Chapter Fourteen: Scenes

**A/N* I really like this chapter. Sorry if it gets a tad bit confusing? I dunno. Lmfao I'm writing it on my phone and sometimes forget what I write. Or if I write it at all o.o... Okay awkward author's note...bye! XD

Chapter Fourteen: Scenes

**Lilah's POV**

"Where did you disappear to last night?!" Jared runs over to me as soon as I enter the drama department. I notice immediately that he has a darkening bruise on one side of his face.

"What happened to your face?!" I reach out and poke the bruise. He doesn't even wince.

Jared rolls his eyes and grabs my hand, towing me towards the rest of the class. I have to hitch my bag higher up my shoulder so it doesn't fall off.

"You're late and we're doing scenes today. And don't change the subject missy! Where the hell did you go?!" Jared demands.

I sigh and sit in one of the theater's chairs and stare up at the stage. The stage lights are on and the audience darkened. There's a couple on stage getting ready to perform.

I could still feel Thomas' bed beneath me and hear his even breathing.

"Thomas took me to his room after I got drunk as hell," I say after a while. It's been a couple hours and my body is mostly recovered from it's alcoholic adventure, but I'm pretty certain the stage lights will give me a massive headache.

Jared immediately drops down into the seat beside me and grins. "Thomas and you..."

"God, no." I shake my head almost repulsed by the idea. "Don't be ridiculous. We aren't like that," I say. Jared stares at me as if waiting for me to say something more. "What?!"

"Well, last night you-"

"LILAH!" Zayn is suddenly beside us with a wide grin on his face. The boys all join us and I look at them all. They all have the same wide smile directed towards me. 

"What're you boys doing here?" It's not like I don't appreciate or want them here, but it's rather random.

"Jared suggested we check out some actors on stage. Maybe we could learn some tricks before we start on our movie," Liam explains.

"The stage has always been my second home," Louis sighs and plops down into a seat. "You know, when I did Grease it was my greatest achievement. Being in front of a crowd is so...exhilarating," Louis says.

"Yeah we know. We've been on stage before, Lou." Harry sits beside Louis and motions for Niall to sit beside him.

"Ah yes, but this was different. This was a time," Louis pauses dramatically and brings his hands out in front of him to motion for a time a long time ago, "before..."

And I stopped paying attention because Liam intercepts me again.

"Lilah, I was wondering if we could start rehearsing for our movie soon. We can't stay here forever and I think working on it soon would be better for everyone," Liam speaks with me seriously. He puts a hand on my arm and I freeze.

Dancing with Liam. I danced with Liam Payne.

I must have that fangirl anxiety look on my face because Jared suddenly grabs my elbow and steers me away from the boys, yelling, "We must be getting ready now! See you later boys!" He waves back at them as he pulls me through maze of theater seats. "Crisis averted," he states. 

"Thank you," I say when we're away from them. I'm pretty certain that having a major fangirl attack would count as creepy in their book.

We head down the hallway that leads backstage and the dressing rooms. I wave at the other students as we pass them. We've all worked together in other plays and I've got to admit that there are some weaker and stronger students. I usually hate being paired up with people who aren't that great at acting because they just won't take it seriously. It makes me really upset when I have to carry all the weight. 

"You're welcome. I can spot your little incoming heart attacks easily. Your eyes get really wide and you don't shut your mouth. It's actually very unattractive." Jared giggles.

I smack his arm and hit him with my hip. "Shut up Jare!"

He steers us into a dressing room laughing and as we enter he hits the top of the doorframe with his hand. It's one of his habits before going on stage. Apparently it's supposed to be some sort of good luck but I've never understood the concept of it. Also it takes me a bit more work to hit the top of the doorframe compared to Jared. We can't all be six feet tall.

"It's true!" Jared moves in front of a mirror and dabs at the make-up created bruise. "Honestly it's like you haven't been hanging around them at all. Like I thought that all the dancing and drinking and-" Jared cuts himself off and frowns at the mirror. 

"And what?!" I move towards him and stare at his reflection. His blue eyes are focused on himself and not looking back at me. 

He shakes his head. "Nothing. I'm just saying it's strange how you still act like you haven't been around them. Look at me, I'm perfectly fine!" He chirps and grins at me widely. 

I roll my eyes. "Oh okay, you're so unattracted to them suddenly?" 

Jared scoffs and fixes his hair. "As if. I still admire the view I'm given, but that doesn't mean I'm going to act like I haven't been seeing it for a while. I've got a good image to uphold missy!" 

"Oh okay, good image. I"m pretty sure I remember you taking shots off of their bodies, Jare," I say. 

Jared grabs my hands and pulls me out of the room smiling. "That's the best part. But now it's time to give these boys a real show," he lets go of my hands with a quick wink and starts strutting off. 

"What're we doing today anyways?" I ask out because I realize I have no idea.

Jared turns and walks backwards briefly. "The classic girl torn between two boys' act that ends with a beautiful fight that leads to a well deserved kiss." 

"And who's my partner?" I ask even though I know the answer. I cross my arms and follow after Jared who's still walking backwards.

"Thomas," he states with a wide smile. 

Predictable. "Of course."

~~~~~~~

When I've got makeup on my face and a script in my hand, I make my way back towards the audience seats and wait for my turn to go. The boys have to sit in seats behind the class so they're a couple rows behind me and Jared. Thomas is two rows up and three chairs to the right of me. I'm very much aware of him right now.

Thomas and I have been acting with eachother for years. I just have to focus on that fact and let my inner actor take over. I don't know why things between us suddenly feel so awkward but there's something that has happened. While I'm about ninety-nine percent sure it has something to do with last night, I can't seem to figure it out. I can't help but worry that I said something only my drunk mind knows.

"Jared and Monique," Scott, our teacher's aide who runs the theater class, calls out another pair of names.

"Wish me luck!" Jared squeezes my hand before bounding off, practically running towards the stage. I roll my eyes. Jared doesn't need luck to act well.

I watch Jared head towards the stage but my gaze catches Thomas and I watch him laugh with the other theater jocks beside him. I don't know what they're talking about and, unfortunately, I can't hear over the loud murmuring in the audience. I wonder if people are talking about the fact that One Direction is seated only a couple seats away.

I take out my phone and pull up Twitter. I haven't been on much lately and I bite my lip before logging in. Would they be upset that I haven't been updating them with One Direction's lives?

I send out a tweet: It's kind of mind blowing that One Direction is seated behind me watching others perform instead of them. #1Dreversed

Immediately after I send out the tweet I get instant replies and mentions. Having so many followers holds certain expectations that I can't always meet. I sigh as I read through them.

@Harryslovaaa: @Official_Directioner Where the hell have you been?! I need my updates!! #addicted

@Jen1D4Eva: I thought you left us...@Official_Directioner

@Humping1D: WHERE ARE YOU?! PLEASE SAY CANADA!!!!! @Official_Directioner

@Harry_Styles: Shouldn't you be paying attention to @JareBear act? @Official_Directioner

I swear if One Direction weren't literally sitting a couple meters away from me in this theater, I would squeal. The ginormous fangirl inside of me just cannot contain herself when one of the boys tweet her. I'm never going to get used to it and I'm perfect fine with it. Actually I think I prefer to keep my squealing fangirl than exchange her for someone else.

I smirk down at my phone and reply to Harry's tweet with:

@Official_Directioner: Shouldn't you be paying attention as well @Harry_Styles ? #HarryIsNotABadass

My phone instantly buzzes uncontrollably.

@NiallOfficial: #HarryIsNotABadass Trend it for @Official_Directioner

"And lights up!" Scott's voice rings out over the buzzing of my phone. Twitter is going wild in response to Niall's little command to the fans. I put my phone in my pocket and try to focus on the stage. Jared watches me when I perform, I think I owe it to him to pay attention as well.

Jared walks out on the stage. He faces sideways so that his bruise is hidden from the audience. I smile at his perfect form. He is relaxed but tense enough to make the situation believeable. I don't see Monique on the stage yet and I have a feeling she'll come out later. 

"What do you want?" Jared asks quietly, his voice still audible although soft. 

"There's a couple things you aren't telling me. Aren't there?" Scott reads out his part of the play that Jared has to react to. It's funny how I used to be so obsessed with Scott and his low voice. God, he was so incredibly sexy in my mind. 

"Of course there are things I'm not telling you! You're a stupid bastard!" Jared yells with harsh accusation. He keeps his gaze to the side, not showing his bruise. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you better start making sense. Why don't you look at me when I talk to you, boy!?" Scott's voice is as sharp as knives. It gives me chills to hear his anger.

 "You're not my dad. I don't need you to-"

"I am your father!"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE MY FATHER DOES NOT MAKE YOU MY DAD!" Jared screams and spins towards the audience suddenly. My breath catches. His blue eyes are sporting streams of tears but his voice stays strong. "You do not get to rule my life. You do not get to make my choices!" Jared stomps his foot but the motion doesn't make him look like a child. Instead it demands him attention. 

Damn, good job Jared, I think to myself.

Monique suddenly runs out on stage and grabs Jared's arm. "Jay stop it! Don't yell at your father!" I wonder what role she plays in this. 

"My father?!" Jared throws her off his arm and points out at the audience. "My father is a no good drunk who takes all his shit out on those around him. I'm done being is punching bag and I'm done being your," Jared turns towards Monique, "bitch." 

Monique gasps. I roll my eyes at how non-believable she is. She's never been the strongest actress. She glances down at the script in her hands. "Watch your mouth mister! Don't you dare speak like that to me!" Monique's eyes go wide a bit at whatever is written on the script. She seems to hesitate for a split second before bringing her hand up and slapping Jared in the face, right where the bruise is. 

The audience gasps. "Holy shit!" Niall seriously can't speak any quieter and his outburst drifts to me. 

Jared presses his hand to his face with a look of shock. His face drains of color, a talent I'm unsure of how he mastered, and he shakes his head at Monique. Monique is practicaly shaking on stage. Her eyes are wide like she can't believe that she had really just slapped him. I'm only shocked because we usually use stage combat and that involves no actual slaps or punces. They just look real. 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Can we stop now?!" Monique turns out towards the audience and breaks character. The entire room groans in response. This is not high school drama anymore. You should be able to hold character. 

"Monique, do you realize that you and your partner should have at least had some mutual agreement on the stage combat portion of this scene?" Scott asks in the tone that's slightly bored. It's the tone he reserves for things that has disappointed him. 

"We didn't really have time to look over the entire script," Jared says on behalf of Monique. He's always the one to take the blame of things. I think he gets it from his mom whom I've met once before. He slings an arm around Monique's shoulders and gives her a reassuring smile. "It's okay Monique," he says to her kindly.

"Sorry about that slap," she says to him as they walk off stage. 

"Don't worry about it." Jared is used to being slapped in the face. We used to go over stage combat moves together before we were any good at it, so he has already experienced the wrath of Delilah Mckinley. 

 "Thomas and Lilah," Scott calls out.

I watch Thomas high five with the boys around him. They tell him to break a leg and show everyone how it's done. I roll my eyes at the boys. 

"Good luck Lilah!" Harry whisper yells to me. 

"Hazz, it's bad luck to wish someone good luck before performing!" Louis says. 

"Oh...break a leg Lilah!" Harry calls out much louder this time as if his volume would cancel out the bad luck he "caused." I just laugh and head towards the stage. 

"Funny how we're always paired together," I mumble to Thomas when he waits for me on the stairs. We head backstage to wait for our call.

"I suppose it has to do with the fact that we're the best," Thomas says. He smiles at me and I remember staring at him in a different time. The faint memory disappears as quick as it came.

"Are you going to explain to me why I woke up wearing your clothes?" I ask in a whisper.

"Yes." The lights blink off and that's our cue. "But it'll have to wait." I nod even though it's dark.

It's funny how even though I've been on the stage dozens and dozens of other times, I still feel my stomach fluttering as I wait backstage. My palms are sweaty and my hands shake. I work on breathing evenly. This is just another time of acting.

"And...lights up!" Scott calls out and Thomas walks out purposefully. He has a few seconds on stage alone where he talks back to Scott who reads from his script in the audience. I made sure to look over my lines before going on stage. I don't want to end up like Monique. 

"What don't you understand Jake? You are no good for April. I've seen the side of her that you haven't and I bet you never will. You can't be seriously thinking that you two are meant to be together!" Thomas says so passionately that I have no choice but to believe what he's saying. 

"You don't have a right to tell me who she's meant to be with. You don't get to choose for her!" 

I freeze. That is not Scott's voice replying to Thomas'. It's Liam. Liam fucking Payne. 

The sudden change in roles must throw Thomas off because he pauses briefly. He clears his throat and regains control of himself. "Oh and what?! You get to make these decisions?! Last time I-"

"Lilah!" I jump in shock as a hand touches me. I spin and face three British boys and an Irish. 

My hand clutches at my pounding chest. "God, could you be anymore shocking!?" I whisper. Thomas contains to talk and I try to focus on him, making sure to hear my cue line to get on stage. "What're you guys doing!?" I ask. 

"We asked Scott if we could try it out. He really couldn't say no to us," Louis says and shrugs. "Personally, I should have been the one to read the other part, but Liam called dibs."

"Dibs?! You're doing this based on dibs!?" I say incredulously. 

"Well what's another reason for it?" Zayn looks at me strangely. 

I sigh and shake my head. "Just stay quiet so I can hear my cue line." I turn back towards the stage and watch Thomas from behind the curtains. It's distracting to know that I'm literally within a foot distance of the boys, their mixed breathing fan across me. 

"Why don't you just ask her yourself. Let her make the choice!" Thomas yells and I ready myself to go. "April!" He calls out towards my direction and walk out. 

My heart pounds in my ears. I focus solely on Thomas and ignore the thoughts of One Direction watching me. "Matt," I say. Matt is Thomas' current stage name. 

"April," Liam says and I turn towards the audience. 

I gasp and paint on a look of shock. "Jake." My voice is a pained croak. 

"Tell him he's being a fool," Liam says.

"You're being a fool, Matt," I say my line automatically. I turn and look at Thomas ready to tell him off with the rest of my scripted lines. "I've never held the same feelings as you," I state coldly.

Thomas' eyes look hurt. It has to be him acting. Of course it's him acting. He's a brilliant actor. 

"Tell him that you could never love him." Liam's voice is a dead monotone. Unbelievable and merely backround noise. 

I stare at Thomas. My lines are on the tip of my tongue but looking at Thomas I feel myself forgetting them. I start to panic. This can't happen to me. I don't forget my lines. I don't ever forget my lines. 

I swallow and shut my eyes. "I've never loved you Matt," I say quietly. 

A hand is suddenly in mine and I open my eyes. Thomas is close to me. His eyes are set on mine. I can't breathe. This is too much. Too personal. He's too close. I can't focus. I can't breathe. What's my lines?! 

"April open your eyes and realize what's in front of you. We've known eachother for years. You know me," Thomas says in a tone that drives me to believing him. I have to believe him.

"I know you," I say stupidly. I mentally slap myself to wake up. That isn't even my line. 

Thomas pulls me close to him, his hand trapping me to his body. If I wasn't breathing  a couple seconds ago, I most definitely am not breathing at all now. "You know me," Thomas breathes out.

My head pounds. My heart pounds. My hands shake. My palms sweat. My body quakes. My mind is blank. My mind is blank. 

Thomas leans in closer to me. "You know me," he breathes out again.

Thomas. Thomas with his curly hair and familiar smile. Thomas with his mischievous grin and fun personality. Thomas with his tall height and muscular body. I know Thomas. 

"I know you," I say again. 

My eyes slide shut as Thomas leans in further. He bends down and I feel the brush of his lips. My heart practically bursts out of my chest. 

"Then choose," Thomas' words brush against my face like a soft wind. 

And then he's gone before my muddled mind can make sense of the situation. 

Applause erupts around us and I face the audience. My body feels like jello and I fear I might pass out at any moment. Thomas beside me doesn't smile but takes a low bow. I do the same and then stumble towards offstage. Behind me the room is loud with cheers, hoots and hollers, but in front of me the world spins uncontrollably. I can't figure out the direction of up or down. My feet stumble over eachother and I grab the first thing that is steady. 

Which just happens to be Zayn's arm. 

**A/N** Comment ! Tell me what you think (: