IN
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The room waited with bated breath.
Her friends silently goaded Sora to take Cathy up on the offer.
Ken was especially enthusiastic for her. Here was the chance for Sora to return to the main stage and receive the attention she was meant to. The applause would be for her and she would actually enjoy it. He had seen Sora wistfully looking at the stage as the audience cheered for May and Leon. She craved the applause, he just knew it.
He wasn't too excited that Leon would be her partner, but he was willing to push that aside in order to see her as the leading lady again.
Sora chanced a glance at Leon. Even from this distance, Leon saw the hard swallow Sora did. From that action, he knew what her choice was.
He inwardly sighed. Another rejection.
IN
After hearing Sora's refusal the room erupted, but none reacted as strongly as May did.
Her eyes were alit with anger.
In her fury, she ran up the remaining steps and slapped Sora across the face. She didn't hold back, hoping the physical attack would incense the girl like she did in New York. Once Sora's anger was stirred, then their last competition could take place.
The programs fell out of Sora's hands with the hit.
Brown eyes were wide and her cheek throbbed a bright red. She straightened herself up again and when she moved, May was prepared for her attack.
However, Sora merely bent over to pick up the programs that fell. "I'm not doing it," she murmured. "You have the role already; there's no point in showing my version of Juliet."
May trembled in anger. She wasn't getting the fight that she wanted.
"Coward!" May spat.
Sora continued to pick up the papers as May stomped by her on the steps.
IN
Ken was shocked. I really thought she'd take the opportunity.
However, he wasn't able to analyze the reasons why she didn't as Cathy called for the practice to continue, meaning that Ken had to cue the sounds and lights again.
After the practice, he went over to the dining hall to grab something when he spotted Sora at the very beginning of the line. She hasn't eaten yet. He squared his shoulders as he realized the perfect chance he had right now.
"Sora," he called.
The teen looked over, her eyes a little despondent.
"Would you like to grab some lunch?" he said in one breath.
Her eyes rounded.
"I know there's food here," he rambled, gesturing around them, "but I thought that it might be nice to eat somewhere off of the property. You know, a change of scenery."
She opened her mouth to say something, but then she closed them. She seemed to be considering something and he waited, hoping she'd say yes.
"We're just having lunch?"
He blinked at that, not having expected her to ask that. He swallowed at the question as his palms grew sweaty. 'Just lunch' like we 'just kissed'? he inwardly reflected in a scolding tone to himself. He should have handled that kiss better; he knew it and so did Mia, judging by all the dating advice she'd give him from time to time.
Though, that old dating book had to be the most embarrassing thing Mia gave him.
"Yes," he said, not willing to let this moment pass. He'd think about an actual date later, but for now, this would do.
She mulled that over for a few seconds.
"Alright."
IN
Since neither one had a car and the bus would have taken longer than their break allowed, they headed over to the boardwalk along the beach.
There were a few food venders there; he just hoped they had options she liked.
IN
Leon had been walking over to his car when he saw them.
Side by side, they strolled along the sand.
The way things were between them at the moment did not warrant a strong reaction, however, he was still trying to understand her absence and his emotions regarding her second rejection of him as a partner.
An old memory came to him as Ken's hand made to touch her shoulder. Leon could hear her voice telling him that he didn't have to worry about Ken as her fingers stroked his face and they lay skin on skin beneath his sheets.
His hand fisted his keys, not caring that the jagged grooves were digging into his hand.
'Ken's only a friend' she had said.
Right now, he wasn't sure about that.
IN
To Sora's relief, the lunch had just been that: lunch.
For a while there I thought he was going to say it was a date.
She wasn't sure what she would have done if he had asked her as a date. She knew that she couldn't accept it, knowing that she didn't feel that way. The only option would have been to refuse and then she'd be upset with herself over breaking his heart.
She had enough on her plate at the moment, especially now that May took every opportunity to glower at her.
It was not that Ken was a burden.
No matter how things were between them, she didn't think she could ever see him in such a light. He had been the first to help her and along with Jerry, he believed in her abilities even when she doubted herself.
She will forever be grateful for him in that manner.
Her life right now, her dream stage and other things that were connected to those, were weighing heavily on her. She was sure that her refusal to play Juliet was correct. She didn't want to gain a role in that way.
And as for Leon, she hoped he understood her decision.
She sighed as she was backstage sorting the costumes out. Lunch had been pretty relaxing. She hadn't known eating something as simple as a hot dog by the beach would have calmed her down so much. I should try it more often.
Some runners from wardrobe came to her.
"I need the Montague servants' outfits!"
"And I need Tybalt's!"
She pushed her thoughts aside and got into her business mode. "Ok, just give me a second."
IN
The night air was chilly; Sora wished she had snagged her jacket before walking Ken out to his bus.
They waved good night to each other soon enough.
With a shudder, she hunched her shoulders in a sorry attempt to get warm. Just as she was turning around and walking back with her hands rubbing her arms, his voice sounded from somewhere.
"Where is your jacket?"
Her eyes widened as Leon stepped out from the shadow of the tree he was waiting by. She shivered again, but not because of the cold. There was something unstable about him. She couldn't quite put her finger on it as she took in his form in his charcoal coat and blue scarf.
He seemed normal enough…
"I forgot it," she said.
"So I see," came his wiry voice.
When he made to take off his coat, she lifted her hand up. "Please, keep your coat."
Something flickered across his face. She grew nervous upon seeing it.
"Are you afraid of it infecting you," he tightly clipped, "seeing as it was on me?"
Her brows furrowed. "No. It's just that it's my fault for forgetting my jacket. You shouldn't have to go cold for that."
He was silent for a few moments. Then, he shifted a little and his eyes looked off to the side of her.
"I saw you earlier with Ken."
His statement had been spoken in so low of a tone; she had to lean in a little to catch it.
"We were having lunch."
He frowned. The motion along with the night shadows made the tired lines around his eyes more pronounced. She stepped up to him, her hand coming up to lightly touch his face.
He violently flinched. Her hand quickly withdrew.
"Leon," she started, concern filling her voice and showing on her face as she frowned, "are you alright?"
She gasped as his eyes connected with hers and his hand wrapped around her wrist. The passing car lights shone on his face, highlighting the wild gleam in his eyes. She trembled a little, never having seen him so unsettled before.
"Why are you still rejecting me?"
She whimpered as he grabbed her free hand that had been trying to get him to release her wrist.
"Let go Leon," she said as she attempted to pull her wrists free.
He spoke on as if he hadn't heard her or noticed her thrashing. "I waited for you to come back, but you stayed away. Why? Did I misunderstand you? Had I been blind to what you wanted from me?"
"You're scaring me!" she cried as he pulled her to him.
Her words finally broke through to him. He suddenly released her, taking in long breaths as he attempted to get his mind under control. She continued to stare at him wide eyed. Her big eyes made him shake himself.
When he lifted a hand to touch her on the shoulder, she started.
Having not thought about her surroundings or the time of day, she ran off into the street, not wanting to let him grab her again with that gleam in his eyes.
Her action triggered a very old and terrifying memory.
He saw Sora running into the street, but another figure was beside her, running with her. His heart skipped and slowed down, seeing the two most important people in his life amidst the traffic and a blinding light began to creep upon their figures, its sickening rays first touching-
"Sophie!"
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AN: Ok, I like SXL, but what in the world Leon?!
He went craycray in that one episode when he popped out of nowhere in the middle of the night to talk to Sora. I remembered screaming when he grabbed her.
That is not the way you make someone your partner... *shakes head*