Studying The Star Crossed Lovers

❧Chapter 1☙

In my heart there was a kind of fighting that would not let me sleep,

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"A glooming peace this morning with it brings; The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things: Some shall be pardon'd and some punished: For never was a story of more woe than of this Juliet and her Romeo." The screen of the projector went black and the English class began to stir as the film finally finished. 

"Okay, class I hope you enjoyed the film. Now I have one question, do you think it was true love? Talk about it in your table groups then we will discuss it as a class. Jess, please turn on the lights." Announced the teacher as she turned off the projector and the lights flicked on.

"There was no way in Hell that that was true love." Scoffed Claire Whiting and her best friend Annie laughed as they sat with their closest friends at their table in the corner of the room.

"As much as I enjoy your pessimism Claire it was true love. You wouldn't die for someone you don't love?" Replied James Dancy from the table next to theirs. Claire rolled her eyes and sat up straight as she prepared her rebuttal.

"I would die for a lot of people if I loved them or not. What is your point?"

"They loved each other. They were willing to risk it all after a day. They knew they found the one. Romeo was willing to make peace with Tybalt and Juliet was willing to defy her parents. Romeo moved on from Rosaline and the idea of Count Paris disgusted Juliet."

"Sorry James but all of that can be put down to cold stone sexual desire."

"Sorry, Claire but sexual desire is normally more described as hot than stone cold. Not that you would know, of course." James sent Claire a smirk that made her blood boil.

"They knew each other for three days. Six people died. That not true love, that is the destructive power of stupidity at it's finest. Wake up for your dream James. You can't fall unconditionally in love with someone overnight."

"Yes, you can. I feel deeply in love with you when I first met you Claire but then the second you opened your mouth my heart was shattered by your cruel words." Laughed James at his own impressive use of sarcasm. "It's called true love sweetheart, and it can be oh so real."

"She was thirteen and he was over eighteen. It's called statutory rape sweetheart, and it can be oh so gross." Mocked Claire before she was interrupted.

"We will have to continue with the class discussion tomorrow as it is lunchtime but good work class." Smiled Miss Hilson as she shook her head at the bickering teenagers.

While Claire packed up her things James came and put a finger under her chin as he pulled her face up to look at his. Her skin was soft under his fingers as the stared each other down. James pulled his fingers from her face and she mock bit them. A grin snaked its way on James' face while Claire danced around the boy. She linked arms with Annie and they began to talk in Spanish something they did to annoy the nosy boy who couldn't listen in to their conversation.

"You two have the oddest relationship. It's like your childhood friends but your fathers hate each other. Then, on the other hand, there is this firey sexual chemistry between you two that I cannot wait to see blow up." Commented Annie as they stood at her locker getting her science books.

"Well, we have known each other since we were babies at school and social events and stuff. Back when Justin was still at school he used to freak out whenever we would talk so there wasn't much of a chance to be friends." Replied Claire thinking about every time her cousin would go off at her when they would talk. 

"You didn't reply to the sexual chemistry part." Claire just pulled the middle finger at her friend and then walked away.

Still, there were always glances in the hallways of the school. They had always been weirdly comfortable touching each other. Always a grab of an arm, an annoying hug, a spontaneous play fight, or that thing James always did where he grabbed her chin and would stare deep into the blue of her eyes until one of them pulled away.

Somehow though they did such things. James would do something oddly affectionate like steal her food and Claire would only do it right back. Their banter that occasionally turned into full-blown arguments were well known around the school as the two seemed to have no shame. They would do what they wanted.

"Annie, Annie, you have to get to the field. Will and Dash got into a massive fight on the field." Said some junior and the two girls ran to the field where a crowd had gathered. People let the girl through to the front where Henry, the student body president began to break up the two. 

"Dash get the fuck off him." Snapped Claire and Dash slowly began to get off the boy. Dash was part of her cousin Justin's gang. It was really run by her father and so they followed Claire's orders. Will soon scrambled and half of the crowd watching the fight followed. 

"What would possibly cause this fight? Will, James' best friend, and Dash, your cousin's little worker got into a fight. I guess we will never know how this happened." Joked Annie who clearly knew that James and Claire's interaction as per usual caused an argument between the gangs their fathers ran.

Annie and Henry kissed intensely while Claire just rolled her eyes at her friend. They were the school's power couple. Henry was the student council president and the student body president. Annie, on the other hand, was part of every club and every team. She knew every single student in the school and was the confidant of each and every one of them. 

Every single secret that went through the school was whispered into Annie's ears. Since it was only Annie and Claire it meant Claire found out a lot too. Annie kissed her boyfriend goodbye as they went to lunch. Unknown to both girls a very expensive car pulled into the school's parking lot. Out hopped a furious boy who stormed into the school.