Love Bites

And Again

Watching the mass of students making their way into the college, Cal sat in his car. New faces mixed with old but he couldn't spot Tasha among the crowd. He resisted the urge to reach for her with his mind, knowing that she would hate him for it if she found out. Sighing he locked up his car and headed in, hoping that Tasha would be there.

                                                                                            ***

Tasha stood behind the tree watching Cal, she knew he was waiting for her but he could damn well wait. He'd betrayed her in the worse possible way and she wasn't going to forget that. Still it was hard to ignore the churning sensation in her stomach when she watched his lithe body extricate itself from the low slung seat of his Ferrari. And how it made her dizzy when he pushed his hair back from his face, giving a flash of those toned guns. Stop it Tasha! He's built to look that way so stupid girls like you fall over yourself to be with him and then he bites: literally. Get a grip!

                                                                                          ***

"Today we are looking at the 'magic if'. Stanislavsky created what we know today as method acting. He believed that we should draw on our own life experiences to feed our character. He also said that we should live and breath our character. Know everything about them, not just what will be shown on stage or screen, everything, what topping they like on their pizza; what they got for their 7th birthday; how they felt the first time they rode a bike or what they dreamed of becoming when they grew up. Knowing all this will develop such a rounded character that the audience could not fail to be enthralled." Mr Yaxley told them. They were sat in a circle in the drama studio, the lights dimmed, black out curtains drawn forming a wall against the outside world. "So, you are each going to grab a card which has a character and a few key details about them on it. You are then going to have about twenty minutes to get to know your character. Delve into their psyche. When you hear the jingle, come back to the circle."

Tasha selected a card, took herself off into a shadowy corner and opened her envelope. Kylie, 14 years old. Forced into a sexual situation by an older boy who posted a video of her on a porn site. Tasha gave a wry chuckle. Girl betrayed and hurt by boy. Definitely something to draw on there.

Cal watched Tasha take her card and go off into one corner, as far away from him as she could get without leaving the room. He took his own and headed to the opposite corner, he didn't want to push her. He'd give her the space she needed how ever much it hurt him. Still, he kept his ears tuned into her, just in case.

He opened his own envelope. Duke, 19 years old. A jock and a bit of a player. Likes to break the rules. Cal laughed to himself, he could definitely recognise his old self in that description. This should be easy.

The jingle, something My Yaxley played to bring the students back to attention as he deplored shouting, played breaking Tasha's train of thought. She looked up, straight into Cal's piercing gaze, her stomach flipped when he smiled. She forced herself to look away and take her place in the circle.

"So, I hope you all delved deep into your characters. As now, we put them, you, to the test. One at a time you will take the hot seat," he indicated the solitary chair in the centre of the circle. "I will call your character's name, as soon as I do you must be in character and remain in character until the next person is called. Once you are seated everyone will ask you questions. You must answer as your character would." Mr Yaxley explained to them, looking around the small circle. "I do not want to see any hesitations, erring or stalling. There is a difference to your character being reluctant and you playing for time. We will begin with Chantelle."