That's What You Get

by efearthling

"You never mentioned a female cousin now that I think about it." I raised an eyebrow at Grant. "Sure I have," Grant said. "You didn't mention that Cameron is a girl." "Technicalities." He shrugged. FullSumInside.Z/C.AH.T. ON HIATUS.

6. Chapter 6

So, I was going to update yesterday, but FF was being a pain!

And once again, thank you for all the amazing reviews. It's great to see that you're all enjoying the story that much that you're reviewing and telling me what you really think.

Before you read this chapter, I would like to dedicate chapter six to Kelsey Goode who nominated That's What You Get in the 2010 GG Awards for the Most Fantastic AU (Alternate Universe). THANK YOU KELSEY!

And people, if you want a story nominated NOMINATE! Think it deserves recognition? Nominate. Think it's the best thing ever? Nominate.

And that's enough of Ellen's attempt at advertising.

I now present to you: Chapter Six.

Also, this chapter hasn't been edited. Sorry.

CHAPTER SIX

CAMMIE

I closed my locker door shut before I lean my forehead against it, my right hand fingers splayed across its surface. I drown out the chatter and noise as I breathed in and out. Please don't let anything bad happen today. Please.

I opened my eyes and looked to my right where Bex is watching me curiously.

"You alright?" she asked.

I nodded my head. "Yep. Fine." I slam my palm against the locker. People around us look over and Bex flipped them the bird.

She sighed. "Cammie, I'm not going to force you to talk to me, but you know that I'm here for you."

"I know," I sighed. "And I'm sorry, it's just... Just something Joe said the other day."

"You should call her."

"Joe?" She frowned.

I rolled my eyes, clarifying, "Solomon."

"Oh." Her eyes widened before she laughed. It sounded like bells chiming. "Forgot he was your god father."

"So does every other male it seems," Grant said coming up from behind us. I rolled my eyes and double checked the workbooks I had in my hand.

"We better go," I said, giving Bex 'that look'.

Bex nodded her head and turned to go when Grant reached out a grabbed my arm lightly.

"Actually," he said, "I need to talk to you. Now."

Bex turned around but I waved her on and turned around to face Grant. His face was angry but in his eyes I saw the worry he concealed. I was his cousin and he had 'obligations' to me; I knew he felt like he was doing the right thing when he protected me. I knew that. So why did I feel like I was trapped more than ever?

"Yeah?" My voice was small and I no longer felt confident. Instead, I felt guilty.

Dammnit.

"Where were you this weekend?" he asked straight out.

"I decided to stay with Joe. I just needed some time alone."

He nodded, looking away for a moment before looking back at me. "Okay. But what happened with Mason?"

"It's Marc."

Grant rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You know who I mean."

My shoulder leaned against the locker. "So, what is it that you want?"

He spoke with the 'duh' tone. "I want to know what happened between you and Marc."

"Nothing," I lied, staring straight at him. I had always been a good liar. And if Grant believed me, the person who knew me the best despite the fact that we hardly knew each other, then I knew I was too good.

He stared at me, his eyes flickering all of my face: my eyes, my forehead, and my chin. What, did he think I would burst into tears and sweat if I lied?

No.

I was too smart for that one.

"Are you sure?"

I sighed. "Yes, Grant, nothing murder worthy happened."

Little white lies shouldn't hurt too much if he never found out the truth.

Grant ran a hand through his hair as he sagged against the locker. "Oh, thank God." He looked at me sideways. "Marc's a cool kid. I didn't want to have to hurt him."

I rubbed my hand over my eyes and groaned. "Grant. You didn't have to hurt him in the first place!"

Grant shrugged his shoulder and looked around. Everyone had disappeared.

"Look," I said, straightening, "We'll talk more about this later. But right now I have English and I'm now very late. So, goodbye and I'll see you at break."

I spun around and marched down the hall.

"Good luck!" Grant called out. Confused, I ignored him. I could still hear his faint chuckle when I turned the corner and walked into an empty English classroom.

BREAK

I walked down the auditorium pathway, light on my feet. Our English teacher, Mrs Burdette, stood behind the directors' desk in the crowd. The class stood up on the stage. I caught Bex's eye and as Mrs Burdette glanced down at her paper, muttering to the person besides her, I sprinted down the rest of the way and pushed myself up onto the stage. I skidded around the class that formed a semi circle facing her and stood besides Bex.

"What took you so long?" she hissed in my ear.

"Tell you later," I replied. I looked around the group until my eyes caught a pair of emerald ones. Zach shook his head and smirked at me. I cocked my head to the side and shook my head with a little eye roll tagged onto the end.

"Shakespeare," Mrs Burdette begun, "Is probably the most recognised poet in English history. His works have been studied all over throughout all the years. You're the last class to go, so the announcement will go up at the end of the day." She took her glasses off and started cleaning them. "And this year, students, we shall return to the Elizabethan age, performing one of Shakespeare's most recognised plays."

There was a dramatic pause before she continued, "Romeo and Juliet."

There was a collective groan from the guys. I smashed my lips together at the image of our guys in tights. I covered my mouth with my hand and leaned over to whisper my wacked imagination in her ear.

"Every student in your grade will have some sort of a role to play. Today, however, is your turn to audition and prove yourselves that you are elegant, graceful, and have the skills to be in the Elizabethan age."

Bex laughed at my comment, and I choked down another round of hysteria giggles. People around us started murmuring.

"Quiet!" Burdette snapped, her face flushing red. "Miss Morgan, since you seem so willing to have everybody you can go first."

That shut me up quicker than a croc's snap of the jaw.

"P-Pardon?" I stumbled.

Mrs Burdette stared at me from under her glasses as she sat down. "You will be auditioning first, Miss Morgan."

I stood there frozen. No. I didn't want to audition. Why the hell would I want to audition anyway?

"Bu–"

She made circular movements in the air. "Step forward with your script please. They were handed out at the beginning of the lesson."

Bex shoved her copy of the script into my hand and attentively I stepped forward. My feet made sound thing time. Sound that echoed off the stage and slowly faded, only to be overlapped by the next round of steps.

"Act two, scene two. You will say Juliet's passage."

I stood there and gulped before I breathed deeply and called upon my 'acting' days at Gallagher Academy. My voice was strong and clear when I spoke. "Ay me!/ O Romeo –"

A chuckle sounded to my left and my head whipped around and glared at the culprit.

"Somebody wants this part." Zach chuckled.

"Actually, Mr Goode, I think you and Miss Morgan can say your passages together."

Zach blinked and I stifled a laugh until I remembered that what she said meant I would have to play Juliet while he played Romeo.

Grrrrreat.

But Zach stayed cool and his face cleared of any surprised emotion. "I honestly don't think we should take the spotlight away from Miss Morgan. She would be too crushed for it."

I turned to him. "Oh, come now. I'm honestly surprised that you would turn down the opportunity to look coherent."

I heard a few laughs. Zach humped and stalked his way over to stand beside me.

What the hell is wrong with him?

Mrs Burdette smiled and sat down. "From the beginning."

And so we spoke the passage.

JULIET

Ay me!

ROMEO

She speaks:
O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.

I swayed a little and Zach walked around me. My back was stiff and as he passed behind me his hand touched my lower back.

"Relax," he whispered.

JULIET

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

ROMEO

[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

JULIET

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

We stopped moving and faced each other. He raised his hand and played with my hair a little, speaking softly but loud enough.

ROMEO

I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Zach whispered that last sentence and stared at me, his hand cupping my cheek. Our breaths mingled and for a moment I honestly believed that we weren't in a classroom. But then I did remember. And I stepped back. His hand dropped to his side and I curled the script in one hand. We faced Mrs Burdette.

Talk about guys with PMS.

"Well," she said a little breathless, "That was an amazing performance, Miss Morgan. I understand your reputation amongst the drama groups at Gallagher now. And Mr Goode... Well," she said, shrugging. "I never knew you had it in you. We may just see you in tights after all."

The class laughed and I turned around and walked over to Bex, instantly hiding myself behind everybody as Mrs Burdette called more pairs forth.

BREAK

Bex grabbed my arm as I walked out of the auditorium.

"What was that?" she asked, twirling me around to face her.

I frowned. "What are you talking about?" For a moment I was distracted trying to blow the hair out off my nose without using hands.

She jerked her thumb over her shoulder, towards the way we'd left. "Back there. With Zach. Romeo and Juliet." Her words were cut short and her British accent was thicker than usual.

"Uh... An audition?" I continued walking on, trying to blow the hair off my nose.

Her shoes clicked against the floor as she caught up to me. "That was quite the scene for just an audition."

I stopped by my locker, still frowning, and still trying. "It's Romeo and Juliet, Bex. It's supposed to be... emotional. Besides, I've done plays at my old school. You either give it all you've got, or you get the hell outta there and back stage." I shrugged. Frustrated, I pulled the hair back with my hands. Trickiness be damned.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever. I'll drop. Just sayin', you know?"

I laughed, closing my locker and double checking my books. "Come on. I'm hungry."

Bex leaned forward, whispering in my ear over my shoulder. "For who."

I stopped in the middle of the walkway and jabbed her in the ribs with my elbow. Bex dodged and walked beside me.

"Not cool."

She laughed and pushed her way through the crowd of students, and I was left helplessly to follow behind her.

"Besides, it's not like I'm interested in him anyway," I said, "So, your theories are all messed up."

Bex paused in the middle of the hallway. "I never said that you liked him."

"And I don't. Besides, he's been a total ass lately, anyway. The majority of guys here seem to be."

Bex rolled her eyes. "That's just Zach, remember? Anyway there are some guys who aren't always so obnoxious." She started walking again.

"Like Grant?" I raised an eyebrow.

I could feel her trying to contain her blush. But it was untameable. And it would still be there when we walked into the lunch room and sat down with everybody.

Wonder what Grant thinks we're talking about...

BREAK

"CAMMIE!" Macey screamed from behind me. "You have got to see this!"

She grabbed my arm and pulled me away, my books falling onto the concrete floor. I tripped over an uneven brick, too.

"Macey! Let me go!"

Grant laughed and picked up my books, setting them down on the concrete wall. I smiled gratefully at him and turned around, running alongside her.

Macey didn't stop as we walked back into the school.

"Macey, school is over. We are free. You know, to go home?"

I could imagine Macey rolling her eyes as she marched towards the school notice board.

"Macey, what –"

She let go of my arm and her finger jabbed a piece of paper. I readjusted my clothing, glowering at her. Her fingernails had jabbed into my skin and left little moon crescent pink marks over my arms. I doubt that she meant to hurt me, but still, it freaking hurt.

"What is it?" I growled.

She groaned. "Read it, Morgan."

I peered forward and squinted my eyes as I read the piece of paper. I blinked, frozen. I re-read the first three lines about twenty odd times before I fully understood why Macey wanted me to read this.

The Romeo and Juliet cast were done.

And I was to play Juliet.

With Zach as Romeo.

And Marc as Paris.

Oh, Dear Lord, help me now.

"No," I groaned. "No. No. I don't, I don't want this. Not them. Not me. Not us! Not this."

A head popped up at my right, but I recognised the blond head of hair. Liz. She placed her hand on my shoulder, using it to balance herself and stretched up onto her tippytoes to stare at the piece of paper. She huffed when she didn't find her name on the first sheet and flipped it over.

"Yes!" She cheered. "Technicians." She smiled at us sheepishly. "I get stage fright."

I smiled but my stomach felt week. I am Juliet. Juliet Capulet. I am Juliet. My hands seemed to sweat and I clenched them into fists at my side. I shouldn't be overreacting like this. I knew this play. I had studied it before. It wasn't a play that nobody did not know. Besides, it wasn't like I had stage fright or anything unlike Liz. I had done plays before. Lots. Little roles, big roles, dancing roles, singing roles; I had done it.

So why was I so terrified.

Bex had joined us in the conversation, unhappy to find that she would be playing the 'old and annoying' nurse.

We can switch, I felt like saying. You can be Juliet and I'll be the nurse.

It was a fair deal.

I hadn't noticed that three other people had joined us until one of them touched my shoulder. I jumped a mile in the air, gasping, and turned around.

Grant smiled at me apologetically.

"Sorry," he said, lifting my bag up to me, the other arm holding my books to his side. "But you girls were just taking forever." He glanced over his shoulder at the three very enthusiastic girls. "What's with them, anyway?"

I pointed my thumb over my shoulder. "The Romeo and Juliet cast lists are out. That's all."

I shuffled out of the way so Grant could scan the list. His finger stopped a third of the way before he threw his head back and laughed out loud.

"Mercutio," he said, laughing. "I'm playing Mercutio."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. Mercutio was an interesting character who I often enjoyed reading his speeches. He was funny, weird, physiological, and some people even considered him to be gay. It didn't help his case with the Baz Luhrmann take and his dress up costume.

"That'd be funny," I said in a small voice.

Grant frowned down at me. "Who are you?"

I whispered, "Juliet."

Grant blinked before he laughed and pulled me into a shoulder hug, placing our backs against the notice board. He whipped his arm out and spoke in a dramatic voice. "And, pray tell, who is your Romeo?

"I bet he is charming, funny, incredible handsome, as cunning as a fox and as witty as a snakes tongue."

"That last one made no sen-"

"Shhh." He puts his hand over my mouth.

I rolled my eyes and 'wrestled' (I really didn't want to hurt him) his hand off my mouth to no success.

"I wonder who will play your dear sweet Romeo. Is his nose the size of a camels? Does his hair stink of eggs? Is he ugly? Or maybe –"

I elbowed Grant in the stomach lightly and he coughed before he straightened and glared at me.

"It's Zach," I growled, "Okay? Zach is playing Romeo. Not so handsome, funny, cunning and charming now, is he?" I shoved Grant off me.

"I'll always be those things and many more," Zach said as he approached us.

I snorted. The others had stopped laughing now and had slowly closed in on the three of us. I expected Grant to throw a fit. I really did. I mean, come on! Surely I wasn't the only one suspecting it. I looked over to the girls, all of whom had concerned expressions on their faces and were watching Grant's every twitch.

Zach glanced around the group before his eyes rested on Grant, flickered to me, and quickly back to him. "What's going on?" he asked.

I cleared my throat. "The Romeo and Juliet cast list is out. That's all."

That's all! That was so not all, Cameron! And you damn well know it!

Zach smirked. "What? Did you get the role of the horrible, cranky, and old nurse?" he teased.

Bex punched him in the arm.

"OW! What was that for?"

"I got that role, idiot," she hissed.

Zach paled slightly, but he didn't apologise. He just rolled his eyes and shook his head; his hair fell past his eyes now.

He really needs a haircut.

"Move over, Morgans."

"I'm a Newman," Grant protested, as he shuffled us out of the way.

"Your name is first on the list," I said as his hand went down the page, "In case you can't read."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm looking for your name. Wanna see what's gotten you so pale."

"Good. That means I'll know how to play dead when my character kills herself at the end scene."

Zach froze and his finger zoomed up to the top of the page where it stayed there, frozen.

"No fucking way!"

Hehe. Looks like Cam's going to have some fun in the afterschool rehearsals.

So, what did you all think? Have a favourite quote? Like/dislike a certain character? Want to see more or less of something? And sorry about the swearing at the end. I thought it was rather appropriate for Zach.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
And don't forget to review! I really love hearing what you guys think.

P.S This is my longest chapter on FF yet.