Chapter 7: Troubles
"Touya?" Fujitaka called, calmly knocking on his door. "Touya, you're going to be late…"
Touya lay under his blankets, face hot with embarrassment and shame.
"Touya?"
I can't… I can't face him now…I can't…
"I'll be up in a minute," He groaned. He knew right away that if he stayed any longer, Fujitaka would come in, and he'd actually have to explain what happened.
Since he hadn't changed since yesterday, and cared nothing about his looks today, he left in his wrinkled uniform, hair tousled, eyes downcast.
"TOUYA!!!" Nakuru exclaimed, oblivious.
Touya shoved her away before she could fling herself on him. "I thought I told you," He growled.
Nakuru blinked, somewhat surprised by his bitterness. "Touya? Is something the matter?"
"NO. Go away."
She frowned. "But…"
Touya stomped into the classroom. His saliva nearly choked him when he looked up and saw Yukito, sitting in his desk.
When Yukito saw him, his face burned red, and he shoved his nose into a book.
Touya shamefully hung his head, shoved his hands in his pockets, and sat down at his desk.
His heart ached so badly that he felt like he would die, staring at the back of his head. It was the worst feeling in the world, and at that moment, he couldn't help but feel connected with his character, Romeo, at the beginning of the play.
"Why, such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest. 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 sighs; being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears: What is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall and a preserving sweet. Farewell my coz."
"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 arm'd, from love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold: O, she is rich in beauty, only poor, that when she dies with beauty dies her store."
The lines screamed inside his head, and one stood out in particular that almost made him feel like crying, had he not as much pride as he did.
"She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, for beauty starved with her severity cuts 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."
Touya laid his head down on his desk, unable to take it anymore.
-
The play was tomorrow. He knew that… yet his rehearsal was the worst. He couldn't concentrate, especially with Yukito not even coming near him. In the middle of it, he became so frustrated, that he threw down his fake sword and screamed, and marched off the stage, cursing under his breath to himself. He knew this self loathing had to stop eventually, but it was impossible at this rate.
Touya left out the side entrance to the auditorium, not noticing Yukito staring in from the door in the back.
-
What am I going to do…? Yukito wondered, face hot. I don't understand this…my chest hurts when I see him like this, but…when I think about yesterday…I get so freaked out…what is WRONG with me?
Yukito leaned against the wall, staring at the ceiling.
"What do you mean, what's wrong?"
"Yue!" Yukito exclaimed, then lowered his voice, realizing how weird it would be to be seen talking to himself. "What in the world-"
"What you think that I'm not here just because you're the one on the surface? I usually choose to sleep, but you're really annoying me to the point where I can't."
"I'm sorry."
"See, that's some of the thing that annoys me about you. You're so unbearably nice."
Yukito opened his mouth to apologize but figured it would just annoy his other half more.
"So… what's the problem? My kindness has never stopped you before."
"You're just annoying. I thought it was something you needed to know. I figured you should see that without that Touya, I'm the only one you'll be talking too, and I'm not a very fun friend."
"Ah… well, uh…"
"Don't pretend that neither of us know what happened yesterday."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I'm not you. I don't have feelings that are the same as the ones you get, so I don't know how you felt when it was over, said, and done, but didn't you once tell Sakura that he was the one that you liked?"
"But I…"
"You never intended on telling him so."
"…no…"
"You're frustrating. I hate you."
Yukito sighed, leaning back. "Yeah, me too."
-
Touya stood across from his costume laid out in the dressing room. He'd still not seen or spoken to Yukito, and it was opening night.
"I hate this," He murmured, pulling off his shirt. "I really could use his support right now…" He began pulling on his Romeo costume, a royal blue and silver thing that followed the true Shakespearean style and that Touya thought was fairly hideous.
"TOUYA!!!!"
He cringed as his dressing room door swung open with the sound of Nakuru's voice.
He turned around. "What?" He said blandly.
"Do you like my costume?" She asked, twirling around in her red and gold gown. Her hair had been pulled back with golden beads and some sort of red netting, and even though she was annoying and aggravating, he had to admit, that she looked very pretty.
"It's nice," He said. He wasn't about to give her an actual compliment and have her glomping him and calling him her boyfriend.
She hugged him anyways. "THANKS, TOUYA!"
He sighed, walking toward the stage as he put his fake sword in his belt. He parted the curtains only slightly and looked out at the full audience sitting patiently. He shivered. Oh, God… I feel like I'm going to barf.
"Good evening, Kinomoto Touya-san."
He turned around and met eyes with the ever sly looking Eriol. "What're you doing backstage, kid?"
"I made Nakuru's costume for her. I just dropped it off is all."
"I see."
Eriol's sweet, if not creepy, smile never left his face. "Break a leg."
"Hopefully not my own," Touya responded blandly, looking back out at the crowd. There was only one face he didn't see… Yukito's…
Eriol had disappeared when Touya turned back around.
"That kid creeps me out."
-
Yukito stepped inside the auditorium but stayed in the very back with his back placed against the wall. His eyes glistened as he looked at the stage and thought of his friend. I bet he's really scared right now…but…
He clutched his chest again, solemnly.
The room darkened and the curtains were drawn, and the play began.
"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean," Yoko spoke.
Yukito barely heard a word of it. His mind was too heavy with his thoughts. It seemed like no time before Touya waltzed out onto the stage. Yukito felt sick.
"Ay me! Sad hours seem long," Touya spoke, and his voice trembled a bit, almost as if he'd break into tears.
Yukito buried his face in his hands, ashamed.
And still, the play went on…
-
Eriol eyed Nakuru as she readied herself for her next scene. "I'm so excited about the last scene. It won't be long now… just one more scene, and then it's smooch-city for Touya and me!!" She practically sang.
Eriol pressed his back against her dressing room door, arms crossed, a Cheshire Cat grin on his face. "Tell me, Nakuru, how many lines are in the last scene for you?"
"Not many, but they're REAL important."
"Ah, of course," Eriol replied, stepping up behind her and placing his hand lightly against her back.
She looked up suddenly and then fell into his arms, fast asleep.
"I'm sorry, Ruby Moon," Eriol mumbled with a truly sorry smile, "but we can't keep playing with hearts, now, can we. I have to help my first creation now. I hope you'll understand." He placed his fingers very lightly on her throat.
-
Touya sat in his dressing room, feeling miserable. How he'd managed to get by this long, he'd never understand, though he had gotten a bit of humor out of the look on Nakuru's face when he would only kiss her hand or cheek. Of course now, it was less and less likely he was going to sneak out of that because now only was Nakuru upset by it, but so was the teacher. The last thing he needed was more people upset with him.
Touya was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear what was taking place outside his room.
"EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!" Yoko screamed. "HELP! This is the worst!"
Yukito looked up at the stage. That's odd…They should have started by now… Curious, he began to approach.
"What's going on?" The teacher asked Yoko.
"It's… It's Nakuru! She's…"
Nakuru ran up holding a sign. Written on it in black magic marker, it said: I CAN'T TALK!!
"EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!" Yoko and the teacher both exclaimed.
"We can't stop now! The show's almost over!" The teacher explained.
"But where on EARTH will we find a replacement now?"
"Um… excuse me…" Yukito mumbled, stepping in only after he noticed Touya's absence. "Is something the matter?"
Their eyes lit up, almost scarily.
"Um… guys?" Yukito whimpered, backing up.