Runaways: A Romeo & Juliet Story

Chapter 2

"Pedal so heavy like the two most wanted, and I

Don't know what you're doin' tonight, but I

I'll be your shotgun rider 'til the day I die"

– II Most Wanted by Beyonce & Miley Cyrus

JULIET

Back in Verona, he changed out of that bloody shirt and into a white t-shirt. It looks really good on him. I changed out of my shoes and into a pair of sneakers. I found an oversized denim jacket in the trunk to throw over this damn funeral dress. Oh yeah and I was dead earlier today for all intents and purposes. That was crazy. The only explanation is that I'm so in love. We're both insane. Right? Because who does this?

Everything's happening so fast.

Like I said, I was dead earlier today.

It's dark out still. He's been driving for a few hours. He said we're going to make a stop soon. I wonder what my parents are thinking. They're going to actually murder me when they find us. And they will find us.

The last time I saw my dad he said he would drag me to that altar with Paris. This is what it's been like these last few years living in that house with him. Since he realized I was a girl who was fast becoming a woman– when he noticed a stranger's lingering eyes on me, it's been tense. It was gradual and then one day I woke up and he couldn't make eye contact with me. And now, he's convinced the only future I should have is to marry Paris– some man I barely know just so my dad can be in business with his family. It's never about me. I'm just another asset in the Capulet fortune.

When I look in Romeo's eyes I know my father is wrong. I hope we can get far enough away from them all and let them calm down– maybe they'll see they made a mistake. Maybe the universe will be on our side?

I look ahead and notice a gas station in the middle of an empty road.

"There's a payphone over there." Romeo points, "I'm going to see if I can get in touch with Baltazar. Get a read on what everyone's saying in Verona."

"No cellphone?"

"Too dangerous. We can't have anything they could track. And they can track everything."

Romeo pulls into the gas station. He kisses me and heads to the payphone.

I take off my funeral jewelry. I look in the mirror. My hair looks awful. This is how mom likes my hair. Even to the end she was trying to make me someone I'm not.

I glance over at Romeo every so often while he makes his call. I hope he's not regretting this. I can see him shaking his head. He rests his head against the glass and looks over at me.

Romeo walks back over to me as I finish fixing my hair.

"Paris is in a coma."

"Oh no." I hold his hand, trying to comfort him. "But a coma means there's room for this to turn around, right?"

"Maybe."

"What else?"

Romeo looks somber.

"What is it?"

He looks around, I follow his gaze– the gas station clerk has started to show an interest in us.

"Our parents all met with the police at the cemetery." He says, "They questioned the priest and the apothecary, they know everything. "

"Do they know where we're headed?" I ask.

"I'm not sure if they've guessed but...that's the thing, Baltazar said both our families disowned us. We're on our own. They're done getting between us. Faking your death really pissed them off."

"I thought it might."

But then it dawns on me: we're really alone. Suddenly I don't know how two high school seniors can survive on their own. But I can't say that to him.

"Well, I think it's a good thing. Give them time to cool off too." I offer, not truly believing it myself.

"Come on. We need snacks for the road." He says, grabbing my hand.

We walk into the gas station and he leads me straight toward the slurpee station. We stand side by side, our hips knocking lightly back and forth to the beat of the song on the radio.

We walk over to the other side of the gas station with our slurpees, out of the cashier's sight.

"Can you hold mine?" Romeo hands me his slurpee and with both my hands occupied he backs me into a shelf, grinning at me, cheekily.

I look around for the cashier. He's watching a baseball game.

Romeo presses me up against a shelf of candy. He kisses my neck. He moves around to the other side of my neck, I'm trying to hold back a moan– I fail. He covers my mouth, laughing. My grip on the slurpees tightens. My breathing is heavy.

I try to keep an eye on the cashier through the mirror in the corner. He's still focused on the game.

My grip on the slurpees tightens again as Romeo keeps his lips on my neck. His hands move down lifting my dress up. He reaches under and pushes his hands inside my tights. His fingers are inside me and I try not to completely lose my mind. I tighten my grip on the slurpees.

He keeps going, edging me closer and closer. He looks right in my eyes.

I bite my lip and tighten my grip on the slurpees a little too much, both lids squeeze right off and the slurpees come pouring out onto the floor just as Romeo takes his hand out.

"We need a refill." He says, smiling as he takes the half empty cups out of my hands.

I blush as he walks away. He turns back, looks at me with a smile and winks.

Who wouldn't run away with this guy?