The Romeo Problem

The Lily

Valentine's Day, the worst day of the year. Julie groaned. Everyone was going to be all lovey-dovey, good thing she didn't have school or work today. Now she just had to avoid going out in public all day. That wouldn't be too hard. It might be a bit boring though.

It's not like she didn't have things to think about. She had a lot to think about. She had to clear her head. Maybe a walk down the street would help. That's what her mom always did when she needed to clear her head.

The air was crisp and the wind was breezy that February day. Julie was glad she had brought a jacket. The trees in February were bare on Vienna Drive, Julie's street, but were close to awakening from their long sleep. The streets were lined with powdery fresh snow from last night. Julie strolled down the street and tried to clear her head and get her emotions in check.

Romeo... He was what she had to think about. He was a problem. Romeo was her problem.

Ugh, why did he have to be so sweet and nice and funny and charming. She wanted to not be into him. She really did. Julie was good at denial but she wasn't sure she could keep this up anymore. She couldn't deny her feelings.

She liked Romeo Cameron. She liked him more than a friend. She liked him more than a childish crush. And she hated it.

She couldn't like Romeo. She couldn't like anyone! At least that's what she tried to convince herself of, but she knew that she was just telling herself that.

Friendship led to like. Like led to love. Love only led to heartbreak. There was no happily ever after like in the storybooks. She couldn't let it escalate any further. She couldn't fall in love with Romeo.

What had happened to keeping her heart locked up? From keeping it safe? Safe from hurt, safe from love, safe from heartbreak.

It was him. He was what happened. He had somehow, little by little, torn down the wall that guarded her heart. Dang it, Romeo!

Well, she would just have to turn off her feelings. She would have to have to build that wall back up. Maybe she would have to even go to the extreme of avoiding Romeo for a while.

She had to do what she had to do to keep herself from getting hurt.

But he never seemed like the type to break her heart... Julie didn't want to risk it.

Juliet sighed out loud as she turned around on the snowy sidewalk. Why did she have to have feelings? Why did she have to like Romeo? Why was the universe so cruel?

She would never let herself admit it but deep down she didn't want to hurt him even more.

She trudged back up her street, shivering in the icy winter wind. As soon as she got home she collapsed on her couch and took off her snow boots.

A faint knocking at the door sounded and alerted her. There had to be someone on her porch. She didn't know that her family was expecting anyone. Will wasn't home at the moment, Hermione didn't have anyone who would be over, and she had no clue about her mom.

Julie opened the door. No one was there. She looked around. Nothing out of the ordinary but she could have sworn she had heard knocking. She thought she might have just imagined it until she looked down.

A lily sat on her porch, wrapped in tissue paper. She picked it up. There was a note with it.

To Juliet,

Thanks for telling me your story. I really appreciate it. A little birdie told me that you like lilies. Happy Valentine's Day.

            -Your not-so-secret admirer

Julie blushed, her lips curving into a faint smile. He was too sweet. Her smile faded when she remembered what she had been thinking about just a few minutes before.

This was going to be harder than she thought.