Reflections on Romeo, Juliet, and Self-Love

Chapter 13: The Unexpected Morning

I stumbled into the kitchen, still groggy from sleep, and found Scott in the middle of a shower in my bathroom. It wasn't the most conventional start to a Saturday morning, but I'd grown used to his quirks. The entire flat was one open space—a cozy yet cramped area where privacy was a luxury I often sacrificed. The thought of Scott showering in my bathroom made me chuckle. Well, if he's going to use the guest bathroom, it's better than him crowding my space.

"Good morning!" I called out as I started rummaging through the fridge for something edible. I was still pondering over the outfit for the cleaning camp I was hosting later. It was supposed to be a casual event, but I wanted to be comfy yet stylish.

The sound of the shower stopped, and Scott emerged, wrapped in a towel that barely reached his mid-thigh. He flashed me a grin. "Smells good in here," he remarked, taking in the aroma of the breakfast I was preparing.

I glanced over my shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Of course, it does. Someone's been freshly showered."

"Really? We're going there?" he said, feigning innocence while adjusting his towel.

"Absolutely. If you're not planning on wearing any clothes soon, you might find yourself on the street."

"Kick me out, why don't you? I'm Mr. Hotness, after all." He swaggered back toward my room, tossing a wink over his shoulder. "Do you have any clothes I could borrow?"

"Sure, I think there are some of my brother's clothes lying around. I'll see what I can dig up." I handed him a pair of shorts and a shirt, thinking it was odd they were still here. "These are brand new. They're from my brother. I'm not even sure why they're still here."

"Thanks," Scott said, taking the clothes and slipping into them. "They fit perfectly."

We sat at the bar table in the kitchen, eating breakfast together. I noticed Scott's appetite for strawberries and Nutella had not waned, even though he'd brought a sizable supply with him. It felt like a normal morning, despite the bizarre events of last night.

While eating, Scott glanced around. "When did people start leaving last night? It felt like I missed a lot."

"Before midnight," I said, biting into a piece of toast. "My parents had to handle the crowd and clear out the house. I think some stuff went missing."

"That might have been one of the girls," Scott said with a shrug. "She seemed particularly interested in one of the things you had."

"Really? I'll have to follow up on that." I was annoyed but decided it wasn't worth stressing over right now.

"Should I stay or go?" Scott asked, a playful smile on his face.

"If you're staying, you'll have to meet my mom. And be prepared for some intense questioning. She's pretty inquisitive."

"I don't mind. My mom's the same way."

I was about to reply when my phone buzzed. Kat had sent a message saying she was on her way and had big news. "Looks like Kat and Dylan are coming over," I said, reading the text. "Kat's getting married and will be here in five."

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Before I could respond, Kat and Dylan burst through the door, both looking disheveled. Kat, with a wide grin and a ring on her finger, announced, "Hello, everyone! We got married!"

"What?" I exclaimed, stunned. "You just told me you weren't serious!"

"It was Kat's idea," Dylan said, barely able to keep his eyes open. "We were just having fun, and then... why not?"

Scott and I exchanged glances, both at a loss for words. I grabbed Kat's hand. "Let's get you cleaned up. No more mistakes."

"Stop it, Mom!" Kat protested, but she followed me to the bathroom.

I quickly washed Kat's face and got her into bed. I had no idea where the alcohol had come from, but I knew I had to help them sort this out. Scott seemed to have taken care of Dylan, who was now lying on the couch, looking equally hungover.

"You think they really got married?" Scott asked, sitting beside me.

"It seems so," I said, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration. "How could they do this without me as Dylan's best man?"

"Seems like they didn't consider it," Scott said, shaking his head.

We tidied up the house and made lunch. As I was setting the table, Scott texted me, asking if Dylan and Kat had woken up. "Yes," I replied. "They're talking in my room. Maybe we should all sit down and figure this out over lunch."

Scott arrived shortly after, looking fresh and ready for the day. "Hey," he greeted, hugging me. "You look great in my brother's clothes."

"Thanks," I said, laughing. "I owe him for his wardrobe contributions."

"So, how did it go with Kat and Dylan?"

"Well, Kat thought she married one of her exes, and Dylan was just confused. They're under the covers in my bed now. Not sure how that happened."

"Oh, no," Scott said, his eyes widening as we headed to the bedroom.

When we opened the door, Kat and Dylan were indeed tangled up in my bed, completely naked. My jaw dropped. "Seriously, guys? This is my bed!"

"Sorry!" Kat mumbled, pulling the covers over them. "We didn't mean to—"

"Well, now that you're here, you need to sort this out," I said firmly. "I'm not dealing with this."

Dylan, still dazed, muttered, "I thought it was a dream."

"You're both going to have to deal with this," I said. "I'm leaving. Scott, you coming?"

"Yeah, let's give them some space," Scott said, looking at me with concern.

We stepped out, leaving Kat and Dylan to their situation. I sank into the living room couch, feeling the weight of the morning's chaos. Scott joined me, wrapping his arm around me. "This has been quite a morning," he said, laughing.

"Tell me about it," I said, leaning into him. "At least we have lunch to look forward to."

Scott smiled. "Yeah. And we can talk about this craziness with everyone later."

As we prepared lunch, I realized how much Scott had come to mean to me. His presence made even the wildest situations seem manageable. We were about to navigate the aftermath of Kat and Dylan's unexpected wedding, but I felt confident knowing Scott would be by my side.