Romeo and Juliet

19-B-

                                                                Don't Tell Me What To do, You Fool


The music is so loud that I can feel my chest vibrating from the noise. People scream over the music. They drink, dance, and make out. My headache intensifies with everything happening. On other occasions, I'd be doing all of that. I don't feel like it right now.

"Come here," Julie shouts over the music. I let her lead me through the sweaty bodies, and I cringe. She dances as she takes us to the kitchen where a guy is behind the counter, pouring drinks and dancing to the music.

"Hey, Lena. I am glad you are here."

"Hey Kendrick. How's the party going?"

"Great. I didn't think so many people were coming. Thanks."

I feel someone put something around me. I take it into my hand and stare in astonishment at the sash.

"What's this?"

"New rule. Beautiful girls get to wear that, and boys need to get it from you."

I laugh. Boys will be boys.

Ignoring the thing around me, I go back to the previous conversation. "So what did I do this time?"

He hands me a cup, which I decline.

"I took a pill for my head," I lie, "Just give me water."

Julissa takes it from his hand and drinks it in one shot. She hoots after drinking it and looks at the sash around her.

"Another one?"

The guy whom I don't know shrugs before walking away.

Kendrick, the leader of the frat house, hands me another cup with water as he continues his speech. "Remember that last time you gave us a table dance? It's all over the place."

I wonder why no one has said anything about it, I forgot. Maybe it's normal for many that they don't see it as new. I do many things when I'm drunk, I am sure it's not repeating itself today.

Only water.

"Oh! I thought it was buried." I sip my water, scanning the room for Romeo.

"What happens here stays here." He says something to a passerby then turns back to me. "Everyone expects something from you."

I eye Julissa. "They told you to go fetch me?"

She shrugs innocently. "They paid me."

"Romeo said he wasn't bringing you for such entertainment," Kendrick interrupts us.

"He did what?"

Who the hell does he think he is? He is not my boyfriend and certainly not my dad. Mom grew an independent woman and kiss-the-floor-I-walk-in girl. Julissa said she saw him with Chloe. He can go around fooling and expect me to stay home drinking milk? Is he serious?

"I didn't peg him as a jealous boyfriend."

He is not my boyfriend. "He is not..." I stop mid-sentence.

This could ruin me. I don't really care about him right now. What if they knew that I lied about being in a relationship with him? That I believe I am so unreachable but couldn't get Romeo without lying? It would be so low of me.

"Where is the son of a..."

In fact, everyone should know that by now. Don't tell me what not to do. I'll do it anyway.

"With Chloe somewhere around."

"Give me a drink." I am fuming.

Who the hell does he think he is?

"I thought you said..."

"Give me a fucking drink," I scream hysterically. People around us turn to look at the commotion.

"Get back to your damn business, you bitches!"