Friends Forever, huh?

Chapter 15 | drama to rival Shakespeare's

Today has been rather eventful and it's only 8:30 in the morning. I've always known that Miss Greene had a soft spot for Shakespeare's works. I expected the writing project we received from her. However, what I didn't expect was the live action Romeo and Juliet interpretation we were expected to do.

My face flushes bright red as she happily makes her announcement. I am not an actress. I never will be. I can hardly speak in front of a few people without turning into a tomato with a speech impediment. Now I'm expected to be able to act the part of Juliet? I groan and lean forward, eliciting a mutual miserable look from the girls around me. We are not a school with an emphasis on drama--well at least not the class, anyway--and none of us are very enthusiastic about this surprise addition to our Romeo and Juliet project.

All except for Cole that is. He's muffling his laughter as he observes the disdain on my face. Along with that, there's a hint of mischief in his eyes that makes me uneasy. "Don't you dare embarrass me," I mouth. He gives me a look of mock confusion, as if he didn't understand what I said. Clearly he did. Jerk.

"Cole and Ashley!"

I grumble under my breath and stand in front of the class, my cheeks already turning red. Curse my ability to blush before even embarrassing myself.

I glance at the script with distaste, trying to figure some way out of this. Momentarily I come to the conclusion that I have no way out.

"G-good p-p-pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," my voice shakes as I fumble through the words and I clear my throat before continuing.

I barely get through the rest of my lines, reading them off with my eyes locked to Cole's as soon as I finish. He's looking at me with a kind of intensity that I'm unfamiliar with. His brown eyes are mesmerizing as he takes a step closer, acting the part of a dramatic lovestruck Romeo surprisingly well.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged."

"I-" I begin, flustered enough to remember to look down at my line. Clearing my throat, I start over, "Then have my lips the sin that they have took."

He's dangerously close to me--his eyes roaming over my face as he says his next line, "Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!" Cole's breath fans across my face as he steps closer--it smells vaguely of coffee. His hand comes to rest on my cheek and he rubs a thumb across my skin.

"Give me my sin again," Cole whispers his last line and I barely have time to lift my eyes to his when he presses his lips to mine. I make a small, shocked squeak but throw aside my surprise quickly. My eyes slide closed as I wrap an arm tentatively around his waist. He nudges my nose with his and steps closer to deepen the kiss.

I forget my apprehension and return his kiss, savoring the taste of coffee on his lips. After all, this is Cole. The stealer of my first kiss. However, I wouldn't have counted our first kiss as legitimate, due to the fact that I was young and completely inexperienced and stood there as stiff as a board.

I laugh against his lips as I think of what's transpiring between us. My first real kiss is in a classroom in front of a rather large group of people. Oh what a tale this will be to tell my children someday.

Cole smiles at the way my laugh broke our kiss. Pressing another quick kiss to my lips, he pulls away. His blush is lighter than mine, but there just the same. 

"Um..." I mumble awkwardly, unsure of how to respond after what's just happened. What do you say?

Nice work?

Hey, you're pretty good at this?

How about that weather, huh?"

Cole gives a slightly breathless laugh, a strange expression on his face. He tucks an unruly strand of hair behind my ear, a smile curling his lips upward.

The whole class--including Miss Greene--is staring at us with wide eyes. A few guys wolf whistle, but then my attention snaps to Shelby. She looks nearly livid, her bottom lip quivering as if she's about to cry. Without asking to leave she stands up and storms out the door, giving me a scorching glare as she slams the door shut behind her. Oh, what have I done?

"That was...eventful," Miss Greene says, looking unsure of how to proceed, "That will conclude our re-enactments for the day."

I draw a deep breath, trying to assess the situation. Cole kissed me. Shelby's angry at me. Cole kissed me.

Cole's still staring at me, seemingly unsure of what to say.

"I-" I begin and suddenly realize that he's not the one I need to talk to. I need to apologize to Shelby...there's no way she's going to forgive me. Now it looks like I've set all of this up to make her go through unfortunate deja vu of the homecoming mishap of sophomore year. "I have to go, Cole."

He's holding onto my arm, looking reluctant to let go, "Ashley, I need to talk to you."

"Later," I snap, my tone angrier than I mean it to be. He flinches and drops my arm. I soften my tone, giving him a forced smile, "I'm sorry. There's just something I need to do right now."

I walk through the halls looking for Shelby but she's nowhere in sight. Finally I stop in the bathroom, but it too looks empty. I'm about to leave when I hear sniffles coming from behind a closed stall.

"Shelby?"

"Go away!" Her tone is nearly venomous, beyond any anger she's shown toward me before, "You got the guy again. You got what you wanted, now leave me alone."

"I didn't mean for this to happen! I didn't know he was going to kiss me." That much isn't a lie. I had no idea he would kiss me. However, what I left out is the fact that I did want him to kiss me.

More sniffles come from the stall, "I'm serious Ashley, leave me alone. I don't care about your excuses and I certainly don't care about you anymore."

I don't even try to argue, almost wishing that Cole wouldn't have kissed me. I just became friends with Shelby again and now everything's worse than ever.

"I can't believe I was dumb enough to believe you actually wanted to be my friend," Shelby takes a shaky breath, "get out of my life, Ash. I never want to speak to you again."

***

OH MY GOODNESS DRAMA. To be quite honest, I loved writing this chapter. The kiss, the fight...so much material for later chapters. I'm so excited.

Thoughts? Should Cole have kissed her? Should Shelby be as livid as she is? What do you think Ashley will do from here?

(Psssst as I write this, I don't have Chapter 14 written yet so yeah that's exciting. Gotta go back and write.)

-J