Purple - A Riff Lorton Love Story

Tryst on the Rooftop

As I sat in my room, my mind was preoccupied with the thought of attending the dance. Suddenly, Papi's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Julieta!" he called from the living room. I got up from my bed and rushed to the living room, where I heard a faint knock on the door. Papi gave me a playful smirk as I opened the door, revealing Anita standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

"Anita, what are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see her. In response, Anita held up a bundle of purple fabric. "I brought a gift," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It's your dress for the dance." I was taken aback.

"I never asked you to make me a dress!" I exclaimed.

Papi interjected, "You need a break. You work too much and too hard."

I tried to protest, "I've got you to take care of, Papi. I can't leave you alone." But Papi and Anita wouldn't hear any of it. "You need to have fun and take a break. I'll be fine," Papi reassured me.

I looked between them, realizing I was fighting a losing battle. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?" I asked, feeling defeated.

"Nope," they both said in unison, grinning from ear to ear.

"Fine, I'll go," I sighed, resigning myself to my fate.

I stood in front of the mirror, admiring the purple dress that Anita had made for me. I couldn't believe how beautiful I looked in it. Anita and Maria were both sitting on the bed, waiting for me to finish getting ready.

"You look absolutely stunning, Julieta," Maria said, a big smile on her face.

Anita nodded in agreement. "I knew this color would be perfect on you," she said, beaming with pride. I

blushed, feeling a little overwhelmed by the attention. "Thank you both so much. I never would have been able to go to the dance without your help."

Anita chuckled. "Oh, you would have gone, all right. But you would have looked like a mess without us," she teased.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but laugh. As Anita finished doing my hair, I thought about how lucky I was to have such wonderful friends and family. Even though I worked hard to care for Papi, I was glad to make time for myself too. "I'm ready," I declared.

Maria gasped. "Julieta, you look like a princess!"

Anita stood up, wiping away a tear. "I'm so proud of you, mi amiga." I smiled, feeling a little emotional. I knew that this night would be one to remember.

I took a deep breath as she walked into the crowded dance hall. My heart was pounding with excitement and nerves. I scanned the room, trying to spot Riff and the Jets, but instead, my eyes locked with a stranger's. He was tall, with dark hair and piercing green eyes.

"Hello there," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Carlos. You must be Julieta."

"Yes, I am. Nice to meet you, Carlos." I responded.

Carlos gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "The pleasure is all mine," he said, his smile growing wider. "Shall we dance?" Anita and Maria both grinned and nodded, giving me a little push towards Carlos. As we danced, I glanced over at Anita and Maria, who were watching with amusement.

I couldn't help but scan the room for Riff. With each turn, I glanced around the room, hoping to spot him. However, Carlos seemed to sense my unease and whispered in my ear, "Don't worry, Julieta. I'm looking for someone else too." I felt a sense of relief wash over me, and I smiled at Carlos.

I stood at the edge of the dance floor, watching the couples sway to the music. I sighed, feeling out of place and alone. My date, Carlos, was nowhere to be seen, and I didn't want to dance with anyone I didn't know. I looked around the gym, taking in the decorations and the flashing lights. It was clear that a lot of effort had gone into making the dance look perfect, but I couldn't muster any enthusiasm.

As I got up from my chair to grab a drink, I noticed Riff approaching me from the corner of my eye. I quickly made my way to the refreshments table and grabbed a cup, filling it up with water. Just then, Riff walked up to me and spoke in a tone of self-satisfaction,

"So you did end up coming after all. I'm glad I convinced you."

I rolled my eyes and replied sarcastically, "Sure, sure - whatever you want to believe."

I tried to walk away, but Riff grabbed my wrist tightly and demanded, "Hey, where are you going? We weren't done talking?!"

I pulled my wrist away from his grip and retorted, "I was done."

Riff paused for a moment and then said, "Meet me on the roof in 30 minutes."

I raised an eyebrow in confusion and asked, "What if I don't?"

He smirked and replied, "You will, don't worry."

As I looked down at my watch, I realized that I only had five minutes left to meet Riff on the rooftop. I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me as I trudged up the steps to the door. With each step I took, I questioned why I had agreed to meet him in such a desolate place. Finally, I reached the door to the roof and stopped to catch my breath. I hesitated, wondering if I was ready to face him.

After a moment of contemplation, I stepped forward and pushed the door, but it didn't budge. The door was locked, and all the courage I had built up vanished in a second. I felt a sense of disappointment wash over me as I wondered what to do next. That's when I heard a small clink coming from my belt. I looked down and saw a silver key that had fallen out of it. It was a key from Riff, no doubt.

I picked up the key and examined it, feeling a rush of gratitude towards Riff. He had given me the key to the roof; he wanted me here. I inserted the key and unlocked the door with a satisfying click. As I stepped out onto the rooftop, a cool breeze graced my cheek, and I smiled. I walked around the rooftop, admiring the skyline.

Suddenly, Riff's voice came from behind me, making me jump in surprise. "Nice night," he said with a snicker. "You didn't think I'd show up, did ya?" His voice was playful and teasing.

"I wasn't sure," I replied, turning around to face him. When I saw him, my heart skipped a beat. He looked so handsome in the moonlight, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

Riff walked over to me, and I couldn't help but blush. "Am I making you blush, girly?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, I'm just cold," I lied, feeling embarrassed.

Without a word, Riff took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. "Well, now you're not," he said with a smile. I felt a sense of warmth spread through me as I thanked him awkwardly.

"Why did you ask me to come up here?" I asked, feeling confused. "Didn't you come to this dance with Gratzi?"

"Maybe I did that to make you jealous," he replied with a chuckle. "Did it work?"

"I'm not jealous!" I snapped, feeling my face flush with anger.

Riff just laughed at me. "You sure about that, girly?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Stop calling me that!" I said, feeling annoyed.

"What do you want me to call you, then?" Riff stepped closer to me, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Doll? Jules? Julieta?" As he spoke my name, I felt a shiver run down my spine.

We were mere inches apart, and I looked up at him, feeling my heart skip a beat. He said my name slowly, and the way he said it made my heart stop. "Julieta," he said, his voice low and husky.

Our eyes locked, and I felt a sudden urge to lean in closer. As our lips brushed up against each other, I closed my eyes and savored the moment. But suddenly, we were interrupted by yelling. Riff and I exchanged worried glances, and he clasped my hand in his. We ran to the door and reentered the gym, but our hands parted as we went to our respective friends.