Star Crossed Actors

Chapter Nine: Reese

I flipped through the script Augustus had put in front of me, and sighed.

"Romeo and Juliet?" I asked, grinning. I liked this play, it was a romantic drama.

At least, that's what most people thought.

Thankfully, I'm not most people.

"Yea, I figured we could read the balcony scene. I borrowed a ladder from the janitor."

He looked so hopeful I'd say yes, I couldn't say no. "Of course. I'm Juliet, I suppose?"

Augustus nodded, and I stood up from behind the desk I was sitting at.

I climbed up the ladder, making it wobble a lot. "Alright. Let's start."

Augustus looked at his script, and said, "Start at O Romeo, O Romeo."

"Got it."

I got into character. I started to feel Juliet's pain, she wanted Romeo, but couldn't have him.

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."

I read the lines smoothly, and really connected with her pain.

Augustus said his next line, "Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"

"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is not hand, nor foot.....that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet....Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee, take all myself."

"I can take thee at thy word: call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; henceforth I never will be Romeo."

I started to fall off the ladder, and broke character for a hot second.

"Sorry...What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night, so stumblest on my counsel?"

"By a name, I know not how to tell thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, because it is an enemy to thee; had I it written, I would tear the word."

We went back and forth, saying the lines and channeling our character.

I was surprised at how much fun it was, that I was sad when we finished.

"That was actually fun!" I said as Augustus helped me off the ladder.

I hopped down as he grabbed my waist and guided me to the floor.

"Thank you," I said, smiling.

"Twas my pleasure," was his response.

I went back to the desk I was sitting at, and put the script in front of me. "What should we do now?"

"Well," Augustus started, "I figured we could discuss our meanings of this play. You wanna start?"

He hopped onto the desk across the aisle from mine.

"Um, alright...I believe that this play is a cautionary tale about the stupidity of youth and shallow lust. I just find it really hard to believe that Romeo got over Rosaline just like that! I mean this dude was pining for Rosaline for LITERALLY forever. It isn't realistic."

Augustus looked at the floor, shaking his head. "Oh? You really think that?"

"Yea, you have a problem with that?" I asked, crossing my arms and putting my left leg on top of my right leg.

"Maybe I do. See, what Shakespeare was TRYING to get across was that it's a beautiful tragedy about poisonous hatred conquered by love. They DIED for each other!"