"Hey," I called, running down the hall in my short skirt and black dress shoes. I caught the attention of the blonde with lots of hair and very outlandish cheek bones. "You're Jerome Clark, right?" I questioned, taking a breather when I caught up to him.
"Yeah, how may I help you, Ms. Montgomery," And there it was, the insignificant use of my last name. He moved his books to his other hand and walked at Tatum Speed.
"I plan on auditioning for the play, and since you're the director I was hoping you could tell me where the auditions are?" I smiled and he grinned at me, bobbing his head.
"Right this way," He said turning the corner. "Do you know what part you're auditioning for?"
"Joe," I quickly stated.
"The lead female role, well I've seen many great Joe's, Ms. Montgomery." Jerome chuckled and I giggled lightly, nodding my head and walking on my tip toes as I spoke.
"Yes," I said clearly. "But not one of them was a professional actress, was she?" I wondered and it made Jerome laugh harder.
"No, I suppose not," He agreed as we came across a lounge type area where there was a tiny stage and a group of people overcoming the area.
The stage amounted to nothing, compared to the sets I've worked on, but considering this was a high school performance, I would have to give some credit.
"Welcome, boys and girls, to the last day of auditions, if I could please have Theresa..." Jerome greeted as I sat next to Joy. I drained out his voice as Joy began to talk to me.
"Did you talk to him?" She asked me and I nodded. Her hand reached over and she took mine lightly. "You really are an amazing friend, and I'm really glad you came to visit."
"Yeah," I looked down at her. "You aren't too bad yourself, Mercer." We had a quite fit of hysteria and we squeezed our hands together. Joy was always someone who was there for me, and I'd be there for her whenever she'd need it.
"Next, we have the one and only, Tatum Montgomery, auditioned for the role of Joe, give her a big round of applause," Jerome introduced me and I stood up with my script in my hand. Walking onto stage, people were clapping.
I was joined by Jerome who would be doing the reading with me.
We were advised to do scene 9, line 4.
"It's just weird, I guess," I began to read. "Everything here is so different."
"Like what?" Jerome read on.
"Everything, the people, the attitude,"
"You know, you're pretty different too,"
"Are you flirting with me, Marc?" I giggled lightly.
"I only flirt with perfect girls, like you." He flirted and I smirked.
"I bet you tell that to all the girls," I sighed, being completely in character. I felt his hand grazed my cheek as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. This made me looked up at his pale green eyes.
"No," He said. "Only you," And before long he began to lean in, our lips almost touching before Mara shouted cut. I was pretty disappointed, and our eyes shot open in frustration as we turned around to see the crowd that had formed.
"Thank you," I said, putting on another smile before people began to clap.
"Looks like you got the part," Jerome whispered.
"Looks like you got your leading lady." I muttered back before sliding off the stage and leaving him up there, grinning frantically at each other.
I sat back down with Joy and Mara, both of them smiling at my performance. I shrugged, hoping they wouldn't say anything, but to my dismay, they did.
"Thanks for doing this, Tatum," Mara told me and I bobbed my head. "And I'm really sorry,"
"For what?"
"You almost had to kiss him," She gagged and I forced a weary face and faked a shutter for her happiness before looking back over. Jerome had found a place near the edge of the stage and looked at me.
I smiled, tucking hair behind my ear in a flirt manner as he started to bring up the next person who wasn't auditioning for Joe.
Jerome's POV
After auditions we were all standing around. I stood tall with Eddie, Fabian, and Alfie. They wouldn't stop teasing me about the Tatum thing and her being my leading lady. She was hot, I'd admit. Right up there with Blake Lively and Mila Kunis, but she was also best friends with Joy Mercer and getting there with Mara, my ex. I could already smell trouble.
"So, you and Tatum are going to have to rehearse line, aren't you?" Eddie implied and I rolled my eyes.
"Doubt it, she's a professional," I told them and they nodded, completely agreeing with me.
"At least you get to kiss her," Alfie reminded and it made me smile and turn a light shade of pink.
"Hey, Jerome," A hand was placed on my shoulder and I turned to see it was Tatum, making me more uncomfortable at the previous conversation. "Boys," She greeted the others.
"Hey," They waved awkwardly, wondering if she heard what they said too.
"Great performance," Fabian admired.
"Thank you," She told him. "But listen, Jerome, maybe tonight we can go over lines?"
"Professional actress Tatum Montgomery needs help rehearsing lines from an amateur like me," I half teased half flirted.
"No," She shook her head and I raised one eye brow. "Just the kissing scene," She whispered for only my ears to hear and it made me turn ripe like a tomato. Pulling away, she spoke louder. "So, I'll be in your room tonight at 8." And she began to walk away with Joy, looking over her shoulder at me to find me looking at her back. All of us looking at her back.
Her hand slowly slipped into Joy's back pocket and she bit her lower lip before winking at me and disappearing behind the corner.
"Alfie," I began, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Visit your girlfriend tonight... all night."