Gabriella was the perfect hostess last night with Miller. Even though it was Mom's house and she had cooked dinner, Gab took it on herself to play hostess. She greeted them at the door with me, lead them to the dinning room, talked me up the entire night and remained calm and collected. Miller's wife and Gabriella talked about the twins and pregnancy and how happy we were. Gabriella assured Miller that because she was pregnant and we were getting married it would have no affect on my college career. "Many college students, even sports players, have wives even children while they're at college," Gabriella had told Miller, which Miller couldn't argue with. Miller told us that he'd be glad to have us at U of A and extended the offer of the scholarship. We thanked him for the offer and left it at that. We weren't going to tell him we didn't know where we were going yet, but we listened to all he had to tell us about U of A. He stayed well past midnight before deciding it was time for them get going. Gabriella and I both thanked them for coming over and Miller told us he'd really love to have us both at U of A before my parents told them goodbye and they left. Gabriella and I told my parents good night and headed on upstairs to bed. I knew she had been worn out for hours, but she didn't let it show until we were upstairs in our room. I helped her get ready for bed before getting ready myself and climbing in bed with her. We both almost immediately fell asleep, exhausted from the day and not really looking forward to another long day tomorrow.

Gabriella and I had just gotten back from Blake's to get something to eat after school. We were sitting in the truck in the parking lot outside the auditorium as Gab finished her strawberry shake. "Niños like the shake, baby?" I asked her, rubbing her stomach. She smiled up at me, swallowing some of her shake. "I think they do," she said, giggling slightly as I felt one of them move against my hand. "I think they do too!" Gabriella laced her fingers with mine on her stomach, taking a deep breath. "I love this, Troy," she told me, laying her head against my chest. "I love being with you, just like this. I love being in your arms. I love being engaged to you. I love being pregnant. I love being pregnant with your children. Just being with you is the most amazing thing ever, and I'm never letting you go. Ever." I smiled, moving my hand from her stomach to her chin, lifting it so I could press my lips to hers softly. Whispering against her soft lips, I caressed her jaw with my thumb, "I'm never letting you go either, baby." Pulling back, I tucked some hair behind her ear. "I love being with you. I love that you want to be my wife. I love that you're having my children. A year ago I would have never thought I wanted all this, but there's nothing I want more than all of this with you and more. The day the niños are born and the day we get married will be the happiest days of my life."

She moved closer to me, kissing me again. "I think we should start thinking about baby names," she said after pulling back and laying her head back against my chest. "They're going to be here in less than three months, and we haven't even discussed names." She put her straw to her mouth, sucking in more shake as I thought about it for a moment. "You're right," I nodded. "I hadn't even thought about names. God, am I a horrible father or what?" She looked up at me, shaking her head insistently. "You are NOT a horrible father, Troy. But we can't call them Niños forever. They're two different little lives. We need to figure out names so we're not calling them Niño One and Niño Two." I chuckled softly, kissing the side of her head. "I agree, baby, but I've gotta be honest with you, I don't know the first place to begin." She rubbed my hand on her stomach. "I haven't though much about it myself, Troy. I was just dreaming last night about the twins. They were a little older and running around our house and we were chasing after them, but I woke up realizing I didn't know their names in my dream, or I just didn't call them by their names." I kissed the top of her head, closing my eyes. "We need to figure out names," I agreed with her. "Are there any names you really like?" She turned to look at me, narrowing her eyes in on me. "Your middle name is Benjamin, right? I was thinking, we could name our boy after you, but to differentiate, we can all him Benjamin or Benny for short?" I smiled, running my fingers through her hair. "I like that," I told her, leaning forward and kissing her lips softly. She smiled brightly, the slight color of blush on her cheeks. I brushed my hand over her soft pink cheek, loving just looking at her. "What about you? Any names you like?" I smiled at her, tangling my fingers around a lock of her perfect hair. "Marie?" I suggested, looking into her eyes. "Like your middle name." She bit her lip, smiling more at me. "You like Marie?" she asked, sucking on her straw. I nodded, taking her hand in mine. "I do," I whispered, brushing my lips across her hand. "Benny and Marie Bolton? I love it!" she exclaimed, leaning up and pressing her lips to mine, still smiling brightly.

"I love it too," I whispered, kissing her. She smiled back, looking down and then back up at me. "I have to go in," she whispered back at me, "I have to use the restroom." I laughed slightly at her, nodding, opening the door and getting out of the truck. Turning back to her, I helped her down, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and shutting the door before walking into the auditorium through the back door. "I'll meet you in the dressing room," she said, kissing me on my cheek before heading into the bathroom. I turned, walking into the dressing room where Chad was standing in his tights and full Elizabethan getup. "Don't say a word!" he warned me as I snickered at him, shaking my head and turning from him. "Yeah, just wait till you get all dolled up, pretty boy!" he rebuked me as I walked over to the costumes. "I like my costumes, Chad," I told him, pulling out my first costume. I wasn't on until a few pages into the first act even though the play was about to begin in less than a half hour. "How can you like these nancy boy costumes?" Chad asked and I rolled my eyes. "It makes me appreciate my own clothes and Gabriella really likes me in the tights," I said, turning to smirk at him. "Oh," he said, taking a step back. "So, are you saying that Taylor might-" I held up my hand, stepping away from him with my first costume. "I'm not saying anything," I laughed, heading into a separated dressing area to change, not wanting to think about him and Taylor like that.

Backstage with Gabriella, I sat with her on my lap on the bed from our bed scene. We had only rehearsed this scene once and it was very difficult for me to concentrate on the scene and not holding Gabriella in my arms. We were waiting for my entrance, but all I wanted to do was sit here and hold my family. My hands were rested on her stomach even through all the material of her dress. "I want you to take it easy through this show, baby," I told her, talking to her gently. "Not just tonight, but through the running." She smiled, running her fingers through my hair. "I will, Troy. This isn't a high-stress production. I'll be ok. I promise you." I nodded, pressing my lips softly to hers, rubbing her stomach. "Good, I want all three of you: you, Benny and Marie to be safe." We shared a smile as I used their names for the first time. It felt natural, like those were the names they were supposed to have and they weren't even here yet. She rested her forehead against mine, wrapping her hand around the back of my neck. "We will be, Wildcat." I looked up, hearing Sharpay, playing Lady Montague, Romeo's mother, ask Benvolio, Romeo's cousin played by Zeke, asking him where I, Romeo, was. "I've gotta get onstage, baby," I told her, groaning slightly, brushing my lips against hers. "See you soon, baby." She smiled, sliding off my lap, sitting on the bed beside me. "Break a leg, Wildcat," she said as I stood up. "I love you, baby," I whispered, kissing the top of her head before making my way to make my entrance on the other end of the set as Montague, played by Grayson Granger, one of Gabriella's friends from the decathlon and a theater crony finished off his line before my entrance.

"… Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow. We would as willingly give cure as know." Zeke looked over at me, turning back to the Montagues, gesturing over to me. "See, where he comes, so please you, step aside. I'll know his grievance, or be much denied." Montague looked over at me, Lady Montague sighing heavily in my direction. "Would thou wert so happy by thy stay," he said to Benvolio, "to hear true shrift." Montague turned to Lady Montague. "Come, madam, let's away." Montague took Lady Montague by her arm, leading her off the set and off stage. Benvolio made his way over to me, greeting me happily, completely trying to thwart my dreary mood, "Good morrow, Cousin." I sat on the low risen wall, dangling my leg over the side and propping up my other foot on the wall, laying my head on my knee. "Is the day so young?" I asked not necessarily to my cousin but to the dead air. "But new struck nine," Benvolio answered. I leaned back and looked up to the rafters, sighing heavily. "Ay me! Sad hours seem long." I looked down at Benvolio, taking a deep breath. "Was that my father that went hence so fast?" Benvolio looked off stage and back to me. "It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?" Looking away from him, I looked off into the distance. "Not having that, which, having, makes them short." Benvolio walked closer over to me, asking slowly, "In love?" I sighed, looking down, "Out-" Benvolio perked up, cutting me off, "Of love?" I looked over at him, shaking my head. "Out of her favour, where I am in love."

Benvolio turned from me, throwing up his hands. "Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!" I stood from the wall, coming up to him, explaining my woes. "Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? Oh me! What fray was here?" I shook my head, not wanting to know. "Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love." I turned away from him, talking out into the void, toward the audience, but not looking at them. "Why, then, Oh brawling love! Oh loving hate! Oh any thing, of nothing first create! Oh heavy lightness! Serious vanity! Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this." Benvolio remained silent and I turned back on him. "Dost thou not laugh?" Benvolio took a step toward me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "No, Cuz. I'd rather weep." Looking at him, wondering why, I asked, "Good heart, at what?" He squeezed my shoulder, sighing slightly. "At thy good heart's oppression." Stepping away from him, I shook my head and paced the set. "Why, such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, which thou wilt propagate, to have it pressed with more of thine. This love that thou hast shown doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes. Being vexed a sea nourished with lovers' tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my cuz." I turned to walk off the way the Montagues had when Benvolio came up beside me. "Soft! I will go along. And if you leave me so, you do me wrong."

Sighing, I shrugged my shoulders. "Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here. This is not Romeo, he's some other where." Benvolio grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking more. "Tell me in sadness, who is that you love." I looked away from him, shaking my head. "What, shall I groan and tell thee?" I didn't feel like telling him. He was my cousin, but telling him would only result in jest on his part. "Groan! why, no. But sadly tell me who." Looking back at him, I told him vaguely, "Bid a sick man in sadness make his will. Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill! In sadness, Cousin, I do love a woman." Benvolio shook his head. "I aimed so near, when I supposed you loved." I rolled my eyes, turning to continue walking. "A right good markman! And she's fair I love." Benvolio came up beside me again. "A right fair mark, fair cuz, is soonest hit." Continuing on, I told him he was wrong. "Well, in that hit you miss. She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow. She hath Dian's wit. And, in strong proof of chastity well armed, from love's weak childish bow she lives unharmed. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold. Oh, she is rich in beauty, only poor, that when she dies with beauty dies her store." Then Benvolio stopped me again, asking, "Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?" I nodded, confirming what I had said, "She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, for beauty starved with her severity uts beauty off from all posterity. She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, to merit bliss by making me despair. She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow do I live dead that live to tell it now." He moved his hand to grip my shoulder tightly. "Be ruled by me, forget to think of her." I shook my shoulder free from his grasp, walking on. "Oh, teach me how I should forget to think." He walked along with me along the wall. "By giving liberty unto thine eyes. Examine other beauties." But he didn't understand any. "'Tis the way to call hers exquisite, in question more, for there was no one more fair than she. "These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows being black put us in mind they hide the fair. He that is strucken blind cannot forget the precious treasure of his eyesight lost. Show me a mistress that is passing fair, what doth her beauty serve, but as a note where I may read who passed that passing fair? Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget." But Benvolio would not give up. "I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt." I shook my head, leaving the set and ending the scene.

I sat back stage, across from where Gabriella was on stage on the side of the stage where I would be entering soon, watching as she was performing a scene with Martha and Rachel Ross, playing Lady Montague. I stood with my arms crossed over my chest, watching Gabriella in her element. Even though she was pregnant, she didn't even let it change what she did or how she acted out there. "Marry, that 'marry' is the very theme. I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet, how stands your disposition to be married?" asked Lady Capulet to her daughter Juliet. "It is an honour that I dream not of," Gabriella answered in character as Lady Juliet. "An honour! Were not I thine only nurse, I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy teat," Martha said hugging her arms around Gabriella. Rachel took Gabriella's hands in hers. "Well, think of marriage now. Younger than you, here in Verona, ladies of esteem, are made already mothers. By my count, I was your mother much upon these years that you are now a maid. Thus then in brief, the valiant Paris seeks you for his love." Martha continued to hold Gabriella, rocking her in her embrace. "A man, young lady! Lady, such a man as all the world - why, he's a man of wax." Gabriella smiled at Martha, looking back at Rachel as Rachel spoke, "Verona's summer hath not such a flower." Martha agreed, "Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower." Yet Lady Capulet was not done convincing her daughter of the proposition. "What say you? Can you love the gentleman? This night you shall behold him at our feast. Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face, and find delight writ there with beauty's pen. Examine every married lineament, and see how one another lends content and what obscured in this fair volume lies find written in the margent of his eyes. This precious book of love, this unbound lover, to beautify him, only lacks a cover. The fish lives in the sea, and 'tis much pride for fair without the fair within to hide. That book in many's eyes doth share the glory, that in gold clasps locks in the golden story. So shall you share all that he doth possess, by having him, making yourself no less."

Martha scoffed, but retracted her disrespect, nodding to Gabriella. "No less! nay, bigger; women grow by men." Lady Capulet was done with the conversation. All she wanted was an answer from her daughter. "Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love?" Gabriella looked from Martha to Rachel. "I'll look to like, if looking liking move, but no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly." Lady Capulet smiled brightly, but was interrupted by a servant, someone from the academic decathlon team whose I didn't know, came through the back entrance of the set. "Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and every thing in extremity. I must hence to wait. I beseech you, follow straight." Lady Capulet nodded to the servant, telling him, "We follow thee," before turning back to her daughter. "Juliet, the county stays." I stood from leaning against the wall as the nurse told Juliet, Martha told Gabriella, "Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days." Martha hugged her before pulling her with her as the lights dimmed on that side of the stage, only to come up where I was entering the stage.

My cousin Benvolio and my best friend Mercutio, along with others of our friends were on our way to a party at the Capulet Compound. We had been on stage for a time, Mercutio and I sparring back and forth. "Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn," I spoke to him, disputing what Mercutio had just said. "If love be rough with you, be rough with love," Mercutio countered, relaying my favorite line throughout the play. "Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. Give me a case to put my visage in. A visor for a visor! What care I. What curious eye doth quote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me." I shook my head, hearing Benvolio beside me add, "Come, knock and enter, and no sooner in, but every man betake him to his legs." I shook my head, countering Mercutio with, "A torch for me, let wantons light of heart tickle the senseless rushes with their heels, for I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase. I'll be a candleholder, and look on. The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done." With that, I thought that Mercutio was done with me. "Tut, dun's the mouse, the constable's own word. If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire of this sir-reverence love, wherein thou stickest up to the ears. Come, we burn daylight, ho!" But I knew that he was no more done with me than I with him. "Nay, that's not so," I argued. "I mean, sir, in delay, we waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day. Take our good meaning, for our judgment sits five times in that ere once in our five wits." I sighed, shaking my head. "And we mean well in going to this mask. But 'tis no wit to go." But he wondered why, asking, "Why, may one ask?"

I sighed heavily, revealing to him, "I dreamed a dream tonight." Everyone stopped walking when Mercutio added, "And so did I." I turned to him more, wanting to now of his dream. "Well, what was yours?" But Mercutio was no more serious than that of a Jester, "That dreamers often lie." Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "In bed asleep, while they do dream things true." At this, Mercutio laughed, "Oh, then I see queen Mab hath been with you!" My eyes widened, grabbing his shoulder as he continued, "She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes in shape no bigger than an agate-stone on the fore-finger of an alderman, drawn with a team of little atomies athwart men's noses as they lie asleep. Her wagon-spokes made of long spiders' legs, the cover of the wings of grasshoppers, the traces of the smallest spider's web, the collars of the moonshine's watery beams, her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film, her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat, not so big as a round little worm pricked from the lazy finger of a maid. Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut made by the joiner squirrel or old grub, time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers. And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love. O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight, o'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees, o'er ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream, which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are. Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose, and then dreams he of smelling out a suit. And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep, then dreams, he of another benefice. Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, and then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, and being thus frighted swears a prayer or two and sleeps again. This is that very Mab that plats the manes of horses in the night, and bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, which once untangled, much misfortune bodes. This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, that presses them and learns them first to bear, making them women of good carriage. This is she-" Chad ended up hyperventilating at the end of his monologue, completely in character and ending one of the greatest monologue of the show.

I gripped both of his shoulders, holding him facing me. "Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace! Thou talk'st of nothing." I tried to calm him and he said slowly, "True, I talk of dreams,Which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy, which is as thin of substance as the air and more inconstant than the wind, who wooes even now the frozen bosom of the north, and, being angered, puffs away from thence, turning his face to the dew-dropping south." Benvolio interrupted, placing his hands on both of our shoulders. "This wind, you talk of, blows us from ourselves. Supper is done, and we shall come too late." Mercutio and I both turned to face him and I shook my head. "I fear, too early: for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night's revels and expire the term of a despised life closed in my breast by some vile forfeit of untimely death. But He, that hath the steerage of my course, direct my sail! On, lusty gentlemen." Benvolio smiled, nodding in return, happy that we were complying and we continued onto the party.

I stood at the party, watching the most beautiful girl walk around, greeting guests and looking like an angel sent from above just for me. She stopped just in front of the pillar I was standing behind and I reached out to grab her hand. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine," I started talking to her and instantly felt her relax after I had taken her had, just by the sound of my quiet voice, "the gentle fine is this. My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." I brushed my lips lightly across her fingers. Gabriella turned back and hid behind the pillar with me. I looked into her eyes and we both paused for a moment. "Good pilgrim. You do wrong your hand too much," she spoke, her voice as low as mine, "which mannerly devotion shows in this. For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." I moved closer to her, knowing my character was just as drawn to Juliet as I was to Gabriella. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" I asked, rubbing her palm softly as I held her hand. "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," she told me, responding like a chaste maiden should. "Oh, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." She looked up into my eyes as I neared her. "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." I moved even closer to her, dropping her hand and pulling her softly against me. "Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take," I whispered, pressing my lips gently against hers. I held her against me for a moment before releasing her slowly, her hand coming up to her lips. "Then have my lips the sin that they have took." I rubbed her back softly, holding her gently against me. "Sin from thy lips? Oh trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." I pulled her more against me, leaning her up against the pillar as my lips came back against hers, kissing her deeply, trying my best not to groan as I did. I was Romeo and she as Juliet. We were not Troy and Gabriella.

When I finally pulled out of the kiss, knowing I had probably kissed her longer than allowed, I looked down into her eyes as she spoke breathlessly, "You kiss by the book." I was about to kiss her again when I heard a voice call out, "Lady Juliet," and she turned to look toward it, stepping away from me as Martha came around the pillar. "Madam, your mother craves a word with you." Gabriella ran off toward the group of partiers and I watched her go, stepping close to Martha. "What is her mother?" Martha turned to face me, looking at me as if I was crazy. "Marry, bachelor, her mother is the lady of the house, and a good lady, and a wise and virtuous I nursed her daughter, that you talked withal. I tell you, he that can lay hold of her shall have the chinks." My eyes widened as she walked off and I fell back against the pillar. "Is she a Capulet? Oh dear account! My life is my foe's debt." Benvolio came up to me, rather bereft of oxygen, pulling at my arm. "Away, begone. The sport is at the best." I let him pull me away, lamenting, "Ay, so I fear. The more is my unrest." He pulled me right into Capulet. We both stood in front of him almost frozen in fear. "Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone. We have a trifling foolish banquet towards." We moved to pass him and he continued, "Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night. More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed. Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late. I'll to my rest." With his departure, we continued toward the door, making our way to leave.

I could still feel Troy's kiss on my lips. It was the one thing I loved and didn't like about performing with Troy: I couldn't distance myself from Troy and our characters. To me, they were always one in the same, which made things better than they were before he started acting and worse at the same time. I pulled Martha, Juliet's nurse aside, asking her as I watched Troy leaving the party, "Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?" Martha looked across the set and looked upon Troy, looking back at me. "I know not." I pushed her away from me, nodding her on. "Go ask his name. If he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed." The nurse went anon and came back a moment later. "His name is Romeo and a Montague," she told me as if by warning. "The only son of your great enemy!" I placed my hand to my breasts, breathing deeply. "My only love sprung from my only hate!" I almost gasped, "Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy." The nurse regarded me carefully, tightening her gaze on me. "What's this? What's this?" I pulled my eyes from the doorway where Romeo had just left, looking back at her. "A rhyme I learned even now of one I danced withal." I turned my head to hear my lady mother call out to me, "Lady Juliet?" The nurse took me by my hand and leading me toward the voice, calling out to the voice, "Anon, anon!" She turned back to me, dragging me along. "Come, let's away. The strangers all are gone."

Troy and I stood on the set during the balcony scene, his arms wrapped lightly around me. "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear that tips with silver all these fruit tree tops-" I held my fingers up to Romeo's lips, shaking my head and whispering, "Oh, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable." He shook his head, asking, "What shall I swear by?" I turned from him, shaking my head as well. "Do not swear at all. Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, which is the god of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee." He smiled down at me as I turned back to him. "If my heart's dear love-" I took his hands in mine, pulling them to me. "Well, do not swear, although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract tonight. It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, too like the lightning, which doth cease to be ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night! This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Good night, good night! As sweet repose and rest come to thy heart as that within my breast!" Romeo looked down at my breasts as I held his hands against them in mine. I smiled slightly, releasing his hands. "Oh, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" My eyes widened. "What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" Romeo stepped back closer to me, looking into my eyes, "The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine." I smiled brightly, wrapping my arms around him quickly. "I didst give thee mine before thou didst request it!" I pressed my lips to his, holding him tightly against me as we kissed. Pulling back, I whispered, "And yet I would it were to give again." He ran his fingers through my hair and I smiled softly at him as he whispered in return, "Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love?"

I smiled, turning my head softly into his hand as he placed it on my cheek. "But to be frank, and give it thee again. And yet I wish but for the thing I have. My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." We moved in to kiss each other again when I heard the nurse call to me, "Lady Juliet." Romeo's lips pressed against the side of my head as I turned my head to the call. I turned back to him and we both smiled brightly at each other. "I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu!" I turned my head back to the house, calling in to her. "Anon, good nurse!" Turning back to him, looking up. "Sweet Montague, be true. Stay but a little, I will come again." Romeo nodded and I reluctantly pulled myself away before retreating into "my bedroom." I took the bottle of water from Martha as she handed it to me, nodding my thanks. I had to keep hydrated while I was out there or I'd be passing out and that wasn't good. I was thinking about texting Tay and having her get me some food from somewhere, even if it was the vending machine.

Troy continued his lines out on stage as I drank as much of the water as I could. "Oh blessed, blessed night! I am afeard. Being in night, all this is but a dream, too flattering sweet to be substantial." I handed Martha the bottle of water and ran back out onto the balcony set. "Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. If that thy bent of love be honourable, thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow, by one that I'll procure to come to thee, where and what time thou wilt perform the rite. And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay and follow thee my lord throughout the world." I new I was proposing marriage and a life with him together, but I knew I was in love and didn't mind I was being brazen or hasty. Martha called out from backstage again, "Madam!" I laid my head back slightly, calling back to her, "By and by, I come -" I looked back at Romeo, smiling brightly, "To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief, tomorrow will I send." Romeo smiled even brighter than I was. "So thrive my soul-" I giggled, placing my hand on his face. "A thousand times, goodnight!" I pulled slowly away from him, exiting back into "the bedroom." Martha handed me back my water and I smiled at her. "A thousand times the worse, to want thy light," Troy spoke, saying Romeo's goodbyes even after I had left the balcony. "Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books, but love from love, toward school with heavy looks." I swallowed some water, handing Martha back the bottle as I ran back out on stage, seeing Romeo climbing down from the balcony. "Hist! Romeo, hist!" He climbed back up quickly to me, staying on the other side of the balcony. "Oh, for a falconer's voice, to lure this tassel-gentle back again! Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud, else would I tear the cave where Echo lies, and make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine, with repetition of my Romeo's name."

Romeo leaned against the wall as he held onto the balcony near me. "It is my soul that calls upon my name. How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, like softest music to attending ears!" I knew he was right, and I loved that. He started to climb back down the trellis before I called back to him quickly, "Romeo!" He turned back to look at me, "My dear?" I smiled at him calling me that, asking, "At what o'clock tomorrow shall I send to thee?" He didn't even have to think about it when answering, "At the hour of nine." I smiled brightly, resting my elbow on the balcony railing and my cheek on my hand, gazing down at him. "I will not fail. 'Tis twenty years till then." I giggled slightly. "I have forgot why I did call thee back." He climbed quickly back up to me, his face inches from mine. "Let me stand here till thou remember it." I ran my fingers through his hair. "I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, remembering how I love thy company." He took my hand in his, kissing the palm softly. "And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, forgetting any other home but this." I smiled brightly, swallowing. "'Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone, and yet no further than a wanton's bird, who lets it hop a little from her hand, like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, and with a silk thread plucks it back again, so loving-jealous of his liberty." He rubbed my hand against my cheek, "I would I were thy bird." I stepped away from him slowly. "Sweet, so would I, yet I should kill thee with much cherishing." I ran my fingers through his hair, smiling softly. "Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." I walked off the set, exciting the scene as Troy finished off his last line, climbing down the trellis. "Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest! Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell, his help to crave, and my dear hap to tell."

The wedding scene, in silence, commenced as Kelsi's music playing while we were married was beautiful. Romeo had killed Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, after he had killed Romeo's friend, Mercutio, yet she had still married Romeo and we were laying in our wedding bed the morning after our wedding night. I was still supposed to be asleep as Romeo got out of bed, standing in the light of the balcony dressed only in his tights. I wished he could be naked like in the movies, but this was only a PG-rated family production, and aside from that, Troy thought of him and me being this intimate as sacred, so him being naked would tarnish that, and I would never have that. He turned back to me to get dressed. I crawled up behind him on the bed behind him wearing a nightgown, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and kissing one of them. "Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day. It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree. Believe me, love, it was the nightingale." I did not want my husband of less than a day to be leaving me so soon and was hoping that it were only the nightingale, and content to believe just that. But Romeo was certain it was not. "It was the lark, the herald of the morn, no nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die." I laid my head on his shoulder, hugging him still from behind. "Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I. It is some meteor that the sun exhales, to be to thee this night a torch bearer, and light thee on thy way to Mantua. Therefore stay yet. Thou needest not to be gone." He turned to me, laughing and laying me down on the bed, moving on top of me, pulling the sheets back over us. "Let me be taken. Let me be put to death." He kissed my chin and down to my neck as he continued speaking, "I am content, so thou wilt have it so. I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye, 'tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow. Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat the vaulty heaven so high above our heads. I have more care to stay than will to go. Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so. How is't, my soul? Let's talk. It is not day." He pressed his lips to mine, kissing me deeply and passionately. I wanted to enjoy it, but the more I knew it was daylight and he needed to leave. I pushed at his chest, turning my head from the kiss, frowning heavily. "It is, it is. Hie hence, be gone, away! It is the lark that sings so out of tune, straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps. Some say the lark makes sweet division. This doth not so, for she divideth us. Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes, oh, now I would they had changed voices too! Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray, hunting thee hence with hunt's up to the day, oh, now be gone. More light and light it grows."

I pushed him from me and from the bed as he pulled me up into his arms, wrapping them around me, speaking sullen, "More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!" I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me as we kissed. Amidst our kiss, the nurse walked into the room, and Romeo ducked down behind the bed. "Madam!" she cried at me and I turned to face her, holding my hands down by my side. "Nurse?" She walked around closer to me, finding Romeo at my feet, arms wrapped around my legs. She looked down at him and back up at me. "Your lady mother is coming to your chamber. The day is broke," she said, looking out the window and back down at Romeo, "be wary, look about." She looked between the two of us a few more times before leaving the room. I looked down at Romeo, pulling him to his feet. "Then, window, let day in, and let life out." He pulled on his shirt and quickly hopped on one foot at a time as he pulled on his shoes as we walked to the balcony doors, kissing as we went. "Farewell, farewell! One kiss, and I'll descend." He pressed his lips lingeringly to mine, holding me close to him before pulling back and climbing over the balcony railing. "Art thou gone so? Love, lord, ay, husband, friend! I must hear from thee every day in the hour, for in a minute there are many days. Oh, by this count I shall be much in years ere I again behold my Romeo!" But he tried his best to console me, speaking softly, holding onto my hands from the other side of the balcony. "Farewell! I will omit no opportunity that may convey my greetings, love, to thee." I smiled softly, the smile barely reaching my eyes. "Oh, think'st thou we shall ever meet again?" I was stricken with fear that we would not even as he assured me, "I doubt it not. And all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our time to come."

I wanted to believe him, kissing him briefly before he started to descend the trellis. I looked down upon him, speaking gravely, "Oh God! I have an ill-divining soul! Methinks I see thee, now thou art below, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb. Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale." He spoke with the same somber tone as he got to the bottom of the trellis and starting to walk off the set, "And trust me, love, in my eye so do you. Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu!" He exited and I leaned over the balcony, holding onto it tightly. "Oh fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle. If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him. That is renowned for faith? Be fickle, fortune. For then, I hope, thou wilt not keep him long, but send him back." I turned to go back into the bedroom where Lady Capulet would tell me that I am to marry the County Paris. That is when I would go to Friar Lawrence, the very friar that did marry the man I was already vowed to, my dearest Romeo, for council. That is when he sends me away with a vial to put me into a death sleep to avoid marrying the county. Friar Lawrence was to send message to Romeo that I was not dead and that we would be together upon the time that I were to awaken.

Benvolio came to me and I did not know of the Friar's plan, having missed the courier, heading back strait to Verona at Benvolio's first word of Juliet's death. Coming to her in the mausoleum after having broken in, I found my Juliet devoid of life, lying under a shroud. "For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light." I walked over to her, looking down upon her. "Oh my love! my wife! Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty," I spoke solemnly, pulling down the shroud from her. "Thou art not conquered. Beauty's ensign yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, and death's pale flag is not advanced there," I grieved, running my fingers over her beautiful lips. I looked back up, seeing Tybalt laying on the vault slab beside Juliet. "Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet?" I walked around Juliet, sighing as I approached Tybalt, standing over him.

"Oh, what more favour can I do to thee, than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain to sunder his that was thine enemy? Forgive me, cousin!" I bowed my head for a slight moment before turning back to my wife. "Ah, dear Juliet, why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe that unsubstantial death is amorous, and that the lean abhorred monster keeps thee here in dark to be his paramour? For fear of that, I still will stay with thee. And never from this palace of dim night depart again. Here, here will I remain with worms that are thy chamber-maids. Oh, here will I set up my everlasting rest," I spoke to her, telling her of my plan to join her here, "and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh." I took a vial from my pocket, full of poison to hasten my death. "Eyes, look your last!"

I looked down on her, leaning over to pull her into my arms. "Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, Oh you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." I pressed my lips to her lifeless, yet very life-filled lips, whispering in despair, "A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! Here's to my love!" I uncorked the vial, lifting it to my lips, drinking of the vile liquid. I coughed out, "Oh true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." I pressed my lips down onto hers, falling down onto her and subsequently onto the ground, dead, but unfortunately not like my wife.

Friar Lawrence, played by Jamie Cole, a fellow theater player, came into up beside my lifeless body, finding Romeo on the ground beside me. "Romeo! Oh, pale! Who else? And steeped in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance!" he crossed himself, looking to me where I turned slightly. "The lady stirs." I looked up and around, still laying down. Seeing the friar, I speak, my voice coming out weak and dry, "Oh comfortable friar! Where is my lord? I do remember well where I should be, and there I am. Where is my Romeo?" He pulled me to help me sit, my body feeling very stiff and very weak. "I hear some noise. Lady, come from that nest of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep. A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away." I froze as he pulled me to my feet and I saw my husband, lying on the ground. "Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead," he told me and I did not wish to hear him speak anymore, yet he continued, trying to pull me hence. "Come, I'll dispose of thee among a sisterhood of holy nuns. Stay not to question, for the watch is coming." I pulled my hand from his, looking more on my unmoving husband. "Come, go, good Juliet," he spoke, breaking off quickly, hearing voices approaching. "I dare no longer stay."

I spoke, not turning my head to him. "Go, get thee hence, for I will not away." The friar stood uneasily for the moment before running out of the tomb. I slowly walked around to my husband, lying on the floor. Kneeling down beside him, I found the vial still clutched in his hand when I took his hand in mine. "What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand?" I looked at it, looking down at him. "Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. Oh churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips," I spoke with hope, running my fingers over his lips. "Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, to make die with a restorative." I pressed my lips to his, finding nothing of the poison left on them to help me join him. I cried against him, resting my forehead against his. "Thy lips are warm," I sobbed against his lips. I heard the voices approach more, looking up at them, not wanting to be taken away. I looked back down to Romeo's lifeless body, finding a dagger at his side. "Then I'll be brief. Oh happy dagger!" Pulling it up, I looked it and then down to him and back to the dagger. I held the dagger up above my breasts. "This is thy sheath!" Stabbing the stage knife into my chest between my breasts, I choked, "There, rust, and let me die." I fell down over my Romeo's body, thankfully dead as he.

We finished with the curtain call and changed out of our costumes before walking out of the back of the auditorium. Troy had his arm wrapped around my waist, my arms wrapped around his waist, holding him close to me. "I'm so tired," I told him, yawning as he opened the door to his truck. "We'll go home and get some sleep," he told me, lifting me up into the truck. "Can we get something to eat first? Maybe Mom left dinner out for us." He nodded, climbing up into the truck and shutting the door. "I'm sure she left something for us." I smiled, taking his hand in mine before kissing it softly. "It was a good show. You were amazing, Wildcat." I felt his lips on my head, as I closed my eyes. "You were amazing, baby." I smiled softly. "I love you, Troy," I whispered, yawning. "I love you, Gabriella. You and Marie and Benny," I heard him whisper before I fell fast asleep.