Chapter 8:
Rachel stood in the empty classroom, the only sound the soft rustling of her script pages as she went over her lines for what felt like the hundredth time. Her brow furrowed as she muttered the lines aloud, trying to get the timing just right. Her fingers flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning every word, making sure she knew every movement and every pause. She had to get it perfect. She had to.
The part of the play that was causing her the most stress wasn't the dialogue—it was the kiss. It was part of the script, and though it was just for the play, she couldn't stop imagining how awkward it would be, especially in front of the class. She felt her cheeks warm at the thought.
"Okay," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling a little. "I can do this. I just need to get it right."
She adjusted her posture, holding the script as if it were a partner. In a moment of self-consciousness, she looked around the empty room, ensuring no one was watching, and practiced the scene. She stood in front of an imaginary Ted, raising her hand and practicing the exact way she'd lean in. Her heart raced at the thought of the kiss.
As if on cue, the door creaked open.
"Rachel?"
Her head snapped around, and she froze. Ted stood in the doorway, blinking as he saw her awkward position, hands raised as if about to kiss thin air. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Oh, Ted!" she stammered, straightening up quickly and pulling her hands away. "I didn't— I mean, I didn't expect anyone to be here."
Ted raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a teasing smile. "I see you're preparing for the big scene. Practicing your lines, huh?" His eyes lingered on her flushed face for a moment longer than necessary, and he chuckled. "Looks like you're stressing a little, though."
Rachel huffed, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I'm not stressed. I just want to get it perfect, okay?" She adjusted the script in her hands and stared down at it, hoping he wouldn't notice the nervous tremor in her fingers.
Ted stepped fully into the room, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Well, lucky for you, I'm the main guy," he said, grinning. "So, if you need help, I'm your guy."
Rachel glanced up at him, her eyes skeptical. "You? Help me? What, you're going to coach me through a fake kiss?"
Ted immediately blushed, his face going redder than hers. "N-no! That's not— I didn't mean it like that!" He cleared his throat awkwardly. "What I meant was… I can help you with the rest of it. The kiss part, though… I'm not so sure about that."
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Isn't that part of the play?"
Ted rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. "Well, yeah… but it's not like we're really gonna— you know…" He trailed off, not sure how to finish the thought.
"Not kiss?" Rachel asked, a little amused.
"Exactly," Ted said quickly. "I'll just lean in a little, but there won't be any actual kissing. I'll, uh… I'll just put my hands on your mouth, like a fake kiss. It's for the show, not for real." He shrugged, as if to say, It's not a big deal.
Rachel blinked, surprised but relieved. "Oh… okay. That works." She adjusted her stance again, feeling a little better now that the awkwardness had been addressed. "Alright then. Let's do this, Mr. Main Character."
Ted's heart skipped a beat. He could feel a warmth spread across his chest as she smiled at him, and for a moment, he forgot about the awkwardness. He almost wished she'd practice the kiss a little more, just to see her look at him that way.
But then the moment passed, and he quickly shook himself out of his thoughts.
"Right," he said, trying to focus. "Let's go over your lines again. This time, no distractions."
Rachel nodded, ready to dive back in, her nerves calmed for the moment. They weren't quite as perfect as she'd wanted, but at least for now, they had a plan.
The morning of the Spring Festival arrived, buzzing with color and excitement. The school halls were filled with students running around in costumes, classrooms transformed into booths and performance sets, and laughter echoing from every direction. The air smelled like fresh flowers and vanilla cake.
In one of the classrooms, Rachel stood in front of a long mirror as two of her classmates gently finished the final touches of her transformation. She wore a delicate pastel-pink princess dress, the soft satin shimmering with every movement. Her hair had been braided back intricately, small wildflowers woven through the strands. A daisy crown sat delicately atop her head.
"Wow, Rachel, you look like you walked out of a fairytale," one of the girls said, tying the last ribbon on her sleeve.
Rachel looked at herself, brushing her fingers across the folds of her dress. "You think it's not too much?"
"Are you kidding? You look like the perfect princess. Ted's going to faint."
Rachel rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that formed.
She stepped out of the room just as Ted was walking down the hall, dressed in his costume—a princely outfit with dark accents that matched the play's theme. He had been checking over his lines in his head, not paying much attention—until he looked up and saw her.
Time slowed.
Ted stopped mid-step, blinking rapidly. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. She looks… wow…
He stared as Rachel walked forward, holding her dress slightly up with her fingertips. She smiled at him, and his heartbeat kicked up a little.
She's so pretty, he thought. Why is she so pretty? She looks like a real princess… and I have to kiss her—fake kiss her—on stage today?! Oh no.
"Hey," Rachel said softly. "You okay? You look like you forgot how to breathe."
Ted blinked out of his daze. "W-what? No! I'm fine! I'm totally—just, you look…" He cleared his throat. "…very professional. Theatre ready."
Rachel raised an eyebrow, amused. "That's the best compliment you could come up with?"
Ted scratched his neck, clearly flustered. "You want me to try again?"
She laughed. "No, it's fine. You look pretty 'theatre-ready' yourself."
Meanwhile, in Millie's classroom, the cake shop booth was already full of sweet scents. Students hurriedly arranged pastries and signs, decorated tables, and practiced polite greetings.
Millie stood near the front of the room, adjusting her waitress apron over her dress. It wasn't anything extravagant, but it had soft frills and a bow in the back. Her hair was tied up into a neat bun with a matching ribbon. She looked adorable, and even though she wasn't doing much heavy lifting, she was beaming with pride.
In the theater room.
Millie slipped into the back of the crowd, quietly taking an empty seat. She wore her waitress uniform and still smelled faintly of vanilla cake. She scanned the stage eagerly, heart fluttering with curiosity.
I wonder how Rachel's doing… and Ted, she thought, brushing back a loose strand of hair. I mean, it's just a school play… but still…
Unbeknownst to her, Alex stood near the back entrance. He had arrived a few minutes early, unnoticed. His eyes just saw Millie as she sat down. He didn't say anything—just folded his arms and leaned against the wall, silently watching the play.
The curtains rose.
The play began with laughter and charm. Rachel, playing the princess, was elegant and confident in every scene. Ted, as the prince, looked handsome and awkward, playing his part with a mix of nervous energy and quiet charisma. The crowd loved it. Laughter rang out as the two exchanged comedic lines, their chemistry lighting up the stage.
Millie watched intently, her hands folded in her lap. A warm smile spread across her face. They're really good together… she thought, unsure if that made her happy or… something else.
Then came the final scene.
The princess was cursed to sleep forever unless awakened by a true love's kiss. Rachel lay gracefully across the velvet-covered bench, eyes closed, chest rising and falling gently as she pretended to sleep. Her cheeks were faintly pink. This is it—the kiss.
Ted stood over her, heart pounding. Okay… just like we practiced… no real kiss. Just the hand trick. It's fine. It's totally fine. He glanced at her. Wow. She really does look like a princess.
In the crowd, Millie tilted her head. It's coming… the kiss part.
Alex's gaze sharpened as he noticed Ted's hesitation.
Ted knelt down slowly, his hand hovering above Rachel's lips. He took a breath and reached to rest one hand on the stage beside her, to brace himself like they planned. But as his hand landed, the fabric beneath Rachel was smoother than he expected.
Slip.
His hand slid forward.
His lips pressed against hers.
A beat of stunned silence filled the auditorium.
Rachel's eyes shot open, wide with shock.
Millie sat frozen in her seat, her heart skipping wildly. Her breath caught in her throat. Did that… Did that just happen?