Previous Apollo Awards entries for your reference or entertainment!
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Contest presented b...
The assignment was to rewrite a scene from Romeo and Juliet and perform it. Unfortunately, Percy couldn't rewrite an entire scene. He could barely read a scene.
"We're allowed to use modern English, y'know," Grover was sitting on Percy's bed, computer in front of him. "We just have to avoid slang."
Percy groaned. "I don't even want to do this. Can I have a small role?"
"There's two of us. We have to be Romeo and Juliet. I can do all the writing if you want. All you have to do is act." Other students had made groups of three, four, five kids. Grover and Percy didn't have the luxury of other friends, so they were stuck playing all of the characters. "I know you can do it."
Percy gave his best (and only) friend a look.
"You already read the story!" Did he? Whenever they read in class, the words always floated and danced around the page. He had just tried to listen to all the other kids read, but he never focused on them that long.
"I want to be Romeo."
"Fine."
—
This was not going well. They had a whole week and Grover couldn't think of anything.
"We might just have to improvise." he told Percy after they had tried (and failed) to brainstorm lines for hours. "You know how the scene basically goes, right?"
"Uh...yes?" But he knew it was hopeless. Percy could never memorize what happened. He was so screwed.
Maybe if he actually put the audiobook section in the book to use...
—
They were the fourth group to go. It was a good number. Not the first few, but not the last one everyone remembers.
They had practiced improvising for days. Percy had the basic plot memorized, but he might just have to blurt out lines for certain scenes. Still, it turned out Percy was pretty good at acting, so it was going to be fine. Maybe he would actually get a good grade!
Grover stood up, and Percy realized they'd been called.
The class looked pretty bored; a few in the back had fallen asleep. Percy didn't mind. The less people watching him, the better. On the other hand, Mr. Garter, his teacher, was glaring at him, daring him to slip up.
Grover took his place at the front of the classroom. "This is the tale of two star-crossed lovers. Unfortunately, fate wasn't on their side. This is where most recognize our hero and heroine. This is... the balcony scene!" he declared, waving his hands dramatically in the air.
Percy couldn't help it. He snorted. Mr. Garter gave him a look and the sixth grader bit his tongue.
Percy walked to where Grover was standing as his friend rushed away. and said, "The only reason Mercutio makes fun of me is because he couldn't get a girlfriend if he tried. Or maybe that's because he's gay for my cousin."
The class started to perk up.
Mr. Garter looked like he was about to kill Percy. He ignored it, looking up at the ceiling. "Why is the bedroom light open? Oh, it must be Juliet. Gorgeous Juliet, far more beautiful than..." Was it the moon? Yeah, it was the moon. "The moon. You, Juliet, are the sun!"
Wow, Romeo was down bad.
Grover walked up, indicating Juliet was standing on the balcony. Percy continued monologuing.
"Oh, there she is! The love of my life! Ooh, she's wearing a glove. The glove is touching her cheek! I want to be that glove."
There was no way Shakespeare meant for this play to be serious.
"Ay me." Grover said, which Percy had learned meant oh my.
"She speaks! Oh, she looks like an angel. You are looking upon me from heaven."
Don't laugh don't laugh, don't laugh—
Percy was barely keeping a straight face as Grover asked what was in a name.
"If you wish so, I will no longer be Romeo." announced Percy. "I'll change my name, if that's what you want."
Grover dropped his hand he dramatically held into the air. "Why is a mysterious man here eavesdropping on me?"
Don'tlaughdon'tlaughdon'tlaughDON'TLAUGH—
He would not fail this assignment. He simply refused.
"You wish for me not to use my name. I will not use my name if you hate it so much, my dear saint. I'll destroy every surface with my name etched in if that's what you want of me." Percy/Romeo announced.
"I'm not stupid," Grover/Juliet replied. "I know your voice. You are one of the Montagues. You. Are. Romeo."
Okay, Percy laughed a little at that. The accusatory tone really sold it.
You know, if Grover was going to be dramatic about this, Percy would too. Maybe he could try to make
"I am neither, I shall change my name!" Percy flung his hands in the air as he declared the statement, but unfortunately, he was a little bit too close to the wall. His right hand hit the fire alarm. Hard.
Dammit.
The water sprinklers went off, not only in their classroom but for the entire school. The class screamed and rushed out, one girl squealing that her book was getting wet.
In a few minutes, the entire school was outside. Mr. Garter was talking to the headmaster, and he called Percy over.
Oh shit.
Percy looked at Grover, then at the principal, and slowly walked to the principal.
