“This is my favorite part,” I whispered to Rome beside me, afraid that if I spoke too loud, it would shatter the beautiful voice of Ewan McGregor. When he started singing Your Song, I found that a smile automatically slid onto my face. “This is amazing,” I whispered again, pulling my knees up to my chest, hugging them, my chin resting on them.
“It’s amazing…,” Rome said, and I looked over towards him in surprise, thinking that he was talking about the movie. But instead of looking at the screen, he was looking at me, a glint in his eyes.
“What is?”
“You.” He paused, starting to grin. “It’s amazing that I can see the bliss in your eyes and on your face, just when you’re watching a movie.” Immediately, embarrassed, I felt my face grow hot and my cheeks started to blush. “Is it the concept that makes you so happy, or the man’s voice? Or, perhaps, his looks?”
“Shhh…,” I said, turning my face back towards the screen. “We’re missing the movie,” I grumbled, now conscious of how my reaction was to the movie. I heard Rome chuckle, but he said no more. Actually, the rest of the movie, there was no conversation, only silence as the beautiful but heartbreaking plotline played out on the screen.
“What’d you think?” I asked after the movie was over, attempting to put that weird conversation behind us.
“It was fine. The songs weren’t the best in the world, but… it was fi—”
“The songs weren’t the best in the world?!” I exclaimed, thoroughly shocked. “You’re insane, Rome Madden.”
“No, Juliet. You are insane for enjoying the movie to such an extent that you’re—”
“Okay, whatever. Now what should we watch next?” There was a silence from us both, the only sound coming from the continual buzz of the fridge in the kitchen. As I mentally ran through the movies in the house, Rome leaned back against the couch, in a slouched position, that looked totally and utterly un-Rome-like. When his eyes closed, I realized then that he hadn’t gotten much sleep last night, on account of my calling him, and when we got home, he didn’t go to sleep like me. Rome was exhausted. “How about I put in The Phantom of the Opera?” I said, knowing that if he didn’t love Moulin Rouge, he wouldn’t love The Phantom of the Opera. Hopefully, if I was correct, he’d fall asleep.
“Sounds like a plan, Stan,” Rome said, his eyes never once opening. I smiled at him, truly thankful that my best friend was willing to get up early in the morning and stay with me. I got off the couch, moving towards our rack of movies. It took only a few seconds for me to find the movie, then to put it in. I slowly made my way back towards the couch, watching Rome. His eyes were open now, but only barely, and he was watching me.
“Should I trust your judgment in movies?” Rome managed in a normal voice, although I knew he was trying hard not to sound tired.
“I think you should,” I said, plopping down beside him, pulling my legs underneath my body.
“Why is that?” Rome asked as I was going to the main menu of the movie.
YOU ARE READING
Rome & Julie
Teen FictionDespite their uncanny names, Rome and Julie think of their relationship as anything but the one of Romeo and Juliet. They were set up at birth, and are both indifferent about it. But, when they find something in each other that they didn't see befo...
