(Joy, thank you so much!!! It’s always nice to read your supportive comments, I’m so glad you like this)
“I don’t know,” I forced out, balling my hands into fists. “Enlighten me, Mercutio.”
Julie’s POV
I laughed and buried my face in the crook of his neck. “I missed you, though.”
Mercutio’s POV
I didn’t respond, letting her come to her own conclusion.
Romeo’s POV
“I missed you more.” I teased, pulling her into my lap.
Marina’s POV
“Mercutio,” I repeated, exasperated, “Answer me.”
Juliet’s POV
I pressed my forehead to his. “Not possible~”
Mercutio’s POV
“No thanks.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady my heart rate.
Romeo’s POV
“Sure it isn’t.” I grinned pressing my lips to hers. “God, I love you so much.”
Marina’s POV
Without missing a beat, I leaned forward and pressed my nose against his. “Tell. Me.”
Juliet’s POV
My heart soared in my chest. “You’ve never said that to me before.”
Mercutio’s POV
“Do us both a favor and don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.” I hissed, my cheeks burning a bright red on contact.
Romeo’s POV
“Are you sure about that? I say it in my head every other second.” I kissed the tip of her nose, biting my lip to hold back a goofy smile.
Marina’s POV
My heart slammed against my rib cage with each word he spoke. But just as I was about to ask a third time, the bus came to a grinding halt. “Saved by the bus,” I muttered and pulled away.
Juliet’s POV
I flushed pink. “You’re so cheesy, Romeo.”
Mercutio's POV
I stayed silent, shakily getting to my feet. I waited impatiently for Marina to move, anxious to get off the bus.
Romeo's POV
"I know." I pulled my lip in between my teeth. "But it's true."
Marina's POV
"You're not off the hook," I told him over my shoulder, praying my cheeks weren't as red as they were hot as I stepped off the bus and into the crisp air.
Juliet's POV
"Then, I love you, too," I grinned, leaning down to kiss him again.
Mercutio's POV
"Figures." I lingered on the bus, refusing to get off. I wrapped my hand around the bus railing to ground myself, chewing my lip. "I'll see you around, sweetheart." I stepped back as the door slid shut, taking a seat, my heart pounding in my ears.
Romeo's POV
"That's all I ever wanted to hear." I whispered against her lips, closing my eyes and kissing her back.
(NOOOOO Mercutio what are you doing??????)
Marina's POV
"What?" I whipped around, but the doors were already sliding shut. "No!" Mercutio—" My expression crumbled to reveal something strangely akin to a broken heart.
But the bus didn't stop. And he didn't look back.
Juliet's POV
My heart thrummed happily in my chest as I kissed him, my fingers entangling themselves in his hair. "How was your day?"
(NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME????????????????)
Mercutio’s POV
It’s unfair really, how when you deny your heart something, your whole body aches as it takes vengeance. And that’s how I ended up crying on a bus in the middle of the day. I couldn’t see with my glasses all fogged up. And each shuddering breath created a new fissure in my heart.
I wanted to call her and say as I was sorry. I wanted to confess things that would get me killed. Hell, I wanted to get killed at this point. But that was insane. Acting on my heart was insane. After telling Romeo not to— I would be a hypocrite. And who would trade honor for happiness? Someone who was brave, maybe. But I’ve never been brave, have I? A coward. A survivalist at best. But not brave.
I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t know if I was coming back. All I could do was curl up in a ball, sobbing, and hoped the pain would stop.
Romeo’s POV
“My morning, you mean?” I smiled into the kiss, breaking away to answer. “Terrible without you.”
Marina's POV
I just stood there, watching the bus drive away from me. Watching Mercutio fade into the distance, lost behind bits and pieces of city scenery and loud, blaring noises.
Fuck.
Why? Why was he doing this? Why was I doing this? I shouldn't be this upset about a Montague boy, much less Mercutio. But he shouldn't have freaked and left me alone after suggesting we play this stupid game. And it was stupid. I knew it.
So why was I crying?
(Oh, Marina…)
Mercutio’s POV
The time passed. Stop after stop. Over and over. Again and again. I curled up in the bus seat, trying to numb myself. I wanted it to stop aching so badly.
“Sorry, kid. End of the line.” The bus driver turned around, giving me an unsympathetic look. I nodded shakily, stepping off the bus.
I looked around, wiping at my eyes and trying to gain my bearings. An ice cream shop across the street was labeled Greg’s, but I needed something stronger than ice cream to numb the fissures spreading across my heart.
I walked through the streets, lost and tired. Eventually I found a bar where I entered, glared at everyone and promptly settled down, ordering a drink.
Marina's POV
Eventually, I left, wiping the smudged mascara from my cheeks. I don't know how long I walked, and I didn't know where I was walking, but I didn;t care. I just let my feet carry me away. All the way across town…..
Until I arrived at Joe's house.
Mercutio’s POV
I drank a lot. I don’t indulge myself often, but I needed to now. I had too get this girl off my mind. Before I turned into a sappy prick like my best friend.
Before I had fully grasped the situation, I was tumbling through Joseph's window and across his bed.
"Marina??" I turned my head towards the sound of a shocked voice, my teary eyes clashing with a familiar pair of brown ones. "Oh my god—Marina, what happened??"
"Shut up," I told him in a trembling voice. "And give me a hug. Please."
I downed a whiskey sour, unsure if I was even the one who ordered it. It shouldn’t have hurt more now. The drinks were meant to make me forget, but all they were doing was bringing her to the center of my attention. I never knew how crazy for her I was getting until I couldn’t have her anymore. Now it was like she’s all I’ve ever wanted.
I eyed my phone, sniffling as I bawled my eyes out. I don’t know what happened to my glasses, but now I could hardly see even without crying. I shakily grabbed my phone, trying to resist temptation.
Joe held me like he was afraid I’d break, but it was the exact opposite of romantic. He was practically my older brother at this point, and though I wasn’t as close with him as I was with Juliet… there’s nobody I would have rather gone to.
Fuck it. My thoughts were running wild at the moment. I shakily scrolled through the list of contacts until I found my Pazza. I hit the call button, leaning against the counter and sniffling.
(Oh my God did he just say my Pazza?)