Fight to the Finish

Arden and Hunter were walking in the hallway of their school, "London Bridge Junior High School". They passed by their friend Alonzo. He was stapling a flyer about this year's play. Arden was surprised when she saw the flyer. She ripped the paper of the wall and gazed at it with wide eyes.

"There's going to be a play?" asked Arden. Alonzo snatched it back. He stapled it back on the wall. Arden ripped the flyer of the wall again and gasped with delight.
"The play is "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare! I will do anything for the role of Juliet," exclaimed Arden. Alonzo snatched the flyer away from her again.

"Ok Arden but I'm going to have to tell you to stop doing that," replied Alonzo trying to staple the flyer back on the wall. While he had his back turned, Laura Gonzales from the fourth story came by and saw the flyer.
"Well, well, well, a play of love, compassion, and drama………MAKES ME SICK!" she exclaimed. She looked at Arden and smirked.
"Well it does not surprise me with the fact that a loser like you and your even worse friends," she added. Arden glared at her.

"Laura, when are you just gonna give it up? In fact we are not even gonna bring it up," she asked. Laura's friend, Aqua and Rayne, appeared.

"If you're referring about what happened at Student Court, that's in the past and we don't even want to talk about," replied Rayne.
"We all agree, don't we, Arden. After all, it's not Arden fault that Arden was innocent and you made a fool of yourself," returned Hunter. Arden covered Hunter's mouth with her hand. Laura scoffed. Arden shot a real nasty look at Hunter.
"Uh……yeah and that would be bringing it up," she replied. Hunter nodded his head in agreement. Laura rolled her eyes. She looked back at the flyer.
"I see we are having a play. "Romeo and Juliet" sounds like crud but I know you're thinking about signing up for auditions. So I'm taking the liberty of auditioning for the role I know you've wanted to have. Juliet," explained Laura. She found the audition list, took out her pen and scribbled:

Laura Gonzales

She put away her put and stuck her little mouse nose in the air as she walked away. Arden's mouth dropped open. She stomped her foot in anger.

"WHY YOU LITTLE!" yelled Arden. Aqua gasped. She cornered Arden.

"Do you wanna continue that?!" she asked harshly.

"…No…please excuse me," replied Arden, trying to not let anger get to her. Aqua and Rayne walked away, sneering. They caught up to Laura. Arden sighed. Then she looked at Hunter and then Alonzo.

"Why didn't you help me Alonzo?" asked Arden folding her arms.

"I couldn't help because…well…I accidentally stapled my sleeve to the wall so it was kind of hard to help," confessed Alonzo. Arden looked and saw Alonzo's sleeve stapled to the wall. Arden and Hunter grabbed Alonzo and started pulling his body until Alonzo's arm was ripped off. Alonzo held his arm in pain.

"Ow…" he hissed. Arden rolled her eyes and looked at the audition list that had Laura's signature on it.

"You know Arden, Laura maybe a little life wrecker, but you will always be the girl that kicked her butt at the trial," replied Hunter. Arden smiled trying to think confident struck an idea. She was going to sign. She looked through her clothes for a pen. Hunter and Alonzo just stared at her disgusted. Arden looked at them back.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.

"Stop looking through your clothes. You're making us sick," muttered Hunter. Arden rolled her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Oh I know! We can go to the school store. They've tons of pens there," exclaimed Arden. Arden, Hunter, and Alonzo rushed to the school store right before its closing time. Arden looked at the sign for pens and hit the roof!
"WHAT! SEVEN SHILLINGS FOR ONE PEN……Hunter can you give me seven shillings?" asked Arden. When she turned around, Hunter had already zoomed off leaving Arden and Alonzo there. Arden looked at Alonzo.

"Where'd he go?" asked Arden. Alonzo glared.

"I'll never tell!" he protested. Arden grabbed Alonzo's left ear.

"Biology," replied Alonzo. Arden let go of Alonzo's ear and ran off. After getting her seven shillings, she bought the pen and I signed the audition sheet.

"Alright Laura, I'm ready for you," she said walking away.

After school, Arden rushed home with a script in one paw and fist in another. She passed by Hiram who was working with Basil and Dawson on a new toy. Arden ran to her room and looked through her script.

"This isn't hard at all really," she said to herself. An hour later, Olivia came home from her school and met with Arden.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm looking through my script for my school's play "Romeo and Juliet"," replied Arden. Olivia nodded and sat with her.

"Who are you auditioning for?" asked Olivia.

"I'm auditioning for Juliet. That girl Laura Gonzales is back and she's trying to get revenge on me by getting the role and brag about to me, so I'm taking her on," explained Arden. Olivia's smile faded.

"Well you better do something. Hunter told me that he signed up for auditions and he has been chosen for "Romeo" and so you better get going," replied Olivia. Arden's eyes widened.

"OH FLOP!" she yelled. She pushed Olivia out and locked the door. Arden spent all night looking through her script. At 9:00 P.M, Olivia went to sleep while Arden kept memorizing her lines. At 10:00, Hiram, Basil, and Dawson came up to see a sleepy Arden.

"Arden, why are up at this time?" asked Hiram.

"I'm trying to get back at Laura Gonzales," replied Arden weakly.

"I thought we got rid of her a long time ago," returned Basil. Arden looked at him.

"Well she's come back and she's planning to out shine me and make a fool of myself," replied Arden.

"Have you tried talking to her?" asked Dr. Dawson.

"Yes, but she's still gonna make me miserable," replied Arden. "If only she knew my horrible past," Her eyes lit up and got a wonderful idea. She smiled.

"I know that smile. What are you thinking?" asked Hiram. Arden looked at the men.

"Well boys, I've said it before and I'll say it again, let's just say it ain't over till the real loser cries," replied Arden.

"What can we do to help?" asked Basil and Dawson. Arden smirked as her sight went toward the three men with her. When Arden whispered her plan, something really weird happened.

"QUIET! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!" yelled Olivia. Arden stared at sleeping Olivia.

"Ehh……cranky," replied Arden.

The next day at auditions, Laura went first. She said her line and sang the song Juliet has to sing. Aqua and Rayne applauded loudly. Laura went off the stage and sat with her friends. The play director, Ms. Huvar, called Arden's name. Ms. Huvar was light tan furred mouse wearing a cerebellum colored dress. Arden took a big breath and walked on to the stage.

"I hope she falls," whispered Laura to Aqua. Aqua giggled. Arden ignored what she heard.

"You can say Juliet's line," said Ms. Huvar. Arden straightened her throat and sad Juliet's line. She stared at Hunter lovingly while she did.

"Romeo, Romeo art thou Romeo," she said gracefully.

Ms. Huvar gasped at her voice. She clapped.

"Wonderful, I believe finding a Juliet for our Romeo won't be so hard after all," she complemented. Arden smiled. Laura scoffed.

"Have you memorized the lines?" asked Ms. Huvar.

"Yes ma'am," replied Arden.

"You can begin," returned Ms. Huvar.

"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art myself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection perfection which he owes without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee. Take all myself."

Ms. Huvar clapped, but Hunter clapped even harder. When there was louder cheering, everyone turned around and there was Basil, Hiram, and Dawson jumping up and down. They applauded in approval. "Bravo! Bravo! That was marvelous!!" they yelled. Arden smiled. Laura just sat there with a grumpy look on her face. Arden's look was the opposite.

A few days later, Laura and Arden crossed each other shooting mean looks at each other. Ms. Huvar came to them with the cast list in her paw.

"Arden and Laura, the cast list is ready. Hunter and that new boy, Andy, are playing Romeo and it turns out……Laura……" she explained. Before she could finish, Arden was gasping and Laura was cheering and laughing at Arden.

"……will be the understudy of Juliet. Arden is playing Juliet mainly," added Ms. Huvar. Laura gasped and Arden was now cheering. Ms. Huvar walked away. Laura looked at her and glared. Arden stopped her cheering. Arden bowed her head.

"Laura……why can we not be friends?" she asked. Laura folded her arms and looked away.

"You know, I never really wanted the part anyway so forget you," replied Laura as she walked away with her nose in the air. Hunter and Alonzo came by. Arden looked at Hunter and smiled. Hunter looked at her back.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Hunter. Arden pulled her to the cast list Ms. Huvar taped on the wall and Hunter blushed. Arden gazed at Hunter and Hunter's gaze at the cast list led to staring back at Arden blushing. Arden blushed also. They gasped and looked away.