Belle was taken a back. Why exactly was he doing this? Did he feel pity for her about what happened to her parents or something else? She didn't know what to say, and for a moment, she froze in complete shock. “Thank you, Reverend,” she said and nodded in acknowledgment before she rushed off to her history class which she managed to get to on time. She looked out the window thinking. Today had been such a strange day. She didn't want to get up in front of millions of people to act. Whatever would Vincenti think if she played Juliet? If she had to kiss someone else...She blushed at the thought of it. She didn't want anyone else. She watched the carriages go by, the women, men, and children walk about on the streets. She didn't like history quite as much as she liked literature or the sciences. It all seemed so pointless. What was in the past was in the past. Yes, you could learn a little from past mistakes, but let the leaders of the country learn about that things. There was nothing that a girl like her could possibly learn that she couldn't figure out with common sense and through her own experiences.
When class was over she grabbed her books, and exchanged looks with Maryanne who had been staring at their professor rather than outside the window. Maryanne rushed up to Belle. “So what did he want? Did you get in trouble? I'm so sorry for pulling you up there...but you are my partner in crime---”
“No, Maryanne, nothing like that,” Belle reassured her friend. “He wanted me to play Juliet...or at least try out for the one that's going to be playing at the local opera house...”
“Oh, Belle!” she yelped and grabbed Belle's hands and spun her around. “That's simply marvelous! Oh I can't wait! You're so quiet all the time, and you really were great in class today. People will know like I know; how great you really are.”
“I don't think I'm going to do it, I mean...I'd be taking time out of class and everything...It's a professional thing you know.”
“Didn't you tell me Vincenti loves Shakespeare? You went and saw that play, oh what was it called?”
“Measure for Measure...” Belle chimed in.
“Yes that's it....” Maryanne confirmed. “Well consider it, okay?” They waved goodbye as the two went their separate ways home.
|