Someone's hoggin' in on Roxas's proclaimed territory!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Roxas-The Rival

I looked around, but saw her nowhere in sight. If I remember, which I do, she made it very clear that we would see each other at the audition. If she backed down I didn't really have any reason to be there. But I decided to wait for her. JUST for her. No, I gave up my stalker ways, now that we would be in the play together. There was no way I was passing up this chance. My friends might give me a hard time about this though, a drama play? That sure sounded like me. But I was willing to do it for Namin'e. Heck, I was willing to wear tights for her. Now that's true love right there.

The drama teacher clapped as a summon to get us all together. I still didn't see Namin'e and I searched for her all over, holding my hand above my forehead, as if that would clear up my epic hunt for her. I wanted to go on before her so I wouldn't be nervous if she got the part for sure.

I had it all planned out. I would volunteer to audition first, or at least before her. Then, if I got the part, she would audition and get it too. But if she didn't get the part, which I doubt, then I could just reject it. We'd be set, it was too perfect of a plan. And what if she went on before me? I wasn't going to let that happen. So, there was no way it could go wrong! …oh god, I hope I didn't just jinx myself by saying that…

The teacher was babbling on about something, like to make the play perfect or some crap I don't really care about. I wasn't paying attention, but after awhile I thought that I probably should pay attention. Just as I did, I heard a door open. I turned to the direction the noise came from and sure enough, Namin'e snuck into the room, looking rather ashamed, I guessed because she was late. It was all the way on the other side of the huge stage-room. She walked down a row between the chairs and stood in front of the stage.

"Miss Aijou! I will not tolerate tardiness!" The teacher boomed over her and wagged a finger. Namin'e shut her eyes from being yelled at and then looked up at her.

"I'm very sorry. It won't happen again." Namin'e apologized reassuringly.

"Well, I guess I will make an acceptation just this once. You are one of Twilight High's best actresses." The teacher rolled her eyes and motioned Namin'e up onto the stage. Namin'e beamed and skipped up the stairs, right up next to me. I blushed that she rushed up to quickly, straight to me. The teacher went on, informing, explaining, whatever. I leaned over a bit to the side so I could speak into her ear. I hadn't noticed but I was a great deal taller than her. I felt…empowered. …But whatever.

"Hey, why were you late…?" I asked softly in a whisper. I stood up straight and empowered. Yeah, really do like the sound of that. But that didn't really mean anything. I was taller than her, so what?

"Sorry, I just had something to do." She apologized, as she had done before. Now, for her turn, she turned towards me and lifted herself up on the edges of her feet and whispered into my ear.

"Like what?" I repeated the same action.

"Don't worry about it. It's not that important." Namin'e mirrored herself and myself once again. I really wanted to know what she was doing, but I decided to lay off and not be annoying. Finally, the teacher was done spewing useless crap at us and we started the auditions. I talked with Namin'e the whole time and we laughed and joked. It was really fun and I was glad I was spending time with her. It made me feel more relaxed around her. The teacher called for another one to audition.

"Well, I guess I-" I turned around to face Namin'e and started to walk backwards towards the stage when someone cut me off. "Hey, watch it Seifer!" I said sorely, brushing off my arm from the impact. Seifer, he always had some weird thing against me, and it was really annoying. I had never done anything to him but he always had to ruin things for me. As I was walking, he had, and pretty hard I might add, pushed me aside and took his place in front of me.

"Sorry loser." Seifer said mockingly with a smirk and walked onto the stage.

"Geez, that guy." I scoffed. I guess I could wait just one other turn to try out.

"And that was…" Namin'e asked curiously. Maybe she wondered who would do that to me.

"Huh? Oh, that was Seifer." I turned back to her and smiled.

"Yeah, I know…but why did he…"

"Eh? I dunno, he's always had something against me." I rubbed the back of my head with my hand, embarrassed for some reason.

"Oh…" Namin'e trailed off and it looked like she was thinking about something. I watched Seifer perform. I found it to annoy the frickin' crap out of me. I had to admit though, he was…okay…BUT HE STILL SUCKED!!

"Very good Seifer." The teacher applauded him.

"Thank you." Seifer bowed politely, putting on a fake face. He stepped down really hard on a wooden plank on the ground. He walked back in and arched a brow while he was smirking at me and Namin'e. I glared hardly at him and he continued walking by.

"Aeh…Roxas, I'll go next." Namin'e volunteered.

"NO I'LL GO!" I yelled suddenly, stepping in front of her with my arms spread out. I think it scared her a bit, I mean, why wouldn't it have?

"Um…if you insist." She said meekly with her hand to her lip.

"Uh….eh-heh-heh…thanks." I said nervously and shrugged as I turned and walked onto the stage. "Watch me Namin'e." I called and waved to her before I stepped onto the wooden floor. She waved back and smiled. I breathed in and out deeply, once and closed my eyes. I turned towards the teacher and the hot lights were shining down on me. I opened my eyes and looked down at the script and let the words flow out of my mouth.

I thought I was pretty good. They came out naturally and I didn't mess up anywhere. I guess, one of the reasons was that the script related to me and the way I felt about Namin'e…and ANOTEHR reason was that she was watching me. There's all the motivation I need. I started to get really into it so I stepped forward, but tripped on a loose floorboard and fell flat on the ground. Crap! I had really done it now. I quickly scrambled up but dropped the script in the process and the papers flew everywhere like birds. I let it go, there was nothing more I could do now.

"Thank you very much Mr. Hikari, that will be all." The teacher waved me off and blushing, I didn't really care who saw, I walked back behind the stage and up to Namin'e. I thought she would laugh but she didn't. she was grinning ear-to-ear and almost hopping up and down.

"Roxas that was fantastic! You were amazing!" she congratulated me on my efforts.

"Really?" I felt weird being praised by her and put my hand behind my head and smiled nervously. But that wasn't all.

"Yes, of course! That was phenomenal! I've never seen anyone act like that before." She clasped her hands together, admiring me.

"Well, I bet I would've done better if I hadn't tripped." I rolled my eyes, cursing myself for letting that happen.

"Well it wasn't your fault. What did you trip on anyways?" Namin'e asked. That's when it hit me, I looked back onto the stage and the floorboard, conveniently right where Seifer had stomped on was sticking upwards. I began to steam, he had done that just to mess me up. How could he!? This had gone too far! I would've kept on getting mad if Namin'e hadn't spoken.

"Well, I'll go next then." She walked forward and up to the stage. She stopped and turned around. "Watch me!" She waved and repeated what I had done before. I waved back and smiled timidly as she ran off onto the stage. I watched her intently. She really was a perfect princess. Everything on the stage, her words, her emotions, herself, it was all magical. I almost thought that she was really Juliet and I prayed that I could be her Romeo….woah, wait, that sounds, really weird. I gotta stop talking like that.

"Excellent Namin'e. As expected from an actress of your altitude." The teacher sound a little too formal and she favored Namin'e a lot. I guess she was also a good actress. I hadn't heard that.

"Thank you." She bowed slightly and walked slowly, back behind the stage and as soon as she was off, she bolted as fast as she could straight into me and hugged me. At an instant, I blushed, it was a common reaction though. I mean, you've got one of the prettiest girls on school, who you also happen to like, hanging around your neck. Any guy would be happy. "Roxas did you see me? Was I good! Was I?" She asked anxiously.

"Yeah, you were awesome!" I congratulated her this time.

"Really?" She looked up at me hopefully.

"Oh Roxas! I'm soo happy!" She deepened the hug and clung to me more as she wrapped her arms tighter around me neck and buried her face into my chest. I hate to admit it, but I went into a daze and got all blushy. I was guessing I looked like an idiot, but I didn't care, at all…and I felt like I was in heaven. Bliss, bliss…if only we could've stayed like that forever.

-

"And the part of Juliet, Namin'e Aijou." The teacher announced, calling off the list. Namin'e squealed in delight and pretty much pounced on me with another hug. I almost fell back from the impact but I caught myself…and her.

"Roxas! I can't believe it, I got the part!" She squealed in pure delight. I was happy for her. But now, the fight was ON! I could just feel the fire burning under my feet as I waited to hear who got the parts.

"It was a close tie, but I had to make a decision. I was very impressed, considering both who auditioned, it seemed to be their first time in a school production, or any production for that matter." The teacher again with the useless crap that was useless to me! I begged in my head for her to get on with it. "Seifer will be playing the role of Romeo and Roxas, you will be his alternate." I felt my heart fall and then, it was kicked down even harder when I saw Seifer's hand plunged down in triumph. How could he—what? This could not be happening! That means Seifer would have to—well rather, NAMIN'E would have to KISS Seifer! Seifer! Ew! She doesn't even like him! …as far as I know! But she doesn't even know him! Ha! There's a fact! Besides! She said she wanted me, Roxas Hikari, to be Romeo!

Ah! I can't even think about it! Namin'e cringing as Seifer puckered his lips like and idiot and then her leaning in but looking back helplessly and desperately into the audience, but clenching her eyes shut and then kissing him! I thought I was going to throw up in my mouth! Oh God it's so gross! From the recent spaz attack in my mind, I turned to see Namin'e staring at the ground…sadly. So she wasn't happy about it either.

"Roxas!" She said suddenly, turning towards me and looking up at me, helplessly, desperately. My eyes widened a bit and I looked down at her, surprised. "I'm sorry! I can't back out of this play, my parents…my parents…I just can't. I'm sorry!" She closed her eyes and turned to run away, but she crashed right into Seifer. "Ah!" She screeched lightly as she was tossed back a bit. She looked up at Seifer, who hadn't budged a bit, smirking at me.

"Namin'e. Just let me say, this is going to be a satisfying to be in the lead with you." He said, in a very out of character tone. He took her hand and kissed it. I was absolutely furious if I wasn't angry before. Oh god how I wanted to sock him right in the nose! He let go of her hand and winked at her. As he walked by me, he smirked…evilly! Ah…this was like an old movie! Namin'e was the beautiful damsel in distress tied to a rail-road track and I was the heroic soldier, and Seifer was the bad guy with a weird mustache.

Namin'e continued to make her way out of the building and I stood there.