Chapter 13

 

September couldn’t come quick enough for Kait.  Her summer had been wonderful, but after Jonathan had told her that they would be going to school together, everything seemed to be leading up to school starting.  The two weeks between her finishing up work and school were to full of one thing after another that her and Jonathan didn’t even see each other until they day he had to move in.

“Hey there short-stuff.  What happened, did you get lost?”  Jonathan joked as Kait got out of her car.

“Watch it buster, anyway I’m only five minutes later then I told you.  SO is all your stuff loaded in the van or have you net even started yet?”  Kait said returning the jest.

“No, almost everything is in, just like two more boxes have to go in.”  Jonathan threw his arm around her shoulder as they walked up the steps to his parent’s house.

They spent a better part of the day just moving him in and unloading boxes.  Finally when the last of the boxes were unloaded and put away, Kait flopped down on his bed.

“Well, here you are.  Home sweet home, for the next nine months.”

“Yep, so have you figured out where your room is yet?”  Jonathan asked sitting down next to where she was now laying.

“I’m practically right above you on the next floor.  I swear, you mother is going to think we arranged this or something.”

“It is pretty convient.  So when do you move in?”

“Gretta and I move in on Saturday, while you are off at your service project.  Maybe if I’m lucky you will get done four hours early like my group did last year.”

“What do you mean if you are lucky?”

“Because if you get done early, then you can help me move in and I won’t have to haul everything up those stairs all by myself.”

“What makes you think I’ll help you move in?”

“Oh, I don’t think, I know.”  Kait flashed him a bright smile.

“What if I don’t want to help you move in?”

“I’m sure you will.  There might be a reward in it for you if you help me.”

“Oh, what kind of reward?”

“You’ll just have to wait and find out.”

The first week of classes flew by.  Over the summer Kait had applied for a theater scholarship and a job in the theater and had received both of them, so she was working especially hard.  Jonathan had shown up to help her move in, as a reward Kait treated him to dinner, so they could both avoid the cafeteria food.

“So when are auditions?”  Jonathan asked coming into Kait’s room that Wednesday.  Kait was sitting at her computer like normal and Gretta was perched up on her bed reading one of her books.

“Tonight.”  Kait sighed.  She gave up; she was never going to figure out how to check her E-mail with the new system.

Jonathan walked up behind her, reached around her, typed a few things on the keyboard and Kait’s E-mail popped up.  “How did you do that?”  Kait asked looking up at him.  He was still standing right behind her so their faces were still fairly close to each other.

“I’m just smart that way.  So your audition is tonight at what time?”

“It’s at nine PM,” Kait said looking at the clock to make sure that she wasn’t supposed to be leaving any time soon.

“How long do they usually last?”

“An hour, usually.”

“Okay,”

“Okay what?”  Kait recognized the tone in his voice; it meant he was planning something.

“Nothing, I’m just going to walk to there and back.”  Jonathan said as if it were something he did all the time.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t have to, I just want to.  It’s going to be dark and I don’t want you to have to walk across campus by yourself at ten at night.”

Eight thirty rolled around and Jonathan and Kait started on their way to the theatre.  “I don’t know why I’m even trying out.  There aren’t that many parts and only four of them are for females.”  Kait sighed.  “I mean, I don’t even know if I’m ready to get back on stage.  I don’t know if I could handle that many people looking at me and watching my every move.  Never mind, let’s just head back; I’m really not feeling up to this.”  Kait turned around and tried to retreat back in the direction in their dorm.

“No you don’t.”  Jonathan caught her before she could get too far.  He turned her around to face him and held onto her shoulders to that she had to look at him when he was speaking to her.  “I read over those lines with you how many times?  You are not backing out.  Yes you are ready, you can do this.  Don’t worry about how many people there are going to be, you can do this.  You are a good actor; you can’t tell me that you don’t miss acting.  You’ve spent a year working on tech. I think it’s time that you get back on the stage.  Don’t let him take that from you.”

Kait pulled him into a tight hug and buried her head in his chest.  “I know, I’m just scared.  I haven’t been to an audition sense it happened and I don’t know if I can do it without freaking out,” Kait admitted.

“Hey you can do it; I’ll be right out-side the doors.  You have nothing to worry about.”  Jonathan tried to reassure her.

“You knew I would try and back out, didn’t you?  That’s why you insisted on walking me here, right?”

“Guilty,” Jonathan said with a slight shrug.  They were still just inches apart and Jonathan did the one thing he swore to himself that he wouldn’t do.  He kissed her.  It was very soft and very slow, giving Kait a chance to break it off, but she didn’t.

When their lips parted Kait looked up at him and smiled.  “How long would it take you to build up the courage to do that again?”

Jonathan looked into her eyes and could see that she was serious; there was no regret, no fear, nothing but happiness and joy, and something else, maybe…love?  He returned her smile and bent down to kiss her again.  This one wasn’t as slow and hesitant, more exploring and bold, but still soft and tender.  When they finally parted both were breathless but smiling.

“Come on, we don’t want you to be late for your audition.” Jonathan slipped his arm around her waist and they walked linked like that all the way to the theatre.