Page 132 of Broken Romeo

I arrived to rehearsal a few minutes early on Monday after knocking myself out with pain meds and sleeping virtually all day Sunday.

We were blocking the show out of order and today’s schedule had the death scene listed.

I took my seat in the front row as usual, going over my lines in the last scene and I wait for Katherine to arrive. Even though it was rare that I beat her here, I didn’t think much more of it.

Not until Professor McCay stood in front of the class and clapped her hands for silence. “Change of plans, everyone. We had a student transfer into our class. And even though it’s pretty rare this late in the semester, I want to introduce you all to Addison Wright.”

My gaze snapped up from where I’d only been half listening and still reading my script to finally notice that Addison was sitting a few chairs down from me.

“She’s a dance major,” Professor McCay continued. “And while we don’t have any parts left in Keith’s show, she’s going to act as Kate’s understudy for the part of Julie. And she’ll be reading with you today, Holden.”

“What? What the hell happened to Kate?”

Professor McCay cleared her throat and gestured for me to join her in the hall. “Why don’t you join me out here for a moment, Holden?”

The rest of the class erupted into murmurs as I shoved out of my seat and followed Professor McCay and Keith into the hall. I didn’t wait for them to speak first. “Where is she? What’s going on?”

McCay held up her hands, palms out in that way people do when they’re trying to calm you down. “We’re still trying to get the whole story,” she said.

“What whole story? What are you talking about?”

“Kate emailed me yesterday,” Professor McCay started. “She said she wouldn’t be here today at class.”

“Is she sick? I just saw her on Saturday and she was fine.”

Keith and Professor McCay exchanged an odd look just before Keith managed to say, studying me, “Think Holden, did anything happen on Sunday? Between you two?”

I shook my head slowly. Yesterday was all kind of foggy anyway thanks to my pain meds. “I didn’t even see her yesterday.” Hell, I didn’t see anyone yesterday. By the time I joined the living and woke up from my nap, it was past dinner time and Duncan had gone out for the night. “What’s the big deal, though? People miss class here and there, right?”

Keith worried his lip and adjusted his black rectangular glasses on his nose.

“It’s not just today,” McCay said. “In her email, Kate quit the show. And she’s currently trying to transfer out of our class entirely.”

I blinked.

No.

I couldn’t have heard that right. “Kate’s quitting the show? But… she loves this show?”

Keith shrugged. “We can’t figure it out either. She didn’t give any reason—”

I was already halfway toward the front door, on a mission to find Kate.

“Holden, stop,” McCay demanded, her voice echoing through the acoustics of the hall. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to bring our Juliet back.”

At the very least, she owed me an explanation as to why she would quit her dream role.

Was it Addison? Did she do something? Threaten Katherine in some way by transferring into the class and acting as her understudy?

But the Katherine I knew didn’t back down from a girl like Addison.

I got to her dorm in record time, whipping my car into the closest parking spot and not bothering to lock it.

I made a run for the front doors, but skidded to a stop. Because Katherine was already out front of her building.

Arms crossed.