A Bittersweet Mystreet

{Chapter 23}

{A/N: So sorry for the delay! Eat, my children!!}

Travis and Aaron have been official roommates for about a week now. Despite their differences, they had gotten along surprisingly well and fell into a nice routine. That nice routine would have to be put on hold, though, since Katelyn's play was finally set in motion.

After Katelyn's little comment the last time she and Aaron hung out, he hadn't reached out to Aphmau about what she had said. He thought Katelyn might have been joking. Irene, he wished she was joking, but her nervous demeanor afterward proved there was more about his relationship with Aphmau that not even he had known.

He wanted Aphmau to reach out and tell him what's been going on. Be the bigger person and tell him face-to-face. Unfortunately, they haven't had a face-to-face interaction since the New Year's Eve party. Dare he think she's been avoiding him? While before he would adamantly deny it, this new behavior of hers meant anything was on the table.

While Aaron was ruminating on his love life, everyone else was getting ready to audition for Katelyn's play. A month ago, her friends had all agreed to help make Katelyn's dream a reality. Besides, this play was for the community, so they were practically required to help.

The auditions were held over the course of two days. Everyone had to audition for either Romeo or Juliet and would be placed accordingly by Katelyn, unless someone really wanted a specific role.

On Saturday, all the girls had already auditioned.

Today was Sunday.

===

"Romeo O' Romeo! Let down your hair!"

"That's Rapunzel, Laurence."

Garroth and Laurence laughed at each other's antics before trying to get back into character.

"Okay, this time let's do it without the script," Garroth suggested as he placed his script on his bed. Laurance did the same before clearing his throat, and getting into character.

"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," Laurance lilted, expressing his affection to his blond-haired Juliet.

"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," Garroth recited, not bothering to put on his best feminine voice for the sake of the play.

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," Garroth said as he took a step closer to Laurance. The air around them grew warm.

"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

Laurance couldn't help but shift his weight. How far were they going to go?

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' take."

It was just acting! Laurance was just acting in a scene with his best friend. None of it really meant anything, but then why did he feel nervous? He locked eyes with Garroth as he said,

"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take," Laurance muttered as he grew silent.

They both knew what was to come next. Laurance had the lines ingrained in his head, yet he hesitated.

[He kisses her]

It was just acting, but he knew kissing Garroth would be anything but.