Ms. Piper checked Eleanor and Olivia's costumes before turning to look at Julie.

  "Julianne. Come here so that I can take a better look at your costume." When Julie made her way to the front, coming to stand at the centre. The woman nodded her head in approval, "It looks just as I imagined it to be."

  With Eleanor, who had stepped away from the spotlight, which had now fallen on Julie, the students in there finally took note of the girl in the white and dark blue dress.

  "We'll need to get rid of your glasses during the main day, do you have lenses to wear for that time?" questioned Ms. Piper, raising her hand, and she supported her chin with it.

  "I will manage without it, Ms. Piper," assured Julie, and the woman gave her a nod.

  "Alright, if you are confident with it. Just make sure you don't fall on the stage, that would be a disaster," stated Ms. Piper. When the students started to snicker, she turned to look at them, "It holds the same to everyone. The last thing I need is a mess. Am I clear?"

  "Yes, Ms. Piper," came the chorus voice from the students in the room.

  "Good. Now I want the next set of students to wear their costumes. Stop wasting time and hurry up," ordered Ms. Piper and got the students who had worn their costumes on the stage.

  During that time, Julie's eyes fell on Roman, who looked more handsome, who could weaken most of the girls, especially with the hint of delinquency on his face. He was still wearing his cuff rings on his ear, and he hadn't bothered to comb his hair, which was still messy. His costume suited his demeanour. Compared to what she had seen in her dream, where he was wearing something old fashioned, the current attire looked fancier.

  Roman's already defined features looked sharper, from the smooth jaw to the straight nose. His eyebrows looked intimidating when he raised them.

  Julie and Roman stood on the opposite sides of the stage. It didn't take long for her to be caught in Roman's web, where their eyes met. He looked at her with an unexplainable look in his eyes, the expression on his face blank as he continued to look at her. She wondered if she looked odd wearing this costume, but then Ms. Piper said it was how she imagined it to be.

  While Ms. Piper had asked Maximus and porcupine to practice their scene at the centre of the stage, it gave Julie time to admire everyone's costume.

  Earlier, most of the students had showered Eleanor with compliments, but it wasn't the same when it came to Julie. Partly because someone had vocally announced that Julie was his, it meant to avoid getting into trouble by not daring to say how she looked when he was in the same room.

  "Roman and Julianne. You are next, step forward. I would like you to enact scene eleven. It is the last second sequence in the script," instructed Ms. Piper, holding a cup of coffee in her hand and taking a sip from it.

  While Julie made her way towards the centre, Maximus, walking to where she had been standing, offered her a quick smile. She took a deep breath before letting it escape from her lips. Roman came to step forward, standing tall in front of her.

  From below the stage, Ms. Piper noticed something, and she said, "I think the lace has turned loose around Julianne's waist. Aurora, honey, please go and get it fixed."

  Julie looked down, noticing the waist belt like corset's lace had indeed loosened. The girl named Aurora climbed the three stairs and came to check the belt. While the girl was adjusting Julie's costume, she said,

  "I think I need one more person's help in pulling the laces."

  Before anyone could come to help, Roman took a step forward, and Julie's eyes met his eyes. Without a word, he raised his hands and held the satin laces. The girl behind Julie turned flabbergasted, seeing that the senior had offered to help.

  "Y-you need to pull and tighten it like s-shoelace," the girl stuttered as she had never spoken to Roman before.

  Roman pulled the laces, and he said to Julie, "Tell me when you aren't able to breathe." Her heart skipped a beat, and she nodded her head while his eyes were on the lace. She felt every tug that pulled towards him from the lace, and she tried to stand still. Once it was done in less than a few seconds, he turned to look at Ms. Piper, "Can we get started with the practice now?"

  Julie sensed the little irritation in Roman's voice and wondered if he was uncomfortable wearing the costume. Though he had offered to help without a word, it looked like he wanted to finish the scene as soon as he could and leave.

  On the other side of the stage, Olivia and Maximus had noticed this like some other students. Maximus said, "I don't think he likes his costume very much."

  "Or maybe he likes someone else's costume better," murmured Olivia under her breath that Maximus caught on, and he nodded his head.

  "That is a big possibility," said Maximus in a low voice, and his tongue peeked out to graze the pin on his tongue against his teeth.

  Both Julie and Roman stood at the centre of the stage, rehearsing their dialogues. During that time, Julie couldn't keep her gaze on him for long because she felt his demeanour turn heavier and his eyes intense like a flame that was going to burn her.

  "Time has passed. Atlas, I am not yours and never have," Julie said her character's dialogue, turning her face away, and she took two steps forward.

  "Can you truly say that, when it has always been I, who has known you better than anyone else and loved you. That it is the whisper of my name that beats in your heart?" Roman questioned Julie, walking towards her, but Julie took a step away from him.

  She turned back to him and said, "What we feel right now is wrong. It isn't right, and it is forbidden. We were never meant to be together."

  Roman stared at Julie, noticing a hint of nervousness in her eyes.

  "You aren't happy with Blake. He's already hurt you," said Roman. Every word that left from his lips was clear for everyone to hear. He watched Julie standing not too far from him.

  "I am not yours to worry. You don't have to worry about me," Julie shook her head, her words soft, and she lowered her eyes.

  Julie had tried hard not to be swayed by the way Roman was looking at her, trying to remember every line so that she didn't turn to be a second Eleanor who had been bewitched by the devil in front of her.

  Roman walked to where she was, raising his hand and placing it on her cheek as Iris' character had been hurt. But the only mark on Julie was the scratch that she had received from the girl in the library.

  "How can I not worry? You have been my first and maybe my last love," said Roman, looking right into her eyes.

  Julie softly gulped, feeling her heart stutter at his words. She said, "I should go. You have Eve with you, and I know you don't want to hurt her. It is best if we don't meet again and go our separate ways. Thank you for everything until now."

  There, thought Julie to herself. The scene was almost over, and she could finally turn her back and get off the stage.

  Ready to walk away from the stage, Julie turned away from Roman as there was no more dialogues in the scene—


  "I don't love her, and I want to be with you."

  "Eh?" Julie reacted because the line Roman said was not in the script. She turned to look at Roman, who stared at her. With the spotlight on them, it was hard to see others.

  "What is the point of marrying someone whom you don't love, which will only lead to unhappiness. Don't you think it is better to marry someone you love? When did I say I love Eve?" Roman said in such a serious tone that it made Julie wonder if she had missed one of the pages of the play.

  She had lost the page that contained the rules when she had first come here. In her case, anything was possible, thought Julie in her mind. But she was sure this was not how the story was supposed to go. What was Roman doing?! She internally panicked.

  On the other hand, the other students frowned. One of the students, who stood next to Ms. Piper whispered, "Ms. Piper—"

  "Shh," the woman shushed the boy immediately, wanting to see how this side of the story would develop.

  Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose, "What is Rome doing?" she muttered under her breath.

  "Changing script for his amusement I guess?" asked Maximus with his eyebrow subtly raised.

  Julie, who stood in her place, had hoped for someone to interrupt, but no one did, and it put her in a doubtful position.

  "I-I don't know what to say," she confessed the truth.

  "Has my action and words meant nothing to you? Are they of no value?" Roman inquired, demanding an answer from her while Julie felt a drop of sweat from the nape of her neck slide on her back.

  Why was no one stopping him?!

  Roman eyes held restlessness, his words weighing on her mind, and she pursed her lips. He slowly walked to where she stood. He raised his hand towards Julie, and before she knew it, his hand was around her jaw.

  "If you don't say anything, I will consider your silence that you are keeping secrets that cannot be brought to your lips," said Roman, and he moved closer to her.

  Quick, think of a dialogue! Julie said to herself so that she wouldn't look like an idiot on the stage.

  "I don't have anything to say to you. I am getting late and for both our sakes, let us not speak again. I don't feel that way towards you anymore," responded Julie, choosing the easiest way to get off the stage rather than prolong the conversation.

  "You don't?"

  "No."

  Julie felt Roman's thumb brush across her jaw, something that others couldn't see as it was on the other side of her face and only for her to sense. "You deny the most obvious things… Iris," he added, his eyes softly glaring at her.

  The words he had spoken to her yesterday rushed into her mind, and Julie pushed him away from her, staring at Roman, whilst he didn't say anything. Her lips trembled, and her heart quivered.

  Then suddenly, lights in the room were turned on and near the switches stood Eleanor, who looked annoyed. Some of the students clapped, as if it was part of the script and liked it.

  "Roman and Julianne," Ms. Piper called them to gain their attention. Julie was about to apologize and explain that this was something she wasn't aware of, but the woman said, "I must say what you both just did was out of the blue, but interesting. I would prefer next time that you discuss the additional dialogues before springing it on the stage."

  "Of course," responded Roman.

  "Looks like we have the other students here. The first set of you can go and change your costumes so that the costume department can fix anything that is needed," stated Ms. Piper.

  Eleanor walked to where Ms. Piper stood, and she asked, "Ms. Piper?"

  "Yes, Eleanor?"

  The girl pursed her lips with her eyebrows drawn in concentration, "What happened on the stage now, it isn't in the actual play, is it?"

  "Not yet."

  "Not yet? What do you mean?" Eleanor smiled while the others had left the room to change their costumes. "Are you planning to change the script?"

  "I haven't thought about it, but you are putting ideas in my head. Now stop dawdling around and return the costume," answered Ms. Piper before getting busy with the other students.

  Eleanor couldn't believe that this was happening. Rumour had it that Roman was going out with Julianne. She had hoped for it to be untrue, but it seemed like it was. If Julie was trying to steal her attention on the stage, she would have to do something about it, she thought in her mind.

  When she returned to the room where Olivia and Julie changed their costumes, Eleanor tried to hide her true emotion. She said, "You look good in the dress, Julianne. It suits you."

  Julie's eyes subtly turned surprised at Eleanor's words because, as per her knowledge, Eleanor didn't seem like a person who would compliment her. Especially with the way Eleanor was glaring at her.

  "Thanks," Julie received the compliment, without returning it back to Eleanor, who had hoped to receive the compliment by Julie.

  Julie placed her hand on the same lace that Roman had tied as if he knew exactly what went where and how to do it. But then it was similar to tying a shoelace, she thought in her mind.

  She couldn't believe Roman had decided to tease her and prank the rest of the people in the rehearsal room. It was a dangerous prank that had turned her nervous.

  Roman had immersed himself into Atlas' role, making her feel strange. The boy was strange, but this was stranger. If he was going to change the scripts, he should have told her beforehand to play along.

  Melanie arrived in the room before Julie could change into her regular clothes, apologizing, "I am so sorry! I got caught up in writing down the recipe. Look at you! You look so pretty." Melanie put her arms around Julie.

  "Please be careful with the dress," said one of the girls.

  Eleanor looked at Melanie and said, "Don't you know that this room is only for people who are taking part in the drama and not for others. You should step outside."

  Melanie rolled her eyes at Eleanor's words. Julie placed her hand on her friend's arm and said, "I will be out soon. Give me five minutes."

  "Mm, I will be outside waiting," agreed Melanie. Before leaving the room, she sent a small glare at the girl in a golden-brown dress.

  Julie was the first to leave the room, and the next person was Olivia, while Eleanor took her sweet time to change her dress by taking another girl's help. "Are you going to rework on it again?" asked Eleanor.

  "I don't think so. Ms. Piper gave approval to everyone's costume and it seems like there is no need to fix something, that is fine. We have other clothes to work on, so we'll be starting with the next piece," answered the girl.

  "I see," replied Eleanor, watching the girl pick up Olivia and Julie's dress to put it in the cupboard. Handing her dress, she said, "Good job on the dress, I really liked mine."

  "We are glad to hear that."

  Eleanor stepped out of the room, walking to the end of the corridor. She stood there, waiting for a while there until the girl stepped out of the room and left it deserted. She slowly tiptoed, going back to the room while watching over her shoulder. She quickly pulled open the cupboard where Julie's dress was. Picking up the dress, she cut the skirt, where no one would know until the dress was worn.

  Nobody saw Eleanor near the room, nor did they see what she had done to Julie's costume. The girl couldn't wait to see Julie's humiliation, with a smug smile, she happily skipped away from there.

  While on one side, the mishap had been caused by the devious and petty student, on the other side, Julie walked next to Melanie.

  "I cannot wait for them to put makeup on you and turn you into one of the fine looking ladies of the historical drama," said Melanie, walking next to Julie as they made their way towards the Dormitorium. "I missed watching you on the stage in the costume with the others. I guess I will be seeing you directly on the stage when the main event takes place. Julie?"

  "Hm?" responded Julie.

  "You seem to be lost in thought. Are you worried if you will perform well or not? Or is it Eleanor who said something?" asked Melanie with a frown on her face. "She must be boiling in jealousy hearing what Roman said to everyone."

  "Strangely she complimented me today," said Julie, pursing her lips.

  "Don't believe that snake," warned Melanie, and Julie nodded her head.

  "I know," an inaudible sigh escaped from Julie's lips. Right now, she wasn't worried about Eleanor and was instead worried about what Roman said and did. Since they had spent their time in the bowling alley, it felt like their dynamics were changing.

  Making a stop at the lunchroom to buy snacks, when both Julie and Melanie stepped outside the building, they came across Roman and his friends who were walking from the opposite, making their way towards the lunchroom. Both Roman and Julie's eyes met, silently staring at each other, where they hadn't spoken a word since they had stepped down from the stage.

  When Roman walked past her, Julie felt something tug her heart. It was somewhere between sweet yet uncomfortable.

  "Did you hear that we are going to have a bonfire tomorrow?" chirped Melanie, a smile on her lips.

  "I don't think I heard about it," Julie had been so wrapped in her studies, especially with the tutoring and the drama practice, which gave her very little free time that she didn't have time to breathe properly. She could tell that Melanie was eagerly looking forward to it.

  "This time we should probably pick a place which is far away from the seniors. I don't think I want to play another game of munchies with them," said Melanie with a thoughtful expression.

  Julie laughed hearing this, "Hopefully they'll spare us this time."

  "I am thinking of confessing tomorrow," Melanie let her know. "I will find some time tomorrow and let him know."

  "All the best, Mel," Julie wished her friend, hoping for the best.

  When Julie returned to her dorm with the bag of snacks, she placed it on the table and dropped her bag on the chair. Removing her shoes, she slumped on her bed, stuffing her face with the pillow.

  "What are you doing?" she whispered to no one in particular.

  Pulling away from the pillow, she sat up and picked up her notebook, which had turned half from its original size because of the number of pages she had torn from it while sending letters to Roman. Positioning the tip of the pen on the blank paper, Julie wrote—


  'Why didn't you tell me that you were changing the lines in today's rehearsal? I would have been able to prepare and deliver my lines better to match yours. Ms. Piper puts a lot of thought into the play, doesn't she? Everyone's costume looked grand.'

  After taking a pause, she added— 'Did you not like my costume?'

  Unlike others who had complimented the other students on their costumes, Roman had not spared even a single compliment for anyone while he was being showered by tons of it. She couldn't add more because her mind kept going back to the memory of Roman's finger brushing against her jaw. Remembering what Melanie had mentioned, Julie wrote in the next line—


  'I heard there's a Bonfire in the forest tomorrow. Are you going to attend it with your friends?'

  Tearing and folding the paper, she placed it next to the window.

  By the time of the night, when Julie had returned from dinner, her note had been replaced with a new one. She opened the letter to find Roman's reply in his neat and cursive handwriting—


  'The rehearsals are usually boring, and sometimes you need the element of surprise to bring out natural emotions. Are you fishing for compliments, Winters? Asking me about your costume.

  I am going to the Bonfire. If you have no other plans, I will see you there.'