The Romeo Club

“Mom gave me gas money.” I laughed. “Besides, I invited you tonight, so I figured I’d play chauffer.”

The lot was packed and we ended up having to park in the back row, which made me regret the heels I wore. When we climbed out, I grabbed my purse, then untwisted the straps of my blue-green sundress.

We hurried to the sidewalk then followed it into the school, right to the auditorium doors. There was already a line waiting to get in. I saw Drake and Chloe ahead of us and waved. They looked so cute together. Her auburn hair was piled atop her hair in curls. My brother had a protective arm around her shoulders.

Kenadi adjusted her red cardigan, and tugged her black skirt back into place. “I so hate skirts. I always feel like it’s going to fly up and give everyone a nice view of my butt.”

“Tell me about it. Any second now, I half expect to have a wardrobe malfunction.” I pulled the low cut fabric of my neckline back together.

“Maybe the paparazzi will get a good shot.” She laughed.

When the line inched forward, a lady took our tickets and handed us a program. As we got inside the auditorium, Drake and Chloe flagged us over.

“Hey,” I said. “Thanks for saving us seats.” I glanced further down the row to see Kevin and Melanie holding hands. Kevin smiled, and I gave him a thumbs up.

“No problem. We’ve just gotta save two on the end for Trey and Portia.”

“Okay.” I glanced at Kenadi.

“Here, swap me spots that way you don’t have to be right next to them.” She moved around me so I’d sit beside Chloe instead.

“Thanks.”

“Hello? BFF, remember?” She grinned.

Drake stood and looked around the room. A few minutes later, he waved his arms again. I glanced over and saw Trey walk in with Portia on his arm. When he saw my brother he waved back, but pointed to two seats further up.

My brother seemed baffled as he took a seat. “What’s got into him lately? I swear he’s been avoiding us ever since he started dating Portia,” he said.

I shrugged.

But Ken leaned over. “Now that was a total asshole move. Even for him.”

“It’s fine. Besides, I have all my friends right here.” I leaned my head on her shoulder.

The lights dimmed, and the curtains opened to show a faux historic town. As soon as the play started, I opened my program. Romeo and Juliet. I didn’t fail to see the irony in this. Because I felt like Juliet—I sacrificed everything for love. The play began and we watched the different scenes unfold. I had to admit, Liza made a perfect Juliet. And C.C. blew me away with his part of Romeo.

Glen Adder, who played Mercutio stood on the stage with C.C., who was Romeo.

C.C. paced in front of Glen. “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough. Too rude, too boist’rous; and it pricks like a thorn.”

Wasn’t that the truth?

Glen answered, “If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. Give me a case to put my visage in. A visor for a visor! What care I? What curious eye doth quote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.”

On the scene went, until Romeo and Juliet met at the ball. Kenadi leaned closer.

“Damn, they’re good together.”

“I know. Scary isn’t it?” I smiled.

Then they came to my favorite scene in Romeo and Juliet. The balcony. Sigh.

C.C. stood staring up at the makeshift balcony. “She speaks. O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art, as glorious to this night, being o'er my head. As is a winged messenger of heaven. Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes. Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him. When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds, and sails upon the bosom of the air.”

Liza peered down over the railing. “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name! Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love. And I'll no longer be a Capulet.”

You could see the chemistry between C.C. and Liza as they lit up the stage. When the end of the play came, tears streamed down my cheeks. Maybe this wasn’t the best play to see when you suffered from a broken heart. The curtains went down and I clapped. They opened again, and the drama teacher called the different people out in the order they appeared. When he announced C.C. the Nerd Herd and I cheered loud.

“Woo-hoo, go C.C.,” I shouted.

He bowed and blew us a kiss. Once the curtain closed again, we left our seats and went into the lobby to wait for them to come out.

After about twenty minutes, C.C. and Liza emerged together. People stopped to talk to them. When they got to us, I smiled.

“You did so good up there,” I told Liza. “And your costumes, oh, my God, I wanted to steal them all.”

She laughed. “Yeah. Try walking around in them. They’re so heavy.” She pulled me off to the side. “I wanted to thank you for pushing C.C. to go after me. We have so much fun together.”

“He finally told you?” My eyes widened.

She blushed. “Yeah. I’d heard some stuff at school, and he wanted to set the record straight. But don’t worry. I think it’s cool what you did for him. He said you helped him with his lines for tryouts and taught him how to waltz.”