Zelda12343 - I'm glad no one got offended about the stuffy old nun thing :)

Oreoskidz - Hahaha! That's too funny. I should read Much Ado sometime. And then maybe write a spin-off with Beatrix trying to find her dream man?

So, Rosaline's getting into a tricky situation. Let's see some more from the other side of things. By the way...does anyone here like Gabriel at all?

Rose couldn't take her eyes off him.

Her boyfriend had scruffy hair, bad dress sense, braces, spots, clunky glasses and he was on the tubby side. He wore weird mismatching socks and he hung around with the weirdest boy that ever lived (Mercutio) and the most lovesick idiot that ever lived (Romeo)

But he, and Rose had only just learnt his name was Gabriel, had platinum blond shoulder length hair, deep ocean blue eyes, curved pouted lips, delicate feminine features and high cheekbones, a pleasing elegant slender figure, toned from twelve years of ballet dancing. But he was also so...different.

He'd worn velvet leggings instead of the usual school trousers, a pair of black vintage shoes that were really made for women, a school shirt that he had tailored himself to fit better, a little woolly vest over that, and an oversized blazer scuffed in all the right places. Between his lips rested a cigarette. One hand, the nails painted black and his middle finger adorned with a ring, snaked up and removed the cigarette so he blew out smoke to billow around his face.

From where Rose stood, he seemed to have tossed her a shy smile, before turning away to walk up the platform. Her eyes fell to admire his...

"Why are you looking at him?" asked Mercutio. Rose was startled out her thoughts.

"Who?"

"Him. You know. Prima donna Gabriel Fulgencio"

"I wasn't" Rose shook her brown curls from under her winter hat "I mean, I was just wondering. Don't you think he's cold?"

"Even so, it's not your problem. Little freak he is" scorned Mercutio.

"Cut it out, Mercutio" sighed Benvolio.

"Ok. Can I have some scissors?"

"You know what I mean" Benvolio scolded.

"No, I don't"

"Why do you always act like this!" hissed Benvolio "Whenever Romeo or I have a girl around!"

"Act like what?" asked Mercutio, turning his head on his side innocently.

"This! I know you do. You don't act like this when Hermia's around. Only when Romeo has a girlfriend, or I have a girlfriend. It's embarrassing!" Benvolio hissed again. Rose looked at him strangely.

"I can embarrass you a lot worse than this, Bennykins. Want a demonstration?"

"No!" cried Benvolio. Mercutio stepped aside from him, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, cleared his throat and was about to let rip with a beauteous song from his beauteous voice, but...

"Benvolio! Mercutio! I have great news!" exclaimed Romeo, leaping in the middle of them.

"What is it?" asked Mercutio, annoyed his chance to embarrass Benvolio had been ruined.

"I...I'm in love!" cried Romeo passionately.

Mercutio and Benvolio both groaned. Romeo looked confused.

"What's the matter?"

"You're always in love!" yelled Mercutio.

"Who is it now?" grumbled Benvolio.

"I'm not always in love" lied Romeo "Those are childish fancies. I am in love...now!"

"With who?" asked Mercutio "Hey, I know...Tybalt's mum!"

"No!" cried Romeo, mollified. Even Benvolio and Rose giggled.

"Who is it?"

Romeo's eyes clouded over "It's Rosaline. Rosaline Oftmoro" he said moonily.

Mercutio's jaw dropped "Ewww! She's council estate trash!"

"No, she isn't!" cried Romeo "She's beautiful! Have you seen all those posh clothes she wears?"

"Those are copies, Romeo. Counterfeit"

"How do you know they are copies? The only boys I know who know things about clothes are gay ones!"

"Hey!" interrupted Benvolio "Stop it!"

"And anyway" said Mercutio "She has a boyfriend. She's seeing a guy called Orlando. Out of luck, loser"

"I don't care, I'll win her off him! She already hangs around with Tybalt a lot so it's not like she really loves him"

"Surely if she hangs around with Tybalt" Benvolio began "Surely she's more interested in him?"

"I thought Rosaline was going to be making a pledge at the Verona Belle's Chastity Ball?" added Rose. The boys looked at her, suddenly interested. She went on "Sometimes, the teachers compare us to her, saying she's a great example to us, that she's smart and stuff. Today, one of the teachers was asking her if she'd make a speech there. It's really annoying, actually. It's not like she likes any of us. She just looks down her pointy nose at everyone"

"What a pack of lies" Mercutio remarked. He turned to Romeo to finish talking "She is a complete and utter bitch to Hermy-wa. She calls her a bastard, says nasty things about her, and tells her she doesn't deserve to live with the Capulets. I forbid you from going after a slapper like her. You'll just come crawling back with bruises from Tybalt and an STD from her"

"Amen to that" said Benvolio.

"You're just jealous!" cried Romeo.

"Of what? Romeo, you don't know what love is" scolded Mercutio "You just like attention from us when you do your 'I'm Romeo Montague and I'm in love' facade. Well, from now on, Benvolio and I are going to ignore you. Go angst in a corner. Come along now, Bennykins"

"Bye" said Benvolio. Rose followed after him, her hand in his. Romeo sighed. Mercutio just didn't get it. Rosaline wasn't trash, she was smart. And seeing her yesterday, the way she had boldly tried to calm down the ferocious Tybalt Capulet, the way her ice blue eyes looked, the way her golden hair flickered in the dying light, the way her coat had been open just a little, allowing him to see her cleavage. She was beautiful, and Romeo loved her.