Jacob Black and Me

Similarities

As I sat down in my seat, fully aware that many students were still giving me not-so-covert stares, and trying in vain to personify nonchalance, Jacob, his eyes darting mischievously, was writing a note on a small torn piece of paper. Curiosity burning inside, but not wanting to appear nosy or rude, I busied myself with locating my new copy of Romeo and Juliet, and opening it to the relevant page, which Mrs. James had just written on the board in red marker.

It was then that I felt someone press something rough and crisp into my hand, which was open beside my book. My gaze darted down at the folded square in my hand, and then across at Jacob. He wasn't looking at me, and appeared to be fully immersed in what Mrs. James was saying, but a smile playing about the corner of his lips betrayed him.

I began to open the note below the table, unfolding the tight square that was creased into the tiny shape and hurriedly smoothing it out.

"Miss Newman, would you oblige us?"

I jumped, startled, and the note fell from my lap and onto the shiny linoleum floor beneath my desk. Mrs. James was glaring at me as if she knew exactly what I had been doing, her beady eyes cutting through me over her glasses. I hurriedly put my foot over the note, wondering whether she had seen me, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Of course," I said brightly, my smile faltering slightly.

"You've read Romeo and Juliet?" she questioned incredulously. "Very few people properly have."

"Yes." There was a hint of defiance in my tone, which may've come simply from the heat of almost being caught out.

"Well, then," Mrs. James said in a business-like tone, "you can give you less studious class-mates and overview of the plotline." Her lips had thinned into a hard, stern line, and quite a few students were looking at me over their shoulders. It was evident they did not expect me to answer.

I sat up a little straighter, determined not to be humiliated.

"Well, the story is about two families who have been involved in a feud – the Montagues and the Capulets." Out of the corner of my eye, I could glimpse Jacob looking at me, his rich brown eyes serious and steady. I paused for a moment, thinking about how they were like smooth thick chocolate and rough, grainy bark and rich soil. I swallowed and looked down, trying to focus, and wishing he would not look at me.

"Juliet is a Capulet, and Romeo is a Montague. Romeo originally loves Rosalie, but after he discovers that she does not love him in return, he despairs." Jacob was no longer looking at me, which was comforting, but rather his hand was gripping the edge of his desk, hard, so that his knuckles were white.

"Continue, Miss Newman." Mrs. James said curtly. She was writing points on the board, and the attention was back on her.

I swallowed against my dry throat, feeling curiously wary of Jacob's discomfort.

"Then, one night, when the Capulets are hosting a celebration, Romeo's friends convince him to stop thinking of Rosalie and come and join them at the festivities. No-one knows that they are Montagues, and it is that night that Romeo discovers Juliet. He falls in love with her, and she with him. But unbeknownst to them, Juliet's father has arranged a marriage with Paris for his daughter." I glanced over at Jacob again, and his hands had relaxed, though he was still not looking at me.

Feeling slightly strange, I uttered slowly, "When Juliet finds out her father's plans, she says she will have nothing to do with Paris. Her father and Lady Capulet cannot understand why she does not want him, but..." I struggled to find the words to explain Juliet's eternal devotion to Romeo, her desperate passion.

"But she loves Romeo, and she cannot tell anyone because he is a Montague." I ended simply, my tone thoughtful and soft.

"Yes. And then?" Mrs. James questioned impatiently from her desk, holding her pen aloft. I blinked, suddenly remembering that there was an end to the story. For some reason, I felt that the story should end there. I did not want to delve into the gory details of the suicides and the tragedy. I took a deep breath and continued.

"Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence, desperate for his help. He procures a drug which will render her – uh – unconscious, or a in 'death-like sleep' I think they call it - so that she won't have to marry Paris. Friar Lawrence sends a letter to Romeo detailing the plan of rescue, but it doesn't reach him before Benvolio brings Romeo news of Juliet's death. Romeo sees Juliet laid out in the Capulet tomb and, minutes before she is to awaken, kills himself. Juliet wakes up, and seeing that Romeo is dead, says 'O happy dagger!' and commits suicide."

Some of my classmates are giggling now, whispering gleefully 'O happy dagger!' and giving me odd sideways looks. Wow. Only fifteen minutes into my first class and I've already made it clear that I'm a complete nerd.

"Thankyou, thankyou," Mrs. James exclaimed sternly in an attempt to quell the noise, "That was a very succinct summary, Miss Newman, well done."

"As you can see, I've drawn up a timeline of events in the play which I would like you all to copy down now." Mrs. James surveyed the classroom beadily, giving me a small smile before regaining her stiff composure. "and please do it quietly."

I opened my exercise book, drew up a margin and titled the page 'Romeo and Juliet – timeline'. Suddenly I remembered the note Jacob had given me, which, at present, was still underneath my foot. I didn't want to take any chances with Mrs. James, so I dropped my pencil, stooped to pick it up, and along with it, the note. I drew up my copy of Romeo and Juliet, pretending to study it diligently, and opened the note.