It was Friday. Julie was so happy that it was finally Friday. The weekend was just about here. Tonight would be the first showing of her favorite book as a movie and she would get to see it with her friends. Now she just had survive the school day.

All Julie could think about when she sat down in the morning at their usual table was about later tonight.

"Earth to Julie!" Ivy waved a hand in front of her face.

Julie snapped out of her daydreaming. "What?"

"You zoned out a bit there." Romeo stated chuckling slightly. She glared at him.

"Were you thinking about later today?" Eric asked.

"Yeah I'm pretty excited for the movie." Julie smiled faintly. She couldn't wait to see it.

"Are you excited for English class?" Ivy asked. Juliet's eyes narrowed.

"No but I'm sure he won't call on me. Lots of girls like to be Juliet. I'm sure someone will raised their hand."

Ivy shot a look at Romeo and Anthony. They looked amused. The three of them knew that no one on the Capulet's side was going to raise their hand. There was a reason. A couple of girls had thought it would be cute if the real Romeo and Juliet read this scene and so they had convinced everyone in their class not to raise their hands for the parts.

Julie raised an eyebrow at the three. They looked like they were conspiring. She didn't ask what it was about. She didn't want to know.

Eventually fourth period rolled around and Julie dragged Ivy into their English class, barely on time. When Julie sat down she noticed Emily Baker and Alicia Ritcher talking to each other and giggling. Juliet knew that they were on opposite sides, so why were they together right now? The bell rang signaling for class to start.

"Alicia and Emily, what did I say about fraternizing with the enemy? You two are not friends right now. Sit down please." Mr. Harvey told them. His voice was somewhat lighthearted but the class could tell that he wasn't joking. Alicia and Emily took their seats. Juliet noticed them flash each other a smile.

Mr. Harvey spoke up once more. "Today we are reading the famous balcony scene." A couple of girls let out small squeals of joy. "I'm sure you all are very excited. First things first, casting. We need the two title characters, Romeo and Juliet." Mr. Harvey turned towards the right side where the Montagues were. "Who would like to be Romeo?"

No one raised their hand at first. Slowly a hand went up. It belonged to none other than Romeo Cameron. Julie sighed. Of course.

"Alright, Romeo you can be well Romeo." Mr. Harvey laughed a little. He turned to the left. "Who would like to be Juliet?"

Again no one raised their hands. Julie sank down in her chair and begged that she wouldn't have to read.

"No one? Alright let's see who hasn't read yet... Anna Zeller hasn't gone, Issac Smith," A couple people laughed including Issac at the thought of him reading for the part of the girl. "Kaylee Emerson hasn't either and... Interesting... Juliet Hunter." Mr. Harvey apparently had just realized that they had a Juliet and a Romeo in the class or at least it seemed that way. "If someone doesn't volunteer I will pick someone." He waited. No one volunteered.

Julie shut her eyes and sunk down deeper in her seat. She really hoped she wouldn't get called on.

"Juliet, why don't you read?" Mr. Harvey asked. It may have sounded like a question but it really wasn't. Julie reluctantly opened her book as Mr. Harvey told the class the page number. "Scene II. Capulet's Orchard. Enter Romeo." Mr. Harvey read off the stage cues as usual.

Romeo took a breath and began. "He jests at scars that never felt a wound."

"Juliet appears above at a window." Mr. Harvey directed.

Romeo looked across the room, directly into Julie's eyes. She looked away. Julie could feel her face start to grow red. Romeo continued to read, but Juliet knew he kept sneaking glances at her.

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!" Romeo spoke with such passion that the class was nearly convinced that he was the character. Julie's face was bright red now and she could barely get out her line.

"Aye me!" She gulped. The room felt very hot all of a sudden.

"She speaks:
O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air."

Romeo smiled slightly. Julie allowed herself to look at him. They were locked into a star struck gaze that the entire class noticed. Ivy looked like she was about to burst out with laughter at any second. Anthony and Eric looked faintly amused. Mark looked happy for those two. The stare was broken when Julie realized it had been silent for a longer than expected. She coughed lightly and began reading her part.

"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." Julie said. If her face could get any redder it probably would have at that moment. A couple girls in the class including Emily and Alicia looked like they were about to freak out. They thought it was adorable. Romeo, for some reason, beamed as Julie said her lines.

For the rest of the class Romeo and Julie would take turns reading with a few stage cues from Mr. Harvey. Romeo only took his eyes off Juliet to look at the words in the book. Julie tried to look anywhere besides at Romeo, but right now she was drawn to look at him. She thought it might have been the power of the love story they were helping to tell.

Class was nearly over when Romeo said his final part. "Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!
Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!
Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell,
His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell." There was still as much passion and honesty behind these words as when they first started.

The class applauded. Romeo and Juliet had done a great job at reading, maybe it had something to do with the fact that they had read it before or maybe it was because of some other reason. The class loved it.

Mr. Harvey was shocked by how well the two Juniors had done, especially Romeo who's passion seemed so real and true.

"Wow have either of you ever thought of acting?" Mr. Harvey asked. Both of them shook their heads. "Well you did great. I think the two of you are going to go more often."

Juliet groaned. Great, she was probably going to get called on again. She shouldn't have done such a good job.

Ivy caught up to Julie on her way out the door. She was laughing slightly. "That was an interesting-"

"Don't say a word." Julie told her friend, her face still redder than a tomato.

It definitely wasn't her favorite English lesson, but she had to admit it was an interesting one.