✓ | falling ➝ j. cade

vi. romeo and juliet

❝PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS. MAYBE JUST
A TOUCH OF A HAND.❞
- ED SHEERAN, THINKING OUT LOUD

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Within the next month, Theodosia and Johnny found time to spend together a hand full of times more. They would always find an excuse to blow off their friends and find the other. They would talk for hours, sometimes in an empty lot after school or on Theodosia's porch swing or down at Brown's record shop during her shift.

It was the middle of October when a real excuse to be seen together presented itself to the teenagers. They were sat in their normal seats during English. Johnny behind Theodosia. Mr. Syme was talking about their homework assignment when there was a knock at the door. Mr. Syme opened the door and in came the drama teacher, Mrs. Colins.

"Students, I know it's still early in the semester and this normally doesn't happen, but Mrs. Colins and I have collaborated on your semester project," Mr. Syme explained.

On cue, the whole class groaned and deflated into their seats. Mr. Syme waved his arms downward, as if that would shut up the large class.

"Quiet down, quiet down. At the end of the semester, each group will preform one scene from a Classic on the stage in the theater," Mr. Syme continued.

"So how is Mrs. Colins involved in this?" Markus Clark bluntly asked.

"Thank you for your consideration and patience, Mr. Clark, but I am hoping to gain new actors and actresses for my theater! What a better way to get people interested than to reenact scenes from Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet in front of their peers!"

Mrs. Colins was a small, plump woman with a round, aged face. She wasn't a scary person, but, in that moment, Mrs. Colins was the most menacing person Johnny Cade had ever saw. He hated being in front of an audience. He would stutter, and his hands would always shake too much. Being in front of people just wasn't his thing. It never had been.

"Will we at least get partners?"

"Yes," Mr. Syme interjected,"groups of three, which have already been assigned. To continue the explanation, you will be split up and will preform one scene from a literature classic, as Mrs. Colins has said, and will write individual essays on why the scene you choose affects the plot line and state how it is important. This means you'll have to read the book. It'll be due the week before winter break. I'll give a date closer to time."

The class groaned again. Groups could either be a really good thing for Johnny or a really bad thing. Sure, essays weren't his thing, but they were better than preforming in front of people. Besides, if luck was on his side, he'd get Theodosia and Ponyboy, but it was rare that things went his way. He'd probably get stuck with some Soc like Markus Clark.

"So the groups..," Mr. Syme began to list of names. Johnny didn't begin to listen until he heard his name,"Cade, Mickelson, Valance."

Johnny quietly sighed in relief. He may not've gotten both Theodosia and Ponyboy, but he had least gotten Theodosia. It was also a plus that Cherry Valance didn't hate Johnny or Greasers in general. Hell, he didn't even realize Cherry was in his English class. Small world.

Mr. Syme's list seemed endless. He talked and talked on. Johnny knew his class was fairly large-over thirty people-but this felt extremely excruciating. Johnny started to tap his pencil on his desk. He started to tap his foot, too. He glanced around the classroom. He had the overwhelming urge to move.