Free Star-Crossed by Jo Cotterill

‘If I profane with my unworthiest hand,’ and I want to feel the chemistry – so don’t skip out the kiss.”
    Chris nods unwillingly and moves towards you. You are silently sending hate vibes over in Walker’s direction. This is the scene where Romeo and Juliet first meet – and have their first kiss. And you have to kiss him. Chris. You shiver, but tune into Juliet as Chris starts to speak.
    Â 
    â€œ If I profane with my unworthiest hand
    This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
    My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
    To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. ”
    Â 
    It’s your line.
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    â€œ 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. ”
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    He brings up his hand, and you do the same, so that your palms connect. The sensation of his skin on yours tingles. This feeling is different. Your breath shallows as you come closer together, looking deep into each other’s eyes. Chris speaks again.
    â€œ Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? ”
    Then you:
    â€œ Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. ”
    You are getting close enough now that you can smell Chris’s faint smell – slightly like Hugo Boss, but slightly like fresh coffee. The words start to flow through you. You feel excited – the electricity of meeting someone new. The boy in front of you isn’t Chris Banner, Git and Bastard extraordinaire; he’s a handsome stranger that you are meeting for the first time at a party. You get closer still, unaware that you are still talking.
    â€œ Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake. ”
    Then Chris speaks, so gently, and looks so deep into your eyes that you forget to breathe.
    â€œ Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take. ”
    You move nearer; so near that you can feel his warmth and almost hear his racing heartbeat. You look up and he takes your cheek in his hand, bringing it closer to his face. You shut your eyes, waiting for contact with his smooth, perfect lips—
    What the hell am I doing!?
    You and Chris pull away simultaneously before your lips meet, jerking backwards and getting as far away from each other as possible.
    â€œWhat was that ?” Walker asks incredulously. “If you two can’t do as I ask then I will have to cast another pair as your parts. Don’t waste my time.”
    You shift your weight and rub the back of your neck agitatedly.
    â€œSorry, Miss, I just got … er … nervous, ’cause everyone was watching … and, er…” You trail off helplessly, but Chris backs you up for the first time, well, ever.
    â€œYeah, Miss, you know, maybe we should practise somewhere else?”
    Walker looks at both of you and shakes her head in despair.
    â€œOK,” she says, and points to the left. “Through there is an empty classroom. Go and practise these scenes until I send someone to come and get you. And you’d better not fight,” she adds quickly.
    You both nod, climb off the stage and slope into the classroom. Chris comes in after you and shuts the door. You sit at different ends of the room, awkwardly. So many confused thoughts are rushing through your head.
    What just happened? Do I like him? I can’t like him – it’s Chris. I hate Chris. I hate him. Hate him. Walker’s voice echoes through your head. “ What is that fine line between love and hate? ” You groan and clutch your head. This can’t be happening. Can’t. Falling for my enemy? Why is this happening?
    As you think, you don’t see Chris walk over to you. He sits by you quietly and takes your hands away from your face. You look into his eyes for the second time, but this time you don’t look into them as if you are Juliet and he is Romeo. You