behind me.
I turned and—of course—it was Maddox.
The last person I wanted to see right now.
He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, that stupid smirk on his face like he was enjoying every second of this.
"Well," he drawled, "that was painful to watch."
I scowled. "Get lost, Hayes."
He ignored me, stepping forward with his signature cocky swagger. "You’re really struggling with this, huh?"
I didn’t answer.
Maddox let out a low chuckle. "Never thought I’d see the great Cole Kingston get his ass handed to him by a theater script."
I rolled my eyes. "I’m not struggling."
Maddox’s grin widened. "Oh? Could’ve fooled me. You looked like you’d rather be thrown into a live football game without pads than stand within five feet of Jules."
"Don’t call her that," I snapped before I could stop myself.
Maddox raised an eyebrow, amused. "Why? Does it bother you?"
I glared at him. "No. I just don’t want you acting like this is some kind of joke."
"That’s funny, ‘cause I’m pretty sure you’re the only one treating it like a joke."
I clenched my fists. "Screw off, Maddox."
He chuckled again, backing away. "Relax, man. I’m just saying—if you’re gonna keep acting like this, maybe you should quit. Give the role to someone else."
I stiffened.
I knew what he was doing.
He was **baiting me.
And it was working.
I had never backed out of anything in my life. I wasn’t about to start now.
Especially not because of him.
So, without another word, I turned and stormed back into the theater.
Maddox’s low laughter followed me all the way inside.
I hated him.
But what I hated even more?
That for the first time, I wasn’t sure if the thing pissing me off the most was Maddox… or myself.
Because when I got back on that stage, and Juliette’s eyes flicked toward mine?
That weird flicker of something was still there.
And I had no idea what the hell to do about it.
- Writer
