Acting On Love

When lunchtime came, I promised myself to make it impossible for Jake to sit with me and Lisa. I found her sitting on an empty table, and I quickly told her we had to move.

"Why? Do you really hate Jake that much?" she laughed.

"He kissed me," I complained.

"Oh," she immediately understood, and picked up her tray. "So where do you want to go?"

I scanned the lunch hall quickly and desperately, but most of it seemed to be full. Then I noticed something that I found strange, yet I still jumped at the chance.

"There's room on Mr. Valo's table..." I said, as my eyes landed on the empty table which he occupied alone. The teacher's table had plenty of space, so I didn't understand why he was sitting alone.

"Ok, let's sit there, then," Lisa said, leading the way to his table.

She sat down on the opposite end of the table to him. I copied her, feeling guilty for sitting so far away from him. He already looked alone. I felt his eyes land on us as we sat down, but when I glanced at him, his eyes were back on his food. He seemed to be in a bad mood. I couldn't help but shake the feeling that it was my fault.

"Umm...Mr. Valo?" I asked, nervously.

It took him a few seconds before he finally looked at me. His eyes still look angered. Not quite so much, but I still couldn't avoid it.

"Miss Puller?"

The muscles in his face seemed to tense as he said my name. And why did he call me "Miss Puller"? He usually called me "Kristen"...

"I don't think I should be Juliet anymore."

He thought for a moment. "Your acting's fine..." he said, half-heartedly.

"It isn't that. I just don't want the part anymore."

He seemed to be pleased hearing that. "Alright. I'm sure I can find you a smaller part."

"Thank you," I smiled.

He smiled back weakly and began finishing his lunch. "You know, we probably shouldn't be eating on the same table together, but since this is a student table and I'm the one in the wrong, I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"I don't mind," I said, watching for his reaction.

But he didn't say anything else, and went back to his food. I didn't like the feeling of being ignored by him. It felt like my heart was being stomped on.

"Kristen?" a familiar voice chirped. I looked up to see Jake sitting down next to us.

Great.

Ville stood up the second Jake set his tray down and left the table. I felt a rush of despair wash over me seeing him leave the lunch hall.

"Why were you eating with Mr. Valo?" Jake asked, frowning at me and Lisa.

"We were here first," I lied. "Ok, I don't feel hungry - I think I'll go..."

I gave Lisa a sympathetic look, hoping she would understand, before I took off out of the lunch hall. I sat alone on a bench outside, feeling quite unwell. Jake had stirred up so much today. At first my little crush had just been something I could hide - something that didn't really matter. But after he kissed me, it was like something had snapped inside of Ville. I was probably flattering myself in thinking that his bad mood was because Jake had kissed me, but it didn't matter. Something had made him miserable.

The next day in acting, not much improved, either. The only words he spoke to me were "I found you another part - Rosaline." I immediately got the picture from this. Afterall, Rosaline had no lines. She was simply the girl that Romeo fell in love with, before he met his soulmate, Juliet. Her story was left untold. She was a discarded character. Just like me.

I sat in the first row of the theatre seats, and watched the whole class act perfectly in their roles. Ville clapped whenever they did well. I was too miserable to honour their acting with such a guesture. In fact, I was hardly watching them at all. My eyes were fixed on Ville, who still seemed to be ignoring me.

I still didn't understand what had happened. One minute, we'd been connecting so well that it almost seemed like we'd known each other for years. The next, it was like we were strangers.

The more I duelled on it, the worse my mood became.

After what seemed like an eternity spent watching him, the class finally ended.

"Great job, class," Ville smiled, applauding the actors and actresses. They applauded each other, too.

I sat in my chair, staring lifelessly at him. Then he finally looked at me. His smile turned to dust on his lips. He frowned slightly when he saw the look in my eyes I was staring at him with. Hopelessness.

Before anyone else had even left the stage, I was out of the door, heading back towards the halls. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hit something. I wanted to let it out so badly, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'd been leading myself on with false hope all along.

"Kristen, wait!"

I stopped in my path immediately. Why was he calling my name? I turned around, so see him running up to me.

"What is it, Mr. Valo?" I mumbled.

He looked at the floor as he spoke, almost looking ashamed. "I couldn't help but notice...you don't look happy," he lifted his head up so his eyes met mine. "Is something wrong?"

"No," I lied. "I was just practising my role," I said sarcastically.

His eyes suddenly filled with guilt. He looked at me hopelessly. It was almost like he was having a mental battle with himself. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. But the words never reached my ears.

"I..." he started, but stopped.

He looked at the floor and ground his teeth, as if he was angry with himself. He looked at me again, and gulped as he looked into my eyes.

"I'm sorry," he finally said.

Without explaining what he was sorry for, he turned around and headed back to the theatre.