Lyrical Love Letter

When Juliette entered English 4 she knew with all certainty that god hated her. There was no way that god could have not possibly had a vendetta against Juliette when he placed Juliette Dawson in Alex Gaskarth’s English class.

“Miss. Ritterman?” She questioned as she approached the teacher in the doorway. She was a short young woman in her late twenties and she had short blond hair and bright blue eyes.

“Yes?”

“I think I’m in your class.” Juliette told her as she clutched a handful of books to her chest.

“Ah yes, Juliette Barkalow, right?”

“Dawson.” Juliette corrected. “Juliette Dawson.”

“Well, Juliette Dawson, welcome to period 6 English.” Miss. Ritterman smiled.

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“Shut up.” She growled in annoyance as she attempted to concentrate on the teachers speech about how they would be studying Pride and Prejudice within the next few weeks—a book Juliette had already read.

“What?” Alex smirked in amusement beside her. For some reason Juliette had high doubts that she would actually enjoy 6th period English. Situated in the back of the room was one severely annoyed Juliette Dawson and one very amused Alex Gaskarth, who had been sent to the back of the room because Miss. Ritterman simply could not deal with the boy any longer—leaving Juliette to deal with him instead. Juliette was facing the front of the room obediently while Alex was fully turned in his seat toward her, elbow propped on the desk and his head in his hand as he grinned at her. Juliette had never found someone so insufferable in all her life and she marveled at the fact that this boy, whom she had only known for a day, had exceeded so fully in becoming the number one person on her hate list. Juliette clenched her jaw and scribbled down the notes on the board.

“Don’t you have a Do Now to do right now or something?”

“I know who I want to do right now,” He smirked and Juliette’s pen stopped midsentence as she glared at the notebook before her. She turned to Alex with deadly calm,

“Boy, you have no idea who you are messing with.”

“Rian’s cousin?”

“Rian’s richie bitch cousin, remember?” Juliette sneered. “I’m not Rian. I’m Juliette and you seriously do not want to get on my bad side.”

“Noted,” He smirked. “Now how about you and me get out of here.” Juliette just shook her head smirking to herself. Because even though Juliette was the new kid and knew little to no one in this school, she still had her brother and the same crowds that ran through this school had ruled her own. Juliette would find them and when she did the joke would be on Alex.

Several minutes later the door opened and it was like god had graced her with a little bit of luck. Declan came sauntering into the room with the football coach behind him.

“I’m sorry he’s late, Miss. Ritterman,” The football coach apologized. “I was just having a word with Mr. Dawson here.” Juliette’s eyes were on her brother but Alex’s eyes were on Juliette—and they were as wide as saucers.

“He’s your brother,” Alex questioned shocked, but a hatred Juliette did not understand laced his voice. Juliette turned to him sneering,

“He’s my twin,” Juliette snapped disdainfully as Declan approached them. “Now fuck off Skinny Jeans, you’re a waste of perfectly good air.” Declan sat down in the seat in front of Juliette and turned around to face his sister.

“I’m on the team.” He announced happily.

“Of course you are,” Juliette rolled her eyes but a pleased smile crossed her lips. “Didn’t we have this conversation in the parking lot?”

“Yes we did,” It was Declan’s turn to grin, but it was a sneaky conniving grin and Juliette knew it well. “This means you have to hold up your end of the bargain.”

“Nuh-uh,” She wagged her finger at him between narrowed eyes, “we never agreed to that and it wasn’t a bargain, it was you telling me to join cheerleading just because you were doing football again.”

“Big brother always tell you what to do?” Declan turned to Alex in confusion but annoyance was evident in his face.

“You are?”

“A waste to society,” Juliette told him. “just another asshole who likes to screw up my day. We had a few of them back home, remember, Deck?” Juliette mused. “I believe the last one was chased through the library by half the football team. That’s how many football players?”

“45.” Declan’s gaze turned from Alex back toward his sister with questioning eyes.

“So about our deal?” She prompted.

“Oh yeah,” His face lit up slightly as he turned back around in his seat. “hey Melanie!” A girl with long brunette hair and caramel skin turned away from her group of laughing friends and peered at Declan curiously.

“Yeah?” Declan beckoned her toward them and she rose from her seat and sat down in the available one across from Declan. Juliette recognized her as one of the girls that had crowded around Declan earlier that day in gym.

“Juliette this is Melanie,” He informed. “she’s captain of the cheerleading squad.” He shot his sister a warning glance. Cheerleading had always been Juliette’s domain before now and Declan knew his sister would have a hard time relinquishing the power she once held. “Melanie this is my twin sister Juliette.”

“Nice to meet you,” She smiled as she glanced at Juliette’s attire.

“You too,” Juliette nodded and Declan could have sighed in exasperation as the girls eyed each other up as though they were about to go at it.

“Sooo,” Melanie began brightly. “You’re the cheerleader Mrs. Bernet has been talking about,” A bitter edge entered her voice. “the captain of the cheerleading squad at York Prep.” Juliette nodded slightly smug; she would never feel ashamed of where she had come from.

“That’s right,” There was a cutting edge to her voice and dimly Juliette knew Alex was watching her silently and with great curiosity. A side of her was itching to snap at him and ask him if he wanted popcorn while he watched the show he seemed so engrossed in.

“Tell me, do you know anything about the vandalization that took place? You know, just out of curiosity…it was very impressive.”

“I know you can ask Rodger Cunningham for starters.” Juliette stated, but there was a deadly edge to it that had Alex grinning and Declan frowning. “Ask him why he punched Maureen Myers. Ask him how it felt when York beat the shit out of him, ask him how much the hospital bill cost.” The sickly sweet smile plastered across Melanie’s face made Juliette want to punch her.

“So that is a ‘no’ then?” She nodded to herself. “It’s going to be a fun year huh? I can’t wait to have you on the team.”

“Words can’t describe how happy I’ll be to be there.”
Melanie sat there for another moment with her false smile and hawk eyes before she rose to her feet and returned to her friends.

“Meow” Alex jeered grinning. “Cat fight.” The Twins turned to Alex with hard looks and he grinned in response. “It is going to be fun year.” Alex told them and Juliette scuffed in response.