“The drama department is going to be part of the celebrations. Instead of having two small shows

this year, there is just going to be one large show in the spring. Plus, we’ll be combining with other

departments - dance and music - to do a multi-departmental performance…”

He actually pauses for dramatic effect. “…of Hamlet.”

I swear some bitch gasps in excitement. Really. If I weren’t so wiped out, I’d roll my eyes.

Not that it isn’t exciting. It’s majorly exciting. And I need to get a part. I know that right now.

Everyone in the class has started whispering to people around them, and I can see Jeff smiling in

satisfaction. Then he turns and sees me looking at him. He waves me over as he dismisses the rest of the

class.

As I walk up to him, I hear someone start to talk about who should be cast in what parts. Someone

mentions Rizzo as Hamlet. It figures. He’s not even here and the world revolves around him.

“Nick…” People are still leaving the room, and Jeff talks only loud enough for me to hear. “You

doing okay?”

I blink at him. What sort of question is that? Am I doing okay? Do I look like I’m not doing okay?

I’m in the prime of my life, right?

“Yeah,” I hear myself saying. “Fine. Why?”

He looks at me like I’m lying to him. Looks me over a few times. “Come on, Nick. Pull yourself

together. You can get a good part in this production if you try. If you keep your act clean. If you can

keep yourself clean. Drop that crap you’re doing, whatever it is.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking-”

“Don’t even try it, Nick. I’ve seen a dozen students like you. The ones that clean themselves up go

on to be amazing. The ones that don’t… they fall off the radar. One way or another.” He’s got this

intense look going, and I can’t think of anything to say. So I just nod.

He looks at me a little more, and I just blink at him. He finally shakes his head and sighs.

“Go. Try to remember what I said. You could be one of the amazing ones, Nick.”

And what the hell do you say to something like that? I start to walk out, but he calls after me.

“Auditions for the show are in a week, Nick. Don’t disappoint me.”

I nod. Don’t disappoint him. Right.

Chapter 7

Body Language

DANNY: Brains can be sexy. Trust me on this. Had nothing better to do, so I went to the large

auditorium to check out random English celebrity prof’s lecture, because I knew James would be there.

The room’s crammed-full, but I have no difficulty spotting J. Sometimes I go Every Breath You Takeing,

I just love to watch him when he isn’t aware of it. I’m fascinated with his body language. More

often than not it’s the only clue to what he’s feeling inside. He’s a hard one to read, but I love the

challenge.

Tea Time ends his lecture with a smug, superior smile. When he asks if there are any questions, you

just know he doesn’t actually expect any of us grunts to have understood a single word of his complex

jargon. That’s when J slowly raises his hand, and the entire room turns to look at him, whispering.

I can literally feel him tensing underneath his cool facade, but he sounds matter-of-fact when he

speaks. He’s sitting there in his shabby gray jacket that can only pass as vintage if you look at it with

eyes of love, the epitome of geekiness. But something incredible happens when his calm voice fills the

room. Suddenly he has a sharp, intellectual authority to him that makes everyone fall silent. And screw

me like it’s Friday night, he just about rips Tea Time’s theory apart by showing a significant flaw with

one brilliant little question.

The Brit’s not amused, and quickly dismisses the crowd before dashing away to probably never be

seen on this campus again. And I’m turned on.

“Congrats, Pulitzer.” I grin at J as I waylay him on his way out.

“On what?” he frowns, then he does a slightly amused double take. “Hold on. What are you doing

here?”

Three guesses, Jimmy Boy. I don’t really give a shit about Cross-cultural philosophy and

comparative politics. “Just heard that you’re the new editor in chief.” Of the school paper, that is.

“Thought I’d stop by.”

J stops short. “Who the hell told you? No one’s supposed to know that yet!”

I grin. “Sorry. Can’t reveal my sources.”

He gives me a look, but smiles, and we stroll down the hallway towards the building’s exit side by

side. It’s really noisy in here. Everyone’s discussing the lecture, and people are looking at James, not at

me for a change as they walk past. And somehow that feels good.

“Let’s go somewhere,” I suggest.

“No way.”

“To talk”, I clarify and roll my eyes. Our eyes meet briefly and once again I wonder what’s going on

behind his gray eyes.

Still he hesitates, but then he sighs. “Alright.”

It’s one of those rare, bright fall days where you just have to love the season, and there’s some kind

of lazy, laid back feeling all over campus. On a whim I stop next to the only empty park bench on our

way to the cafe. It’s too beautiful to be inside, and I don’t feel like sharing him right now. James shrugs

when I nod towards the seat.

He looks pensive when we sit down, and then he smiles a little. “We sat here before.”

“Have we?”

“Last semester. You told me I was pathetic to wait for Casey.”

I laugh. I vaguely remember. I think it was one of the first times we spoke alone. “Did not.”

“Did too. And you were right. I never should have hesitated that long. But I was scared.”

“You were scared?” I smile to myself. The first time I saw him, I thought, what an arrogant ass.

There’s something incredibly aloof about the way he holds himself, and something almost cryptic. The

way he hunches slightly just doesn’t go with the hostile air of distance about him. Real aggression is

extroverted, not introverted. You can’t study acting, that’s what Jeff says. You can study people. And

I’ve been doing that my whole life. When I first met James, I felt that something was wrong with this

picture. It sparked my interest. That, and the fact that in spite of his bad taste in clothes, J’s damn hot,

with those incredible lips and a small perfect ass that just makes my head spin. And the way he kept

pushing me back just added to the fun of the chase. But damn, now it’s me who’s caught in the trap.

James looks at me with intense eyes. “You think that’s funny?”

“You do know that you’re the one who scares people ‘round here, don’t you?”

He arches an eyebrow, and I swear he has no clue how sexy that is. “I scare people?”

“You’re terrifying, Jimmy Boy. That Brit’s flawless career is ruined because of you.”

“I’m sure he’ll recover.” His voice just drips with wonderful dry sarcasm.

I nonchalantly put my arm on the back of the bench behind him when I turn towards him. “People

respect you, don’t you know? There’s no need to make yourself small.”

He gazes at me with his usual frown, and I realize that he really isn’t aware of the fact. Sometimes I

wonder what it’s like to live in James Land. How can you not notice something like that? Is that

Simon’s doing?

J decides it’s time to change the subject. “Rumor has it that you’re to play Hamlet in that huge

production they’re planning.”

I grin. “I’m not supposed to talk to the press.”

James smiles briefly, unimpressed. “So are you?”

“Jeff wants me to.”

He leans back a little and looks at me like I’m tripping. “Hell, this is one of the most prestigious

roles in theatre history and you’re having second thoughts?”

I shrug. Can we go back to talking about him? “Not sure if I see myself playing a wimpy prince who