Relentless

Chapter 32

Ashton

Two Weeks Later

I picked out the perfect present and wrapped it neatly with a tiny bow on-top. Today is Juliet's eighteenth birthday and I wanted to get her something nice. I'm taking her out to dinner at one of the fanciest Italian restaurants in town later and can't wait to give it to her.

I haven't really talked about the entire living-a-double-life thing with her. She told me the truth, which I am ecstatic about, but I think it would be good for her to talk about it. Not tonight, though. Tonight is her night. Today is her day.

It's Saturday afternoon and I know she has rehearsal until three o'clock. I call her cell phone at 3:01 and wait for her to answer.

"Hello?" Her stunning voice answers.

"Happy Birthday to you!" I start to sing.

"Oh God!" I hear her laugh into the phone.

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Juliet Capulet!"

"Ashton!" She shouts, laughing.

"Happy Birthday tooooooooooo youuuuu!!!!"

"You have a very nice voice." She states, laughing in-between words.

"There's a reason why you're the singer and I'm not." I state, smiling. "How was rehearsal?"

"Long. Exhausting. Long. I can't wait to go home and crash for a few hours. What time are we going for dinner?"

"I have reservations for seven."

"Okay, sounds good."

"I'll see you then."

"Yeah. I'll see you then." I find myself smiling at the fact that she's staying on the phone, even when we aren't talking.

"I love you, baby girl." I whisper into the phone.

"I love you too."

"Go home and sleep! I'll see you later."

"Okay. Bye Ashton."

"Bye Juliet."

I hang up the phone and turn to Lisa.

"She's on her way home." I tell her. I've been at her house for the past hour setting up decorations for her return.

"Call Maris back and ask her what's taking her so long." Lisa demands. I had Juliet's phone in my hand the other day and found her best friend's phone number. She said she would never miss Juliet's birthday and that she would come to the house to visit her.

"Hello?" Maris answers.

"It's Ashton. Juliet is going to be home any minute, where are you?" I ask.

"Up the street. Open the front door." With that, I hang up and run to the door. Opening it, I see Maris and her brother pulling their car over a few houses down so that Juliet doesn't notice. They walk down the sidewalk and then up the driveway, entering Lisa's house and shaking my hand. Her brother, on the other hand, gives me a death glare and walks right past me.

"So what's the plan, Stan?" Maris asks Lisa.

"You go in her room. Ashton, you sit on the couch waiting for her. Luke, you go into the kitchen and wait for my signal to go in."

We take our positions and wait five minutes before she pulls up. I hear her unlocking the front door and then see her face light up when she looks at me. I stand up and let her run to me, wrapping her arms around me.