A/N: his was initially inspired by me having to read the play in English Class recently, but it was also inspired by this YouTube video that I love: watch?v=6VC8UXYz...This video helped me to discover who I would place where in the play. I just ADORE Benvolio, but I don't like Romeo too much, fore I see his love as more of an infatuation with Juliet that anything else... But I suppose that most romance starts with infatuation... Feel free to comment if you want me to write this, continue writing this, etc. with this or if you just really like it, don't like it, etc. ^w^ Thanks for reading!
Chapter One-A Class Assignment
The teacher, a young African-American woman with black, curly hair, black eyes, a plain green shirt, khaki pants, brown flats, and a pearl necklace, pearl earrings, and a pearl bracelet, spoke quite excitedly and bubbly regarding the new unit that she was teaching her class.
Contrary to general and popular belief, most of the class was paying attention to the lesson.
One of these students was April O'Neil.
April was actually looking forward to this unit, despite how she originally felt at the beginning of her English class, when her teacher said that they would be covering this topic.
"Hey, April!" Someone sitting beside her said to her.
April turned to her left and saw a familiar face.
"Casey! Shh! Pay attention!" April whispered back, placing her right hand over her mouth to seem as if she wasn't talking to those around her.
"April, Casey Jones doesn't need to-" Casey said confidently, but was cut off by the woman standing at the front of the classroom.
The woman loudly cleared her throat and stared directly at Casey.
"So, Mr. Jones, can you tell the class what I have just gotten through explaining to you all?" She said sternly.
"Sure thing, Ms. Karstoce. You were talking to us about that boring play from, like, what, a thousand years ago?" He responded, chuckling to himself.
Most of the students weren't impressed with that response, but the few that were congratulated Casey and gave him high-fives.
Ms. Karstoce cleared her throat once more, bringing a fair-amount of eye pairs back to the front of the class.
"Mr. Jones, Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet is much more than that!" She began.
"It is a play about how hate can destroy everything, how impulsiveness can be dangerous, how fate interacts within the world, and how elegant the Elizabethan Era is regarding its literature, among other things." She continued in a tone of awe.
A student raised their hand, and she called upon them.
"I was just wondering, Ms. Karstoce, what exactly are we going to do for this project? I mean, some of my other friends, who attend other schools now, tell me that they've worked on an essay, ultimately, but I was looking more forward towards the possibility of-" The girl asked, but was cut off by her teacher.
"Oh, yes, yes! I was just getting to that! Thank you, Ms.-" the teacher praised, but was cut off by the girl.
"Oh, no problem, Ms. Karstoce!" The girl said quickly, ready to move onto their assignment.
The rest of the class slowly began to turn their attention back towards their teacher as she, a little shocked, started to explain their new unit to them.
"Uh, erm. So, class, we are going to ... perform the play of Romeo and Juliet! But first, we will choose play roles, read the play, answer questions, do worksheets, and watch scenes from various versions of the play. This will allow us to prepare for the play and understand it more, for when its time to perform it! Now, do we have any volunteers for any parts in this play?" She finished in a still quite happy, but more calmed down mood.
The class murmured amongst themselves, and a couple of hands began to raise themselves, followed by outbursts from various students.
Just as this began, a knock was heard at the classroom door.
Ms. Karstoce walked over, from her spot towards the center of the classroom, and gently opened the door.
"Ah, Ms. Oroku. What a pleasure for you to finally arrive to my classroom, hmm? You're pretty late, if you ask me. This has been the THIRD time this week!" Ms. Karstoce said a little smugly, waiting for a response from the girl as she walked into class.
"Yah, sure, whatever!" The girl responded as she rolled her eyes and took her seat towards the back of the classroom.
"Well, since class is almost over with, and also because you feel as if that you can waltz on in here whenever you may please, you'll be spending today in detention!" Ms. Karstoce said angrily.
Most kids began to snicker and laugh, making comments amongst themselves.
"Yah, well, good luck with that, considering the fact that I'm not going! You can't make me and my father doesn't care!" The girl said back, now with a smirk upon her face.
Most of the class erupted in laughter. Those that didn't felt a few hints of pity.
"Oh, so, if you fail this class, then he won't care about that either?" Ms. Karstoce said, a little too sweetly, in fact.
The class went silent.
That question made the girl's eyes widen, but only slightly.
Ms. Karstoce was the only person to notice it, too.
"Oh, so, he would, would he?" Ms. Karstoce asked as a grin began to appear on her face.
The girl didn't respond. She only gulped.
"Well, I know the perfect task for you!" Ms. Karstoce said sweetly.
"Ms. O'Neil!" She asked, projecting her voice more towards whom she was speaking to.
"Oh, yes Ms. Karstoce?" April exclaimed nervously.
"Please tell Ms. Oroku what we are talking about! She shall play the lead female role within it!" Ms. Karstoce replied, earning a couple of glances and much murmur and laughter from the students.
"Yes, Ms. Karstoce!" April said seriously.
"Okay, good!" Ms. Karstoce said, now contempt.
As if on cue, the bell rang, as high-pitched and loud as ever.
"Okay, class, we will cover more information about this on Monday! Read Act One and answer your worksheet questions for it by then! You will turn in said worksheets as a test grade!" Ms. Karstoce said in a happier tone of voice.
The class hurried out of the classroom, some students complaining and groaning, while others were socializing about their weekend plans, despite their new edition of homework that they were going to do at the last minute.
Ms. Karstoce went back over to her desk.
"Oh, Ms. Oroku!" Ms. Karstoce called out.
The girl groaned, murmured some things to herself, and made her way over towards her teacher's desk.
"Here is your worksheet and your copy of the play. I am personally expecting you to know your way through the Act I of this play by Monday. Trust me, at the rate that you're failing this class, you'll need to!" Ms. Karstoce said firmly as she handed the copy of the entire play and a worksheet to her student.
The girl didn't say anything. She just turned took the papers, stuffed them in her bookbag, turned around, and headed out the classroom.
"Oh, by the way, Ms. Oroku..." Ms. Karstoce added, stopping the girl in her tracks.
"I AM going to be calling your father about this little quarrel that we just had. I just thought that I'd let you know, that's all." She finished, going through papers in her desk.
"Mmmhmm." was the girl's only response as she exited the classroom, carrying her bookbag on her back.
"Hey, Karai!" April called out to her.
She didn't answer back. She rushed right past April and the girl standing next to her.
"What's with her, April?" The girl beside her said, sighing to herself.
"I don't know, Irma. I'll catch up with you later!" April told Irma as she began to run after Karai.
"But April! We were suppossed to hang out together...this...weekend!" Irma called after her, sighing and walking away down the hallway when she saw that her efforts were fruitless.
"Hey Irma, do you know where April went? We were suppossed to walk together, but I didn't see her." Casey asked her, confused as he walked up to her.
"Oh, you just missed her. Sorry. She ran after this other girl... Her name's Karai, or something like that. Well, I've got to go. If you manage to see her later, tell April that she needs to call me." Irma explained briefly.
She speed-walked off before Casey could as her anymore questions.