THE DAY OF THE MUSICAL

I tapped my foot against the tiled floor as we waited for class to start. Tonight. That was when the school's musical was set to premiere. Romeo and Juliet. Starring Cowboy and myself. I'm still surprised I even got a major part, let alone the lead.

Most of my friends were in the production, except Maya, who I wouldn't expect to be. The rebellious blonde was the type of girl who would be cheering us on and laughing at us from the audience. Yup, classic Hart.

Riley, Farkle, and Zay were all in the play. Farkle had wanted to play Pippin, but since they weren't doing that he'd settled for a slightly higher role than Spear Carrier #1, which he had played in seventh grade. This time around he was playing Friar Laurence. Maya had found it absolutely hilarious that Lucas's last name matched the character's.

Riley had been cast as the narrator, while Zay had been cast in the genius's old role of Spear Carrier #1.

There was one scene Lucas and I hadn't rehearsed yet. We had every other line and every tune down, but this last scene was too big to rehearse. We'd agreed we just had to wait until showtime. To wait for the kiss scene.

Farkle glared at Lucas with a smile, when we'd found out about it.

"You know what? Kiss her, but just remember," he out his arm around my shoulder, "She's mine." I had to admit, seeing Farkle jealous was kind of... adorable. Like a little puppy barking. I rubbed his back.

"Don't worry Farkle, it's just Cowboy," I cringed, "At least it's not Zay." to which the dark-skinned boy giggled and made kissy faces before Maya smacked the back of his cranium.

I shook my head and laughed slightly, remembering the ordeal, as Matthews finally decided to show up for class, writing one simple word on the board: Shakespeare.

I sighed, rolling the bottom edge of my pencil with the pink eraser across my desktop, "Of course... it just had to be Shakespeare."

"Of Course, he's Mr. Matthews," Lucas chuckled, "Would you expect anything else of him?"

"Not really," I grinned before looking back in my desk at the history teacher.

Cory pressed his palms together as he stood before the class, "A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hamlet. Taming the Shrew," he glanced between Lucas and me, "Romeo and Juliet. These are just a few of the dozens of classics that all came from the brain of one man. William Shakespeare," he pointed at Farkle.

"Born in 1564, he died in 1616 a legend," Farkle replied.

"Tragedy, loss, heartache, these were all the things he focused on." he pointed at his daughter.

"He made us fall in love," Riley sighed happily, "Ah I love love!"

"Riles it's just a bunch of romance trying to make us go-" Maya made kissy faces before rolling her eyes.

"It's mostly a big facade," I nodded, "He makes us hope for them. He makes us root for them only to in the end... BAM!"

"Why bam? What bam?! I don't like the bam," she crossed her arms as if she was a little child who'd just lost their favorite purple cat.

"Wel... BAM!" Zay smirked.

"What does bam mean?" Riley asked looking at her father.

He sighed, "Tragedy: we all love it, we just don't realize it."

"Why does it have to be that way, Daddy?"

"Because Riley, you either have happily ever after-"

"or you're dead!" Zay shouted.

I rolled my eyes, "Or maybe life is just fine. Maybe there are more options than just la-de-da and BAM!"

"Well what other options could there be?" Maya asked with a flick of her hand.

"What if there's another person," Cowboy piped up from behind her, "What if the difference between happily ever after and," he gagged, pretending to be dead, before returning to his normal seated stance, "What if you can have more than those two things, with more than one person?"

I looked at him for a moment, tilting my head, "For once, the Lucas Friar has stumped me."

"No Cowboy?" he raised an eyebrow. I paused, before shaking my head and shrugging.

"You stumped me, thought it deserved your proper name," I replied simply.

"Well thank you for that," he tipped an invisible cowboy hat, "Ma'am." the blonde next to me rolled her eyes.

"Oh shut it Bucky McBoing Boing," she said before turning back to the front of the class towards Mr. Matthews, "I'm only gonna say this once in my life, so listen, good Matthews, can you please get on with the lesson."

The teacher stared at her before wearing a serious look on his face, "Alright everyone under your desks right now it's the end of the world. Ms. Maya Penelope Hart actually want's to learn something!" he shouted, "From me!"

"Of all people," I chuckled. Maya smirked before shrugging.

"It's only because I don't wanna have to hear you and Huckleberry's bickering."

"Will it ever stop?" Riley asked glancing between Lucas and I.

I looked over at Lucas for a moment before grinning, "Never! It's just too much fun!"

15 MINUTES TO SHOWTIME

I looked over the song list one last time and bit my lip nervously.

Romeo and Juliet: The Musical Playlist

If I Die Young: The Narrator (Riley Matthews), originally sung by The Band Perry

Hideaway: Juliet (Idina Jennings), originally sung by Daya

Everything Has Changed: Romeo and Juliet (Lucas Friar and Idina Jennings), originally sung by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran

Had Me At Hello: Romeo and Juliet (Lucas Friar and Idina Jennings), originally sung by Luke Benward and Olivia Holt

Marry Me: Romeo (Lucas Friar), originally sung by Train

Fight Song: Juliet (Idina Jennings), originally sung by Rachel Platten

Everything Is Gonna Be All Right: Friar Laurence (Farkle Minkus), originally sung by Corey Fogelmanis

Stitches: Idina Jennings (Juliet), originally sung by Shawn Mendes

Say Something: Romeo (Lucas Friar), originally sung by A Great Big World

Love Story: Juliet (Idina Jennings), originally sung by Taylor Swift

Not About Angels: Ensemble, originally sung by Birdy

I smiled, all the songs, knowing every line, every word, every melody, every harmony of each. They are all amazing songs separately but come together in this production to make a masterpiece. Ms. Williams sure did do a good job with selecting the song list to coincide almost perfectly with the play.

I peeked my head slightly to the side of the curtain. It was an almost packed house, an almost packed audience. I smiled softly, seeing Maya and Isadora sitting in the front row next to the Matthews and of course their curly-haired son, Auggie. Maya was of course there to cheer us on, and Isadora was there to cheer us on as well... more specifically the dark-skinned spear carrier.

I swiftly closed the barely opened curtain and smoothed out my already almost perfect costume. A dark maroonish-purple long sleeved undershirt divides a coral dress from my body. My costume also provides an assortment of jewelry and Grecian sandals, topped with a single red rose placed in my brown curly locks.

As we got in our positions I looked over to Farkle for a moment, who nodded at me, letting me know I would be alright. My starting position was on the other side of the stage opposite of him. Riley stood in the middle of the stage, ready to sing the first song of the production: a solo, the introduction and opening to the musical.

ACT ONE

The brunette narrator squeaked slightly as the lights dimmed, moments later the curtains rose. She closed her eyes before they opened as did her mouth in sync with them.

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song...

As people always do, they clapped after each song. Riley grinned one of her wonderfully big goofy grins before the rest of the musical went on.

The party scene was happening, when Romeo and Juliet were supposed to first meet. Lucas went on before me, he was a great actor I had to say. He looked around as if he were looking for something he was missing, and that person's cue was just a few moments after his. The music for the next song started to play as I started singing my solo from offstage as we rehearsed.

Boys seem to like the girls who laugh at anything
The ones who get undressed before the second date
Girls seem to like the boys who don't appreciate
All the money and the time that it takes
To be fly as a mother
Got my both eyes out for Mr. Right
Guessing I just don't know where to find 'em
But I hope they all come out tonight

I kept singing as I entered the stage, a spotlight on me. Lucas's blue eyes hit mine, locking in a deep stare through our masks to keep our identities hidden. As the dance and song continued my voice traveled around the room, looping to the audience.

I curtsied to him, "I bid you a due, kind Sire." he bowed to me, taking my hand and kissing it.

"The pleasure is all mine, M'lady, might I see behind your mask, to know what lies behind those eyes that do enchant?" he spoke in rhymes.

"Only if thy shall reveal himself first." his hands slowly moved to the back of his mask, pulling it off slowly. My hands reached to the back of my head, unlacing mine just as slowly as he did. As if in sync the identities of Romeo and Juliet were revealed, cueing the start of the next song.

All I knew this morning when I woke
Is that I know something now, know something now I didn't before
And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago is green eyes and freckles
And your smile in the back of my mind making me feel like
I just want to know you better, know you better, know you better now
I just want to know you, know you, know you...

As our hands interlocked we belted out the rest of the duet, as our characters truly understood the term of 'love at first sight'.

"I cannot stay I'm sorry Romeo," I replied, before scurrying offstage as the lights dimmed.

A few moments later they opened on the setting of a balcony, where Juliet, myself, now stood. Romeo stood, looking up at me.

"Juliet, I know I was not the only one who felt the spark, who feels the way I do, about you and I," he said pleadingly.

"But what about our parents? What about our names? I'm a Capulet, who could never be with a Montague," I sighed sadly. There was quiet before the band started playing the next ballad, another duet between Lucas and I, where I began the first verse.

I can feel you comin' from a mile away
My pulse stops racing from the words that you say
And you say so many of them like you don't have a clue
That I'm signed, sealed delivered with a stamp on...

Romeo shook his head after the song, climbing the balcony and staring at me, before pulling me down to the grassy ground with him. He knelt down on one knee.

"I cannot live without you Juliet," he said with a small smile, I could hear the tan boy's natural country accent slightly coming out, but it fit for some reason as he began to sing a solo.

Forever can never be long enough for me
Feel like I've had long enough with you
Forget the world now we won't let them see
But there's one thing left to do...

He put a small grass loop on my finger, which represented a wedding ring, and we embraced in a hug as Act 1 ended.

INTERMISSION

As I sat backstage, drinking my water bottle and running through my lines in my head for Act 2, Farkle came over to me with one hand behind his back. I tilted my head.

"Hey Farkle, shouldn't you be getting in your position for the second half's opening?"

"I should, but first I had to do this," he said sitting next to me before staring forward; he looked back at me with a small smile, "Idina I am absolutely crazily head-over-heels in love with you... and you will always be my Juliet," he said quietly, before pulling a small thing from his closed hand, letting his palm open for me to see what was hidden inside.

The scent enchanted me as I leaned forward with a grin across my lips, "Lillies? You know their my favorite Farkle."

"Which is why I made this ring for you," he smiled, "Because no matter how rich I may be, I know no amount of money can buy your love." I shook my head.

"You don't need to make me anything, or spend anything, or be anything but yourself. The only thing that can buy my love is you being yourself," I said quietly. He smiled, slipping the small ring on my index finger, it leaned against the 'best friends forever' rings that sat on my middle finger from Riley and Maya.

The pixie blonde teacher, Ms. Williams hurried around backstage, "Alright places people!" she whisper-shouted. I stood, quickly going to my position on the stage. Lucas peeked his head over my shoulder.

"New accessory I see," he smirked. I rolled my eyes and nudged him.

"Oh be quiet Romeo."

"You know you love me, Juliet."

"In your dreams, Cowboy," was the last thing I said before the band started to play the intro.

ACT TWO

My next big solo was up, I stared at Brandon, who played Count Paris, with deadly eyes.

"Thou may have my hand, but he shall never have my heart," I scoffed. Everyone froze in place, as the lights flicked off, only leaving a single spotlight on me.

Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion...

As I sat on the small bench, looking depressed and desperate, Farkle as his character came over to comfort me. The Friar Laurence played by the geeky boy spoke his lines before handing the lovesick girl, played by me, a vile of a sleeping potion, before his solo song began.

How can you make it through?

Every day it's like them against you, no move.

But you gotta hold on, and you gotta hold tight

And you gotta take every day the way that it comes.

'Cause if you can hold on if you can hold tight,

Then I'm telling you that everything will work out,

You'll find your way and everything's gonna be all right...

He smiled at me as he finished the last note, and I could practically feel my heart melting, the remains of it seeping out of my chest... but I had to remember, I was Juliet, and Farkle couldn't be my Romeo... not in this production.

I laid down on the single silver rectangular object in the middle of the stage. I opened the 'potion', before closing my eyes as I began to sing once more, this time, the song was a full-on acoustic, just a guitar and my larynx to guide the audience.

I thought that I've been hurt before
But no one's ever left me quite this sore
Your words cut deeper than a knife
Now I need someone to breathe me back to life...

As I finished the song I lay back. I could hear footsteps, but my eyes were closed. I knew what happened next, we'd rehearsed it a million times... but never one part of the scene, the one part we'd agreed had to wait until the night of it, tonight.

Lucas came, seeing my 'dead body' and crying next to it.

"Juliet, my fairest, my love, my life, I should have never left you," he whispered. I could feel his face getting closer to mine. Something was weird, though. He'd had to fake cry for the part, seeing Romeo's true love dead, but somehow, I felt a single tear slip onto my neck. I could just tell, it wasn't fake, it wasn't just acting... and I don't know why.

That's when his lips pressed against mine as I was deep in thought. My eyes were still shut, my body still limp. They were soft, sweet, almost like caramel. My stomach churned.

I'd only ever kissed Lucas once, back in Texas, under the lights of the million stars and the dimming campfire. Then I'd run off. So why, did this time, feel different? Why did something feel so... different?

As Lucas released from the few seconds of the kiss I felt his blue eyes staring into my shut lids which hid my brown irises. As his hand gently touched my cheek I heard a piano start to play. He lied down next to me on the cold metal, and him, softly begin to sing.

Say something, I'm giving up on you
I'll be the one if you want me to
Anywhere, I would've followed you
Say something, I'm giving up on you...

As the last, quiet note, barely above a whisper ended, the small vile was slipped out of my fingertips as 'Romeo' took the poison. Once I could feel his body limp next to mine, I slowly awoke.

My face lit up, as Juliet's did, seeing her true love next to her, until I grimaced, realizing he was dead, something I knew all along, but my character knew none of. I wept, leaning down to him, and cupping his face in my small hands.

We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, "Hello, "
Little did I know...

As the song ended 'Juliet' noticed the knife strapped to Romeo's side. She took it carefully, before plunging it and laying next to him. I weakly smiled before closing my eyes and going limp for the final time.

The lights dimmed, before the rest of the cast slowly made their way onto the stage as the final song played. Since Romeo and Juliet were dead, the fellow Texan lying next to me and I would not be singing.

We know full well there's just time
So is it wrong to toss this line?
If your heart was full of love
Could you give it up?'Cause what about, what about angels?
They will come, they will go, make us special...

As the rest of the ensemble sang the song I felt fingertips gradually touch mine. They moved like a snake, slowly, and then all at once. I couldn't look to Lucas, but I knew he was doing it. The only question I wondered was why?

The song ended with the final dimming of the lights and the audience's roars, Maya's and Isadora's being some of the loudest. Lucas's and my hand immediately parted ways within less than a second, as if nothing had ever happened.

We both stood, taking our positions for the curtain call. After the call I turned, looking for Farkle, but instead running into Lucas, who being taller than I, picked me up and twirled me in a hug. I giggled.

"Put me down Romeo!" I laughed.

He chuckled, putting me down lightly, "Alrighty Juliet, you were amazing tonight," he grinned brightly.

"As were you," I smiled, biting my lip, before repeating, "As were you..." that was the last thing I said to him before I saw the chestnut haired genius and our friends walking over to us.

"That was... wow," Farkle said as we walked over with the biggest smile upon his lips. He pecked my cheek and handed me white lilies. I looked down at the ring on my index finger, then back up at him with a small sigh. But, all I could think about was the possibility that I might have feelings for my best friend.