Disclaimer: I don't own anything having to do with the Mediator Series because that honor is exclusively Meg Cabot's. I also don't own anything by William Shakespeare that happens to appear in the chapters. I do, however, own the plot. Yay for me. ;)

A/N: This chapter is in Jesse's point of view. Look to my author's notes for the point of view in each chapter. (:

I really, really want to thank: dori-tori, realbells21, twiihard13, Rosie19693, bookworm3, Marien Volturi, and jesseloverleona. I appreciate it all! More, please?

(000)

I was probably the only one excited about the fact that we were doing the play for our final. I mean, I wasn't a thespian or anything, but I enjoyed doing things a little out of my comfort zone. It gives me a chance to test myself; if I didn't do that I would become complacent and lazy and not live up to the potential I had. Also, it gave me a chance to find new interests and hobbies and meet new people.

When I entered the auditorium the afternoon of the auditions, I noticed that Adam was sitting in the first row talking to CeeCee and Gina in the row behind him. My eyes automatically scanned for Susannah's dark head and didn't see it. She also hadn't been in class this morning and I wondered if she was intentionally skipping. As this wasn't something I could see her doing (she always seemed practically fearless to me) I decided that she was just running late. This decision was reinforced by the fact that as I took a seat next to Adam and said hello to the girls, Susannah came flying in the side door looking more than a little crazed.

"Oh, thank god, I beat Ms. Clark. I think I was more terrified of facing her wrath than this stupid audition." Susannah panted as she ungracefully plopped into the seat next to me. I couldn't help but smile at what she said. It always seemed that she never failed to make me smile.

"Probably her wrath would have been great. I've never known anyone more dedicated to punctuality." CeeCee commented. Susannah turned and made a face at CeeCee, then scrunched down in the seat until she was practically lying down.

"Now that I'm here, I think I might throw up." She muttered. I looked over to see her close her eyes and swallow.

"It's nothing you can't handle, Susannah. Of that, I have complete and total confidence." I watched as her cheeks reddened slightly before she looked at me from under her eyelashes. I assume she was looking to see if I was being completely honest and when she ascertained that I was, she smiled shyly and murmured "thanks" before going back to doing deep breathing exercises.

I could have stayed and stared at her for the rest of the afternoon, but my gazing was interrupted by Ms. Clark marching onto the stage. "All right. The auditions for As You Like It will now commence. A short speaking piece should have been prepared like I discussed in class. I'm just going to use the roster to call you up. When you come up, try to stand center stage and give it the best you got." She smiled and headed to a small desk-like area situated off to the side of the seats in the auditorium.

As Ms. Clark continued down the list, I became more excited as did Adam and Gina. CeeCee became quieter and I could see her mouthing words to herself. Susannah looked as if she wasn't going to just be sick, but expire on the spot. I wanted to take her hand, but wasn't sure if she would welcome it or not, so I kept my hands at my sides.

Finally I heard Ms. Clark call my name and I headed toward the stage. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Adam and Brad (who had snuck in just in time for his audition) give me a thumbs up while CeeCee and Gina smiled encouragingly. Susannah continued to sit like a mummy in her chair, which made me smile. I stood at center stage and prepared myself.

"As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well: and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, stays me here at home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an ox?"

Here I paused for emphasis and found that I had even captured Susannah's wary interest. I wasn't bragging, but I had the attention of the entire auditorium. Ms. Clark was scribbling furiously on the pad in front of her.

I took a deep breath and continued: "His horses are bred better; for, besides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage, and to that end riders dearly hired: but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I. Besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the something that nature gave me his countenance seems to take from me: he lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the place of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of my father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servitude: I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it." As I finished there was a beat of silence before the applause erupted. The nervousness I had refused to acknowledge was buried under the sense of accomplishment I felt. It didn't matter what part I ended up with in the end, I had done the best I could and it had obviously been pretty good. When I sat back down between Adam and Susannah, Adam couldn't contain his excitement.

"Man, Jesse, I never knew you could do that. You have a hidden talent here. We could ride to Hollywood on that talent. I mean, between you and me, we could take the acting world by storm. The ladies wouldn't leave us alone." He looked to be seriously considering this, so CeeCee reached forward and slapped him on the head.

"What? I'm just being hones, so sue me."

"Maybe I will." CeeCee muttered, darkly. I definitely believed that she would. Adam seemed to think so too because he shut up and turned back to stare at the stage.

I heard a muffled laugh next to me and turned to see Susannah trying not to laugh out loud at the antics of the other two. I grinned and leaned over to her and whispered, "One day, they are going to be quite the power couple. Except, of course, if CeeCee goes a little too far and strangles him in frustration."

"Well, it would be hard for her to do that when she's so in love with him." She said, giggling.

"No, it would be because she loves him. She would be trying to save him from himself."

"I get the feeling that, as much as I love her, she's not that much of a humanitarian."

"Well, it would be somewhat humanitarian to save the world from the clutches of Adam." We continued on in this vain until Susannah couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing, drawing the attention of the entire auditorium over to us.

"Mr. de Silva, Miss Simon, is there something you would like to share with us?"

"No." We answered together.

"Fine, then. Miss Simon, it's your turn and Mr. de Silva, I would appreciate it if you would remain quiet for the rest of the auditions or leave the auditorium."

"I'll stay quiet, Ms. Clark."

"Very good." She turned from me to smile expectantly at Susannah who stood, twirling her thumbs nervously. "Go ahead, Suze."

I watched as she took a few deep breaths before beginning: "I will weary you then no longer with idle talking. Know of me then, for now I speak to some purpose," she began to falter and I urged her to look at me. I knew she couldn't hear me in her head, but, suddenly, she looked right at me and I smiled in encouragement. Keeping her eyes locked with mine, she continued: "that I know you are a gentleman of good conceit: I speak not this that you should bear a good opinion of my knowledge, insomuch I say I know you are; neither do I labor for a greater esteem than may in some little measure draw a belief from you, to do yourself good and not to grace me."

She paused again, but instead of faltering, she continued on confidently, still not looking anywhere else but at me. "Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things: I have, since I was three years old, conversed with a magician, most profound in his art and yet not damnable. If you do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena, shall you marry her: I know into what straits of fortune she is driven; and it is not impossible to me, if it appear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your eyes tomorrow human as she is and without any danger." Her smile was huge when she finished and grew even bigger when the people left applauded enthusiastically. She bounded off the stage and headed over to us.

Gina jumped up and grabbed her into a huge hug. "I knew you could do it. Didn't I tell you that you could?"

"You did, but I didn't know. I can't believe I did it." She laughed and twirled in a circle as Gina pulled her along. When Gina released her, she turned to me and grabbed me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don't think I could have done it without you. I swear I was about ready to swallow my tongue and then I looked at you and saw you smiling and I knew I could finish."

"It was my pleasure." I mumbled as I gave into my desire to bury my face in her hair for a moment. It was only when Brad, who had walked over to join us, cleared his throat that we broke apart.

"That was cozy." Brad smirked. Susannah was slightly redder than a tomato and I'm sure my face was bright red based on the burning sensation I felt. "So, Suze, ready to go?"

"As soon as CeeCee is done with her audition, I'm ready to go." Susannah answered as she sat back down. I sat back down too and we all turned our attention to CeeCee. She received enthusiastic applause, especially from our little group and as she headed back toward us, Ms. Clark stood.

"In order to compensate for the fact that we have several novices, I'm not going to go through the rigmarole of having call-backs. I'll have the list posted by Monday's class. I want to say that I'm very impressed by the caliber of the auditions and wish you all a good weekend."

We all filed out of the auditorium and before I had a chance to say goodbye to Susannah, she, Brad, CeeCee, and Gina hurried of with quick farewells thrown over their shoulders. Adam said something about chemistry homework and I was left to contemplate my feelings. Maybe this play was more than a way to expand my horizons. It was a chance for me to show Susannah my feelings. I had loved her since our sophomore year when she had tripped on her way back from giving a presentation and had looked right at me and smiled. I figured it was about time to tell her that.

(000)

Please keep the reviews coming. I hope you like the way I portrayed Jesse and if not, then oh well. It is how I've always imagined his thoughts would be. Again, please, please, please review.

What Suze said can be found in ACT 5, SCENE 2 of the play and what Jesse said can be found in ACT 1, SCENE 1.