Lyrical Love Letter

BTW: This is Missy. Missy
________________________________________________________________________

“Hey! Juliette! Juliette, wait up!” Juliette sighed tiredly as she let the ’67 classic idol in the student parking lot. Juliette wanted nothing more than to go home. But she knew she could do no such thing. She had to tutor Alex, a nagging thought that had kept her mood down all day. She’d gotten into a fight with Declan and decided that he could walk home, she walked out of cheer practice because Melanie was on her last nerve, and now she was being stopped by annoying freshman. “Hey,” She breathed when she caught up with Juliette, who forced a smile in response.

“Hi Missy.” Juliette replied dully.

“Can you give me a ride home to Alex & Logan’s place? I herd you were tutoring Alex today.”

“Why should I?” Juliette did not like Missy Taylor—this fact, was in fact, the biggest understatement of the year. Juliette almost hated Missy more than she hated Melanie…almost.
A wicked smile crossed Missy’s face then as she poked her head into Juliette’s window.

“Because I know what you did with Mattie-boy, Juliette.” She clicked her tongue in disapproval. “You may not care about Alex’s feelings but I’m sure Alex wouldn’t take that news quietly. In fact I’m sure Rian and Declan wouldn’t either. Sleeping with Matt,” She shook her head, her lips pursed. “You’ve thrown quiet a wrench into our lives Juliette. You’ve only been here a couple of months but we’ve grown up together. Go on,” She taunted. “Tell them all you slept with Matt, see what happens.” Juliette’s eyes narrowed on Missy, her eyes dark with hate. No one blackmails Juliette Barkalow.

“You’re messing with the wrong person, Melissa.”

“No, Juliette.” Missy snapped. “you’re messing with the wrong kids. I won’t let you ruin Alex. I won’t let you tear their band apart. You might be able to make a mockery of Jack and Melanie but you will not make a mockery of Alex, not of my family.” Admiration flickered in Juliette’s eyes. Missy had more moxie then anyone was willing to give her credit for. After all, it wasn’t every day someone threatened a Barkalow—especially a freshman of all people.

“Get in the car.” Juliette stated, fixing her gaze on the cars before her. The door clicked open and Missy slid in easily against the leather material. As soon as the passenger door slammed shut Juliette hit the gas and sped away from the school.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The Gaskarth house looked like every other house on the street. Two stories, white panels, earthy toned shutters, attached two car garage. Juliette was already half way up the steps before Missy had even figured out how to escape from the clutches of Juliette’s trusty Impala. But Missy was beside her before she could knock upon the mahogany door, instead Missy turned the knob and let them both in.

“I practically live here.” Missy assured when Juliette shot her a doubtful look. “A-Lexi!” She called in a sing-song voice a smirk on her lips.

“Stop fucking calling me that, Melissa.” Alex snapped from somewhere within the house. Missy led Juliette down a hallway toward the kitchen, “I don’t call you--Juliette!” Alex’s voice went from disgruntled to perky in .5 seconds. He was at the counter making a sandwich, mayonnaise covering the tips of his fingers as he put the top slice of bread upon his masterpiece. Rian and Kara were situated upon bar stools in front of the island.

Kara mumbled something along the lines of “Pathetic.” Before Rian subtly kicked her, instantly shutting her up. “Hi Juliette!” She called louder, offering a short wave. “Missy.” She acknowledged with the same level of enthusiasm and Juliette wondered distantly if Kara was really that happy to see Alex’s annoying freshman cousin.

“Hi Kara,” Juliette smiled as she ventured into the kitchen to stand beside her cousin and his girlfriend.

“I hear you’re tutoring Alex.” There was a teasing edge in Rian’s voice and she threw him a look,

“Fuck you.” She retorted smiling pleasantly and Rian chuckled in response.

“Well, I’ll see you at home,” Rian announced as he slid off his stool and grabbed Kara’s hand. “We’ll leave you two love birds alone.”

“Fuck you.” Juliette repeated as Rian lead Kara from the room, who in the last instant, reached for Missy’s hand and lead the complaining girl from the house, successfully leaving Juliette alone with Alex.

“Well should we get started?” Alex questioned, sandwich poised in his hand as he moved around the island and made his way down the hallway, forcing Juliette to grudgingly follow. “All my school shit is in my room.” He winked at her as he led the way up the stairs and Juliette just scuffed in disgust.

_________________________________________________________________________________

“We’ll start with flash cards.” Juliette decided as she pulled a stack of index cards from the local CVS from her the depths of her bag. She held up the first card, showing Alex the card. Alex was sprawled out upon his unmade bed while Juliette sat upon his desk chair, unwilling to go within 100 feet of his bed—especially after her last encounter with Alex in his room.

“Conjugal?” Alex questioned. “Is that even a word?”

“Obviously if it’s on the flashcard it is. Jane Austen didn’t just make up random words to confuse you Alex.”

“Are you so sure about that, I mean really who uses the word conjugal in a sentence? You use conjugal in a sentence.”

“Alex,” Juliette snapped in annoyance “I don’t think you understand what you’re doing. You’re not just poking and prodding and trying to raise a response out of me anymore, you’re screwing around with my future!” She rose from her seat, advancing on him. Juliette was on her last nerve, the Manhattan social elite was on the brink of loosing it. “You are screwing around with my college.” She gripped the collar of his shirt. “Your screwing around with Stanford Alex! Stanford! Who the hell does that? Do you really hate me that much that you have to ruin my chances at getting into my dream college? The only reason I’m here is because it looks good on my application. What doesn’t look good on my application would be unnecessary violence if I were to strangle you right now!” but after all Juliette had said the only thing Alex could say was,

“You think I hate you?” He murmured softly, completely unaware that Juliette was still gripping the collar of his shirt.

“Why else would you insist upon putting me through hell, Alex?” Juliette snapped. “Friends don’t purposely try to ruin each others day. Crushes don’t insist upon making that person hate them. And for what Alex? You ruin my day just to get a few good laughs in, just to get a rise out of me. And for what?” Alex just shook his head and shrugged, suddenly Alex had forgotten every word within the English language. Juliette released her grip on Alex’s shirt and he fell backward upon the bed. “I’m telling Miss. Ritterman I can’t tutor you.” She announced as she moved back to the desk, collecting her backpack and flash cards.

“Won’t that look bad on your college application?” Alex questioned quietly.

“I don’t give a fuck.” Juliette told him as she moved toward the door, then she laughed disbelievingly as she turned to Alex. “Do you believe that? You’ve reduced me to not caring about my future. About Stanford. Congratulations Alex, here’s your fucking prize.” She tossed a piece of paper at him then disappeared through the door.

Alex reached from the crumpled paper on the floor where in a few simple lines in an elegant cursive was written:

Words on the back of flyers, my clothes are in the dryer
It means nothing, nothing is changing
La familia is dead and gone, the children grew up and moved on
Is it too much to ask for the things to work out this time?
I'm only asking for what is mine
I wanted everything, I got it and now I'm gonna
Throw it away