Rome & Julie

Chapter 22

I sat in my room alone, feeling exactly that.  Even though Maggie was just down the hall, and Robert was sitting two rooms away, I felt completely isolated from the world.  And I hated it.  I wanted everything to go back to the way it was before.  Before Jeremy admitted his feelings, before Maggie sat me down while Rome was talking to Jeremy outside and basically told me that I was in love with Rome, before Rome kissed me…

Okay, so maybe not before Rome kissed me.  That, I had to admit to my prideful heart, would be one thing I’d definitely miss if it were taken from me.

Rome had left five minutes prior to my feelings of extreme isolation, but I didn’t want to connect those two things together.  He said he needed to pack for our small trip, but only after he asked me if I still wanted to go.  I thought that a silly thing to inquire.  And I’d told him that, which gave him a good laugh.  And in turn, I got to laugh at the fact that I still had the ability to make the great Rome Madden chuckle.

I admit, I felt bad for leaving Maggie and Robert, but she told me that if anything, it was a chance for her and Robert to get in some quality time together.  Thinking about those two, being in love, and holding on to whatever they had left… that kept me hoping for a better horizon.

I laid, sprawled on my bed in a position that I happened to fall to when I threw myself onto the mattress.  Trying to focus on happy thoughts before all the bad ones caught up, I remembered just earlier, when Rome and I were at the park.  How carefree he was.  And laid back.  Seeing him so happy made me feel warm inside.  And as odd as the feeling was… it was nice.

When Maggie sat me down earlier after Rome left to stop Jeremy, she told me her view on things.  How she thought that Rome and I were in love, and we were either too stupid or too proud to acknowledge or admit it.  Safe to say all words fell dry in my throat, and I couldn’t, for the life of me, project any sort of reply to her claims.  So I sat silently, gaping at her as she continued on.  I was shocked.  Overwhelmed.  Exhausted.

I didn’t need to think about love.  Love was overrated.  Time consuming.  It made you vulnerable.  Vulnerability I couldn’t afford to have.  That I didn’t want to have.  Hence my avoidance on the subject, and my undying abhorrence towards Romeo and Juliet.

I tore my gaze from the ceiling, sliding my eyes over to my nightstand, where I saw the book.

“Speaking of the devil…,” I muttered, leaning over to reach for the book.  I was barely able to grab it in my stretched position, so once it was in my grip, I sprung back into a comfortable position and exhaled with effort.  I brought the book close to my face and studied the cover, eyes trailing over the title.  Romeo and Juliet.  “Here, let me fall in love real quick, and kill myself over someone I don’t even know…,” I mumbled in a mocking tone, rolling my eyes.  “What the hell, Shakespeare?  Just… what the hell.”

Before I could even try and stop myself, my fingers had pried open the book and I delved into the world of Romeo and Juliet.  Once again.

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“Julie?  Jules, come on.”  I awoke to a light shaking at my shoulders.  I grumbled a bit, wondering how I’d managed to fall asleep, and shifted my position slightly.  I heard a raspy laugh, and finally, I realized someone was waking me up.