ONE HOUR CHALLENGE: One of your 'Couple' land the part of Juliet in the play 'Romeo and Juliet'. To their utter horror, your 'Couple' discover that the other of the 'Couple' is playing Romeo!
CATEGORIES: Anime/Manga
CHARACTERS: Usagi, Mamoru

COMPLETED: Yes (1/1)

A/N: Okay this still needs to be edited, but I went on to the Princess Destiny's web site and found this idea. Of course instead it being one hour, I ended up writing for four days! So I hope everyone likes it. I might add a little more later, but I am so anxious to get this out.

BTW: This is my first attempt at using the Japanese names. I figured I wanted to try once.

SO ENJOY!

Serenitychild

(PS, don't worry I haven't given up on WESKAM, I will have a chapter up probably around Easter break.)

O Mamoru, O Mamoru!

"OUCH!" I screamed at the ebony-spawn-of-the-devil-incarnated man who was similarly rubbing his forehead in the same fashion as I was.

"Odango, what are you doing? Do you go around looking at the ground just for kicks?" The man growled in frustration.

What a jerk!

"Mamoru-baka! I was looking for the coin I just dropped… wait a minute, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT RAN INTO ME!" I said, blaming him for all the pain that my forehead was feeling at the moment. "Maybe you should watch where you are going!"

Dare I say Mamoru was blushing for a moment? The cool suave college student… embarrassed? HA!

"Well sorry. Must be hanging out with you so much that all the clumsiness is being rubbed off like a disease!" Mamoru said as he tried to regain his composure.

I blinked.

"Is that all you got, Chiba?" I smirked. Just then a glint caught my eyes and my attention completely did a one-eighty.

"Odango. Unlike you I don't…"
"I FOUND IT!" I squealed in delight. Yes! Without my precious yen I would not have had enough coins to play a round of Sailor V. How depressing would THAT have been?

"Geez. Have you been checked out for Attention Deficit Disorder?" The college student sighed and started to head into the sliding doors of the arcade. I always found it odd that a freshman in college would want to hang out at an arcade parlor, but, then again, he did have Motoki-san.

"That's ADD right?" Stupid! I'm just asking for him to make fun of me.

He stopped and smiled down at me, as if I was a two-year-old. "Yes, little Odango, that is what people may refer to it as at times, would you like me to give you the symptoms as well."

"I hope you never become a doctor."

"I hope you never graduate high school."

"I hope aliens abduct you and take you back to your home planet."

"Hello, Mamoru-kun, Usagi-chan!"

"MOTOKI!" I squealed in delight.

"OUCH! Geez, Odango Atama. Glass is expensive, lower the decibels a bit."

"That hardly warrants a reply." I sat up on the stool and swung my legs beneath me, my hand under my chin flirtatiously. I catch Makoto-chan in here doing this "flirty" action all the time. So what if we were BOTH after Motoki? It's a healthy competition, really. Although I don't think either of us still have our whole hearts in it, especially after Mako-chan and I found out he had a girlfriend. But it is still fun to get attention from him. He is so nice and understanding…

"Earth to Odango."

"Mamoru…." I growled under my breath. Unlike others I know.

"Say, Usagi-chan. The Cherry Blossom festival is coming up soon, do you have any idea what you're going to be doing yet?" Motoki said, conversationally. I think that man is immune to our lover's spats, as he referred to it one time. The nerve! I'm rolling my eyes just thinking about that insult.

"UGH! Don't remind me! Rei-baka is in charge of most of the festivities, again." My head dropped to the table dramatically.

"Why so negative?" Motoki, surprised that a little blonde girl who seemed to live on a constant sugar high and would be ecstatic over the very idea of cotton candy, isn't bouncing up and down at the slightest mention of a festival, especially since there will be food, and TONS of it.

I sighed and looked at him. "Because Rei-chan is of course going to make her friends help her out as much as possible. This year she is going to be putting on a play. It's that Shakespeare one, Romeo and Juliet, (I know how original, right?), so she asked Ami-chan to be the nurse and Mako-chan to be Lady Capulet. And she's forcing ME to play Juliet because I'm the only one of her friends with blonde hair. How in the world am I supposed to memorize ALL of those lines? I can hardly understand them!" I said, frustration laced into every word.

"Did you just say you are going to be playing Juliet?" Mamoru looked up in surprise. Great the loser probably is going to think I am incapable of such enormous responsibility. He will probably be in the front row, with popcorn, ready to laugh at my first mistake. I should have never mentioned this in front of him. Now it's going to haunt me for the REST of my life.

"What? Do you need a tape recorder? Yes, I just said I'm playing the fair Juliet."

"There must be a misunderstanding. She would NEVER do this." He said with a hand going into his hair.

"I am perfectly capable of being Juliet, Mamoru-baka. Don't worry, I will have ALL the lines memorized."

"That's not what I mean." He rolled his eyes. What's this guy's problem? I'm starting to get a bit peeved.
"Well, what DO you mean?" I spat.

"I mean, she asked me to be Romeo!" He said.

"EW!" My knee-jerk reaction exclaimed before figuring out everything that he just said and what exactly that would imply.

"Thanks Odango." Sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"You're right, she knows we would never do it together." I said wide-eyed.

Motoki, in the meantime, was making Mamoru's coffee. His regular black coffee… GROSS! He, being Motoki, decided to interject, "Oh I'm sure that you two could get along for Rei-chan's sake. I mean we are all mature young adults here. She must be thinking that her two very good friends would be able to set aside their differences to pull this event off." He finished by placing a coffee in front of Mamoru-san. Isn't mature and young an oxymoron?

Great. For some reason now I feel guilty… but there is no way I can spend time with this… this… thing.

"You're right Motoki. I will do it." He let out a sigh.

Um… hello? Mortal enemies?

"I think I need to talk to Raye first…" Both sent an accusing glare. "Nani?"

Mamoru started, "Usagi, I think it would be best if we just went through with it. We had already both agreed, and Raye is probably very busy with the rest of the planning. She's counting on you. You said yes to her, and you can't bail out on your best friend."

"Even if the words were not directed at me, I think that is the most human thing you have ever said." Oh well, old habits die hard.

"Don't get used to it."

"I won't." I scrunched up my forehead thoughtfully. I hate guilt. It's the only motivator to getting any of my homework done sometimes. It starts off with my mother yelling about doing so much for me and how ungrateful I am. Then it progresses to me feeling like crap for somehow breaking our trust bond, and finishes with me at least looking at the homework, and on good nights actually doing a few problems, before falling asleep. Guilt is not a friendly emotion.

"But…" I squeaked out before Mamoru looked at me, as if daring me to say anything negative.

"Fine. But that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it." I paused. "Ever." I stood up with all the grace of a future star actress that I could muster. Hey if I was going to become famous, may as well start acting like it. "Well nice talking to you both, one more so than the other. But I am off to play Sailor V, like I had originally planned." With that I bounced to the game near the counter and proceeded to reach level twelve before being killed by the evil green youma.

A few days later began our first rehearsal. We sat in the backstage of the outdoor theater, all together going through the entire play.

…

It was SOOOOO boring.

Fortunately (or unfortunately as I was soon to find out later) I had a lot of lines, so I was actually able to participate, more so than listen to the dialogue drone on.

Scratch being an actress… this sucks!

Rei-chan had the pleasure of sitting next to me, so lucky for me I got a swift kick in my shin when ever I started to fall asleep.

My God, I thought school was boring. Mental note to sparknote the play so I actually know what's going on before the performance.

"…Is guilty of this lamentable chance! The lady stirs."

I mean, Shakespearean is like a crazy sub-English language. As far as I'm concerned, it's like translating that poetry homework that I have barely began. Can't help that I'm busy being the star!

"The lady stirs."

What's it going to be like though when it's just Mamoru and I? I've already counted at least four scripted kisses. Do you think Rei-chan will make me do any MORE?

Huh. I wonder why everyone stopped reading. Are we done?

"Fair Odango Atama, it's your line." Mamoru droned. Obviously he was just as bored as I was.

Wait. My line? I thought I died already! What were they talking about then in the bedchambers? Oi! I'm so confused!

"Oh right!" I felt my cheeks blush. "O, comfortable friar! Where is my lord?" I read the line at the bottom of the page. Comfortable friar? What is this nonsense? "I do remember well where I should be, And there I am, Where is my Romeo?"

I had yet ANOTHER monologue where it says I have to kiss the baka one more time and then I stab myself. I felt that I was safe as dead now, but just in case quickly scanned the last few pages to make sure I stayed that way.

Another ten minutes and we finally finished.

Rei dismissed all of the cast members giving me time to confront her about the whole Romeo and Juliet business. But before I could say anything, she stopped me with her hand in the air, like some rich Californian-wannabe.

"Odango, I know what you are going to say, and I don't want to hear it!"

I started to open my mouth.

"You know you're the only one with the right look, and I had to ask Mamoru-san because he is perfect for the part."

I closed my mouth and pouted.
"So you are just going to have to grow up a little and stick with it. The play is going to be over in three weeks and then you can go back to flirting with Motoki-san at the arcade."

A glare.

"Usagi-chan, I suggest you hurry up and catch Mamoru-san and schedule some practice times. We are not going to have enough time to just keep working on you getting over kissing Mamoru." Rei then walked away.

"HEY!" I screamed after her. "THIS IS NOT FAIR! YOU TRICKED ME PYRO!"

"GET OVER IT," I heard from across backstage area before hearing the door slam behind her.

I flipped through my script one more time, noticing all the scenes I was going to have to learn.

This wasn't going to be fun.

I'm hungry, I wonder if Motoki's working?

By the end of that week I had most of the first two scenes I was in memorized. I didn't really understand much of what I was saying, so often Rei would have to stop my scenes in order to explain what exactly "thee" and other Shakespearean words meant in Lehman's terms. (Or Usagi Terms, as Rei-chan politely blurted out.)

It was a very long week to say the least.

By the time the second week rolled around, Mamoru-baka often would be seen hanging around afterwards, probably trying to catch me so we could practice our scenes together.

As tempting as that was, I was avoiding those scenes like a plague.

Finally by Thursday I decided that I really should be practicing with him. As much as I was going to hate it. But the truth is, I really did not want to embarrass myself in front of my friends and family. Plus I needed to make sure I really was not going to throw-up if I did kiss him.

I had my purse around my shoulder and was wearing a really cute spring dress that day when I saw him hanging out, leaning up against the wall like some James Dean character.

I stopped before he saw me. My entire resolve floating out of the air.

Me?

With him?

US?

No way in hell!

I turned swiftly on my heels and started to walk in the other direction.

"Usagi-san!" I froze again without realizing I could have easily just ignored him and kept walking.

"Mamoru-san." I said, facing him again. He was wearing his green jacket again with some faded jeans. Is it just me, or does he wear that outfit too much? He really needs to update his wardrobe.

"Usagi to headquarters, do you read…Over." He held up his hand like he was speaking into a radio.

"Shut up, baka!" I stuck my tongue out. "What do you want?" I folded my arms, the familiar flair of challenge sparked within me as it always does around him.

"Usa-chan, you know that we have to get together SOME time. The plays in just a little over a week, and you really need help memorizing those lines." Mamoru pointed out.

Does my ears deceive me? Usa-chan? Does HE even realize what he just said? What are we… friends or something? I searched his face, and all I got was a man looking down at me expectantly.

I must analyze the situation later with Mako-chan. She will know!

"Usagi… you're being a space case today." He said, waving his hand in my face, just because he knows it annoys me.

"Stop it!" I yelled at him, hitting his arm away. "Fine! We can practice scenes together." I paused, an idea forming in my head. "But on one condition."
"Odango, do you always have to be so immature." He groaned.

"You know what? Never mind!" I started storming away but he caught me.

"For the sake of Rei, and ONLY for the sake of Rei. I'm sorry. What is the condition?" He dropped his arms and I stood up, in all seriousness.

"You can't make fun of me. At all!" I held up my hand started to name the following off with each finger. "That means: No Odango, no insults to my poor academics, no saying anything if I fall, and no telling me I'm a bad kisser." Oops! Kind of let that one slip. I blushed slightly but still looked expectantly at him, waiting for his reply.

"Is that why you have been avoiding me? Because you're afraid to kiss me?"

I, for once, who always had some sort of rebuttal to Mamoru-san, could not figure out what to say back in response.

"I assure you Usagi-san, it is just an on-stage kiss. It's not like it's going to mean anything."

Something inside me yelled back to him, 'Of course it means something. It's going to be my first kiss!' And somehow I was slightly hurt by his comment.

I bit my lip.

"Okay, fine, I agree. Come over after practice tomorrow and we can go through these scenes. I'll can drive you home later." Mamoru began to walk away.

"Fine." I spat and started walking home, determined to get at least the scenes with me and Mamoru memorized so that way we would not take too long on them tomorrow.

Later that night in the middle of memorizing my scenes, Makoto called. Of course, I took this as God's sign that I needed to take a break. Luna, who was somewhat impressed that I was putting so much effort into this for Rei, just sighed as I talked with Mako-chan for an hour about the horrors of kissing the baka.

"…And then he's like I assure you that it's just a kiss and it doesn't mean anything! I couldn't believe he told me that. It's going to be my first kiss, Mako-chan! Whether it's fake or not, I wanted it to mean something!" I fell onto the bed and bounced up and down a bit. "Why couldn't Motoki-san play Romeo. Or even Tuxedo Kamen-sama? I wouldn't mind kissing either of them!" I sighed for dramatic effect.

I heard the grinder in the background on her side of the phone and wondered if she was making lunch for tomorrow.

"Well, Usagi-chan. I do agree that it's unfortunate that you have to kiss someone you don't like. But it's just acting. Why not pretend in your mind that it really isn't a kiss. Pretend it's a friend kiss!"

"When did we suddenly become friends? Does everyone forget that we're mortal enemies?" I asked to nobody in particular.

"Usagi-chan, whether you want to admit it or not, you do care for Mamoru-san. If he was to fall and hurt himself, I know you would help him out."

"What kind of analogy is that? I've fallen many a times, he's never helped me out!"

"Whatever! What I'm trying to say is don't think about this too much. All actresses have to do it! I mean, just look at the movie stars, most of them are married yet they have to have sex scenes with other movie stars that could very well be an acquaintance."

"But I'm not a movie star! What's your point?" I paused, getting an image of me as a movie star and Mamoru playing me sexy costar. "And by the way, EW!"

"Well, then why don't you just kiss someone else before you kiss him? Would that make it any better."
I sighed, defeated. "No. Honestly, though, I guess I might be a tad over reacting. But I just get a weird feeling whenever I think about being with him, or kissing him for that matter."

Makato seemed to hesistate.

"Usagi-chan. I'm asking this as your best friend and not as a joke, understand?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Are you sure you don't like Mamoru-san?" She waited for an answer. And I gave it to her.

"WHAAAAT! Whatever gave you THAT idea! That.. ME? Him? TOGETHER?" Him… me… together?

Mamoru-baka and the Odango?

Mamoru-san and Usagi-chan?

Mamoru-chan and Usa-chan?

Mamo-chan and Usa-chan?

"Oh, crap! I have to go Makoto!" My mind was buzzing around and around and I think I needed to think about something else. ANYTHING else!
"Yeah okay. Just think about it, alright?"

I hung up.

Him?

With me?

Suddenly my entire though process stopped and I fell off the bed in hysterics. I laughed so hard that my side started to hurt.

Mamoru-san would NEVER go out with me! What am I thinking? Why bother when I already have Motoki-san and Tuxedo Kamen-sama? Usagi, you are indeed going crazy.

Luna looked at me worriedly.

"What was that all about?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." I stood up and composed myself and spent the rest of the night going through my lines again.

This acting thing is impossible!

"No, No, NO!" Mamoru-san said, clearly getting frustrated. "Usagi, you are not talking to me, I am hiding!"

"What do you mean? It says 'O, Romeo, O, Romeo!'" I retorted. "What am I, talking to myself?"

"Yes!"

"What do you know?" I glared.

"Apparently much more than you!"

I glared, warningly.

He backed off. "I'm sorry, couldn't help it." He shrugged and took my script so I could see over his shoulder. "Look, at this part Romeo is talking to himself. He is trying to find Juliet by sneaking in the back. Then he says, 'But soft! (As in I must quiet my voice now.) What light through yonder window breaks.' He sees Juliet and then he realizes that she is outside thinking about him. You are sad in this scene because you realize if only Romeo had a different name, thus coming from a different family, that you two could be together."

"Does Romeo ever come out?"

"Yeah. I make my presence known on this line, 'Take thee at thy word…' Do you see that?" I scanned the page then pointed to it.

"Good circle it."

I did.

"The next line, you can't make who ever it is out right away, so you're scared someone is trying to kidnap you or something."

"Wow. You're good at this!" I have to say I was indeed impressed.

"Well when you have readRomeo and Juliet for school as much as I have, it's hard to forget." He flashed me a smile.

That weird feeling settled into my nerves.

We spent the next two hours translating all the dialogue. When we got through the last page I was in, Mamoru stood up.

"Okay. I think we've had enough of this now."

"Wait! We are not going to kiss or anything?" I blurted. Wait, that didn't sound right. "I mean… Oh, I don't know what I mean!" I put my hands into my hair, aggravated. I guess he wouldn't have understood that I had been dreading kissing him since all of this had started, so I really just wanted to get if over with. I knew if I left now, somehow I would feel disappointed. And I would agonize over it all weekend.

"Didn't know you were that eager." He chuckled. "It's okay. I know how much you don't want to, so we can just do it at practice on Monday." He started walking out the door.

In front of everyone? "Mamoru, you don't understand!" I said, panic-stricken.

"I don't understand what?"

"I have to kiss you!" I said.

"Don't worry about it. Seriously, it will be nothing. We can just do it on Monday." He grabbed his jacket and my sweater from the closet.

"But. It IS something!" I raised my voice.

He stopped and turned to me.

"It's… MY FIRST KISS!" I said.

His shocked expression turned into an unreadable one. All of the sudden I was completely embarrassed over my confession, turning red all over.

"Usagi…" He barely managed to get my name out before I ran past him grabbing my sweater and deciding to walk home instead of facing him.

"…I never knew." He closed the door and I was halfway out onto the street.

I didn't leave my house on Saturday, mostly because I didn't feel like it. I spent the entire day playing video games and snacking. Luna did coerce me into practicing for the play for a little while, though. With Mamoru's help it was suddenly much easier to memorize now that I knew what I was saying. I had half of my lines memorized that day.

Sunday the girls said that they wanted to go to the arcade for a bit. As much as I wanted to avoid the arcade at all cost, I decided that I was probably being immature about all of this.

I arrived around two o'clock. Because of the weekend, the place was more crowded than usual, and I made my way to the corner booth where Rei-chan sat fuming.

"Usagi! You're thirty minutes late! Thank God Ami-chan is nice, because I would have eaten and left already!"

My friend Ami smiled as she looked up from her script.

Apparently she had been practicing her lines with Mako-chan.

"Hi Usagi-chan!" Makoto and Ami said to me.

"Hey guys. Knowing that at least you two love me makes my day just a bit brighter." I smiled smartly at Rei who just rolled her eyes.

Rei-chan began, "So did you ever get together with Mamoru-san? Or even STARTED to memorize your lines yet?"

"Well for your information PYRO, yes. I did get together with Mamo-baka. And yes. I do have most of my lines memorized. Ask Luna."

Who, for some reason, is not here.

"Where is she?" Inquisitive Ami asked.

I just shrugged. "Probably just looking for a new youma or something."

We ate and chatted for a bit when Mamoru-san entered the arcade, looking for someone.

"Hey Motoki-kun. Have you seen Usagi-chan?" He asked.

All the girls had heard him.

"What does he want you for?" The girls whispered back and forth, all used to the two fighting constantly. USAGI-CHAN?

What is with his term of endearments all of the sudden? Of course, don't get me wrong. It's not that I miss Odango, but this is just getting to be weird.

"She's over here Mamoru-san!" My ex-friend Makoto yelled across the arcade. I glared at her, she mouthed, 'What?'

He started over here.

I had a sudden feeling of wishing I wore something nicer. I felt this as I readjusted my cami over my faded jeans that I hardly ever wore.

"Usagi! How are you?" He smiled

"I'm okay… Are you okay?" I'm confused.

"Yes, why?" The girls just exchanged glanced.

"Nevermind. I need to talk to you, can you come with me?" He asked.

Pinch

Yep. I'm awake. Did he just go almost a minute without calling me Odango?

Oh my God! He must be dying or something.

Obviously worried about his health, I quickly accepted, preparing myself for the bad news.

"Let's go on a walk." He took my hand and led me to the park that was infamous for the place where we often would run into each other and argue.

For me it was also a place that was infamous for how many times the girls and I have fought there. Oh the memories…

I felt weird. He was holding my hand. Still!

"Mamoru? Are you sick?" I inquired.

"No."

"Did someone die?"

"No!"

"Did you get denied from med-school?"

"Odango… seriously I need to talk to you. Stop being obnoxious." He let go of my hand and sat down on the bench, patting the other side.

"I'm NOT being obnoxious! You're scaring the crap out of me!" I said. Refusing to sit down before he grabbed my arm and forced my legs beneath me and my bottom onto the bench.

"I know…" He started. And then of course stopped. Was this going to take forever?
"You know what?" I said impatiently.

"I guess I want to say… I know how much a first kiss means to girls like you." He said, proud that he got it out already.

That poor guy has probably been agonizing over that all yesterday and this morning! So the spawn DOES have a soul!

That weird feeling was making me jittery.

"Okay…" What else?

"And… So… First… First I want to say that I'm really sorry that you are going to be kissing me."

I nodded in agreement, half smiling now.

"And second, I just wanted to say… actually. I wanted…" Mamoru flung his head back with a hand going into his hair.

"Mamo-chan, you're stuttering," my nickname for him slipping from my mouth.

Oops.

"Mamo-chan?" He gave me a weird look. "Seems kind of feminine."

"So? Better than Odango Atama!" I retorted.

"Oh! You just made that up because I called you Usa-chan. Seriously, Odango, HOW original!"

"I don't hear you coming up with anything better. BA-KA!"

"O-DAN-GO!"

"MA-MO-CHAN!"

"U-SA-KO!" He then paused and flushed furiously.

"Mamoru-san?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'm sorry." He said trying to recover.

"Usako." I repeated to myself. Testing it. The weird feeling went on overload and I had a giant urge to hug him or something. I was embarrassed. That loser could probably read minds or something. STOP THINKING!

"Usa-chan. What I meant before to say was, I would like to take you out on a date tonight. So that way, hopefully I can make your first kiss special."

My eyes started to tear up. "I don't understand. I thought we were mortal enemies!"

"We were."

"And then I thought, 'Hey maybe Mako-chan is right.' We were friends." I continued.

"We were." He repeated.

"Then what are we now?"

He paused. "I don't know."

How in the hell did we get into this position, I wanted to scream. It was just a moment ago I couldn't stand the sight of him. Now I couldn't seem to look away.

"So tonight?"
"Tonight" He confirmed.

"What are we going to do?"
"I was thinking about renting one of the movies based on Romeo and Juliet. How about Shakespeare in Love?" He suggested.

"Okay." I said simply.

"Okay."

We just stared.

"Seven sound okay?"

I nodded.

"Okay." Not knowing what else to do I looked at my watch reading three-thirty. That meant only three hours to get ready! Suddenly I looked up, stricken.

"ACK! See you later, Mamo-chan! I have to get ready!" I sprinted home leaving a very confused Mamoru-baka standing in the middle of Tokyo Park.

"YOU ARE GOING ON A DATE WITH MAMORU??? WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW?" I took the phone away from my ear a bit. Mako-chan can sometimes act like me when it comes to guys. It's spooky, really.

"I don't know. One minute we were arguing, the next I'm getting invited over to watch a movie!" I said for at least the tenth time this one phone call.

I held up several outfits trying to see the best one.
"Okay… I think I am going to go with my hoodie and matching skirt. You know the purple and green one?"

"Yeah. Make sure you wear a bracelet or something."

"Where are you going?" Luna came in.

"To Mamoru's," I said, matter-of-fact like.

She must have thought that I meant to go practice for the play. Oh well, I'm not going to tell her the truth. She will treat me like a child and tell me that it will get in the way of Senshi-duties or something.

"Alright, I'm leaving now, Mako."

"Make sure you call me!" She threatened.

"I will. I promise. See you tomorrow!"

We hung up and after I finished getting ready, I grabbed my purse and headed over to his apartment.

I rang the doorbell several times and he answered. "Kanichi wa, Odango." Mamoru stood aside to let me in. I settled onto the familiar couch as Mamoru brought out popcorn and asked if I needed anything else.

"Nope I'm fine." I eyed the popcorn and was too embarrassed to ask for more.

"Okay!" Than disappeared into the kitchen for his own popcorn.

We sat on the couch on two opposite sides. I was disappointed that he didn't put an arm around me. That is until he had to go to the bathroom. Then he came back and I noticed he was now sitting next to me this time.

"Usa-chan? Would it be alright if I put an arm around you?" He asked.

"Umm…uh." Was all I got out and he just did it anyway.

"Okay…" I replied belatedly.

It's weird being on a date for the first time and instead of contemplating whether he was going to kiss me goodnight, knowing that he was going to kiss me good night. No matter how the date turned out.

It kind of put me slightly on edge with anticipation.

The movie was too short for my taste that evening and we both sat silently watching the credits.

"So how'd you like it?"

"It was good." I said. Not really knowing what to say.

"Usagi?"

"Yes?"

"How about this." He turned to face me. "Do you have Act 1 scene 5 memorized yet?" He asked.

"Is that the one we meet?" I asked. He nodded. "Yeah I do."

"I would like us to try it."
"Okay. I guess we can."

We stood in the opposite sides of the room, similar to how we were suppose to on stage. All of the sudden, I felt as if I really were Juliet, and I really was meeting Romeo the first time. We stared at each other from across the room as we were told to in practice, and slowly, he made his way up to me. He took my hand to his lips.

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this; my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

I took my hand away and jested, "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows is this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

He smiled, pretending to be completely enraptured by my character. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." I took my hair to the side, off my shoulder, as if I was flirting.

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! They pray; grant though, lest faith turn to despair." He stepped closer.

I suddenly wasn't so sure of this. But I needed to prove to him that I could do this. I needed to prove to myself that I could do this!

Not breaking character, I stood still, smiling. "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers sake."

"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine my sin purged."

He took me in his arms and kissed me.

I now knew with a sudden certainty that the weird feeling I always felt around him was not at all weird. I liked him. I really liked him!

I took my hands and put it behind his head, pulling him closer.

He broke the kiss and whispered, "Go ahead. Say your next line."

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took?"
"Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." He kissed me again. And this time didn't break away.

I sat in my gown, spreading across the floor. Mamoru lay feigning death by poison. I leaned over him and said, "What's here?" I picked up the vial that he had drunk. "A cup, closed in my true love's hand?" Disappointed I looked at him, "Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O Churl! Drank all, and left no friendly drop to help me after?" I cursed the heavens.

I then crawled even closer to him. " I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them to make me die with a restorative." I kissed him with a passion I had been practicing ever since our first date. "They lips are warm!" I said in stage whisper.

A voice came, signaling my next line.

"Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief." I looked around and noticed the dagger. "O happy dagger!" I grabbed it. "There rust, and let me die." I put the play dagger into my stomach and slumped over the 'dead' Romeo.

I listened as the lines commenced and I lay there with my head upon Mamoru's chest, going up and down as my family and friends watched from the audience.

After we kissed at his apartment, we made an agreement that we both did like each other, but because we both didn't really know how those types of feeling emerged from such evil teasing that we decided to take things slow.

The curtain closed and we both got up and he kissed me on the forehead.

"Good job, Usako."
"Thank you, Mamo-chan, you too."

We did curtain call and I could here Naru-chan, one of my good friends from school, cheering all the way from the back

He squeezed my hand.

"And now fair Juliet, do you regret being asked by Rei to fill this part."

"Well…" I looked up at him.

"Not at all!" I kissed him on the cheek and then ran off, my laughter ringing throughout the stage.