"O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die…"
I let myself fall down and roll a little ways across the stage. Waiting for the heavy steps of Lexaeus to run in and find me.
"CUT!"
I groaned and sat up, rubbing my aching shoulder. I looked back to Namine, who was also frowning in annoyance. I had died so many times that day; I almost believed that when the performance came I wouldn't need to act it out.
"Roxas, Roxas, Roxas! You're dead! DEAD! Dead people do not breath! STOP BREATHING! And Namine! Ugh, I don't even know what to say to you! I don't care if Juliet is actually asleep, you're supposed to be dead too! Stop peeking! And breathing! No one on this stage should be breathing! Do ANY of you know how to act? And where's the Friar? He shouldn't be taking this long to find them! Someone find the damn Friar! Ugh, I hate this job."
The tall pink-haired male flopped back down into the auditorium seats, slapping the script against his temple. Roxas sighed and jumped graciously off the stage towards the director while the performers moved back to their original spots and the assistant directors ran about trying to find Lexaeus.
"Mr. Fleur?" The director glanced up at me and turned back down.
"What do you want Strife? I do not teach children how to act. When you came to this University, you should've come with that knowledge and ability. You and the rest of these imbeciles." The teacher sighed and held his head in the palms of his hands.
"Well…" I looked back to Namine for help. She shrugged and laid back onto the stone tablet she had been placed on and closed her eyes. Ugh, girls. Always follow their own schedule. "Um, I'll try taking smaller breaths this time. Or, maybe when I fall I could fall onto my stomach, and Nami could just pull me over and no one would notice anything when she starts crying."
Mr. Fleur threw his hands up. "Fine! Whatever! Let's just get this scene done with already! Where's that Friar I was asking for?"
He stood up and began tromping around and into the back-stage. I sighed for the millionth time and climbed back up.
"Thanks for that."
I glanced up to see Xion handing Namine a glass of water. I smiled and walked over to the two friends. Shrugging, I replied, "Well someone had to get him back in gear. We can't have Marluxia losing hope in us right before the big night."
The younger girl laughed before hustling back-stage as Mr. Fleur ran back out. "PLACES PEOPLE! This is our last run, I have a meeting in half and hour!"
Still smiling, I walked with Demyx back to my spot behind the curtains and readied myself to kill poor Terra, er Paris, and cry over Namine's "dead" body.
"Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew…"
_--~--..--~--_
"And this week I would like you all to create a black-and-white album. Try using the color scheme to a more serious mood or more forlorn mood. I'll see you on Thursday." The professor shut his folder and stepped down from the center podium just Demyx came rushing into the crowded room. Pushing through the thinning group of students, he slumped into the chair beside a tall redheaded boy. He was fixing his glasses and gathering the set of notes he had collected, pausing before glaring at Demyx.
"You're late again Dem."
Demyx flushed. "I'm sorry! You know I have to rehearse for the play on Tuesdays!" The redhead shook his head in disgust and stood, walking quickly out of the empty room. Demyx scrambled to catch up before asking, "How many notes were there?"
The redhead scoffed and replied, "Enough that I had to start writing with my right hand because my left hand cramped up so much." He sighed. "So what were you guys doing today? It seems just about all my friends except me is in that stupid play."
"Well technically," Demyx muttered. "Luxord isn't. He's Friar John's understudy." Another glare was fired his way and Demyx gulped, getting back to the topic at hand. "Well, we had to finish working on Act 5 Scene 2, where Romeo dies. But Mr. Fleur wasn't really pleased by anyone today. I swear if I have to say 'I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you,' I'm going to give that stupid director some trouble."
The redhead laughed and led them into the café downstairs. The sat down at their usual table by the window where some of their friends were already seated. Luxord and Tidus were playing rummy while Larxene was cleaning up her little sister's face. Namine glanced up and sighed with relief, pushing the wipes away. "Axel!"
Axel smiled and sat beside the girl, messing up her hair. He gazed about at his friends. He was glad that Demyx had introduced him to such amazing people. It hadn't been that he was anti-social he just didn't enjoy people. They were annoying, lied, and usually smelled. He had a problem with people who were not very hygienic. His thoughts were interrupted as Demyx shoved him over to share his seat.
"I vote Tidus pays today!" Demyx announced as he slammed his backpack onto the table. Tidus sighed, stopping his game.
"Dem, seriously? I paid last week. Its your turn this week." Larxene laughed and shoved the backpack off. "Let me guess, you wasted your money on trying to fix your hair." The table laughed with her as Demyx scowled.
Axel slid his wallet from his back pockets and stood. "I'll cover you this week dude." Demyx played the best angelic smile he could and hugged the taller male. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!"
Peeling him off, he trudged over to the crowded area where the group's lunch awaited. Sighing, he plunged himself into the first line he came across. He glanced around uncomfortably. He always hated how people seemed to be constantly staring at him. It was nerve wracking.
"Hey! Pay attention!"
Blushing with embarrassment, he moved forward in the line and ordered sandwiches for the group. He leaned against the counter, waiting for the young women to return with the food. His wandered back to his surroundings. There was a guy in a cowboy hat swinging pointing a video camera at a group of giggling teens that were here to visit the University. There were two others at one of the center tables, both with unusually spiky hair such as himself, going over what looked like blueprints for a motorbike. And over in the corner was a small blonde kid with bright blue eyes, just staring out into space.
"-your sandwiches. Sir? Sir I have your food."
Axel jumped, and hastily thanked the lady. Grabbing the sandwiches, he rushed back to the table and spread them out before slumping against the wall.
"What's wrong with you?" Luxord inquired, raising a brow at the fallen form. Axel shrugged and stared back at the crowd. What had gotten into him today? He wasn't usually this… distracted. Sighing, he closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the glass.
"Hey Demmy? Do you think maybe I can get Roxas to come over and sit with us?"
Axel peeked an eye open and stared at Namine. Roxas? Who the heck was that?
"I dunno, he doesn't usually like sitting with strangers…" Demyx nodded his head towards Axel.
"They'll get along just fine! Its not like either of them talk very much anyway…" Namine muttered, glancing quickly at the growing crowd.
Tidus laughed. "If you do, just make sure Roxas talks like a normal human being!" They laughed again. Confused, Axel closed his eyes and thought back through their conversations. Nowhere had anyone named Roxas ever come up. And talk normal? What, was he a foreigner? Upon opening his eyes, he found that both Demyx and Namine had disappeared from the table, most likely in search of the foreign talking freak. Just like any other time when boredom decided to strike, he pulled out his camera and began to scan the room for any breath-taking images one could find.
When his lens tilted up, he found the most breath-taking view that even his camera wouldn't be able to capture.