All the World's a Stage
Prologue
"You know I can end this relationship if I wanted to, right?"
Lavinia’s lip trembled, her arms squeezed the throw pillow closer to her body. “I don’t want to end it.”
Harry gave a hollow laugh. “You can’t have the best of both worlds, Lavin. You can’t have him and me. It doesn’t work like that.”
"I know," she murmured.
"What was that?" Harry cocked a hand behind his ear.
"I know!” Lavinia said, slamming the pillow to the ground. “I know I can’t have both of you.”
Lavinia watched Harry’s eyes focus on the view from the window.
"I knew you signing on to do that movie was a bad idea. You were gone for months," Harry said, more to himself than to Lavinia. "He’s a brilliant actor—much too old though, so I thought nothing of it—but it still happened. I always thought those co-stars-falling-in-love stories were bullshit. But I guess I was wrong, wasn’t I?"
He looked at her.
"Did he say he loves you?" he asked; eyes softening, jaw clenched.
"Harry," she warned.
"Tell me, Lavinia."
"He did."
Harry nodded. “Do you love him?”
Lavinia shrugged. Harry leaned against the arm of a chair.
"I’ve said it to him like I’ve said it to you. I love you and him."
Lavinia stepped closer to Harry, she held his hand. He squeezed hers and then pulled away. He walked to the door of her apartment.
"Let me know when you figure your shit out," he said, closing the door behind him. Not a slam, just a delicate swing that soundlessly closed.
Lavinia’s lip trembled, her arms squeezed the throw pillow closer to her body. “I don’t want to end it.”
Harry gave a hollow laugh. “You can’t have the best of both worlds, Lavin. You can’t have him and me. It doesn’t work like that.”
"I know," she murmured.
"What was that?" Harry cocked a hand behind his ear.
"I know!” Lavinia said, slamming the pillow to the ground. “I know I can’t have both of you.”
Lavinia watched Harry’s eyes focus on the view from the window.
"I knew you signing on to do that movie was a bad idea. You were gone for months," Harry said, more to himself than to Lavinia. "He’s a brilliant actor—much too old though, so I thought nothing of it—but it still happened. I always thought those co-stars-falling-in-love stories were bullshit. But I guess I was wrong, wasn’t I?"
He looked at her.
"Did he say he loves you?" he asked; eyes softening, jaw clenched.
"Harry," she warned.
"Tell me, Lavinia."
"He did."
Harry nodded. “Do you love him?”
Lavinia shrugged. Harry leaned against the arm of a chair.
"I’ve said it to him like I’ve said it to you. I love you and him."
Lavinia stepped closer to Harry, she held his hand. He squeezed hers and then pulled away. He walked to the door of her apartment.
"Let me know when you figure your shit out," he said, closing the door behind him. Not a slam, just a delicate swing that soundlessly closed.
♠ ♠ ♠
Lavinia's story revamped and changed to the most extreme. I just couldn't let go of Lavinia or Harry. They're fun to write. I would love to get your feedback on this new story!Much love, and good luck to all those that are taking part in NaNoWriMo! HAPPY WRITING!