Gainesville Roses [Prinxiety/Logicality]

Chapter Seven

Roman held his laptop in his arms delicately, pulled up to a certain page. He went to Virgil's room and knocked on the door, not waiting for an answer before he opened it.

"Virge, guess what?"

Virgil was clutching a phone, sitting cross-legged on his bed, looking... distracted. When he saw Roman, his expression immediately changed, and he set his phone aside.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, you okay?" Roman asked.

"What? Yeah, of course." Virgil said. "I'm just a bit distracted, sorry. I just got off the phone with my friend Patton, that's all."

"Oh. Okay." Roman said, not knowing if he was convinced.

"So what did you want to tell me?" Virgil asked.

Roman could tell he was dying to change the subject, and he obliged.

He showed Virgil the website on his laptop.

"The Gainesville Community Playhouse?" Virgil blinked.

Roman nodded. "They're holding auditions! I want to audition. I've always loved acting. As a kid I would audition for all my school musicals—"

"Did you get in?"

"Of course I did, and I usually got the male lead!"

"Didn't help your ego much, did it?"

"Shut up, emo."

Virgil snickered.

"Anyways, the point is, I wanna audition." Roman said. "And I was wondering if you could be my pretend audience for practicing."

Virgil shrugged. "Okay. I mean, I've already heard you sing. You're not terrible."

"Not terrible?" Roman raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, you're good." Virgil corrected himself.

"I have the best voice you've ever heard and you're convinced my musical talents are a blessing from an angel?" Roman teased.

"Don't push it." Virgil said.

"You didn't deny it." Roman smirked.

"The point is..." Virgil changed the subject. "Musical talent alone isn't enough to land you a role. You gotta act."

"Oh trust me, I have that covered." Roman said.

"Really? Let's see it then." Virgil said. "Lie to me, but make me believe it."

"You're talented." Roman smirked.

"Very funny." Virgil rolled his eyes.

Roman laughed. "I thought it was."

"Let's try something else." Virgil said. "Just... act. What about a monologue?"

"I played Romeo in my high school's version of the famous play." Roman said. "And not because our names are similar, although I'll have you know that the cast shared many jokes about the similarity. The point is, I could do a monologue from Romeo and Juliet. After all, I've always loved Shakespeare's works."

Virgil snorted. "You'd get along with Logan, then. That guy could talk for hours about anything Shakespeare related."

"Good to know he has taste." Roman said.

"More like he's just a huge nerd." Virgil shrugged. "Anyways, go ahead and perform your dramatic monologue. This should be good. Should I record it so that if you mess up, it's documented for me to forever torment you with?"

"If you want to record it, go ahead, so you can look back on it in awe of my acting skills." Roman smirked.

"Aww, well, if you're not gonna mess up, then what's the point of recording it?" Virgil smirked.

"I'm just going to start." Roman said. He took a deep breath.

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!"

"That was so incredibly cheesy, and you're a dork." Virgil said.

"A dork who's good at acting?" Roman asked hopefully.

Virgil shrugged casually. "If I were the casting director, you'd have it."

Roman smiled warmly. "I think that's the nicest thing you've said to me since we met."

"Eh, I have my moments." Virgil said.

"Good to hear." Roman smiled. Then he thought of something. "That thing you were sad about earlier..."

"Roman, don't."

"I'm not. I just... Are you feeling better now?"

Virgil nodded softly and smiled. "I am. Thank you, Roman."

"Hey, what're friends for?" Roman paused shortly after he said that. "Wait, we are friends, right?"

Virgil nodded. "You're an idiot, but you're my friend."

"I'll take it."