Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters or Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Authors Note: Sorry it took so long to update. Don't feel bad though cause this is a long chapter! I just had a whole week off for spring break so I suppose I could have done it then But I didn't really feel like typing since my evil social studies teacher had already gave me a lot of typing work for the weekend. Hope you enjoy this chapter, but we should be getting more into the SasuSaku stuff in the next few chapters.

Summary: Two rival students, Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, must share the spotlight in order to produce this years school play, Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, they hate each other more than they can bear to act, though neither is willing enough to give up the game. Can they over come their differences and discover that just maybe, there really is something hidden under all the hate? Maybe even a little romance?

Ro-may-oh and Juliet

The students of the drama club all lounged around stage area, anxiously waiting for Kakashi so that the try-outs could begin. Some were busy rehearsing their lines, frantically reading over the script. Those who were less nervous found other ways of entertaining themselves. Hinata Hyuga sat on the edge of the stage, her feet dangling over the side as she read an engrossing book. Naruto had been telling and acting out a joke to Kiba, who was clutching his sides in laughter. Not to far away Shikamaru was laid out on the stage, propped up on an elbow, reading over his lines. Chouji Akimichi sat next to him with a Gatorade and his signature bag of chips. He didn't even bother with a script since all he ever wanted to do was stage crew. Neji, Shino and Lee were discussing an extremely hard project that the chemistry teacher, Mr. Ibiki, had assigned. Over all, the atmosphere was very tranquil.

"So Sakura, ready for me to steal the lead roll this year?" Ino teased.

"As soon as your ready to shave your head!" She responded lightheartedly.

"Ino, you know no one stands a chance against her!" Tenten said avidly. "When Sakura goes on stage she doesn't act, she becomes her role."

Ino nodded sourly as Sakura blushed at the flattering remark. Trying to avert the attention from herself she asked Ino, "So what role are you going out for?" She didn't bother asking Tenten because she only took side roles, as she was the main costume designer.

"Well the only other main female role besides Juliet is the nurse. It's a cool role though." Ino said tenaciously. "I'd get to say a lot of earthy comments, if ya know what I mean!" She said winking.

A sneering voice from behind made them all turn around. "I personally think the role of the nurse is better suited for Sakura." Sasuke had said haughtily.

"And I personally think the role of a dog is better suited for you." Sakura replied sweetly.

"Say what you will," Sasuke said exasperatedly. "But come act one, scene five, 'My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." And with that he drew his thumb across her lips and strolled away.

Sakura furiously blushed as she wiped her mouth disgustedly. She turned to the two girls who watched in amusement at their friends torment, "I just hope he doesn't give me mono."

"Hmm," Ino said mischievously. "If I'da known better, I would have thought you looked as though you enjoyed it."

"WHAT?" Sakura said incredulously.

Tenten joined in on the game. "Come to think of it, I think I saw you blush!"

"I did not!" Sakura said taken aghast at her friends' benedict behavior. Her face grew heated.

"Wait, YOU ARE NOW!" Ino accused as Sakura tried to hide her face in shame. "So you've had a bit of a secret crush you haven't told us about ne?"

"No!" Said Sakura hotly. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she had felt a little shiver go down her spine when Sasuke had touched her.

Tenten and Ino stopped giggling when Lee walked over. "Hey, what's going on over here"?"

Ino spoke slyly, "Nothing, except Sakura has a cru-" Tenten elbowed her in the ribs and said lightly, "Nothing at all, we'll leave you guys then, ta ta!" And with that she drug Ino away, for which Sakura was grateful.

Lee didn't seem at all suspicious of their odd behavior and continued to talk to Sakura until the doors to the auditorium shut, signaling Mr. Hatake's arrival.

"Okay everyone! Lets all take a seat and get these tryouts rolling!"

After they were all seated, Mr. Hatake began calling people up to stage. They watched as the nervous participants spoke their muddled lines, and applauded politely when they were finished. It was only when the superior actors were called up that peoples interest really peeked.

Naruto was on stage now and despite the fact that he didn't take much serious, he was very first-rate at his acting. When he finished saying the piece that all the guys were required to, he said to Mr. Hatake, "You want me to go over my preferred role now?" Mr. Hatake nodded, "Which role is it you prefer?" Kakashi asked him. "I wanna be Mercutio! He's the only good humored dude in the whole freakin story!" He said matter-of-factly, totally shattering the illusion his acting had created for the audience. "Alright then, which part are you doing?" "Act two, scene one, lines 8-23." "Okay then begin when you ready." Naruto coughed exaggeratedly, and went on the stretch out his muscles, then straighten his cloths, until finally someone yelled, "Come on dip shit, we don't got all day!" A few could be heard sniggering in the audience.

Naruto took one final deep breath and began.

"Nay, I'll conjure too.

Romeo! Humors! Madman! Passion! Lover!

Appear thou in the likeness of a sigh;

Speak but one rhyme, and I am satisfied!

Cry but "Ay me!" pronounce but "love" and "dove";

Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word,

One nickname for her purblind son and heir,

Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim

When King Cophetua loved the beggar maid!

He heareth not, he stirreth not, he moveth not;

The ape is dead, and I must conjure him.

I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes,

By her forehead and her scarlet lip,

By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,

And the demesnes that there adjacent lie,

That in thy likeness thou appear to us!"

And with that he leapt off the stage and bowed deeply as everyone stood up to clap. Sakura leaned towards Hinata and muttered, "Leave it to Naruto to say a perverted segment." She heard the girl giggle. Sakura knew that she had had a crush on the blonde, for quite awhile now. In fact, almost everyone did. The only people who didn't know were Hinata and Naruto themselves!

A few tryouts later and it was Sasuke's turn, who walked out onto the stage as though he owned it. Girls who were not part of the drama group, but had shown up for this particular tryout only whistled and yelled for him. Sasuke winked at them and did a gracious bow. Sakura glared. After a few more "Yeah Sasuke!"'s, Kakashi got up and escorted the girls out the door, much to everyone's relief.

Finally Sasuke began. He performed at a rate higher then everyone's expectations, as usual, and every line was spoken flawlessly. By the time he was done, there was no doubt who this years Romeo was going to be. Even Sakura had to admit that he was an excellent actor, though she refused to stand and clap with the rest.

Finally it was her turn. Her act was as looked forward too as Sasuke's. The other drama members clapped loudly (minus one obstinate, raven-haired boy), and most of the guys catcalled. She took a deep breath and almost immediately they had quieted down, awaiting her performance. She closed her eyes, as was habitual of her before she acted, and imagined she was apprehensively awaiting the nurse's arrival, so that she would know wither or not Romeo had agreed to marry her. Sakura suddenly felt as though she really were this nervous girl. Was her true love going to say "yes" or "no"? Did he really want to marry her? All these thoughts rushed into her head and she knew she was ready to begin her act. She paced back and forth across the stage, unable to retain in that single spot.

"The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse;" she spoke hurriedly as she crossed her arms in uncertainty. "In half an hour she promised to return.

Perchance she cannot meet him. That's not so." Already Sakura had captivated them. She had put a spell over them and it would not be broken until her part was finished.

"O, she is lame! Love's heralds should be thoughts,

Which ten times faster glide then the sun's beams

Driving back shadows over lowering hills.

Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love,

And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.

Now is the sun upon the hillmost hill

Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve

Is three long hours; yet she is not come.

Had she affections and warm youthful blood,

She would be swift in motion as a ball;

My words would bandy her to my sweet love,

And his to me.

But old folks, many feign as they were dead-

Unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead."

Juliet looked up as if to see the Nurse and her servant Peter enter the room, only to find herself staring at an empty stage, and then she was once again Sakura, not Juliet, and she smiled to herself knowing she had done it. She finished her lines.

"O God, she comes! O honey nurse, what news?

Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away." And she made as though she were shooing away an unseen pest. Sakura was finished.

Her audience erupted into cheers and she smiled at them and did a sort of little victory dance. She saw her friends giving her the thumbs up and some had their hands cupped around their mouths yelling. Lee was doing both and putting his fingers in his mouth whistling loudly. Kakashi nodded approvingly, his way of telling her 'excellent job as usual'.

For a second, she could have sworn that she saw Sasuke smiling at her, but before she could even blink, it was gone. She found herself wishing that he really was smiling, and smiling at her. He had a gorgeous smile, one that could light up the darkest place, and right now she wanted it to shine on her. His recognition would be the paramount compliment that would make it all worth while-'WHAT am I thinking?' She screamed in her mind. She walked off the stage suddenly feeling unclean with herself, if that were possible. Those foul thoughts, the ones with her seemingly perhaps liking Sasuke, seemed to be entering her mind more and more and it drove her insane. She hated him, she-

"Whoa, watch where your going Hun!" Said Ino who she had just walked straight in to.

"That, I think, was your best performance yet." Lee said putting an arm around her shoulder, and for a moment her mind wanted her to slide out away from him. But she smiled warmly at him and was soon met with pats on the back followed by many compliments.

After the tryouts had ended, the students left to grab their rides, or in Sakura and Inos' case, catch the activity busses.

Sakura had said goodbye to Lee, who had kissed her on the cheek when she had abruptly turned her head. Before he could ask what was the matter though, she had acted (which was her specialty) as though she were going to miss the bus, which wouldn't leave for another 15 minutes.

Ino stared at her pink haired friend, who had just caught up with her. "What?" Sakura asked at her Ino's intent gaze.

"You gonna tell me what that was all about?" She asked as she inclined her head back towards where Lee had just been.

"It wasn't anything." Sakura replied awkwardly.

"Mmmhmm." Ino said, not believing it for a second.

Sakura gave in to her best friends silent demands. "Oh, I dunno, it's just…"

Ino finished for her, "You just realized that you're not really happy with Lee?"

Sakura nodded sheepishly, but Ino continued. "You also just realized that you have an undying love for Sasuke Uchiha, your prior formidable rival for two years."

"What?" Sakura choked out as Ino laughed. "Calm down, I just couldn't help myself." Sakura glared at her and she stopped laughing, and continued to discuss Lee. "Anyway, that boy is head over heels for you so before you let it get any farther, I suggest you end it."

"I know, I know, I'm just not sure I can do it yet. I mean I don't want to lose him as a friend!" Ino nodded sympathetically.

"This is gonna take some time to come up with what to say to him." Sakura said sighing.

"Alright, but I warned you. Don't let it drag out too long." And with that they bade each other farewell and got onto their separate busses.