Game of Love

Chapter Two - Welcome Back Party

Emily's POV

Still reeling from Vasquez's latest assignment, I left the professor's office and walked across the snowy quad with James. I glanced over at him to see his attention focused on the snow underfoot, his brows furrowed in concentration. "Penny for your thoughts? You look like you've got a lot on your mind..." I said.

"Yeah... I'm still trying to decide how I feel about all this. I've been working on this play for almost a year now..." James said. "'Rosethorne Park' is my best work yet... a love letter to the Victorian Era with a winking nod to modernity. But I kind of thought it'd just sit on the shelf and never see the light of day, you know?"

"This should make you happy though... right?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. This is an amazing opportunity, and I should be grateful. Getting an agent like Yasmin Udoka is next to impossible, especially when you're just starting out."

"Then what's wrong? Are you worried the play's not good enough or something?"

"That's part of it... But mostly I just feel guilty. The only reason I'll even have a cast is because you have to get me one, or Vasquez will revoke your scholarship. I'm benefiting hugely from you... situation. I mean, would you even be doing this if you didn't have to?"

"Honestly, I would. I want to help you realize your dream. I haven't really considered getting involved in Hartfeld's theater scene... but I'll try anything once. And if it helps your land an agent... well, that's reason enough to get out of my comfort zone."

"Thanks, Emily. I'm glad you have my back."

"Just don't expect me to sing a solo or anything, okay?"

"Well, Rosethorne Park isn't a musical, but now that you've said that... maybe I'll write in a song for you. How's your opera? Think you can match the Queen of the Night's aria?"

"I regret everything."

We came within sight of my dorm building, and James stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Do you think all of your friends will want to audition? My play has a pretty big cast... I'm not sure they'd be enough."

"You know, I was thinking about that. We're actually throwing a party at our suite tonight. I don't know if it's good host etiquette to try to recruit all your guests for a play, but I've never been that into the whole social graces thing. Besides... we need to hold auditions starting tomorrow. We don't exactly have a lot of options."

"You make a good point. But there's one role that's going to be a little tougher to cast. Lord Rathbone, the villainous country bachelor. We'll need a veteran of the stage. Someone who can really sell the performance and make audiences hate him."

"As far as I know, there aren't any acting prodigies on my guest list..."

"Mind if I add one? One of my prep school friends is a sophomore here at Hartfeld. I still remember his lago in our school's performance of Othello. I'd never seen someone transform himself onstage like that... it was terrifying, in the best way possible."

"So long as he doesn't make us call him 'Lord' throughout the whole production, I'm sold."

"I can't guarantee he won't do that, but I'll give him a call. I'll come by your party later tonight... hopefully with our future Lord Rathbone in tow."

"Sounds good. By the time you get there, I should have a whole cast of actors ready for you."

"I owe you one, Emily. Closer to fifteen or sixteen, really... like I said, it's a big cast."