I watched Mercutio from where I was lying down, just out of earshot tolisten in on whatever the nurse and him were talking about in low tones. At the moment I was flicking through channels on TV, bored as all hell. My phone sat on my lap, where I’d been hoping Juliet would text me with her number since I woke up.
I skipped last period, unable to face Joe and the others. Instead, I practically ran from the school and to the nearest bus stop, boarding the bus and riding all the way to the farthest edge of town, where I got off and walked twenty minutes to Greg’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Whoever said that Demetre’s sold the best ice cream was spewing bullshit, Greg’s was open year round with the best gelato and ice cream I had ever tasted. I pushed open the front door after sending a quick text to my dad, telling him I was going over to Marina’s to study. I couldn’t handle being at home right now, and I couldn’t handle being around other people, so Greg’s was where I went.
Ten minutes later, I was sitting at a table with a huge bowl of five different ice cream flavours, staring at my phone.
Should I text Romeo? went my traitorous mind, to which I decided definitely not. If he wanted to talk, he would text first.
It took me ten minutes. Ten whole minutes to text Juliet with my nondominent right hand, which shook like a leaf the entire time. I knew she hadn’t heard of my condition yet. Or at least Mercutio hasn’t mentioned her at all since he got here. Everything from earlier was blurry. I groaned at my lame message, but sent it anyways, desperate for something to do.
ROMEO: Sorry I wasn’t in today Jules. I’ll try to be in tomorrow
My phone buzzed just as I was finishing off all the salted caramel scoops. I glanced over hurriedly, and upon seeing who it was from, unlocked my phone and opened my messages app without thinking.
JULIET: Don’t call me that. And do you really think it’s a good idea to come to school in your current condition?
I smiled at my phone screen as it lit up quickly with Juliet’s response. However, her text confused me. I buried myself further in the pile of pillows, texting her back.
ROMEO: How’d you know what my condition is?
JULIET: Mercutio showed me the picture you sent me. Threatened me and some shit.
Greg, the owner of the place and one of the only people who was friendly with her and not an acquaintance of her father, glanced over and winked. “Boy troubles?” He’d noticed the definite change in my demeanour, how I was shaky and skipping school, and was evidently teasing to try and cheer me up.
“No!” I protested, mortified.
I stared at the message, a bit shocked. That meant not only had Juliet been willing to tolerate Mercutio, but that Mercutio had be willing to show her a picture of me.
ROMEO: Please forget you saw that. I’ve been on heavy painkillers all day and I need this to haunt me as little as possible.
JULIET: You owe me an explanation. What the fuck happened to you?
Greg chuckled, shaking his head in an amused fashion. “Of course, it’s never a boy.” This kind, amazing man was the one person I felt I could be soft with. I was more open in demeanour towards him than I was with Marina… of course, she didn’t know that. No one knew. This place was my little, secret safe haven, and I intended to keep it that way.
I grimaced, rereading her message. If Juliet was here I probably woukdbpve spilled everything in an instant. But over text? Where there could be evidence?
ROMEO: Not ready to talk about it yet.
JULIET: Bullshit. Would that have been your answer if I’d accepted your offer to talk to you on the phone in class?
I couldn’t risk being soft towards him, couldn’t risk betraying the fact that I felt a bit sorry for him. I just had to act harsh, fake it ‘till I made it, and scrub myself clean of these stupid emotions.
“Yeah, not with me,” I muttered, suddenly reminded of Paris. Greg chuckled quietly. “What, you haven’t picked up a boy yet?”
Juliet wasn’t even here, yet my cheeks still flushed red with embarrassment. The heart monitor next to me picked up in speed a little bit.
ROMEO: Promise you’ll delete the messages after I send them?
JULIET: Depends on the content. Probably.
My eyebrows drew together as I blinked down at my screen. Why would he want me to delete them? Embarrassment? Shame?
I sighed, smiling weakly at her text. I could practically hear her teasing me.
ROMEO: Need you to promise me. Could get both of us into some serious shit if this gets out.
Greg noticed my perplexed expression and laughed. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”
My phone buzzed, cutting my reply short, and this time, my expression was one of shock. What was going on?
JULIET: What the fuck?? I promise, now explain yourself.
I didn’t hesitate before typing again. I felt safe around Juliet. If anyone understood this, she would.
ROMEO: You brought up the war yesterday. How I didn’t know how it started? And you were saying Rafael lied to me and all that. Well, he went on some business trip thing this morning.
JULIET: Oh my god. Please don’t tell me you looked through his stuff.
I gaped down at my screen, dumbfounded and not bothering to cover up my emotions. That wasn’t possible—had he really tried something that stupid?
My smile turned sheepish even though I knew she couldn’t see me.
ROMEO: You might have been onto something when you said I was born stupid.
JULIET: Oh my god. You idiot. Who did that to you?? What happened after?!
My concern was now leaking into my texts, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Oh my god..
Despite feeling awful, Juliet’s sudden compassion warmed me up from the inside out. I took a moment to respond, trying to stop myself from blushing.
ROMEO: I did everything I was supposed to! There must be some extra alarm I don’t know about. My mom came in, gave me the disgraced son speech, and cracked me off the head with a roller. The nurse thinks I’m nearsighted now since she hit me so hard. Might need glasses.
JULIET: Explain to me how you got that beaten up with a rolling pin. And next time you want to do something stupid and life-threatening, fucking ask me what happened again first.
I felt like I was about to punch something. I would have chosen Romeo for that task had he not been beaten up and hospitalized already.
ROMEO: You seemed upset. Didn’t want to bother you with it. Rolling pin was only the first part. Got sent to an old fashioned Montague interrogation. Couldn’t exactly tell them about you so I lied a lot. Woke up here.
I couldn’t help but wonder if my parents would come back to get me. The worst part was that I don’t think I want them too.
JULIET: You didn’t sell me out….? Why? You got hurt and probably almost killed!
I finished off the last of my ice cream, hands beginning to tremble again.
ROMEO: Because you aren’t the one who wanted to break into my father’s office? Plus I like you. Not just in the gooey way. You’re a good person, and you shouldn’t be punished for me being dumb.
I had all my attention directed at the phone at this point, waiting for Juliet's replies.
JULIET: You of all people shouldn’t think I’m a good person. And I still can’t believe how stupid you were.
__
I bit my lip, realizing something.
JULIET: So…. you know what happened.
ROMEO: *Thats the worst part! I remember holding the file and then… nothing. Blank slight. Like when you rammed my head into that ball.