I've been wanting to do this fanfiction idea for quite some time now, revamping the episode "School Play". This idea has always been floating around in my head and so I finally decided to do this. Your probably asking yourself why am I doing this, well. What if Helga was never in the girls restroom when she overheard the others mentioning Arnold as Romeo and Rhonda stayed with the Juliet part? Well you'll soon find out in this brand new story! Anyways, enjoy!
It was another normal day at the school known as P.S.118, and Mr. Simmons' class was being loud and chattery as per usual.
Mr. Simmons soon walks in through the door and greets his class. "Good morning, class!"
"Good morning, Mr. Simmons." The class replies as they quiet down.
"Class I have a very special announcement! I have been assigned to direct P.S. 118's annual school play! And I have decided to choose one of the theater's great works of art, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet! Isn't that exciting?"
The class just sat there quietly since they didn't care about love stories.
Mr. Simmons then cleared his throat and turned off the lights. "Romeo and Juliet is a play about a beautiful and tragic story of two star-crossed teenagers in love. Even if they're families were sworn enemies, Romeo and Juliet's eyes would always meet and were head over heels for each other. And even If they're family and friends tried to keep them apart, they vowed to be together no matter wh-"
Mr. Simmons then saw Stinky's hand raised and called on him. "Yes, Stinky?"
"Mr. Simmons no offense but, this sound like another usual mushy luve story." Crossing his arms after. "Isn't there any fighting or action in this play?" He then finished.
"Well stinky, even though Romeo and Juliet is technically a love story, there's plenty of action in the plot. For example, two of the characters Romeo and Tybalt engage in an EXCITING sword fight!"
Stinky liked the sound of that. "Now that sounds good to me!"
Harold then blurted out. "I wanna be in a sword fight!"
"Well Harold Maybe you can! Auditions will be held in the auditorium!"
Soon the bell rang and class was dismissed. Most of the class started leaving for the auditorium to either try-out or watch other classmates try-out for the play. All but one at least, and that was Helga G Pataki.
"PFFT. Fourth graders doing a Romeo and Juliet play? Now that'll be the most dopey idea of the century. If one things for sure, Helga G Pataki won't be doing no dumb play!" saying it with a frown on her face.
Soon in the auditorium, Stinky, Harold and Curly were trying out.
Stinky soon finished practicing his line and Mr. Simmons looked impressed. "Very good Stinky! You'll make a great Friar Laurence!.
"Will I get to stab some fella's?" Stinky asked hopingly.
"Well not exactly, Friar Laurence is a wise and kind man so I'm afraid you won't be doing the fighting bit's.
Stinky frowned a bit as he left the stage.
Soon Curly and Harold were practicing for the sword fight scene.
"Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out." Curly recited.
"I am for you!" Recited Harold.
Eugene then comes in. "Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly forbidden bandying in Verona streets."
Harold then put his sword under Curly's armpit. Curly then acted out as if he was injured and soon succumbed to the fake injury.
"Wonderful Curly! You'll make a terrific Mercutio! And Harold, you have a special relationship with the character Tybalt! And I think we found our Romeo in Eugene!"
"I get to play Romeo?" Eugene started.
"You're perfect! The brave, brooding and romantic person who risks it all for love. Romeo, who shares a kiss with Juliet at th-" Harold interrupted at the last part.
"Hang on Hang on! You mean Romeo has to kiss a girl?"
"Well yes, Harold. It's one of the more beautiful and special parts of the plot."
Curly, Harold and Stinky bursted out laughing. "Kissing a girl? Now that really bites." Said Stinky.
"I really prefer not to kiss a girl." Eugene said nervously.
"But we need a Romeo, He's the most important part of the play." Mr. Simmons replied.
"Now that's way too disgusting, even for me!" Curly said walking off
Eugene, Harold and Stinky followed him off the stage leaving Mr. Simmons frantic for someone to play Romeo.
"Bravo Simmons, Bravo." Said Mr. Leichliter, clapping.
"Mr. Leichliter is that you?" Said Mr. Simmons.
"Indeed It Is. As I can see I'm the only one left in your audience and It so far looks like your 'Romeo and Juliet' play is already a disaster! Just like that disastrous play you had with your third grade class last year." Said Mr. Leichliter
Mr. Simmons wasn't tolerating it. "This is just a minor inconvience, I'll soon find someone to play Romeo, and I promise you that this play will be so good, it'll bring the crowd to tears!" Said Mr. Simmons with a stern face.
"To tears of laughter at how pathetic it'll be! Oh how good of a bad review this will be in the newspaper of the Byeweekly Bugle. Now keep dreaming Simmons." Then Mr. Leichliter left with Mr. Simmons more determined than ever.
Soon outside the classroom, the girls were gathered outside seeing who was going to get the part of Juliet.
"The following girls have been selected for call-back auditions for the part of Juliet: Lila, Sheena, Phoebe, that's me." Phoebe said excitedly
"Look Rhonda, you got a call-back too!" Sheena said chirply
"Well naturally, Sheena. Well I guess we'll soon find out who will be playing Juliet. And I want you girls to know, I wish you all the best of luck in the world.
The three of them looked rather confused and thanked her even if they didn't know what she meant. Once they walked away, Arnold soon came along towards the water fountain.
Mr. Simmons came out of the classroom. "Arnold! Arnold I've been looking all over for you! I want you to play Romeo!"
Arnold looked confused. "Romeo is big part and there's a lot of lines to learn and-"
Before he could finish, Mr. Simmons interrupted "Look Arnold, I need you to play Romeo.
"Well that's a very nice offer but I'm not Sur-"
"I've asked everybody else and nobody wants to do it. Arnold, I need you to do it!" Mr. Simmons pleaded.
"So I'm your last guy on the list?" Arnold asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well yes but that's not important. What is important is the play."
"Well I don't know Mr. Simmons, there's all the lines I have to learn and then there's the kissing part." Arnold then took a drink from the fountain.
"Arnold, I need you to be Romeo. Please, Please, Please you're my last hope!" Mr. Simmons finished as he pleaded on his knees.
Arnold then thought for a moment and sighed. "Fine. I'll be Romeo."
"Arnold, I can't thank you enough!" Then handed him all of his papers with his lines.
Arnold took one look at the amount of papers and knew he was going to hate himself for it, let alone he didn't even know who was going to be his Juliet. He could only hope it wasn't Helga.
Soon in the girls restroom, the Juliet call-backs were getting ready for they're part as Juliet.
"Have you girls heard that Arnold is going to be playing Romeo!" Sheena said.
"Well I don't know about you three but I for one, think that Arnold could've been the best possible choice to play Romeo!" Rhonda started as she brushed her hair.
"I mean what's not to like about him? He's a very sweet and generous boy, he's different then the other boys in terms of how mature he is for his age, and not to mention how stylish his outfit looks and how slick his blonde hair looks and-" Rhonda then opened her eyes just to see that Lila, Phoebe and Sheena were all looking at her curiously.
Rhonda couldn't help but blush furiously. "Did I say something or what?" She asked nervously
The others couldn't help but giggle. "Rhonda, why are you listing all these things about Arnold? Do you have a crush on him?" Sheena said cheekily yet curiously.
Rhonda couldn't help but blush furiously at it. "What? Pfft of course not, all I'm saying is he's a very sweet boy and just pointed out some of the things I notice about him." Rhonda said nervously
"And one of things you notice is his outfit and hair?" Lila asked.
Rhonda could only stumble on her words at that point. "Well I, It's just that- Look we're over here wasting time let's just go to the auditorium ok?" Rhonda said with her cheeks as red as her long sleeve shirt with a frown on her face.
But little did they know, Rhonda may have been secretly hiding her crush on Arnold.
And Rhonda saw this as an opportunity to finally try and confess her crush and only hope he felt the same way about her. Just thinking about it made her cheeks blush more red than her shirt.
Soon in the auditorium, after the four girls got done with reciting their lines, Mr. Simmons seemed impressed.
"Wow, all of you were terrific but Rhonda you were outstanding! Showing such emotion and saying your lines with such passion! Well, now that I have seen all the Juliets, I have made my decision. Rhonda, you'll be playing the part of Juliet! And it looks like you're in luck as well, you'll be paired along with Arnold as Romeo! Now isn't that exciting?" Mr Simmons said excitedly
Rhonda could only smile and imagine how the entire play will be like and especially the kissing scene. As the scene played out in her head, their lips slowly closing in until…
"Rhonda? Rhonda?" Mr. Simmons said, looking over at her.
Rhonda then opened her eyes feeling the warmth on her cheeks then looking over, slightly embarrassed.
"Rhonda, are you okay? Your cheeks look pretty red." Mr. Simmons asked.
"Huh? What? Oh yes, I'm fine Mr. Simmons." She replied while her cheeks were hotter than the sun and more redder than a tomato.
"Now as for the rest of you, you'll be understudies. Which means if something were to happen to Rhonda say if she drops out which is highly unlikely, one of the three of you will be chosen to replace her, sound good?" Mr Simmons asked as the three understudies all nodded.
Later on after school Gerald came to tell Arnold something that would fill him with happiness.
"Yo man what's happenin'?" As they did their handshake.
"Hey Gerald what's up?
"Man have I got news for you or what. You heard that Rhonda will be playing Juliet for the school play? Thee Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, the richest girl in the entire school?" Even Gerald couldn't believe he was saying that.
Arnold couldn't believe it. "Wait really?" Asking excitedly
"Woah man why you gettin' all jumpy on me? Unless it's not what I think I'm thinkin'?" Gerald was already getting onto his best friend.
Arnold didn't realize how chirpy he got when he heard and he hoped his cheeks wouldn't go red on him, unfortunately he felt the warmth of his cheeks.
"Woah hold on man, do you have a crush on Rhonda Lloyd?" Gerald asking surprisingly
Arnold couldn't help but blush furiously and tug on his collar. "Well I mean she's pretty and all, her black hair looks beautiful an-" Before Arnold said another word he heard what he was saying and stopped immediately and faced away from Gerald rubbing the back of his neck.
"WOAH. I think this just may be confirming my suspicions. Arnold man, YOU GOT A CRUSH O-" Arnold put his hand over Gerald's mouth before he revealed anything.
"Gerald, keep it down before anyone finds out or I'll be the laughing stock of the school! And no this doesn't confirm anything! I just think she's a beautiful girl and she's a great friend but nothing else ok." Arnold just frowned while his cheeks remained red.
"Whatever you say, whatever you say, lover boy." Gerald said teasingly with a smirk.
Arnold could only frown as Gerald walked away, then he felt a hand on his shoulder.
Arnold turned around only to see what he thought was the most beautiful sight he'd ever see.
And that will do it for this very long first chapter! I hope you guys liked it! There will definitely be more to this story. I hope you guys won't miss out on this brand new story! If you want, leave a review and until the next chapter!