Finally

Confide

Lean on Me - Bill Withers

Juliet woke up in almost the exact same position the next morning at around 9:30am, immediately showering and doing her hair care and body routine.

Although she did basic hygiene things like brush her teeth when the Gumball was taking place, it did feel satisfying to have a long, hot shower and wash her hair and shave.

Johnny was still fast asleep on the couch, but she had no intention of waking him up.

She changed into a white t shirt and ripped jeans, also wearing a plain black cap she found in her case.

Juliet was pouring herself a bowl of cereal when another figure came and joined her, immediately raising the cupboards for some food.

"Mornin', sis."

"Morning." She replied to her brother with a mouthful of bran flakes in her mouth. He placed a bowl and a spoon on the island right beside her, pulling out a box of Lucky Charms and pouring them into the bowl.

"I'm guessing that you a Knoxville had a lickle ickle cuddle last night." Ryan teased as he added milk to the dry food, sitting down in the seat beside her.

"Dude, it was freezing last night, and all he had was a thin blanket." Juliet redeemed herself from the embarrassment of her brother, Ryan rolling his eyes.

"It was literally the warmest night we've had for about 2 months." Ryan argued back, Juliet sighing deeply as he grinned.

"It was fucking cold for us, a'ight?" She seethed, Ryan holding his hands up in defence.

"You got it. But I think I've always seen something more for you and Johnny..." Ryan also began to eat his cereal.

"Like...?" She pushed him further, waiting for him to finish the mashed up food he had in his mouth.

"Well, I think you have a cute relationship with each other." He explained, Juliet furrowing her brows and scoffing.

"A "cute relationship"?" She repeated, Ryan nodding.

She thought it would be considered more severe by those who saw them together, a "cute relationship" was quite mediocre.

Suddenly, the body arose from the couch, stretching out it's limbs and groaning like a zombie.

"Mornin'." He said gruffly, Juliet and Ryan mumbling a "morning" in return, Johnny walking out of the room and up to the bathroom to have a shower.

"Yeah, and I know you have a crush on him..." Ryan went back to their conversation as soon as the living room door was shut, which was out of ear shot for Johnny.

"A "crush"..." She chuckled a little bit, Ryan expelling a long breath of air, folding his arms and raising his brows at Juliet.

"Don't even deny that you have a crush on ol' Knoxville-" He began to tease her with a devilish grin.

"-No, what I mean is-"

"-Yeah you do, stop denying it-"

"-Ryan, shut up for a second-"

"-Soon enough, you'll be smoochin' and bangin' 24/7-"

She grabbed both of his cheeks and made him give her direct eye contact.

"-I'm in love with him."

Ryan didn't say anything for a bit, Juliet worried about what he could potentially say as a response to her words.

"Y-You're-You're-"

"-In love with him..." She finished for him again, the words still not processing in his mind.

She released his cheeks and went back to eating her cereal very slowly.

"How long?" Ryan finally spoke, Juliet shrugging her shoulders.

"A while now, I think." She couldn't remember exactly how long she had felt like this before, but she knew she liked him for a very long time.

"And you're sure that you love him?" Ryan needed to hear the words again, so maybe it could help him believe her more.

"100%, Ryan." She looked towards his gaze to show him how serious she was at this moment, Ryan nodding his head and finally averting his gaze to his cereal.

"This sounds like a weird question, but why?" He partially knew why, but he wanted to see if there was any other reason.

"It's weird to say, but I just feels natural. Like it feels right to love him like I do." Juliet could only explain it in that way, using her hands to gesture to herself and to where Johnny was once laid.

"I can see it in the way you look at him,-" He smiled softly, Juliet shifting her eyes from the empty couch to her brother.

"-and I see the same thing when he looks at you."

Juliet's eyes visibly lit up when the words came out of his mouth, and for a second, she didn't believe him.

Ryan was an amazing brother who was always there for little Juliet. He took her to the park, bought her ice cream, played soccer with her, sometimes ditched his friends to spend time with her. He even helped Juliet with her dancing if Brandi wasn't able to do it with her.

He was a huge douchebag, but he was also the most caring and honest person ever to exist, to Juliet. And she felt incredibly lucky to have him as a sibling.

So, she resorted to believing him about what he said, which was good news for her.

"You honestly think that he might possibly love me?" She tried to reassure herself, Ryan rolling his eyes and chuckling.

"Yes, I'm sure." He stated, Juliet staring back into her empty bowl.

"Alright..." She spoke quietly, Ryan eyeing her suspiciously.

"You gonna make a move on him then?" Ryan asked her, Juliet straightening her back quickly in response.

"God, no! No, I can't make a move. No-"

Ryan stared at her like she had spontaneously grown another head, Juliet staring back before leaning closer to him.

"-Or do I make a move? Should I? No. Wait...-maybe?-"

She was literally having a debate with herself, Ryan watching in amusement and confusion as she mumbled options, before giving in and sighing, resting her face in her hands, and resting her elbows on the table.

"-Urgh, boys."