Lyrical Love Letter

She was touching him. Her slim lithe body was inches away from him. He towered over her petite form and his sandy brown hair fell lazily into his eyes. Her hand touched his chest lightly as she giggled at something he’d said.

“Stop looking at them.” A voice issued from beside Alex’s defensive form. “People are starting to stare at you.” Rian was suddenly beside him, a cup held lightly in one hand, a contrast to Alex’s death grip on his own.

“She’s your cousin for Christ sake. Doesn’t this bother you even a little?” he questioned as he gestured angrily to the two.

“What? that Juliette is actually having a good time for once in her life…no not really.”

“She’s with Logan.” Alex spat distastefully as he glared at the two who stood half way across the room.

“Juliette can take care of herself, Alex.” There was an undercurrent, a secret that Rian was hiding and it had Alex tearing his gaze away from the couple to stare at his friend questioningly. Rian’s gaze fell to the contents in his cup.

“Shit.” He cursed. Rian glanced feebly around the room for someone to save him from this conversation but when no one came he sighed tiredly. “If it bothers you so much Alex, get her away from him.” He glanced at the contents in his cup once more. “I need more beer.” He decided as he walked away from Alex.

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Alex’s gaze drifted back to Logan and Juliette, only this time Juliette was not smiling. Logan held a cup to his lips and Juliette was glaring at him as she crossed her arms defensively over her chest. She muttered something to him that had Logan smirking before she stormed out of the room and out of the house.
Alex was before Logan in three strides.

“What the hell did you say to her, Logan.” Alex snarled under his breath.

“What the hell are you talking about?” His eyes were glazed from the intoxicating liquid in his hand. The smirk Alex hated appeared on Logan’s lips. “Why do you care?” Alex hesitated for only a moment.

“I care about anyone subjected to your ‘favorite pastime’.”Alex snapped as his fingers made sarcastic quotations. Logan simply glared at him in response.

“Don’t mock me.” Alex rolled his eyes exasperated in response. He moved past the taller man but not before he knocked Logan’s drink carelessly from his hand.

“Fucker!” Logan snarled after him but Alex was already gone.

It was three miles to the nearest Starbucks but Juliette didn’t care. She needed the soothing sweetness. If it was one thing that didn’t change no matter where it was, it was the taste of Starbucks. This tiny cafe however was nothing compared to the lounge in New York. There was no couch in the corner, there were no laptops situated upon high tables. Just three measly tables and a tiny counter made up the Lutherville Starbucks.

“What can I get you?” Juliette’s feet hurt and Logan’s words were piercing her every thought.

“Double chocolate chip grande frappaciano, extra foam please.” The woman behind the counter nodded and began scribbling her order on a translucent cup. Juliette grabbed one of the napkins from the canister and folded the thin papery material repeatedly, trying to block Logan’s words from her mind.

The stool beside her swiveled and suddenly a body was beside her. Juliette didn’t bother to look at the stranger beside her, as she busily folded her napkin. fold, crease, turn.

“What can I get you?”

fold, crease, turn.

“Uh…Passion tea lemonade.” Juliette’s head snapped up at the voice, her napkin forgotten.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice didn’t hold the usually defensive bitchy edge it normally did.

“I had a hunch you would be here.” His eyes bore an expression Juliette couldn’t understand as he stared deeply at her.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Alex looked away; she wasn’t going to make this easy for him.

“Logan is an ass, Juliette. Don’t take it personally.” Juliette stiffened, her eyes taking on their usual defensive gleam before curiosity sparked inside her.

“How would you know? Don’t take this the wrong way but you don’t exactly seem like someone who would be friends with someone like Logan.”

“Because he’s a football player?” Juliette opened her mouth to speak, “No its okay, you’re right actually. We aren’t friends.” A smirk that Juliette didn’t understand crossed Alex’s lips, like it was a joke that only he knew the punch line to. “I don’t have to be friends with Logan to know he’s an ass.” His eyes were intense as his chocolate brown orbs rose to meet her own. “I wish you could forget whatever it was he said to you. It’s just how Logan is when he gets alcohol in his system. He’s an ass to everyone, don’t take it to heart.”

“How would you know?” That smirk reappeared on Alex’s lips.

“Logan has been to every party I’ve gone to for years. That’s not really saying anything though, everyone at that party has been partying together for years. So you see, you didn’t really understand the way the rest of us did; it’s just how Logan is.”

“Why are you defending him?” Juliette questioned as disbelief and curiosity fought for dominance inside her. Alex looked away as he plucked a napkin from the holder.

“Here you go miss.” Suddenly her cold foamy beverage was suddenly before her. Juliette looked up at the woman,

“Thank you.” She murmured pulling a five dollar bill from her back pocket and handing it to the woman, who began to count out the change. When she glanced back to Alex she found he was gone. Juliette looked around confused, thinking maybe he had left to make a phone call or go to the bathroom.

But Alex Gaskarth was gone and Juliette Dawson was alone and this would not be the last time this situation occurred.

Juliette glanced at the spot where Alex had once been, the napkin he had toyed with rested upon the countertop. Juliette picked up the napkin where she saw had been written in pencil lead, a note:

I always do what I'm not supposed to
Here's to us fools
That have no meaning
I tip my glass to you
Let's toast the night away to friends
And forget about tomorrow
I might say things you don't want to hear.

Juliette stared at the writing in confusion. It made no sense to her but at the same time the writing seemed to go together.

“Excuse me?” The woman behind the counter glanced up at Juliette. She could have only been a few years older than Juliette so perhaps she would have the answers the confused girl sought. “Does this make sense to you?” She pasted the note to the barista who stared at it curiously.

“They're lyrics.” She stated instantly. “But I don’t know the band. Sorry.” She passed the note back to Juliette.

“That’s alright. Thank you.” The woman smiled in response and Juliette rose to leave, napkin note in hand.