'It's the last week of the show. I can't believe time has flown by so fast,' Justin thinks as he walks into the theater. A rehearsal was called to brush up and clean up some stuff the director still found wrong so the entire cast was going to spend the entire day there. 'This day ought to be fun.'
Ever since that night, Justin and Rebecca have hardly talked. Most of the rest of the cast knew better than to talk to either of them about the other. 'Sara still thinks that something is going on. What does she know though? If there was, Rebecca would be in my arms and not sitting across the theater. Wait, did I just think about her being in my arms?'
Across the room, Rebecca is experiencing similar thoughts. "David, I don't know what is wrong with you. There is definitely nothing going on with me and Justin."
"Right Becca. Look, I know you two have differences but there is an undeniable attraction between you two," David says, trying to convince his friend to give Justin a chance. "Look. It's the last week of the show. You don't want to leave closing night without finding out what could be with the guy."
"That's it! You've lost your mind! He is the most insensitive creep I've ever met! Why would I want to have a 'thing' with him? It makes no sense David."
"Love never makes sense Becca."
"So now I love him? What next?" Rebecca exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest. "Besides, where do you get off? I thought you didn't even like him!"
"He seems like a decent guy. He's definitely better than at the beginning of the show mind you. I think he's settled down."
"Whatever."
David drops the subject and allows Rebecca some moments of peace. 'David is definitely off his rocker now. As if Justin and I would be interested in each other. We haven't even talked really for weeks. No, it is far better to keep out of each other's ways.'
"Can I have everyone's attention?" the director asks. "I have some bad news. Seth is out of commission for closing week. I know it is going to be very difficult to pull through this but we must. We have been getting rave reviews here for the past month, which is why we have extended our performance time. I hope all of you understudies have really studied parts well because there is an immediate shift now for most of you up. Justin, you are now Sky. It's a really important role so I'm praying that you did learn it."
"I did," Justin replies, making Rebecca suddenly get nervous. 'If he's playing Sky, that means… Oh God!'
"Good. You and Rebecca better get to work to get some type of believable chemistry going. The young audience comes to see that love relationship and I don't want to turn them off this week by this change. I want to see the chemistry as there was with Seth and Rebecca. Can both of you two get started? I'm going to go over a few more things with the rest of the cast and then we'll run through the show a few times, not singing at full level since we have a show tonight but I want you all to pretend this is for real. You make a mistake, you get over it, and move on. There will be no stops or pauses as there are none for a live performance."
Justin looks over at Rebecca and notices that look on her face. 'It's as if I was the worst guy on the earth that she just got stuck with. Wait, she probably does think that.'
Rebecca looks over and sees Justin staring at her. 'Great. He realizes too what this means and doesn't look too gracious about this surprise. This should be a fun closing week.'
The two get up and climb up the makeshift steps to the stage to meet in the wings of the stage.
"So," Justin starts.
"Look. I know we don't like each other but we have to get through this for the benefit of the rest of the cast. I think we're both professionals and know how to act really well so why don't we try to put personal differences aside and put our careers first?" Rebecca says in a rush.
Justin chuckles. "I was going to say the same thing but that was more exact I think. I'm ready to call a truce if you are and stick with it this time."
"Deal. So do you know Seth's part really well?"
"Well I have been watching and listening to him for the past few months. I think I'm confident enough to say I can do this."
Rebecca hands him her copy of the script. "Did you want to start off running lines? This way you can really familiarize yourself with his and forget your old ones?"
"Sounds like a plan."
The two sit down and begin to run lines as Rebecca sort of listens in to the reorganization that is happening out front with the director. As she listens to Justin recite his lines and learn them, Rebecca can't help but feel impressed by him. 'He actually knows his stuff. I'm actually surprised he knows Sky so well. He actually seems better than Seth.'
Once the two are done rehearsing lines, Justin puts down the script. "I know we have a truce but I really and truly just want to help you."
"What do you mean?"
"Try singing from your heart Rebecca. I know it seems odd and you may already feel that you are singing from your heart but I think you could be even better! Just think I'm that one guy in your life that you love with all of your heart. Think of that guy Joseph you always talk about."
"Justin, I…"
"No, I mean it. You are a wonderful actress but I think you could be even better. I'm only trying to help you more so now because we will be acting together and I want us to do really well because I know people won't know what to think of us as the new young couple on the show."
Rebecca just stares at him. "Thank you Justin."
It is Justin's turn to stare. "Huh?"
"Thank you. I'll try working on it," she says, smiling at his shock.
'What caused that change in her attitude?' he wonders.
"Rebecca and Justin! Are you two ready to start?" the director shouts.
Justin and Rebecca appear on the stage and find the rest of the crew and cast looking at them.
"I assume you two ran lines. I want to run "Lay Your Love On Me" first because that is a key song involving the newly cast characters."
The cast gets into position. Justin starts off, "I wasn't jealous before we met. Now every man I see is a potential threat…"
The cast goes through the choreography, both Justin and Rebecca trying to get used to being in love on stage. As the song goes on and the ensemble picks up Rebecca to lay her on Justin, she begins to sweat, realizing what she would have to do next. As she is laid down on him, he wraps his arms around her and they kiss.
'Oh my God,' both think as they pull away quickly, Rebecca wishing that she could just get up and leave the stage and Justin wondering what just happened. Both stop moving and just look at each other. Each one's breath becomes deeper and faster as neither breaks eye contact with the other.
'How could a stage kiss have affected me like that?' Rebecca wonders. 'That never happened with Seth. It's like it was a chemical explosion between the two of us.'
'That was incredible. I've never experienced a kiss that powerful before,' Justin thinks, looking deeply into Rebecca's eyes. 'I wonder if she felt it too.'
"CUT!" yells the director. "Justin! Rebecca! What's wrong?"
Both snap out of their thoughts and realize that the entire cast and crew are staring at them. Rebecca quickly gets up and looks over at the director. "I'm sorry sir. It was just a new experience for both of us. We aren't used to each other I think."
"Well get used to each other soon because we have a show tonight and I will not tolerate that type of reaction! Let's start it from the top!"
Rebecca extends her hand down and helps Justin get up. "You okay?"
"Yes. That was definitely something I didn't expect. You?"
"Fine. We better get into our places before he freaks out again."
Justin laughs. "Good idea."
The two get into their starting positions and go through the same choreography. When it came time for the kiss again, neither of them let their natural reactions take over their consciousness but push it away, playing along with their stage romance. Once the song is finally over, the director decides to give everyone a break before starting the whole musical.
Rebecca quickly gets off the stage and grabs her cell phone to head outside for some fresh air. 'I can't believe that happened,' she thinks as she dials up a familiar number. "Mary? You aren't going to believe this!"
"Whoa, Rebecca, slow down. What's wrong?"
"Something happened to Seth and now Justin is my Sky! We had to do kiss scenes and it was so hard!"
"Because he's a creep? Perhaps you just have to get over this and get some perspective as to what he is seeing in this situation."
"Well I have and that's why I called a truce. That's not what is causing the problem though."
"Well then what?"
"When we kiss, there's like sparks! I've never experienced something like that before and I don't know what to think."
"Well maybe you two don't dislike each other as you both want to believe."
"What? I can't believe you just said that. He is such a creep to me some times."
"Have you treated him any better though?"
Rebecca takes a moment and replies, "I guess not. I see your point. I don't know why it took me so long to see his side of things and realize that I was definitely not helping the situation. It's so weird to fall for a guy like that though."
"Maybe this is the one."
"I don't think so. I mean, I am pretty sure it was just a chemistry kiss but he probably still dislikes me. I mean, I don't even know for sure how I feel for him!"
"Rebecca. You've always been the hopeless romantic. I don't think I need to tell you to listen to your heart."
Rebecca sees David come out and says, "Hey Mary? Sorry but it looks like I need to go back in. I'll talk to you later, ok?"
"Take care. Hang in there Becca," Mary says before hanging up.
David slowly approaches Rebecca, trying to hide his grin.
"What?" she asks, knowing she was in for it.
"I think we all got electrocuted by those sparks you two were producing in that scene," he says, earning a glare from Rebecca. "Now I definitely know that you two are meant to be together."
"Whatever! Look, he and I haven't been on good terms this entire time. I highly doubt anything is going to happen now. Even though the issues are in perspective and are behind us now, I really doubt that our growing hostility will have changed with a few kisses. It's a job!"
"Rebecca, something is going on between you too. I don't even think I have ever produced that many sparks with a simple kiss before. Maybe it's just sexual attraction but something is there." He sees Rebecca roll her eyes and says, "Look. I know you are really shaken up by this. If it's a comfort, so is he. He also grabbed his cell phone and talked to his close friend, trying to sort out what is going on. Now I think that two people wouldn't do that unless there was something there."
The director comes out and looks at the two. "It's time to start the show. Are you okay Rebecca?"
Rebecca nods her head. "Just trying to get myself relaxed and focused."
"Good. You've been doing an excellent job out there these past few weeks. Keep it up, okay?"
Rebecca smiles and walks back into the building, taking her place on the pier, glad that they didn't have to wear costumes for this run through. As she finds herself in the first scene Justin and she have to play the loving couple, Rebecca feels her stomach become full of butterflies. 'This is so odd,' she thinks.
Justin looks at his partner and smiles, feeling it being a natural reaction to seeing her. 'I really need to figure out what this feeling is,' he thinks, slipping his arms around her waist and smiling down at her, causing her to smile back at him. He leans down and softly kisses her lips, not being able to resist that electrical contact a moment longer. The rest of the show flows without a problem with the exception of some of the new understudies slipping up here and there with lines but it looks flawless otherwise.
The director claps as the curtains close and gets onto the stage with the rest of his cast. "Keep that up and I think we may be back on track for tonight! Justin and Rebecca, you two look so awesome up there. Whatever you two are doing is great. Justin just work on some of those lines before the show tonight. Rebecca, what did you do differently? You sound so much better and more genuine."
Rebecca could only stare at him. "I honestly don't know," she says, instantly remembering Justin's talk with her.
"Well whatever it is, keep that up too. Everyone else, great job. You know by now what you need to work on so use the rest of today to work on it. If you need me, I'll be in my office."
With that, the director leaves and Rebecca is left sitting on the edge of the stage, lost in her thoughts, wiping some of the sweat off her face with the towel she got from her bag. 'I honestly don't know what to think.'
Justin sits next down next to her. "I think you are just as taken back by what has just happened today as I am."
Rebecca looks at him. "Exactly what part are you talking about?"
"Well me becoming your leading man, our truce, our conversation, and the chemistry. I don't know what it is but something has changed between us overnight it seems."
"I don't think it is so much overnight though."
"What do you mean? I was very touched by the fact that you finally took the time to see things my way as I had yours. Don't get mad. I'm just being honest."
"I know. I usually am more open minded but I think us getting off on the wrong foot really hurt that talent of mine."
"I really am sorry for acting like such a creep with you."
"It's okay. I think I deserved it as you deserved my treatment too."
Justin chuckles. "That is true. Look, I just want to see both of us make the best out of the rest of week. Whatever happens, happens right?"
"Very true."
"Do you want to grab a bite to eat before the show?"
"I actually brought dinner. Thank you for the thought though."
Justin is about to say something when Rebecca's cell phone goes off. "Hello?" she answers. "Joseph! How are you doing?"
Justin feels a sting of jealousy but squashes it, knowing he has no place for that feeling. He gets up and allows Rebecca her space to talk with her Joseph, trying to control his urge to take that cell phone and jump on it. 'Man, it is definitely time for you to figure out what is going on now!'