Why Don't We date already? | oneshots

the audition

I walked into the empty auditorium. It was my turn.

"Whenever you're ready," the casting director said, nodding at me. I nodded back. I closed my eyes and imagined his face.

Pale blue eyes. Hair styled into a point onto his head. His soft lips and smooth jawline. His voice, coarse at the edges, yet somehow managing to move like water over my skin. His hands, calluses and dry skin from holding baseball bats, which I only held once, yet never forgot them.

"You came to me. I was sitting with my friends, just talking and laughing. I don't really remember what we were talking about. All I know is that you were there.

"You walked up, a smirk on your face. You politely asked if I was done and if I was, to accompany you to the courtyard. I shook my head. I didn't really think of it too much.

"My friends started talking about you. 'Oh, that's him,' they said. 'He likes you,' they said. To them I replied, maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. I didn't care to find out. I wasn't ready for anything.

"I threw away the remainder of my lunch. I remember the lunch that day, probably because it kind of was actually good for once. Fettuccini Alfredo with greasy garlic bread. Oversteamed vegetables that became mush once you pressed your fork against them. And warm milk.

"I was walking towards my locker to get my books for my next few classes. I opened it and found a note stuck to the vents. It read: 'Please. I want to talk to you.'

"I knew who it was. Who else would it be? I avoided guys in general. People thought I was asexual. You were the only one who approached me, who wanted to talk to me as a person.

"I walked out to the courtyard and saw you sitting by yourself on a bench. I sat next to you.

"'You decided to come,' you said.

"'Why else would I be here?' I laughed.

"We got to talking. You asked me about my day and I told you a story about what happened during a lab in bio. You exchanged it for a botched presentation in english. Soon enough, I felt at home. We looked and felt like we had known each other our whole lives. Sure, we went to the same school. Sure, we saw each other in the halls. But it was the day we truly connected.

"And it was the last time that I spoke to you. The days after that one day, we didn't really talk much. I don't know why. Did I say something wrong? Did I do something that made you uncomfortable? I never knew and still don't know. However, I do know how that day with each other ended.

"We had skipped the rest of school just to keep talking. You and I were walking to a cafe that you found that served good coffee. Your hand brushed against mine."

My voice faltered. I remembered that day, that night. That's why I'm using it for an audition for an open-ended play.

"Eventually, your fingers linked with mine. I could feel myself blushing and glanced at you. Your cheeks were pink as well.

"Our eyes suddenly locked together. I felt breathless.

"'Is this okay?' you asked, motioning towards our hands. I nodded. I remember what you said next, because it was the first time you said my name the way you said it. With feeling. With -- dare I say it?-- love.

"'Bianca,' you said. 'I've liked you ever since we had music class together.'"

"I pretended to think. 'We had music class together?'"

"'Shut up,' you mumbled, your cheeks flushing. It took all of my willpower not to kiss you then and there. You continued, 'I wish I'd asked you to talk to me sooner.'"