That Way Madness Lies: XV of Shakespeare's Most Notable Works Reimagined

by Dahlia Adler

Vi was never going to tell anyone the truth: Olivia made Vi feel alive. Being around Olivia was like having a personal sun. Like finding a hundred dollars in the front pocket of a pair of jeans on laundry day. Like an impossibility. An impossibility because Olivia rarely seemed aware that Vi was in the same room with her, even though they saw each other once a week. Vi wanted Olivia, but they also wanted Olivia to reciprocate their feelings. It didn’t mean anything if this interest wasn’t mutual. Still, Vi couldn’t stop thinking about her and the desire that ripped through their body. They sometimes craved being romantic and cute with Olivia. All the other stuff didn’t matter; that wasn’t Vi’s thing. But Olivia didn’t ever seem to notice the secretary in those student council meetings. Besides, Olivia was for Seb, and the sacrifice would be worth it, if only to make Seb smile again. So maybe this was a miscalculation. Maybe now was not the time to do this, to make their first public declaration, their first attempt to be wholly themself. But … Maybe. Maybe it was. Maybe Vi had to do something for themself in all of this. Maybe this was like walking the plank, except that the plunge wasn’t into a cold, dark, and unforgiving sea. Maybe it was a leap into the future. To new beginnings, they thought. They ran their hands down the lapels of their red velvet suit. It was time for Vi to become Vi. And in order to do so, in order to shed who everyone saw them as, they were going t...