Invisible String - Jake Kiszka

Rose In A Fisted Glove

...

"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" Josh theatrically read from his paper while holding his hand to his heart.

"What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" Gigi read back to Josh with just as much enthusiasm and looked up at him from her script. He quickly read his line in his head and walked up to her, brushing her face lightly with his hand and stood closely looking down at her.

Gigi scrunched her nose and pushed his hand from her face. "Get away weirdo." She scolded. "This is the balcony scene, remember? Romeo wouldn't have been able to reach her."

"Right. Sorry. I got carried away." He scratched the back of his head and backed away. Gigi sighed and looked at him with paper still in hand. "Now read your line. From over there."

Josh cleared his throat and raised his hand getting back into character. "The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine." He read, speaking softly but still projecting his voice.

"I gave thee mine before thou didst request it: And yet I would it were to give again." Gigi said tenderly looking at Josh trying to pretend she were in love with him. It was a little odd for her but she tried as best as her now twelve year old self would let her.

"Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?" He said without looking down at his paper. "How is he so good at this?" Gigi thought frustratedly. She studied his face as he looked at her. If she hadn't known any better, she would have really thought that he was in love with her. The way his body moved with what he was saying and how his eyes rested on her amazed yet confused her. She had only seen grown ups look at each other like that. "How does he know how to do that?" She was always in awe of her best friend. One could tell he loved the art of literature and performing in the way he practiced and delivered his lines. Gigi loved play acting, but she knew she could never love it as much as Josh did.

"But to be frank, and give it thee again." She continued. "And yet I wish but for the thing I have: My love is... wait..." she paused as she tried to remember the line. "My bounty is... as deep... no, wait. My bounty is as boundless as.. um... the deep...?" Gigi filled her lungs and let out a frustrated groan. "Josh can we please take a break? We've been at this for hours and I'm tired."

Josh sighed. "Yeah, let's take a break. You were doing good though." He smiled. "I'm sorry, Joshy. We'll do more later I promise." He grinned at her and pat her head. "It's okay Gigi, thanks for doing it with me anyway." He took her paper from her and tossed it to the floor along with his own. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he lead her out of the living room and into the kitchen. Karen turned from the counter to greet them as they sat down on the bar stools by the island. "Taking a break?" She asked them with a smile. "Yeah. Gigi kept messing up her lines." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and bit the inside of his lip to keep from grinning.

"Hey!" Gigi protested and smacked him in the back of the head. "Ow, Gigi! What was that for?!" He yelped as he rubbed his head where she hit him. "I was not always messing up my lines! You kept touching me and you aren't supposed to!" She looked over at Karen. "We were doing the balcony scene where Romeo is talking to Juliet while she's up on the balcony and he's on the ground below her and Josh kept trying to touch me. That's not supposed to happen. It's his fault I messed up my line. He messed me up first." She huffed glaring at Josh. He looked at her frown and returned it with a cheeky grin and a giggle. "Joshhh" she groaned and she laid her head on the counter to conceal her smile. He poked her side and she couldn't contain her laughter. Karen looked between the two children and shook her head laughing. "You both are ridiculous. It sounded fantastic, I think. But why aren't you spending more time on your actual lines?"