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Elsa felt her heart beat erratically. The spotlight was blindingly bright. And the entire drama class was watching. Her whole body was wracked with each heartbeat, trembling slightly, despite Elsa's attempts to steady herself. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She squinted against the glaring lights, looking out to the audience composed of students. A girl pursued her lips and abruptly shoved her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She looked rather… disgusted. Elsa could feel herself shrink. Did she really preform that badly?

"Good morrow, Kate for that's your name I hear," Jack greeted loudly, strutting proudly, making the crowd of students—especially the girls—giggle.

Elsa inhaled deeply. "Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing. They call me Katherine, that do talk of me." Elsa wrinkled her nose distastefully as her voice came out as a squeak, not quite audible."

Jack began talking again, as handsome as ever. Elsa watched him numbly before turning her gaze towards the crowd. Elsa felt her hands freeze over as her nerves got the better of her. She cast a glance upwards before glancing back at the crowd, leaving bright colors in her vision where the spotlight once was. Elsa was temporarily blinded and she suddenly felt dizzy. She felt the temperature in the room drop. As awkward silence filled the air, she realized Jack had stopped talking. It was her line now. Elsa swallowed and opened her mouth. Nothing came out. For the life of her, she had no idea what her lines were. Elsa heard a faint snicker in the background. She drew in a shaky breath as she turned towards Jack. His eyes were a bright, beautiful blue, sparkling with compassion and he had a small, sympathetic smile on his lips. He took a step near her, running his hand tenderly along her cheek, communicating his feelings for her in that single gesture. Elsa felt her heart swell and eyes water. What had she done to deserve this from him? She was just a nobody. No, worse than that. A freak. She was dangerous. His skin on hers made her skin feel warm and tingly, her thoughts became foggy and happy. Suddenly, she found she could remember her lines.

"'Moved' in good time! Let him that moved you hither, remove you hence! I knew you at the first, you were a movable." Even her voice trembled.

She heard another condescending chortle, amusement at her expense, but Jack held no mockery in his eyes.

"Why, what's a…moveable?"

"A joint stool." Elsa's hands still trembled and her knees buckled, her legs feeling frail and weak.

"Thou hast hit it. Come, sit on me."

Jack seated himself on a chair. A quiet sigh rattled loose from Elsa's lips as she sat down, mindful of his injured arm. His lap was warm and familiar. She saw Jack smile knowingly, but it wasn't patronizing. Elsa blushed, but continued, staying in character.

She hesitated. "Asses—" A loud chorus of giggles, guffaws, and snickers made her stop. Elsa waited for the students to calm down. "—are made to bear, and so are you."

Jack adopted a pseudo, smug look. Elsa nearly rolled her eyes. "Woman are made to bear and so are you!" He finished with a haughty toss of his head. Elsa saw a few girls swoon in their chairs.

Her body stiffened, then relaxed as Jack placed a hand on her hip, rubbing soothing circle with his thumb. His other hand grasped her wrist gently and he rubbed his hand up and down her arm. Elsa exhaled slowly. She'd never been happier to have Jack with her. And every day with him made her happier still. Elsa felt a twinge of fear at the thought.

She snorted. "No such jade as you, if you mean me." Elsa was recovering quickly, finding the student's stares and whispers no longer disturbed her—or even mattered. Jack was looking at her in a dreamy, sweet way, like she was the only thing that mattered, not her performance.

"Alas, good Kate, I will not burden thee, for knowing thee to be young and light…" Jack trailed off waiting for her to interrupt him.

Elsa started. She'd gotten lost in Jack's beautiful blue eyes for a moment. "Too light for such a swain as you to catch! And yet, as heavy as my weight should be."

"'Should be?!' Should buzz!"

"Well ta'en and like a buzzard!" she retorted; nearly everything Katherine said was a retort.

"O slow-winged turtle, shall a buzzard take thee?"

"Ay, for a turtle, as he takes a buzzard!"

"Come, come, you wasp. For I' faith, you are too angry."

"If I be waspish, best beware my sting." As Elsa said the last two words, she tapped Jack on the nose.

"My remedy then is to pluck it out!"

"Ay, if the fool could find where it lies."

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Who knows not where a wasp wears his sting? In his tail."

"In his tongue," she argued.

"Who's tongue?"

"Yours, if you talk of tales, and so farewell."

"What, with my tongue in your tail?" More snickers. "Nay, come again, good Kate. I am a gentleman!"

"And that is all the time we have for today!" Mr. Brown interrupted from his chair on the apron of the stage, off to the side. "I'm afraid we'll have to continue our practice of Act Two, Scene One later."

The chairs in the auditorium creaked as their seats flipped up when the students stood, the noise was accompanied by the shuffling of feet and papers.

"Good job." Jack's deep, silky voice sent a pleasant shiver through her spine. She always felt small and delicate around him… but in a good way.

"Thanks," she breathed. She suddenly remembered she was on Jack's lap and moved to get up, but Jack wrapped his strong, unyielding arms around her waist.

"Wait a minute. I haven't gotten to hold you in a while."

Elsa blushed. "Jack, people are looking."

"Good. I want them to know that you're taken." He brushed his lips against her neck.

Elsa blushed heightened at his possessive tone, her face coloring a rosy pink. "Taken? We're not even dating."

He drew back, his voice slightly husky. "Well, you're unavailable."

"Says who?"

"Me. Just now. Didn't you hear?" He flashed her a swoon-worthy smile.

Elsa was feeling dizzy already. Ever so gently, he placed the lightest of kisses under her ear. And somehow, that one action made her blush more than all his other comments. He removed one arm from her waist—when he was sure she wasn't going to bolt—and feathered his fingers across her face. Jack's lips were parted slightly as he exhaled, gazing at her with awe. Elsa ducked her head with embarrassment, though pleasure warmed her entire body.

"H-how's your arm?" Elsa asked, breaking the awkward silence, though Jack didn't seem to think it was awkward, judging from his gaze.

"Oh, just fine."

A frown flickered across her face as she recalled the accident from a few days ago. How that other football played had rammed into his side and Jack had just stood there, frozen, oblivious to the shouts from his teammates. She remembered how Jack had crashed to the ground with a sickening crack. Elsa swallowed, suddenly paling. Seeing her distress, Jack reached up to caress her face, but Elsa pushed his hand aside and combed away his silky hair, observing the fading scar.

"Why're you so worried?" he murmured.

Elsa's nostrils flared and it took all of her self-control not to explode. "Because," she said through clenched teeth, "you could've died. That was a serious injury."

"It's a broken bone. Lots of people get broken bones. No big deal."

"No big—" She inhaled slowly, willing herself to be patient. "Jack."

He sighed. "I know. I know. I'm taking care of it. Can we go back to cuddling now?"

Elsa blushed and squirmed, trying to get off of his lap, but he held onto her firmly. "No."

"No?" He raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk on his lips. "I don't take 'no' for an answer."

"Ja-ack."

"And don't even try to use that tone on me, young lady."

Elsa huffed and swatted at his arm. "I need to go to PE."

"Just one kiss."

"Jack!" she scolded sharply.

"Fine, but I should warn you, my doctor recommended a regular dose of ten kisses a day to help my boo-boo."

Elsa blushed. "And just who is this doctor?"

Jack smirked. "The best in the country, of course! Doctor Overland."

Elsa smiled and nudged him before Jack finally released her. He casually draped his arm over her slender shoulders as he walked her to the gym. Elsa realized just how close her and Jack were. She had to remember the rules. And remember her lines.