Just Between Us #Wattys2019

HARLEY ARCHER

DECEMBER FOURTEENTH

The audience claps with delighted cheerfulness as Harley and Titus endure their kiss with a natural pleasantness. As the curtain slowly closes her lips cease to rest upon Titus' and her eyes glimmer and twinkle while they stare at his, and her knees no longer help hold up her body, for her arms grip to his arms like loveable claws never willing to let go.

As the audience continues clapping, the backstage staff starts clapping along, celebrating the end of the play's season.

Harley then shifts from her character to her true self and no longer cares for Titus' presence. Titus, however, seems to have no more recollection of the difference between his character's feelings and his own's, being that the mask he wore fit so well it became his own face.

Later that night, the girl's waited for Harley to finish getting ready so they could all go out to eat with their friend. Harley proceeded to take off her fake eye-lashes, boobs, and hair, in the hopes of salvaging what was left of her simple natural beauty.

She heard a knock on the door and told the outsider they were allowed to enter.

To her surprise it wasn't Arcadia or Cleo, or any of the other members of her inner circle. Quite the contrary, actually.

"Titus." She acknowledged, standing up from her chair.

He walked towards her, "Harley."

They stood closely to each other, after all at this point they had kissed, gotten engaged, and run away together for weeks now, all in front of several different audiences; their intimacy did not stand in their way.

"You were great out there." She told him.

"Thank you. I hope to work with you again in the future." He continued.

She chuckled, "Yeah. That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

He laughed, "You really are something."

She smiled, "Thank you."

He took a deep breath. "Harley... there's something I—"

"Don't say it." She interrupted.

They stared at each other.

"I know." He said. He let out his hand for her to shake. "When you get tired of twiddle-dum you give me a call, yeah?" She giggled and shook the boy's hand.

"Babe." They both heard and looked over Titus's shoulder, only to see Magnus standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Titus." Magnus spat.

Magnus walked past Titus and over to Harley and planted a kiss on her lips. Titus looked at the ground and chuckled at the mal-intentioned public display of affection.

After the kiss, Magnus offered Titus a handshake, which Titus ignored ironically and stepped away from him and towards the exit.

Titus looked at Harley with a magical wonder in his eyes. "Bye, Har." He addressed, "It was a pleasure kissing you." He looked at Magnus, "Repeatedly." He bit his lower lip and fled for his life.

Harley laughed and so did Magnus, out of anger but nonetheless.

"You ready, babe?" He asked his girlfriend.

She reached for her purse and took his hand.

~