The Story of Us

English Class

Kim’s POV

                The bell rings and we all head off to our various classes. I have English Literature next, where we’re studying Shakespearean plays.

Lots of the kids don’t like this unit, but I think lots of Shakespeare’s plays are quite beautiful and romantic- especially Romeo and Juliet. Oh, every time I hear this one scene in the play, I swoon inside my head. It must be nice to be Juliet, well, at least until she finds Romeo dead.

                I get to class, then stop just before I walk through the doorway. Oh, great. I forgot I had this class with Jack, Milton, Shawn, and Bryden. Well, this is brilliant.

And even better, the only seat left in the classroom just happens to be smack dab in the middle of those four. Yay… note my sarcasm. It’s not that I have a problem with them, it’s just, well, lunch was so awkward already, and Mrs. Muller, our English Lit teacher, tends to put us in reading groups with the kids around us.

I hesitantly enter the classroom and take the last seat. Jack smiles at me, but the rest of them ignore me. Wow, it’s been, like, forever since I last saw that beautiful smile. Well, no. It’s been forever since that smile was last directed at me. Wait, am I daydreaming about Jack? Pull yourself together, girl!

Mrs. Muller writes the name of the play we’re reading today on the board, then puts us in reading groups. Yay, it’s Romeo and Juliet! No, I’m with Jack, Bryden and Shawn!

We pull our chairs into a circle and open our books to the act we’re supposed to be reading- Act 3, Scene 5.

“Okay, so who’s gonna play Romeo and who’s gonna play Juliet?” I ask. Shawn and Bryden glance at each other.

“Not it!” They say in unison.

“Wow, guys, real mature”, Jack rolls his eyes. “I guess it’s me and you, Kim. Do you want Romeo or Juliet?” Jack smirks.

“Umm… Juliet, duh.”

“Okay.”               

“Enter Romeo and Juliet aloft”, Shawn says, then we begin reading.

“ Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.

It was the nightingale, and not the lark,

That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.

Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree.

Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.” I read, putting expression into my voice. This is such a beautiful act.

“It was the lark, the herald of the morn,

No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks

Do lace the-“ Jack pauses. “This is stupid and it doesn’t make any sense. Can I skip it?”

“No! First of all, it’s not stupid, it’s”, I sigh, “Romantic. And anyways, just get it over with.”

Jack rolls his eyes and continues to read.

“Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.

Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day

Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

I must be gone and live, or stay and die.” Jack reads.

“Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I.

It is some meteor that the sun exhales

To be to thee this night a torchbearer,

And light thee on thy way to Mantua.

Therefore stay yet. Thou need’st not to be gone.”

“Let me be ta'en. Let me be put to death.

I am content, so thou wilt have it so.

I’ll say yon grey is not the morning’s eye.

'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow.” I can see him losing himself in the words.

“Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat

The vaulty heaven so high above our heads.

I have more care to stay than will to go.

Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so.

How is ’t, my soul? Let’s talk. It is not day.” Wow, when he forgets about acting cool, he’s actually really good at this stuff. He makes a really good Romeo. And I’m not the only one who notices.

“Brava, Jack, Brava, Kim! That was astounding. Best in the class, I must say.” Jack looks embarrassed. I can tell he didn’t mean to read so well. “Would you mind reading that in front of the class?”

Jack’s POV

GAH! Why on earth did I read that so well? I meant to make it really really bad, because I’ve built up my reputation as more of a player than a romantic, beginning ever since Kim and I fought. It just hurt me too much, you know? But now my stupid romantic side is back. All thanks to a poem. Great.

Oh, who am I kidding? I lost focus because of Kim. If it had been any other girl, I would’ve read it as I usually do- sarcastically and toneless. It’s just, she sounded and looked so beautiful while she read that I could barely think about anything else, and I guess the words just… absorbed me.

I can see Bryden looking at me in shock, and Shawn’s snickering at me.

“What happened to player Jack? More like Romeo. I think I’ll call you that from now on.” He snickers. He can get really annoying sometimes, but I just ignore him. With no fuel the fire stops burning, you know?

I didn’t know Mrs. Muller was listening, and now Kim and I are getting pushed to the front of the class to read. Well, I’m getting pushed. Kim’s skipping, obviously delighted. Just then, by an incredible stroke of luck, the bell rings, and I grab my bag and run out of class before anyone can say a thing.