Wherefore Art Thou, Chase?

Disclaimer: I do not own the quotes in italics. Those words belong to the talented Billy Shakespeare. I merely borrow his genius for my own purposes. Otherwise, please enjoy. And review, if you could. Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.
~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3: Convincing Auditions


Erin’s forehead wrinkled into a frown.

“What are you talking about, Janelle?” she asked, keeping her voice down so that Professor Curtis wouldn‘t hear them. Besides, her head was still fuzzy from the night before and it hurt when she spoke or heard anything too loud.

“This guy in my math class wants to take you out, in exchange for tutoring me,” Janelle explained in hushed tones, pretending to be taking notes on Curtis’ lecture. She could feel Chase’s gaze boring into her back, but she continued to ignore him, instead trying to convince Erin to go out with Huey.

“Why should I do this? I’m in a really vulnerable place since Grant and I broke up,” the redhead teased, her green eyes alight with mischief. She was hardly ever “in a vulnerable place” after break-ups…At least, that was what she led everyone to believe.

“Besides the obvious reason that you’d be helping out a friend?” Janelle asked, recognizing the teasing tone in her friend’s voice. “You remember that boy you were making out with at Justin Slovak’s party last night?”

Erin had only vague recollections of the night before, but she could remember intelligent green-blue eyes hidden behind thick black glasses and hair just as thick and dark. She could remember flirting with him, then kissing him. The next thing she remembered, Erin was being pulled off of his lap, thoroughly kissed and hungry for something that transcended sex. It was an odd sensation for Erin and it scared her a little.

“That was him?” was Erin’s only reply. Her mouth was dry just from the thought that the guy had actually taken the time to ask around about her. It was both sweet and vaguely creepy…

“That was him,” Janelle answered, hardly allowing herself to hope that Erin might say yes. It was a huge favor to ask of someone, but he’d only asked for one date and that was all Janelle would ask of Erin. She held her breath as the redhead inclined her head in acquiescence. “You’ll do it?!” she asked excitedly.

“I’ll do it,” Erin told her, feeling her stomach roil with nervousness, another new sensation. “But only because you’re my friend,” she added, trying to assure both Janelle and herself that she was being purely selfless about this…

**********

Chase stared intently at Janelle, who was leaning forward and speaking in hushed tones with her red-head friend. They seemed to be discussing matters of great importance. For a moment, Chase entertained the idea that maybe–just maybe–they were talking about him. He dismissed the idea almost as soon as he’d thought it, though.

Arrogant much? he asked himself, turning his attention back to Professor Curtis, who was saying something about an audition for her troupe’s latest play. Quickly, he scribbled down the information in his notebook, noting that everyone else seemed to have little to no interest in it, even Janelle. This must not be the first time she’s mentioned this, he thought, still scrawling down information. Try-outs were that afternoon, which made Chase hesitate for a moment. It didn’t give him a lot of time to prepare, but it was one of the few Shakespearean plays he knew by heart, which he thought gave him an edge on his competition.

Suddenly, a bell clanged, announcing the end of class. Chase gathered his things hurriedly, intending to talk to Janelle. She said that she didn’t mind catching me up in this class, he thought, justifying his reasons as he trotted to catch up with his target, who was rushing as fast as she could while still allowing the stiletto-heeled, auburn-haired woman to keep up.

Chase jogged forward and drew even with Janelle and her friend, smiling easily.

“Hey, Janelle,” he greeted her pleasantly, pretending like he hadn’t had to hustle to keep up with her.

Janelle looked up–and up, and up–at Chase, practically craning her neck to meet his heart-melting eyes.

“Chase,” she addressed him coolly, taking subtle, deep breaths to calm her pounding heart. “Can I help y–”

“Erin MacPherson,” the redhead interrupted Janelle, leaning around her to offer her manicured hand to Chase.

“Chase Nicholson,” he introduced himself, smiling amusedly at Erin, who’s naturally flirtatious manner and confidant smile would have been enough reason to hit on her in the past. No longer, though, because–strangely enough–Chase felt no attraction to the Irish lass. He did feel strongly towards Janelle, though, wanting nothing more than to kiss her until her cool exterior melted. “I was just going to ask Janelle if she could help me out with catching up in Professor Curtis’ class,” he informed Erin, though his gaze was locked on Janelle, whose cheeks were heating brilliantly.

“Well, don’t let me stop you,” Erin responded brightly, stopping and pointing over her shoulder. “I’ll just be over there,” she added, backing up slowly. Chase noticed that the women exchanged looks, before Erin turned away and Janelle whipped around, lifting a skeptical brow in an oddly familiar look.

“What do you need?” she asked brusquely, looking impatient.

“Well, uh, I was thinking we could get together somewhere–maybe on Friday?–and go over whatever I missed these past weeks,” Chase suggested, a tad unnerved by the coldly professional look she was giving him. Janelle looked him over and shook her head.

“No good,” she told him shortly. Before he could ask why, she elaborated, though not by much. “I have plans on Friday afternoon.”

“Saturday?”

“I have to work.”

“Sunday?”

“The library’s closed on Sundays.”

“We don’t have to go to the library,” he reminded her in a desperate attempt to make some sort of date with Janelle. And to get her to show some emotion in her impossible-to-read eyes.

“The library’s best for me,” Janelle answered him, her tone resolute. Otherwise, it feels too much like a date, she thought. And I’m not ready to date the only guy who turns me on like he does.

“C’mon…I could come to your place,” he suggested.

Erin, who had been eavesdropping from her corner, suddenly popped up and slapped a hand over Janelle’s mouth. “That’d be fine. Sunday at noon sound good?” she proposed, not allowing her friend to ruin this. It was the best thing for her, Erin was sure of it.

Chase nodded, relieved that the redhead had stepped in. “Perfect,” he told her, then flashed a crooked grin at Janelle. “I’ll be there,” he added, before walking away, a confident bounce in his step. With the way this week was going, Chase had no doubt in his mind that he’d be flawless at his audition. Now, the only thing he had to decide was which character did he want to be?

**********

“He is not coming over on Sunday, Erin. That’s final,” Janelle argued with her friend, too angry at the redhead to be nervous about the upcoming audition. The argument had been going back and forth between the stubborn women since Erin had invited Chase to their home earlier that day, almost too willingly.

“Yes, he is. I am going to let him in myself,” Erin claimed, green eyes flashing with tenacity. “After all, you’re allowed to set me up with that guy in your math class–”

“That you were making out with in public!”

“You’ve lusted after Chase since you were thirteen!” Erin retorted. Janelle fought back a laugh as they walked into the theatre, glaring at one another and hardly noticing the amount of people who were crowding the audience seats. “Look,” the redhead conceded as they sat down towards the front, “All I’m saying is, if you’re interested in him, go for it. If you’re not, then don’t go for it.”

“I’ve idolized this guy since seventh grade…I don’t think I’d be able to bear it if he’s a huge jackass like most guys our age. Its better to just keep him at a distance and watch him from afar than to knock him off the pedestal he stands on like a god in my head,” Janelle whispered as Professor Curtis entered from stage right and looked out over the audience.

“Welcome!” she boomed, causing people to jump a little. Professor Curtis wasn’t a large person, after all, and not many expected the demure blonde woman to have a voice that could easily fill a theatre twice the size of the one they were in without a microphone.

“I’d like to get started ASAP, so if you’d all pass your resumes forward at this point…” she began, rubbing her hands briskly. Janelle and Erin collected the resumes of the people behind them, then passed the sheaf of papers and headshots to the people in front of them. Curtis collected everything with the air of one who has done this kind of thing before.

“Please, come to the stage when I call your name, and I will give you your audition piece. Everyone will perform at least one scene and I’ll let you know if you can go.” Professor Curtis shuffled through the resumes dutifully, pulling one out every now and then and calling off the name on each one she pulled out. Janelle observed each person who came up onto the stage.

After waiting for a while, Janelle’s and Erin’s names were called in a long slew of names. Professor Curtis handed them both a copy of the script and told them to turn to Act 1, Scene 5. Dutifully, they obeyed, surveying the scene in advance. When Romeo and Juliet first meet, Janelle thought. It was one of her favorite scenes. Who’s gonna be Romeo and who’s gonna be Juliet? She wondered, looking around at the group assembled on stage. Erin and she were the only women on the stage and, out of the two of them, Erin was the prettiest, so she would probably read as Juliet. But none of the men stuck out as very Romeo-like…

“…Chase Nicholson, Heinrich von Austerschwitz…” Janelle had to fight a wry grin. Of course, she thought ruefully, searching discreetly for the object of her affections. She saw him striding down the aisle purposefully, in a pair of slacks and a dress shirt that looked vaguely Shakespearean. His hair was combed back neatly and he looked amazingly scrumptious. It had her wondering why she didn’t want to be anywhere near him, when all she wanted to do now was throw herself at him.

If he could act, Chase would be perfect as Romeo. As it was, he was playing the starring role of every fantasy she’d ever come up with.

“…Heinrich, you’ll be Capulet. Tobias, be Tybalt. Chase, Romeo…” Professor Curtis assigned parts in the background. “…Janelle, you play Juliet and Erin will be the Nurse.” Janelle was sure she had heard the professor wrong.

“Wait!…What?” she asked, needing to hear it again.

Professor Curtis lifted her eyebrows sternly. “You’ll be reading Juliet and Erin will be reading Nurse,” she repeated tersely. “Okay?”

Janelle nodded hurriedly, too thrilled to question it. She’d only ever played Juliet in a “class production” project in high school and only because the other two girls in the group weren’t theatrical in any way and didn’t want the responsibility of memorizing Juliet’s lines.

Opening the script, she observed the actors who were speaking. Heinrich von Austerschwitz–a middle-aged veteran of the troupe with graying reddish hair and laughing blue eyes–was boisterous and care-free as Capulet until Tobias–a beanpole of a young man who could only be a few years older than herself, obviously gay, and had well-groomed brown hair and jade-green eyes–confronted him, as the fiery Tybalt. They were both amazing, but they couldn’t hold a candle to Chase as love-struck Romeo.

He hardly looked at his script as he recited each line of the Shakespearean text flawlessly. His expression was startlingly intense as he stepped forward and took her free hand.

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss,” Chase whispered, having caught his breath long ago. Janelle looked absolutely dazzling in a long black skirt that reached her ankles and a sky blue button-down with a white tank top beneath it. Her hair was pulled back, away from her face, in barrettes, allowing him–and anyone else who wanted to look–a clear view of her features, from the utter astonishment in her soft, brown eyes to the stubborn set of her cleft chin.

Janelle’s breath was taken away as he stared deeply into her eyes, as if he was looking deep into her soul, but she recovered quickly.

“Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss,” she recited, feeling intense relief as her line ended. Electricity arced between them like they were refracting it at one another because neither one wanted to get burned. Unfortunately, their hands were branding one another and Janelle was sure she’d faint any time now.

“Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?”

“Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.”

“O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.
They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair,” Chase said, his voice hoarse with desire as he moved closer and pulled Janelle into his arms. His hand moved from her hand to her waist and she could feel the heat from his palm burning her through the material of her skirt.

“Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake,” she said, as he lowered his head.

“Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take.” Janelle had been stage-kissed a few times before, usually as a joke because, unless the play was a comedy, she was hardly in the starring role. But, this was no ordinary stage-kiss. In fact, Janelle didn’t think Chase’s incredibly tender brush of his lips against hers could even be classified as a stage-kiss, considering there was actual lip contact. Albeit, it wasn’t much contact because he pulled away far, far too soon, but it was there. Janelle found it hard to breath as he recited his next line and took a small step away from her.
“Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged,” he said, but not without some trouble Janelle noted with surprise.

“Then have my lips the sin that they have took,” she offered, tipping her head up instinctively, searching for another kiss.

Chase hooked one finger beneath her chin and tugged it up further, before saying his next line:

“Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again,” he said, right before lowering his head and pressing his lips more firmly against hers. The kiss made Janelle’s toes curl inside her shoes and her heart drop into her stomach. They held the kiss for much longer than the last one, but Chase still pulled away far too soon. When he did, Janelle elicited a soft sound of protest, only loud enough for them both to hear.

“You kiss by th’ book,” she said, sounding breathless. Chase was sure that, if he held his fingers against her neck, Janelle’s pulse would be fluttering as fast as his heart was slamming against his ribcage.

The rest of the audition went without a single hitch, with all three students doing their best to play the part they’d been assigned, and their scene was soon over. Tobias and Heinrich were told to stay while Janelle, Chase, and Erin were told that they could go home. Chase wanted to talk to Janelle, if just to see if she was as shaken by the kiss as he’d been. Even if neither of them got parts in this production, that kiss had been worth it. But, by the time he emerged from the theatre into the sunset-lit street, she and Erin were nowhere to be seen. Once more, she’s eluded me, Chase thought bitterly as he strolled to his car. I spend most of my time chasing her and living up to my name than I do anything else, he mused wryly.

**********

“I think I just got my first real kiss,” Janelle admitted to Erin as they drove away, looking very frail and vulnerable. Her fingers were touching her lips with what looked like a kind of fear mixed with awe.

Erin glanced at her, while still keeping an eye on the road.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” the redhead teased her brunette friend. Janelle grinned at Erin and nodded. Tears filled her friend’s eyes and Erin would have laughed if she weren’t concerned about the tears. “Here’s a tip: Don’t cry right after being kissed. Guys don’t think its sexy and your friends will start crying with you when you tell them,” she joked. A wet laugh bubbled up and spilled from Janelle’s lips, causing Erin to giggle a little.

The car ride home was filled with comfortable silence, Janelle’s stunned and Erin’s reminiscent. The redhead grimaced as she thought of her own first kiss. The memory was not a fond one.

Peeking over at her friend, Erin decided to revel in Janelle’s ecstasy instead of wallowing in her own past.

“C’mon,” she said, her voice quiet, but just enough to gain the brunette’s attention. “Let’s go celebrate,” the Irishwoman suggested with a grin. “Lily’s gonna want to hear about this,” she added, before climbing out of the car and rushing towards their building, Janelle racing behind her, laughing.