Romeo vs Juliet ✓

20. Lights, Sound...gone?

(AN) 

Hey :) 

I'm yet to receive 15 votes on the last chapter but am updating anyway 'coz it's one of my friend's birthday and this will be a gift to her :)

Oh and I have changed Sara's (Juliet's) name to Zara to avoid any confusion between Seri/Serena and her!

And I have started a series of one-shots *Memoirs*. I have updated four short stories under it so far so, it would be fabulous if you all could check it out and let me know how it is. ;)

Well, enough of my rambling..

*Vote* 

& 

*Promote*

So, here it goes.. :D

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Chapter 20

Josh's POV

I bursted in through the doors of the auditorium and frantically had searched for Seri but I could see her nowhere. I was desperately trying to spot the girl with her sparkling blue eyes and long dark hair that brushed past her lower waist.

After searching for her for about fifteen minutes or so, finally some kid told me that she was backstage rehearsing with Zara.

Almost as soon as I appeared in the doorway, Seri saw me and had bolted towards me with a totally pissed off look.

"Just how could you sleep through the morning, today of all days! Today is the show! You already missed one rehearsal! Now go get ready before the last rehearsal starts!"

And she shoved me out of the room with that. My girlfriend surely is sweet, I thought with a smirk.

After getting ready, I made my way to the backstage where everyone was in their play attire.

The girls with their perfect hair and cute clothes, complemented as well as envyied each other. 

The guys looked their most decent selves with their hair swept back and simple cotton shirts with jeans or trousers.

But, even with the whole cast present there, including Zara and Seri, who were waiting in their positions on the other side of the stage, Olly was missing.  

That guy seriously knew how to disappear randomly!

I felt a hand go around my shoulder and turned to say hi to my forever-missing buddy.

"Where were you?" He had asked me as if I was the one missing.

"Sleeping at home. Where were you?" I shrugged. He gave a very vague reply that he was just around here and then we started talking about last night's game.

Soon Mr. Gay asked us to be prepared and then we heard the Music and narration start.

It was nearly showtime.

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Zara's POV

I couldn't contain my excitement and it seemed that Seri had the same problem! We both were nearly jumping up and down ever since we woke up that day. 

We were that excited! 

I was sure that even five-year old kids wouldn't be this excited if they were given a bag full of chocolates!

The last rehearsal was flawless so far and I was next on stage, for the famous balcony scene.

The present scene ended and the curtains fell. The people on backstage-duty quickly changed the stage setup and turned it into Juliet's balcony that faced the garden.

I made my way to the 'balcony' and waited for the curtains to rise.

I could feel the jitters. I was half-nervous and half-excited even though it was still the last rehearsal and the show wasn't scheduled to start until two more hours.

The curtains lifted and I sat there in the 'balcony' looking all pensive. Mumbling to myself and then finally recited the first dialogue with as much conviction as I could.

'Romeo why do you have to be a Montague?! Why couldn't you be the son of anyone else! Why did you have to be the son of Jack Montague! The very guy who betrayed my dad in business after so many years of friendship!' And I gave a loud sigh. I sounded so real even to myself.

After so many rehearsals and for the sake of Josh and Seri, I had become comfortable around Oliver once again. Not like old times of course. But, I could be around him without feeling like hitting him hard or crying out loud.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him enter the stage. His presence filled the stage, a trait that Jared as Romeo would certainly have lacked.

'I wish the same Juliet...I wish the same. My name is hateful to myself as because of my name, our union is barred! Had I written my name, I would have torn the word! How much I hate myself for hurting you! I never realised what you went through. I simply walked out of your life without even a second glance. I'm so sorry Zara. I'm so so sorry.'

I stood there. Almost in a daze. Was he apologising to me on-stage? Because no way was any of this part of the dialogue play or even part of the script!

Then the second spotlight was switched on and Oliver came into view. His eyes shining and piercing me with their gaze.  

He moved towards me and said "Don't look so confused Zara. This isn't Romeo talking to Juliet. This is Oliver apologising to Zara for all that he did."

And with that he started scaling the ladder.

I didn't want this to happen Never expected this to happen! And that too like this! This was too much to take in one go. Way too much, indeed.

Once he had scaled the ladder, he got into the balcony, looked into my eyes and said "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Zara. I was scared. I was really scared." 

Then suddenly, the mics went off and so did the lights.

The spotlights were gone and instead a dim light, kept in the balcony, that I hadn't noticed earlier, was switched on. It was arranged in such a manner that only Olly and I could see each other.

The lighting, the mics going off...everything seemed preplanned. He had planned the apology all too good.

But how he planned to explain himself was what intrigued me.

Because I was certainly impressed with his efforts, but wasn't impressed enough to forget all the scars that still hurt.

That still hurt really bad and stung even worse.