It was the end of the day and all you were able to hear was the buzz of students socializing in the classroom. Alex sat on her desk, talking with Harper. She looked across the classroom and found her older brother, Justin, talking with Zeke in his weird alien language. He met her gaze and Alex simply stuck her tongue out at him, insulting him, before returning her attention to Harper, who was going on about hoe cute Justin was.
Alex rolled her eyes. Even though she was Harper's best friend and that she supported her in everything, she was not interested in her fantasies about her brother. It creep her out a bit.
Mr. Laritate came in and brought order to the class.
"All right, settle down, people! I've got big news!" exclaimed Mr. Laritate as the buzz died down. "We're putting on a play!"
The buzz came back to life, part excited, part disgruntled. Alex put her head in her hands and shook it. She hated plays, especially when she was forced to participate in one. The last one she was in, she was Tinkerbell's understudy and that didn't turn out too well.
"See these pieces of paper taped to the blackboard? Each have underneath the name of one of the characters in Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet. Each of you will write your name down next to one of these pieces of paper and we'll reveal your role after," explained Mr. Laritate. "Boys' roles are on the left, the girls' on the right."
The sound of chairs scrapping the floor resounded around the room. Alex grudgingly wrote her name and thrust the chalk in her brother's hand, who wore and expression of excitement on his face. She returned to her seat and Harper followed with a spring in her step.
"Oh, I hope I'm Lady Capulet! I find her so empowering!" exclaimed Harper cheerfully.
"Oh, yeah, I definitely want to be in a play (or any play for that matter) that involves two people dying at the end and that their families can't get along and that it takes their kids to die to put their differences aside," replied Alex sarcastically.
Harper stared at her in surprise.
"You actually read the play?" she asked.
"No, I stole my brother's notes from when he was in the ninth grade."
Alex looked at her brother. Justin was demonstrating his sword fighting skills with a ruler, his friends cheering him on.
"Why can't this be a senior project or something? Why do we have to take part?" whined Alex.
"Probably because drama class was offered to all the grades and was first come, first served. Also, the grades have been mixed together," explained Harper.
Alex made a face.
"All right, it's time for the big revealing! Zeke, you will play…Sir Montague!" exclaimed Mr. Laritate, ripping the paper off.
Zeke high-fived his friends.
"Harper, you will play…Lady Capulet!"
Harper let out a shriek of happiness and clapped her hands together. Mr. Laritate nodded and continued.
"Jenny, you will play…Juliet's matron!"
Jenny let out an ear-piercing squeak and everyone plugged their ears.
"Right. T.J., you will play…Sir Capulet!"
T.J. stood up.
"I'll show you a Sir Capulet!" he exclaimed.
"Shut up!" yelled the class in unison.
T.J. sat down with his arms crossed.
"That line never worked. Justin, you will play…Romeo!"
Justin's friends cheered as he stood up and bowed. Alex rolled her eyes.
Idiot, she thought.
"Alex, you will play…Juliet!"
"WHAT?!"
Alex stood up so fast that her chair was knocked backwards. Every eye was on her and Justin, who slowly sank in his seat.
"Mr. Laritate, you can't possibly expect me to play my brother's character's love interest, do you?" asked Alex.
"Actually, yes. It'll be a new experience for you," answered Mr. Laritate.
"But he's my brother…" said Alex desperately.
"You like to bend the rules, now's your chance. Now, on with the roles!" said Mr. Laritate, unconcerned.
Alex sat back down, defeated, as Mr. Laritate continued with assigning roles.
"This sucks," muttered Alex darkly.
"If it's any consolation, I also happen to think it's unfair," said Harper.
"It only bugs you because you forgot that Romeo and Juliet kiss," hissed Alex.
Harper had no reply.
Alex looked at her brother. Justin's cheeks were flushed and he looked slightly feverish as his friends teased him about the previous event. He locked his eyes with hers and she looked away, irritated. But she had butterflies in her stomach; what will happen to them during this play, she was scared to find out.
***
Ale ran down Waverly Place. She wanted to discuss the situation with Justin but he ran out of the classroom and disappeared before she had the chance. The only place she could think of was that he went home. She climbed the steps of the Sub Station and put a hand on the door handle when she heard someone call her name.
"Alex!"
Alex turned around and smiled.
"Maggie!" she exclaimed cheerfully.
The woman dressed in sixties clothing extended her arms. Alex jumped in them and embraced her tightly.
"I sense something wrong here. Did The Man get you down again, Alex?" asked Maggie as they separated.
Alex shrugged.
"I guess. He's making us put on a play, Romeo and Juliet, where I'm Juliet and my older brother's Romeo," answered Alex truthfully.
"What? Oh, no he didn't! Did you talk to him? Who am I kidding? Of course you did!" exclaimed Maggie, shocked.
"I tried, but he wouldn't have it," replied Alex.
"Well, there's nothing we can do. At least it's a play; it'll be over before you know it," reassured Maggie soothingly.
"Yeah, well, I have to go talk to Justin. That is, if I can find him," said Alex sullenly.
"Aw, don't worry. He'll turn up," said Maggie.
"Thanks, Maggie. I'll see you later," replied Alex.
"See ya later, kiddo," said Maggie as Alex went inside the Sub Station.
***
Alex ran upstairs, ignoring her parents' "How was your day?" and discovered that Justin wasn't in the den or the kitchen. She raced up higher and into his bedroom, where he was also missing in action. She groaned in frustration and made her way to her bedroom. Alex closed the door, dropped her bag and turned to collapse on her bed.
Problem was, somebody was already on it.
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