Solely (Camren)

Chapter 9

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all?"

Near unending silence.

Liam lightly kicked Lauren's left shin and whispered

"Psst - you're supposed to say-"

"I know, but aren't I supposed to tell the truth?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"All right."

Liam cleared his throat and tried again.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all?"

Lauren glanced at all the cross - dressed males in the room, and declared firmly.

"None of you."

"Lauren, you're supposed to so say: You are, Queen."

"But you're Queen."

"Yeah, so - "

"But... you're so... painfully ugly."

"C'mon, Lauren."

"Fine."

Lauren quickly glanced over at Liam. His lips were smeared with a ghastly red shade, and his eyelashes were stuck with clumps of black make - up. His dress sleeves stretched around his taut biceps, and the high collars of his dress accentuated his bulky jaw. His hair was slicked back into a tight bun, and a wig barely covered his dark roots. Lauren started talking mechanically.

"You are - I can't do this."

"Lauren! Just say your lines!"

"And lie? What? You think the audience won't see you? A bad friend would simply lie and let you pass, but I'm telling you the truth because I'm your friend. You are extremely displeasing - "

"CUT!"

Ms. Collins pursed her lips together and threw back her head. It bobbed for a few minutes before she brought it back down with a jolt and pleaded to Lauren.

"Lauren, please, we gave you the role of the mirror because it had the fewest lines. Please, just cooperate."

Liam tore off his wig and interjected.

"Yeah, Lauren, we should at least reach the kissing scene..."

---
"Lo?"

"Oh God, please, don't look at me Zayn."

Zayn held up both of his hands to his embellished face, and concealed it with evident shame.

"Is this better?"

"Yes, much."

The other students were clearing away the stage set, and Ariana bellowed out orders with a rolled - up paper in her hand. No one was fully costumed yet, but were allowed their props. Lauren bemusedly eyed the sword dangling on Camila's belt, and looked away when the other girl caught her stare. She asked her brother disinterestedly.

"What were you going to tell me?"

"About the kiss..."

He lowered his hands to allow one smokey eye to catch her gaze.

"We couldn't rehearse it today... because of your mistakes... but I get why... don't worry about it."

"Get what?"

"That you purposely did the mistakes... it's okay... we're not actually going to kiss, Lo."

Lauren slid her right hand to her left elbow, and looked down at the lit wooden ground. A few students carried past a plastic tree, and cut between them. It gave Lauren enough time to think of a reply.