Girl Meets Plus One || BOOK 2

We Meet Verona

THE DAY OF THE MUSICAL

I tapped my foot against the tiled floor as we waited for class to start. Tonight. That was when the school's musical was set to premiere. Romeo and Juliet. Starring Cowboy and myself. I'm still surprised I even got a major part, let alone the lead.

Most of my friends were in the production, except Maya, who I wouldn't expect to be. The rebellious blonde was the type of girl who would be cheering us on and laughing at us from the audience. Yup, classic Hart.

Riley, Farkle, and Zay were all in the play. Farkle had wanted to play Pippin, but since they weren't doing that he'd settled for a slightly higher role than Spear Carrier #1, which he had played in seventh grade. This time around he was playing Friar Laurence. Maya had found it absolutely hilarious that Lucas's last name matched the character's.

Riley had been cast as the narrator, while Zay had been cast in the genius's old role of Spear Carrier #1.

There was one scene Lucas and I hadn't rehearsed yet. We had every other line and every tune down, but this last scene was too big to rehearse. We'd agreed we just had to wait until showtime. To wait for the kiss scene.

Farkle glared at Lucas with a smile, when we'd found out about it.

"You know what? Kiss her, but just remember," he out his arm around my shoulder, "She's mine." I had to admit, seeing Farkle jealous was kind of... adorable. Like a little puppy barking. I rubbed his back.

"Don't worry Farkle, it's just Cowboy," I cringed, "At least it's not Zay." to which the dark-skinned boy giggled and made kissy faces before Maya smacked the back of his cranium.

I shook my head and laughed slightly, remembering the ordeal, as Matthews finally decided to show up for class, writing one simple word on the board: Shakespeare.

I sighed, rolling the bottom edge of my pencil with the pink eraser across my desktop, "Of course... it just had to be Shakespeare."

"Of Course, he's Mr. Matthews," Lucas chuckled, "Would you expect anything else of him?"

"Not really," I grinned before looking back in my desk at the history teacher.

Cory pressed his palms together as he stood before the class, "A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hamlet. Taming the Shrew," he glanced between Lucas and me, "Romeo and Juliet. These are just a few of the dozens of classics that all came from the brain of one man. William Shakespeare," he pointed at Farkle.

"Born in 1564, he died in 1616 a legend," Farkle replied.

"Tragedy, loss, heartache, these were all the things he focused on." he pointed at his daughter.

"He made us fall in love," Riley sighed happily, "Ah I love love!"

"Riles it's just a bunch of romance trying to make us go-" Maya made kissy faces before rolling her eyes.

"It's mostly a big facade," I nodded, "He makes us hope for them. He makes us root for them only to in the end... BAM!"

"Why bam? What bam?! I don't like the bam," she crossed her arms as if she was a little child who'd just lost their favorite purple cat.

"Wel... BAM!" Zay smirked.

"What does bam mean?" Riley asked looking at her father.

He sighed, "Tragedy: we all love it, we just don't realize it."

"Why does it have to be that way, Daddy?"

"Because Riley, you either have happily ever after-"

"or you're dead!" Zay shouted.