Enemy Beloved

26 | theater doze

★

C L A I R E

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Vaughn growls as the curtain of the theater is lifted and the Romeo & Juliet banner greets his eyes.

"C'mon, Vaughn, you promised." I squeeze his arm, making him look at my hand on his.

His lips are pressed to a thin line as his eyes skate over my body. I am wearing a white blouse and a maroon skirt, just like I promised. More than once or twice, his hand already slipped under my skirt in the car, telling me that he approved of the look.

"Romeo and Juliet, seriously?" He leans back in his seat, dropping his hands casually between his knees. "You strike a hard bargain, nemesis."

Dressed in a simple white shirt and dress pants, he looks strikingly handsome as he watches the drama start to unfold on stage. His expression is disinterested and he gives a disgusted look when Romeo enters the stage.

"How can you hate them?" I shrug, looking at the stage where the man playing Romeo says his dialogue. "They are the most beautiful star-crossed lovers to ever exist."

"They are a bunch of damned fools in love," he mutters under his breath.

"You'll never forget that incident, will you?"

"Never," he grunts, shutting his eyes as Romeo lays his eyes on Juliet on stage.

We are at the grand theater which opened only last year in Rodeo Drive. Today's the first show for Romeo & Juliet and I booked our tickets for the balcony seats to get the best view possible. A part of me did it to piss Vaughn for sure but the other part just wanted to fulfill my dream of watching Romeo and Juliet live with my husband.

I'm kidding. I did it all to piss Vaughn.

Vaughn keeps his eyes shut as the drama progresses into the balcony scene. The girl playing Juliet stands at the top. Her eyes wander dreamily about her lover as he enters the garden. I stare fixedly at the stage, their acting pulling me into the drama I already know the ending of.

Vaughn lets out an exasperated breath and I turn to him. His eyes are open again and even though he pretends to be bored, I know that he is enjoying the show too. The actors are too good to not demand attention.

"You like it, don't you?" I ask, resting a hand under my chin as I watch him.

"No, I don't," he says but his eyes don't leave the stage.

He shifts a little closer as if to watch more closely when Romeo climbs over the balcony and cups Juliet's face between his hands.

I smile to myself. Never did I expect to be watching this Shakespearean drama with Vaughn Jackson. We are more suited for Macbeth.

It wasn't my first choice either. Rose gave me the idea, saying that it will bother her brother and get me some much-needed entertainment.

The show progresses and the lights around us dim or brighten with each scene. The hall is packed with an audience who laugh, cry and clap as one scene ends and the other begins. I forget about Vaughn for a while as I enjoy the show, the romance pulling me in.

"This scene always gets me," I sniff as Romeo gets the poison and settles on Juliet's tomb. "What do you think, Vaughn?"

I look at him only to find him dozing off with his head slouched to the side, arms folded over his chest, and softly snoring.

What the hell?

"Vaughn, wake up." I touch his shoulder and give him a shake but he grunts, shoving my hands away.