𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

Act III

Jimmy stood, fidgeting with his fingers and bouncing from foot to foot, just outside the curtain of the stage. Nervous thoughts ran through his brain like ants scurrying in and out of their hill. Grian was on just before him, performing his own audition. Jimmy had been trying to focus on everything Grian was saying to distract himself from his anxiety. It wasn't until then that Jimmy realized that Grian wasn't all just brains and a wild imagination; the kid had talent. And a lot of it.

It wasn't long before Grian was finished and Ms. Gold, one of the two drama teachers, dismissed him and called for whoever was next. Unfortunately, that person was Jimmy.

"You're going to do great," Grian whispered as he passed.

Nodding frantically, Jimmy took a deep breath and forced himself to walk out onto the stage. There were several people sitting in the seats, most of which had auditions that were much later.

Ms. Gold (who had a pretty fitting name, Jimmy found out, as she had blonde hair that practically glowed in the light) smiled at him and said, "Go ahead and start whenever you're ready."

Jimmy nodded again and took one last deep breath before beginning.

"But, soft," he recited, "what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." His eyes scanned the crowd and found Scott's. The nervous butterflies in Jimmy's stomach seemed to settle and increase at the same time. "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair than she." He smiled a bit as his and Scott's eyes continued to keep contact, though Scott didn't share the same look. The blue-haired football star looked confused, and almost scared. "Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green and none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.

"It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourses. I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks." Scott's boyfriend nudged Scott, and the latter turned to look at him. "Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return." Scott turned back to Jimmy again, his strange expression not changing. "What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night."

Jimmy's smile grew as Scott leaned his head on his hand while Jimmy said, "See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek."

There was a beat of silence until Ms. Gold started clapping and the rest of the room joined her. Well, everyone except for Scott's boyfriend, who stopped Scott from clapping.

"I think we just found our Romeo," Ms. Gold said, turning to Mr. Harding, the other drama teacher, who sat next to her.

Mr. Harding nodded in agreement. "I believe so."

A wide grin spread across Jimmy's face and he turned his head toward where Grian, and now Joel and Fwhip, stood, clapping and laughing. Jimmy rushed over to them, slamming into the three in a bear hug.

"You did great, Tim," Grian congratulated, giving Jimmy a fist bump once they broke apart from the hug. "Frankly, I didn't know you had it in you."

Fwhip laughed. "Now comes the hard part," he said. "Being able to pull off doing the rest of the play."

Jimmy let out a huff. "Yeah, I, uh... I don't know how I'm going to do that," he admitted.

"I think that's what we're here for," Joel said, chuckling to himself.