Her Forbidden Love for Mr. Collins

Chapter 3

MARA'S POV

As I watched Ronan act, I couldn't help but feel annoyed. We could have gone home if he hadn't forgotten his lines.

Miss Willis, our meticulous instructor in charge of the stage play, was aiming for perfection. She wanted us to show some progress in our acting skills before she let us leave.

But how were we supposed to improve when Ronan didn't seem to take anything seriously? He kept breaking into fits of laughter every time he said his lines, and when he got scolded, he would just scratch his head. I couldn't understand why he had even volunteered for this in the first place.

When he found out I would be playing Cinderella, he was surprisingly eager to join. And to make matters worse, he had gone to great lengths to secure the role of Prince Charming.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Denver entering the theater. He took a seat right in front of the stage. As expected, his presence caused a stir among the female students participating in the play. Even Miss Willis seemed momentarily flustered, but she quickly regained her composure. She cleared her throat before addressing the excited students.

I offered a smile and waved at Professor Denver. He nodded back, indicating that he would be watching our practice.

"Ronan, put your hand around Mara's waist. While dancing, maintain eye contact as if you're both attracted to each other."

I was taken aback by the instructions. We hadn't even finished the opening act, and now we were diving into such an intimate scene?

"But Miss Willis—"

"This is the highlight of the scene, so we need to make it perfect!"

I had no choice but to comply as Ronan's hand settled on my waist. He had a mischievous grin on his face, which made me shoot him a sharp look. The problem was that both of us had our left feet tangled up.

"What are you doing?" I slapped his shoulder as he accidentally stepped on my foot.

"I said you should look at each other as if you're in love, not like you're about to wrestle!" Miss Willis scolded.

She approached us, bringing our faces closer together. One wrong movement, and our lips would touch. "There you go! Lock eyes."

I felt disgusted seeing Ronan's reaction. I couldn't tell if he was aware of it, but his eyes closed, and he offered his lips as if waiting for a kiss. Or maybe he was just messing around.

Frustration bubbled up in me. I pushed him with all my might when he leaned in closer. He lost his balance, and since his arm was around my waist, we both fell, with him cushioning most of the impact.

The room fell silent as everyone stared in shock. I let out a startled yelp and quickly got up to my feet. I glanced at Denver, who had also stood up from his seat. It seemed like he was making sure I was okay.

On the other hand, our classmates were holding their breath as Ronan remained motionless on the floor. He had his eyes closed, lying sprawled out, which got me worried. Did he pass out?

"Ouch! My Cinderella is brutal!" Ronan suddenly sprang to his feet, rubbing his injured waist with a pained grin.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the room.

Ignoring Ronan's antics, I turned to our elderly instructor. "Miss Willis, could we continue tomorrow instead? We've been practicing for three hours straight without a break." I complained.

"True, Miss. We're hungry. We haven't even had a snack yet," other students chimed in.

"Nobody's leaving until you all get your acting right."

Groans of protest echoed through the room. Denver climbed up the stage, and our classmates huddled around him.

"Miss Willis, I think the students are right. Don't pressure them too much, or they won't be able to follow your instructions properly."

"I don't think you have the right to interrupt us, Mr. Collins."

"Yes, I do, Miss Fernandez. The Dean sent me here to check if you're still practicing, and to make sure you're not going over the given time again."

The Dean was strictly implementing his rules, making sure everything was in place. There were incidents before where parents complained to the university because their child fainted due to exhaustion. Miss Willis had kept them practicing for hours without a break. Fortunately, things were resolved without much trouble. The instructor received a warning, which was why her expression changed when Denver spoke up.

The university wasn't just about academics; it was aimed at shaping students' personalities and confidence. Those of us involved in this play were usually not the type to participate in university activities. They were either introverted like me, rebellious, or just carefree.

I also felt sympathy for Miss Willis. Our practice was chaotic as a result of our diverse personalities. I could foresee that our performance might turn into a mess in the actual presentation.

"Alright, then dismiss. See you again tomorrow at the same time. I don't want you all to be late!" Miss Willis announced.

"Yes, Miss Willis!" we all echoed. We handed our scripts to the designated person before leaving the stage.

As we left with the other students, Ronan caught up with me and hooked his arm through mine without any warning.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm walking you home."

I removed his arm and walked to Denver's side. I made Denver a shield against him, but he was so persistent and moved to my other side, prompting me to pinch his side in irritation.

He let out a yelp and winced in pain. "You're always so brutal! I'm just trying to be nice to you!"

Ronan came from a wealthy family. He was also good-looking and popular at the university. Every time I scolded him it caused a raised eyebrow from our schoolmates. I wasn't playing hard to get; I simply didn't have romantic feelings for Ronan. I could be nice to him, but how could I when he managed to ruin my day every time we interacted?

"Fine, I'm sorry. But I'll just go with the professor; he's going to my house too."

"But you could also ride with—" Denver's words were muffled as I covered his mouth.

"Oh! I heard that, huh? Loud and clear!"

I adjusted my glasses and let out a sigh. "But I still don't want to. I'll just go home by myself."

"C'mon! Give me a chance, Mara!"

I glanced at Denver and caught his amused smile.

"That's enough, kids," he said, turning to Ronan. "You, young man, try your luck next time."

"Fine, but remember this, Mara. I won't pay you any attention if a time comes when you're the one chasing after me!" Ronan warned before leaving without saying goodbye.

"Let's go, Professor," I said, leading first.

"Mara, maybe you should loosen up a bit. Enjoy your time while you're young. Don't always focus on studying and tinkering with robots," Denver advised as we were heading to the parking lot.

"I'm happy with what I'm doing, Prof.; I just don't enjoy socializing."

"But it's good to have a social life too."

"That's why I joined the stage play."

When we reached the parking lot, confusion crossed my mind as I noticed Denver's car was missing from its usual spot. He seemed to notice my questioning appearance.

"My car's at the repair shop, so I used a motorcycle."

He pulled me to where his motorcycle was parked. I hesitated because I was wearing a long skirt, and this was my first time riding such a vehicle. I wasn't sure if I should feel excited or back out.

Denver handed me his helmet and rode on his motorcycle. He positioned it so that it would be easy for me to get on.

"Sit sideways. Put your bag in front to keep your skirt from flying."

I nodded and followed his instructions. When I was seated, I wasn't sure where to hold on. My heart was pounding so hard that I feared it might explode from my chest.

"Hold tight, Mara."

As the motorcycle started running, I ended up closing my eyes and gripping his waist. He was just a breath away, and I caught a whiff of the smooth, masculine scent of his cologne.

The motorcycle picked up speed, and we left the university's gate behind us.

"Hold on tight, or you might fall off," Denver reminded me again.

I nodded and followed his advice. After a few kilometers, we hit a bumpy road. I tightened my grip on his waist.

In our current position, I felt as if I were holding on to Denver for dear life. I could sense the hardness of his stomach and waist, which caused a warm fluttering sensation that took over my belly. It was as if a swarm of butterflies had taken residence there.

After we passed through the bumpy road, the ride became comfortable. I didn't realize my cheek was pressed against his back. The pleasant feeling it made me forget our hair-thin distance.