Chapter 1
ONE
I stick my feet into my sneakers, the fit a little bit snug because of the already-tied laces.
I feel like I’m moving a mile a minute as I dash across my room looking for anything I might have missed.
It’s only been a few weeks since the new semester started, and I’m already stressing out.
In my Shakespeare class, Professor Chapman announced that we would be doing Romeo and Juliet as this semester’s case study.
We’ll be auditioning for our roles, learning the play from the inside out, and ultimately putting on an official performance for the entire theatre department as our final exam.
And the auditions are during class today , so I definitely can’t be late.
Getting cast as Lady Capulet would be best-case scenario, since the role of Juliet will likely go to Nicole. I can already see her smug face. We may not get along, but she’s a fantastic actress. I can’t be petty enough to deny that.
When I step out into the kitchen, I see the familiar red hair of my new friend and roomie. Opal is sitting at the counter with a ball of yarn, her nimble fingers working as she crochets mindlessly and reads her textbook at the same time.
“Good afternoon.” I reach into the cabinet to pull out my favorite mug in Opal’s collection (it’s literally Maleficent’s head) but pause when I see the coke bottle sitting on the counter. My finger points at it. “Um… what is that?”
Opal giggles, watching me as her crocheting comes to a stop. “It’s for you, silly. Stacia told me that you love cherry coke. She also mentioned that it’s something you like to drink before an audition, like a good luck charm. So I got it for you.”
My omega hormones must be a mess because the gesture makes me tear up a little.
Living with Opal these past few months has been a dream. She’s respectful, kind, considerate… she’s also always there when you need someone to talk to or hang out with. She sleeps a lot, but she’s a Taurus so that’s to be expected.
It’s been such a wonderful summer getting to know her. I’m so glad she came up to Stacia and me in that bar all those months ago. Her friendship is one I’ve really come to cherish.
“That’s really nice of you, Opal. Thank you so much.”
She shrugs, but her expression exposes how glad she was to help. “Are you excited for the audition?”
“I’m nervous. Any audition makes me nervous. It’s not until the exact second it starts that I finally get into the zone. Also, I wish our professor had picked something a little less popular, like The Taming of the Shrew or Much Ado About Nothing .”
“Oh, The Taming of the Shrew ! That’s what inspired 10 Things I Hate About You , right?”
I can’t hold in my laughter. “Yes, that is a modern interpretation.” I check my watch. “If I don’t get out of here, I’m going to be late.” I pick up the cherry coke and give Opal a sincere smile. “Thank you again. I owe you something that you love. ”
“Oh, so Breath of the Wild on the Switch?” she asks.
I quirk a brow. I know she’s being sarcastic by the tilt of her smirk, but I can’t really process that her words were English. “I’m sorry, what is that?”
Opal scoffs, “Do you not know Zelda?” When I just stare at her, she waves me off. “Forget it. It’s a video game. I was joking anyway. Go to your audition.”
I let out a chuckle. “I’ll see you later.”
“Break a leg!”
I wince. She doesn’t know that those words are an actor’s Achilles heel. Still, I hold onto them as I walk out the door. I’m going to need all the luck I can get.