No Reason But Us

Chapter 20 : Hero Dads

The audition was getting closer and closer, the theatre club auditionees were crazy busy rehearsing, and the others began discussing the set since Oddey was in charge, so she instructed the members on her ideas.

Gage watched her be a leader and just admired how Oddey was encouraging and motivating students who were assisting her without being bossy to them. As for himself, Courtney, and the other students who were trying out for their chosen roles while Madame Vestia wanted to see their progress again for the last time.

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse the name. Or if thou wilt not be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet." Courtney maintained her fine acting skills for Juliet, so once the professor turned to Gage,

"Wonderful." Madame Vestia turned to Gage. "Now you, let's see what you got for me."

The art student subtly watched Gage from where she was standing. "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. 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: Be not her maid, since she is envious," he recited and remembered Oddey's advice that he had to feel the character's emotion as he spoke his line and not just become it.

Once he finished, Gage looked at Madame Vestia to see her expression. It was blank, though her mouth curled, and just nodded her head, "Excellent progress," she told him. "I can see you practice."

Gage was taken aback by her feedback, and Courtney seemed impressed too, "Really? Thanks," he said to her.

"Keep it up." Madame Vestia went on to the other student. "And you have a good chance of getting the part."

"I must say, she is right. You really have improved since the last time we rehearsed together," Courtney expressed.

"Thanks," Gage said to her for the first time. He was satisfied that she wasn't giving him an earful about his acting. "Oddey helped me out and gave me cool tips too, and I went from there."

Of course, Courtney didn't like it when the guy he liked mentioned the other girl's name, Oddey's to be exact, and then glanced over to her, "Oh! she's to thank," she mumbled and turned to Gage again with a fake smile. "I'll thank her when... if you get the part, then."

Gage strangely looked at her, "Okay..." he snickered. After that, his eyes towards the kind-hearted art student as she happily talked to her fellow set designers.

Courtney looked to where he was looking at that, which made her blood boil at how he leered at Oddey. "Uhm... Let's keep practicing."

"Oh, yeah... sure."

----

The day ended, and Gage met with Oddey in the campus garden while she was working on her assignment for a class, "Hey." He appeared in front of her.

"Hey," Oddey said to him.

"Is it okay if I sit with you?"

"Sure... you can sit here... with me."

"Thanks." Gage sat across from her and took out his laptop so he could do his assignment. "Good news, Madame Vestia said I have gotten better."

Oddey felt elated that her eyes lit up. "She said that? that's awesome. I knew you could do it."

"All because of you, so thank you. I owe you one."

The art student blushed, "it's nothing," she stammered. "Or maybe you didn't realize that you have a hidden talent."

"If there is, I'm not interested in acting anyway. I'm just gonna do this one-time thing, and it's over. Just like that," he claimed.

"Come on, it's not that bad."