By Your Side

Chapter 4

CAST LIST

Xaldin- Montague&Peter/Leonato

Vexen- Lady Capulet&The Apothecary/Don John

Zexion- Gregory&Prince Escalus&Mercutio/Hero

Lexaeus- Friar John&Abram/Dogberry&Antonio

Axel- Romeo/Benedick

Demyx- Paris&Sampson/Claudio

Luxord- Capulet&Tybalt/Don Pedro

Marluxia- Friar Lawrence&Balthasar/Verges&Balthasar

Larxene- The Nurse&Lady Montague/Margaret

Roxas- Juliet/Beatrice

The Chorus will be read by everyone. That is all. Love, Ms. Serenity

Assigning the roles took a good deal of time, leaving the class with only an hour before dismissal. Rather than start their first play, 'Romeo and Juliet', Ms. Serenity opted to give them a group assignment.

"She wants us to rewrite the ending of 'Romeo and Juliet'? How are we supposed to do that when we haven't even started reading the actual play yet?" Roxas exclaimed.

"She gave us a basic summary…" Axel sighed. "Not that it helps us much, since it doesn't tell us how it ended…"

"We're supposed to write what we think should happen." Zexion supplied from the table behind theirs. "Regardless of whether or not we know how it ends…"

"We can totally cheat!" Demyx grinned. "The musical goddess that is Taylor Swift wrote a song that's perfect for this assignment!"

"Oh, yes… I forgot to mention this." Ms. Ser suddenly rose from desk and began to scribble away on the chalkboard. "I hate chalk…" she muttered before stepping away to reveal what she had written.

NO TAYLOR SWIFT REFERENCES.

"Rats!" Demyx cried.

"… So let me get this straight." Ms. Serenity frowned, reading the paper before her. "Romeo and Juliet run away together along with Tybalt, Paris, 'that nurse lady', and 'that friar dude', and then are captured by vampires? They begin sparkling after being struck by lightning and form a new life for themselves, calling themselves the Cullens?"

"Yep. That's what we wrote." Marluxia smiled.

"The lightning thing was my idea." Larxene added proudly.

"Well, it's certainly creative…" the dark-haired teacher sighed. "I'll give you a ninety-five because I hate 'Twilight'. Next is Demyx and Zexion."

The two quickly walked up to her desk and handed her their essay. They waited patiently as she read, occasionally exchanging glances. As she broke into a grin, they slapped each other's hand in a congratulatory high-five.

"Rather than run away, they work together to write a song that moves every heart in Italy? That's lovely!" Ms. Ser praised them. "I give it a ninety-six for historical inaccuracy… Somehow, I doubt the electric sitar was invented back then, although I'm certain Romeo would have played it beautifully…. Last, but not least, Axel and Roxas."

Axel playfully pushed Roxas as they waited for her response, receiving a nervous smile in reply. Axel winked back at the blond reassuringly, hoping to ease the anxiety that came with turning in your first assignment.

"…Did you boys really come up with this in just the past hour?" she eventually spoke, her eyes never leaving the page.

"Yes, ma'am." Roxas nodded.

"Although in our defense, you totally gave us the idea." Axel spoke up.

"Oh, really? How's that?"

"By casting Roxy as Juliet, of course. Reading the summary while imagining him as the lovely Juliet was all the inspiration we needed… Writing the ending came naturally." The pyromaniac smirked.

"You should be a novelist." Ms. Ser broke out in an excited grin. "Congratulations. You've just written the version of the play we'll be performing. I'll type up the revision tonight, then pass out copies in the morning. Class dismissed!"