Author's Note: Thanks for still keeping up with these little shorts, it means a great deal to me. I'll try to come up with some lighter fluff in later chapters. Please again let me know of any errors, grammatical or factual. Thanks!
Song: Romeo and Juliet Theme, by Nino Rota
Her body was still, her hands clasped in a silent prayer just below her breasts. Her head was lifted by a small white pillow, and her black hair had small roses a soft pink woven in delicately. The dress they had chosen for her was the same shade as the roses in her hair, and trailed down past her ankles. The material just reached the ends of the white flat slippers she wore on her small feet. A white glittery layer of delicate lace covered the pink underneath. The long sleeves and high collar were also of lace, and covered her neck and arms. Her eyelids were closed, showing the light purple that shaded them from her sleepless nights, worrying over assignments and studies. He realized that those worries were no longer relevant at this point.
He'd never seen her look so… at peace.
He walked around her somberly, his eyes dark as he took her in completely. The way her hair fanned around her face and reached all the way down past the curve of her waist, seemingly endless in length and in its black color. The fullness of her lips could be observed now that they were closed, her nose small and slightly curved, something many girls (Bianca included) had envied when finding out that she had never had any work done to achieve such a shape. Her lashes were a little too long, the mascara that had been applied just a touch out of place on her full face. Her expression was soft, the most calm he had ever seen it. It made him uneasy, and he felt unfamiliar with her.
He walked around her and observed the outfit they had chosen for such an occasion, knowing very well that this was not a color she would have picked for her herself had it been up to her. Though she looked as beautiful as she could as she was, he too would have chosen something to her liking if he had the power. Of course now, he saw no use in voicing that concern.
He wanted to reach out and touch her, to feel her skin under his fingertips as he had felt them before so many times. Part of him wasn't brave enough to, and he was frustrated with himself for that. He wanted to sweep her hair away from her face as he had done so recently, it felt like yesterday. He knew it wasn't appropriate, that it wasn't right, but at this point did it matter?
Those small and delicate hands, hands that loved to create and paint and tap against whatever surface was nearby as she contemplated further decisions and tasks at hand. Those small hands that fit so well with his, like they had been carved from the same stone and were meant to only by held by the other. It was the thought of never holding those hands in his again, feeling those small hands touching his cheek when he most need reassurance, that finally had him speak.
"Alright, that's enough. We'll rehearse this scene tomorrow with Benjamin in its entirety. Your assignment is to re-watch Romeo and Juliet again, and please keep this scene in mind when you watch Olivia Hussey's performance!" he had to shout the last line as he noticed students slowly beginning to pack their belongings before he could finish. Benjamin jumped at the last word before nodding and walking backstage to change out of his Romeo costume, and the rest of the class finally relaxed into cleaning up the set.
"I hope I played a convincing dead woman," he suddenly heard from behind him. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head, making it known how uncomfortable it had been to stay as still as she had for so long.
"Just about," he muttered, trying to hide the shudder that nearly escaped him as he tried to get the idea of her eyes permanently closed out of his mind. As she stepped off the pedestal carefully with Addison's help, he walked away from the set towards the nearest restroom, trying to shake the images of her lifeless body out of his head.