The Cast List

Chapter 7

He looks really good in a v-neck.

That was the only thought that was going through my mind in the middle of TA class Tuesday afternoon, three weeks after rehearsals for Rory and Julia had started. 

There are some guys who really shouldn't wear any shirt other than a v-neck. Nico was certainly one of them. He was sitting across the room from me, lounging back on his bean bag, his black hair was falling into his startlingly ice-blue eyes, and his black shirt contrasted nicely with his pale skin. I was practically drooling. He was even wearing those jeans that are somehow a happy medium between straight leg and skinny. 

"Melanie! Melanie!" someone called.

I looked up, startled. Clay's voice had sounded it like it was coming from very far away, like it does in the movies when someone is zoning out. "Yeah?"

"What do you think Oscar Wilde was trying to say in The Importance of Being Earnest, and how should we emulate that onstage?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Nothing. Art for art's sake. Wasn't that him?"

"Okay, just making sure you were paying attention. It looked like you were drooling over Nico."

As the glass erupted into giggles and "oohs," the first person I looked at wasn't Lena, like I usually did when I was embarrassed, or Nico, at whom it would have made sense for me to glance, but Nathan. I met his eyes, butterflies erupting in my stomach, and what I saw in them I swear was accusation. I swallowed and said, "Bullshit, Clay. Nice try."

"Hey, man," Nico jumped in. "You don't have to feel embarrassed for drooling over me. I am most definitely drool-worthy."

I bit my lip as I appraised him, attempting flirtation. "Is that what all the girls tell you?"

"Yeah, actually, it is."

"Do they also tell you your whole bravado thing or whatever works?"

Nico raised his eyes. He'd seen enough chick flicks to know that he had me: I was flirting. "They don't have to, babe. And besides, it's evidently working on you."

The whole class chanted, "Oooooh!" They were impressed by Nico's witty comeback. It wasn't exactly a one-liner worthy of Oscar Wilde, but it was enough to give me pause. 

I smiled. "It's called acting. You should try it sometime."

As the class congratulated me on my even better response, Clay frowned. He was kind of a sucky teacher, and being an actor, a huge attention hog. He hated it when our conversations took precedence over his. "Come on, guys," he pleaded. "We need to start the activity."

I kept my eyes on Nico's while the rest of the class turned back to face Clay. I shifted mine toward the front of the room, but felt Nico's on me. When I felt them move away, I glanced back at him. I was liking this guy more and more: he was cute, a rather talented actor, respectful as far as I had seen, and witty. I always appreciated a guy who could keep up with my sarcasm. It made him more fun to flirt with. And flirting with Nico was the most fun I'd had in a while. 

"Okay, I need two volunteers."

Immediately Nico and I raised our hands. 

"Okay, you two. Get up here. You guys are gonna create a very short scene with no dialogue. You can't even spell out stuff. Everything that happens has to be in your gestures. Then, once you've performed it, we're all going to decide what your storyline was. Remember, beginning, middle, and end. No more than two minutes. You have thirty seconds to plan out in the hall."

Nico and I went out into the hall. As the door closed behind us, I heard Lavon Bruce call, "Keep it in your pants, guys!" I shot him a kissy face in response.