A/N:I hope you guys really enjoy reading this. I really enjoyed writing it. I think I've told enough about the play within the chapter so you can understand this chapter, but in case I haven't here's a quick rundown of the first couple of acts:
The Prince comes back from the war with his friends. One of them, Claudio, falls in love with the maiden Hero. Hero's father gives his blessing. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice have a battle of wits. The Prince decides to play match maker. The Prince's bastard brother plots.
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Oh God, he was sure in for it now.
"West! I didn't know you auditioned for this play."
"Audition? Ms. Lance wanted me in this role from the start."
"Sure…"
Wally glared at the blonde. She glared back. "I thought you didn't like Shakespeare."
"No. He's fine. I just thought you did abysmally as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. Harper would have done better, and he's not even in this department." Wally West, Artemis Crock, and Roy Harper were all in eleventh grade at a high school for fine arts. Wally and Artemis were both in the theatre department, while Roy was in the dance department.
"I'm still surprised you managed to get into this department. You're the worst liar I've ever seen."
"Artemis! Wally!" Both of them turned as a blonde woman walked into the theatre classroom, empty except for Artemis and Wally. "I'm glad you guys are already here."
Someone a lot shorter than Ms. Lance was walking in her wake. Said person had dark hair and blue eyes very familiar to Wally. "Dick!" He ran over to the younger boy and fist bumped him.
Ms. Lance raised an eyebrow. "Do you guys already know Richard?"
"Yes," Artemis said, "But he's in ninth grade. Don't tell me he's got one of the starring roles?"
Dick grinned and said to Wally, "Not feeling the aster, is she?"
"Richard will be playing Don Pedro, the prince of Arragon," Ms. Lance said.
"Who will you two be playing?" Dick asked.
"Benedick," Wally answered.
"Beatrice," Artemis answered.
Dick smirked, then began snickering.
"What's so funny Grayson?"
He looked up at them. "Neither of you have read Much Ado About Nothing have you?"
Ms. Lance cleared her throat. "Children, the rest of our principal actors are arriving."
The three children and the teacher watched the other high schoolers file in. Artemis recognized Conner Kent, the resident hunk of tenth grade. Then came Megan Morse, another tenth grader; the only thing Artemis knew about her was that the girl had a fixation on homemade goods. Artemis was surprised to see a senior follow them in; usually seniors were too consumed by college applications to participate in the school's first semester play.
"That's Kaldur," Wally whispered into her ear. "I don't know him well, but he and Roy are really close chums."
Wally smirked at Artemis's surprised expression. Quietly, she hissed, "Roy's not gay."
"How would you know?"
Wally grinned as her nostrils flared. He didn't know that, inwardly, she was fighting between her desire to proof him wrong and her desire to keep her personal background private. She settled for a "Hurumph" and turned back to the other students.
He did too. Following Kaldur was a dark haired girl he didn't know, although from the way Dick's smile grew brighter, Wally guessed Dick knew her. Then came a boy whose styled dark hair looked uncomfortably similar to horns. Wally watched the boy purposely step on the heels of the girl in front of him. Next was another boy Wally didn't know, although his weird buzz cut and the creepy way he stared at the cute tenth grader was unnerving.
Last to come in the classroom was Cameron Mahkent, an eleventh grader who Wally thought brought a whole new definition to asshole. Cameron walked toward Artemis, stopping on her side opposite Wally's. "Hey babe."
Wally felt her bristle and was dimly surprised she didn't give any other reaction. He was distracted by the dark haired girl winking at Dick. He leaned toward the younger boy and whispered in his ear, "Does Barbara know about her?"
"Shut up!" he whispered back.
Ms. Lance cleared her throat. "Here are the roles everyone one in here will playing." She began to list them off, starting with Dick's, Artemis's, and his. "Conner will be playing Claudio, Megan will play Hero. Kaldur will play Leonato, who is Hero's father and Beatrice's uncle. Simon will be Don John, the younger, illegitimate brother of Don Pedro. Klarion will be Conrade, and Cameron will be Borachio. There will be a few other actors, but their parts are smaller, and they're younger. I'll be talking to them later, separately." She walked over to a filing cabinet in the classroom and took out several stacks of paper. She passed them out. "Here are your parts. Familiarize yourselves with them. We'll begin reading through them next week."
The students nodded their comprehension. "Good. Now scram. You're dismissed ."
Wally and Dick whooped and made their way out of the room. Artemis sighed and slowly followed. A hand reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could go far. She shivered; the hand was ice cold. She pivoted. "Cameron. What do you want?"
He smiled. "Nothing, babe."
"Then let me go."
His smile widened. "No. I don't think I will. I think—"
"Is there a problem?"
Artemis thanked Cameron's stupidity in accosting her inside the classroom, instead of waiting for them to leave the supervised room. Even more, she thanked her teacher. She wrenched her wrist of Cameron's hand. "No. Thank you though Ms. Lance." Artemis fled from the room.
Wally and Dick—as well as most of the cast—were already outside in the school's courtyard. They were talking to Conner, Megan, and Zatanna. Wally said, "I hope we get to dress in period costumes. Last time, it was awesome." Last year, one of the school's productions was Romeo and Juliet.
Megan agreed. "I would love to be in period costume. My character gets married in this play. I'm sure the dress would be lovely."
"To be honest, I'm not surprised the Wallman likes wearing tights. You probably enjoy it too, Grayson." Artemis walked toward the group.
Zatanna, who Artemis had talked to before on occasion, laughed appreciatively. "So Wally still hasn't surrendered to your witty charms?"
Wally sniffed. "I never will."
"But you admit I have them." Artemis looked away from them and at Conner and Megan. She stuck out her hand. "I'm Artemis Crock. I know who you two are, but I don't think we've ever met formally."
"Conner." He reached out his hand and shook hers, but only for a moment. Megan, on the other hand, embraced her.
"Uhh…"
"I'm so glad to meet you Artemis! Tell me, do you like Greek things? You know, to go along with your name."
"I suppose…" Artemis suddenly grinned, wickedly. "Wanna know what my favorite Greek play is?"
"What?"
"Lysistrata."
"Why?" Artemis leaned close to Megan's ear and whispered. The other girl grew bright red, although she couldn't prevent a few giggles.
"What's so funny sweetcheeks?" Wally leered at Megan.
Artemis scowled. "You are so…ugh!"
"I'm so what?" Wally replied, hands on hips.
"Lecherous."
"He'd probably fit in your play, Artemis," Megan said.
"You're right!" Artemis chortled.
He demanded, "What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't know what she means," Zatanna drawls, "but I think us three girls need to have a sleepover soon."
Megan and Artemis both said, "I'd love too."
"Just as long as Megan here sends me pictures." Artemis stomped on Wally's foot.
"I think, girls, that we should leave these dorks to their excuse for a conversation. Well," Artemis said, looking at Conner, "you're not a dork, but you know…"
"It's girl time," Zatanna finished for her.
The three girls walked away from the boys. Wally looked down at Dick, who had been cackling to himself for much of the conversation. "Have you read Lysistrata?"
"Actually, I have."
"What's it about?"
"Greek women who get mad at their men for going off to war and as a result, refuse to have sex with them."
"Then what?"
"Erections feature prominently."
"Hey Artemis?"
"Hmm?" She stopped looking out the car window and looked instead at the porsche's driver.
"I heard you got a big role in the school's play."
"Who told you that? Wait, lemme guess. Dinah."
"She's Ms. Lance to you."
"She's Ms. Lance at school. She's Dinah when I come across you two making out in the living room."
Oliver Queen, millionaire, a sponsor of the school, and Artemis's adoptive parent, choked. "You…You—"
"Maybe I should say the future Mrs. Queen. I know about that little box in your sock drawer."
"Well," Oliver sniffed, "Dinah has already informed that if we were ever to get married, she would never take my name."
"Probably doesn't want to be associated with you."
He pointed an accusatory finger at her. "You are my child! You are not allowed to say such things!"
"Where's Roy?" Artemis was only now registering the red head's absence, although she felt a little stupid for not realizing he wasn't there since she was finally getting ride shotgun.
Oliver blinked at the subject change. "Dance rehearsals. He's got a solo performance in a few weeks." A beat of silence. "Have…have you seen your sister?"
"Jade? No, but I assume she was at school today, or else Roy would have demanded me tell him where she was, like he doesn't live in the same house." Artemis's older sister, a senior in high school, had been adopted by Oliver at the same as Artemis, about two years ago. However, she had a habit of running away, whether to their mother's house or to a friend's. Roy seemed to think that Artemis was her sister's keeper.
Oliver sighed. "Well, at least I've convinced her to apply to some colleges."
The car drove up to the gated community where Oliver lived, and Artemis looked back out the window.
Wally began reading through his part that night, Thursday night. He didn't get very far, only through the first and some of the second act. He was very satisfied however. His character, Benedick, seemed to abhor Artemis's character, and win every battle of wits they had. He didn't know that Artemis held a high opinion of her own character for the very same reasons.
Actually, Wally had to confess that he really liked this play so far. It was much better than Romeo and Juliet in any case. He only stopped reading it when his mother called him downstairs for dinner.
Upon arriving in the dining room, Wally was horrified to see his cousin. "Bart! Why? Why are you here?"
"Felt like dropping in." Bart smiled earnestly. "It's great to see you! And I have some big news."
"Wally? Have you washed your hands?" Wally's father asked from his seat.
Wally cursed under his breath and ran into the kitchen, angrily washing his hands in the sink. "Mom, why's Bart here?"
"He wanted to be here. He has some important news to tell us. You need to be nice to your cousin. I know he's a few years younger than you, but he really likes you."
"I doubt he's related him."
"Has to be. He reminds far more of you than anyone else in the family does."
Wally spluttered and, drying his hands, followed his mother out of the kitchen and back into the dining room.
After they all said the blessing and started eating, Rudy West asked, "What's the big news?"
"I got into the play!"
Wally dropped his fork. It clattered on the plate below and Mary West gave him a disapproving look. "You did?" Now that Wally thought about, he did remember Bart trying out for some of the roles. Apparently, he succeeded. "That's…That's great. Bart."
"It's wonderful," Mary said.
Bart nodded. "It's not a big part. But it's my first real play."
"I'm glad your talent lies in acting and not dance then," Wally said. Bart's father, Wally's Uncle Barry, was a dance teacher at their school.
"Wally got a part too!"
Rudy smiled. "We know."
Mary exclaimed, "The loving Benedick!"
"Loving?" Wally screwed up his face in disgust. "Benedick doesn't care for love or marriage."
"Wally, your mother was an English lit major in college. If she says loving, she's right."
Mary smiled. "Who's Beatrice?"
"Artemis," Wally said.
"Artemis?" his parents asked in unison.
"Artemis Crock. A nobody. She's a terrible actor."
Mary's smile widened. "Well maybe, if you're her Benedick, she won't have to do much acting."
"What's that—"
Bart interrupted. "Is this the same Artemis who was adopted by Dad's friend Oliver? The really hot Artemis?"
"Hot?" Wally choked. "Artemis? Artemis is about as hot as January."
"Well, the Artemis adopted by Oliver Queen?"
"Didn't you hear me, cousin? Her last name is Crock, not Queen."
"Roy—"
"Boys," Mary said, "Would you like me to bring dessert out now?'
Wally's face brightened. "What do we have?"
"Just ice cream. But if I bring it out, you guys can't eat the whole carton like you did last time."