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Chapter 10
"Really? Thanks, Brian."
I knew her dreams. How could I mar her unremitting
efforts to be successful? I was worried, jealous but I did not have the heart
to ruin her dreams. The strength of the love that the lover has for the beloved
is often measured by how much the lover is willing to sacrifice for the
beloved.
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Sam~
It was weird, odd, and queer that I had to appear in the public as a girl.
Sitting in front of the mirror, I looked at the real me.
"You looked gorgeous." I looked up and saw the reflection of Justin.
"Thanks. But I think a guy will not appreciate such compliment."
"But you are not," he mumbled.
"Huh?" I thought I heard wrongly.
"No. Nothing. Maybe I might offend you but I must say that you look beautiful
with long hair. The gown suits you so much. I doubt there is any other girl
who can be compared to you."
Somehow I found that the way he looked at me was like the way Brian looked
at me. Their eyes were glittering.
Brian~
Today was the last rehearsal for the musical play.
I had been compelling myself from coming to watch their rehearsals. But this
time I couldn't. I must go even though I knew I would make a scene.
In the hall, I saw Justin. Surprisingly, he came over
to me. I told myself to be gallant and not to be petty. But his words evoked
my anger.
"You don't know how to love someone, Brian."
"It's none of your business."
"If I were you, I would treat her like a queen."
"I beg your pardon. Her? Sam is a guy. Stop your
nonsense."
"Her happiness is in her own hand. She has the right
to choose."
"Don't you know true love is like an antique vase?
It's hard to find, hard to get but easy to break. I'm Sam's true love. Sam
will not be so silly to let it slips away."
"Why are you so sure?" He didn't wait for my reply.
Instead he walked away.
This was crazy! Fancy teaching me how to love someone.
For the sake of Sam, I compressed my anger.
The rehearsal started. Every time when Justin came
close to Sam, my heart burned. The way he looked at her, the way he held
her hands - all these provoked me. It was clear that he knew Sam was a girl.
But I kept myself under control.
At last, it came to the last scene - the scene where
the prince would kiss the princess. I was glad when they kept making mistakes
and the director kept yelling cut. Sam kept retreating from that kiss. The
crew took a short break.
After the break, they started to work again.
On the stage, Justin went towards Sam in an agitated
manner and began,
"In vain have I struggled," he held her in his arms,
"it will not do."
Why? Why had the script changed? It wasn't supposed
to be this way. One of the crew sensed it and told the director but the director
said let them carry on.
Justin held her even closer,
"I don't care whether you are in disguise. You must
allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."
How could Sam seem to be so indulged with his
words?
"Your love is not fake?" she asked.
"Certainly not. My words came from the bottom of my
heart."
Their eyes instantly met and the cheeks of each other
were overspread with the deepest blush. He drew his face nearer to her. Sam
let him kissed her! Their lips touched and none of them drew back. By this
time, they should have stop kissing but they didn't. The lips that were so
familiar to me were now kissing other's. I couldn't stand it anymore. The
jealousy in me erupted and the word 'CUT' came out from my mouth.
The 'cut' aroused all the people in the hall. Only
now the two of them stopped kissing. With bitterness and agonized feelings,
I ran out of the hall.
Sam~
I shouldn't have let him come. If this were what I deserved, I wouldn't have
accepted Justin's offer. I hurt Brian.
"I am sorry,' Justin apologized to me at the backstage.
"No. It's not your fault."
"All I said just now was true."
"What are you talking about?"
"I love you. Don't you get it?"
"But I'm a guy."
"If Brian can love you, why can't I? Even if you were really a guy, I would
still love you."
How did he know that I was a girl?
"That's enough, Justin. I'm sorry."
"Give me time. I will prove it to you that my heart is nothing but true."
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