Page 39 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

I push off the wall. “That’s not true. What happened in PE was an accident. I already told her I didn’t mean to throw the ball at her. I was aiming at someone else.”

Mia scoffs as she folds her arms over her chest. “Right. I’m sure. If you think for one second I’m giving up the role of Scarlett—”

“I don’t want you to give up the role!”

“Yes, you do!”

“Kids, kids.” Tori massages her temples. “Please stop.” She drops her hands and regards us with a stern expression. “I don’t know what happened at PE and frankly, I don’t care. When you come to rehearsal, I expect you to behave like professionals and get the work done. Understood?”

Mia points at me. “But he’s—”

“I don’t want to hear any excuses, Mia. You weren’t up to par at yesterday’s rehearsal and now the two of you are slowing the rest of us down. It can’t happen again. I don’t care how you do it, but fix this mess. All right?”

“How?” I ask. “She can’t stand the sight of me.”

“Darn right, I can’t.”

Tori studies us for a few minutes. Feels like hours, though. “Clearly the two of you can’t seem to see eye to eye. If you don’t remedy that right away, there won’t be a play. I suggest you spend time together, run your lines, get comfortable with each other. Save the drama—the drama that’s unrelated to the play, that is—off the stage. Clear?”

Mia’s eyes bug out. “I’m not spending more time with him than I need to. No freakin’ way.”

Tori stands. “Look, I don’t want to be tough with you guys, but there is obviously something between you two. I don’t care what it is, but it needs to be dealt with. Or else we can kiss the play goodbye.”

“Or you can recast William,” Mia says.

Both Tori and I glare at her. We’re all thinking the same thing—even Mia. That it was hard for her to find a William, which is why she asked me to audition. If I can’t play the role, the play is over.

“Fine, whatever,” Mia grumbles. “But we don’t have to spend time together. We’ll be better by next practice. We’ll say our lines correctly and we won’t make a scene.”

Tori shakes her head. “It’s more than just saying your lines. William and Scarlett need to have a deep, intense, all-consuming relationship. They understand each other on a level that is out of this world. So I’m asking—no, telling—you guys to spend time together. Get to know each other, learn about each other. Then you’ll be able to portray William and Scarlett properly.”

“Tori—”

She waves her hand, shutting me up. “I expect to see progress at tomorrow’s rehearsal. You can leave now.”

Mia groans before exiting the office. I keep my eyes on Tori. “You don’t seriously expect us to…”

“I do and I don’t want to hear another word, Declan. The truth is, I’m very disappointed in you. I thought you were better than this.”

I puff out my cheeks. I could put all the blame on Mia, but I don’t want to do that. What will I gain? At the end of the day, we need to put on the performance of a lifetime. And if that means Mia and I need to fix our relationship or whatever, then that’s what we need to do.

Tori and I return to the auditorium and she calls up kids to rehearse another scene. I think Mia and I are done for today. Which is probably for the best.

She sits a few seats away from me, arms crossed over her chest, eyes on the kids performing their scene. She must feel my gaze on her because she looks at me. Her eyes narrow. I watch her, not letting my gaze wander away from her so she won’t think she has control over me. I don’t want to fight like this. I don’t want to hate her, but she’s making it really hard.

Maybe I made a mistake by coming here.

When rehearsal is over, the kids file out of the auditorium. A few kids chat with me, none of them raising the topic of what happened between Mia and me today. I’m glad and thankful about that because I don’t want to talk about her.

She goes to her locker to fetch some books. As I pass her, I stop and tell the kids I’ll see them tomorrow. They wish me a good day and leave.

Mia slams her locker. “What do you want?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I lean against the locker next to hers, tilting my head so my hair falls into my eyes. “I might not be the smartest person on the planet, but something tells me you’re looking forward to putting on this play.”

She presses her books to her chest. “Would be better if you weren’t here.”

“Right. But the thing is, I am. There is no Scarlett without William, is there? I mean, she can’t fall in love with herself and change the world, can she?”

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