Courtney and I have made up since our little drunk night debacle. She apologized and said it was the alcohol that. I still felt a little off about her mom, but as long as I never had to deal with Jenny, I'd be just fine. I hadn't seen her since that night and thank god for that cause she scares the ever loving shit out of me.

After my night with Jaxon, I tried to watch out for him on the bus, maybe recreate our first meeting together, but he never seemed to be on there anymore. I learned that the truck Jaxon had been driving that night had been his birthday present. He's just turned 17 at the beginning of January, and this truck was his something.

With the beginning of a new semester, the school had to changeover from their sports era to the arts. Football season was long gone, and music, theater, art was the new cool. I might have accidentally added theater to my schedule for this semester. I tell myself and the people around me that I added it because I love to perform, but deep down I know it's because of a Mr. Theater Geek.

It had been about a week since I'd last talked to Jaxon. I saw him everyday during 5th period for Theater, but he always stayed with his cliche. Theater Arts took place in the auditorium of the school. The large area was filled with seats, holding almost 2000 people. The large stage at the front of the room was beautiful. The wood paneling and lights made it a performers dream.

The teacher was talking about the importance of catching and keeping the attention of your audience while performing to a live audience. Film is different from stage performing.  With movies, you have endless amounts of chances to get it right, to make sure that you're performance is believable. But with theater you've got one chance. One chance to wow the crowd. One chance to make them want more.

"Okay, so since we've discuss the do's and don'ts of stage performance, I would like an example," Mr. Collins scanned the crowd and I shrank back in my seat, dreading his beady eyes that dragged so close to me.

"Skylar!" He points at me and back to the stage of the auditorium. "We haven't seen much of you since you're a freshman. Get up there."

Shit. Why did I add this class? I'm such an idiot. And for what? A guy that'll never notice me?

Shoulders hunched, I slowly make my way to the stage. The bright lights remind me of the time in my life where dance could solve everything. The music overtaking my body and solving every problem I could possibly imagine.

But this wasn't dance class. This was theater. Acting. A completely different ballpark.

I could feel the palms of hands start to sweat as the butterflies in my stomach multiplied. My stomach rolls when I'm finally able to look over the class. I think I'm going to be sick.

"So who would like to help Skylar demonstrate the importance of captivating your audience?"

No one volunteers and the ache in my stomach intensifies. I'm already up here about to have a panic attack, and now no one wants to be my partner? Wow. High school sucks.

"I will," a familiar deep voice echoes throughout the room.

My heart beats faster at his voice and my nerves become frantic for an entirely different reason.

My eyes stay glued to Jaxon as he makes his way up the steps to the stage. His khaki uniform pants mold around him perfectly, making his ass look like the perfect round globes I'd love to just squeeze. Not that I've been looking or anything.

"Hey Red," Jaxon slides next to me while I try to steady my shaking hands.

"Since we are learning about performing, I want you two to read from the classic Romeo and Juliet," Collins hands the two of us a piece of paper.

Romeo and Juliet was one of my favorite plays growing up. My parents would take me at Benaroya Hall for the annual showing. The love between Juliet and her Romeo was something I always aspired to have, and what I thought my parents achieved. Boy, was I wrong.

The part in my hand of course was my favorite. Part where they first meet. Collins printed out the modern version. The originally is just a bit too intricate for us teenagers.

Mr. Collin gives us a few minutes to look over the work. I've known it backwards and forwards for years. I give it a quick once over and place my eyes on my partner.

Jaxon's normally relaxed face disappears. His face is a blank canvas ready to become whoever he needs to be.

"Your hand is like a holy place," Jaxon gently takes my hand in his and he stares at it lovingly. "If you're offended by my touch of hand, my lips are standing here like blushing pilgrims, ready to make things better."

I look in his eyes and heat rises to my cheeks, matching his blushing lips. I recite the words from memory, "You don't give your hand enlighten credit," I glance down at our interlocked hands. "After all, pilgrims touch the hands of statues of saints. Holding one palm against another is like a kiss."

It was like I became Juliet. My heart rate rose as I stared into Jaxon eyes and I spoke the words I'd always known.

We went back and forth, speaking our lines, pouring our heart out with each word. The onlooking students had become dead silent. I glanced over at them at one point and I was thrilled at the sight of most of them leaning forward, waiting for what was next. Romeo and Juliet might be a classic that everyone knew, but Jaxon and I were making it our own.

"Saints don't move," My heart speeds on its on accord, knowing what was coming next. "Though grant for prayers' sake."

"Then don't move.." My brain shuts off as Jaxon speaks the last words.

It was here. The kiss. As soon as I read the scene title I knew it was coming. Jaxon stares at me with complete admiration and he leans forward. I move in with him, our lips only spaces alway from the other.

The slamming of the classroom door rips us apart, breaking our character. Jaxon and I look towards the sound but the bright light shining down on us blinds us from seeing anything.

"Um, hello? Is this the theater arts class?" Courtney's voice echoes throughout the classroom.

Courtney walls forward enough for me to finally see her. Dressed in the shortest skirt I'd ever seen, she struts forward, all attention on her, male and female. Enter a high school may have a dress code but they have never been strict on enforcing it, and it's blatantly clear as I watch Courtney speak to Mr Collins. Her white polo is practically see through, her creamy white skin underneath on display for anyone to see. She wears her favorite push-up bra-not that she needs it- and it makes her breast pop through the top of her shirt. Cleavage. A guy's favorite but worst enemy.

I glance over at Jaxon and I feel a twinge of disappointment. Just like all the others, his eyes are latched onto my best friend and her body. My shoulders fold inward, knowing that my moment in the spotlight and with Jaxon is over.

I can faintly hear Mr. Collins felling Courtney about what we were doing today and her eyes light up at the sound. She looks up at the stage, first at me but then quickly move over to Jaxon and stay.

"Mr. Collins, that sounds absolutely amazing. I would love to try," Courtney announces, her eyes still attached to Jaxon next to me.

Collins looks at Courtney skeptically but eventually he lets her give it a try. She skips her way up to the auditorium, tits bouncing with each step. She walks straight past me, snatching the script from my hands and immediately saddles up next to Jaxon. My eyes bounce between the two of them. My best friend and my crush. They talk quietly to each other, discussing the scene more than likely and I make my way back to my seat.

The two of them start the scene as soon as I sit down. Courtney stays attached to Jaxon with every step and word. The two performance couldn't be anymore different. Whereas I made the scene more innocent, meaningful, Courtney was all sex. Every word that fell from her mouth was sexual and insinuating.

So many emotions tangled inside me. Anger. Hurt. Confusion. Watching the two of them drool over each other was too unbearable.

The kissing scene is next and I watch as Jaxon and Courtney lean in, but thankfully like my performance they were interrupted.

"ALRIGHT!" Mr. Collins yells. I can see a slight flush in his cheeks and he seems very uncomfortable. "Great job everyone. Let's just take our seats and continue with the lesson."

Jaxon and Courtney stay on stage for a moment, whispering to one another. Every second they stay up there I feel another stab in my back. I know it was acting, but shit it hurt.

When Jaxon and Courtney finally separate, I expected her to go take a seat next to Jaxon, but instead she comes to me. Taking the empty spot beside me, I'm shocked. With how she was acting earlier, I'm surprised she even acknowledged I was here.

For the rest of the period, Courtney stayed glued to her phone. While I was taking notes, she was steadliy typing and giggling at her phone. Curiosity reared it's ugly head. I wanted - needed - to see who she was texting.
I finally gain the courage to glance over at her screen. You know what they say, curiousity kulled the cat, and boy dying sure did hurt.

At the top of her screen flashed the name I hoped was just an imagination.

Jaxon. She was texting Jaxon.