We Don't Have to be a Tragedy

Juliet’s Point of View

Christmas!

Time had flown since the conclusion of Romeo and Juliet (the play!!!), and I was literally bugging the crap out of Taylor, calling her every night to see if she’d managed to weasel a gift idea for Romeo from Todd. She hadn’t yet, and with just Christmas Eve and Christmas ahead, I was frantic. I still had no clue what to get Romeo, my boyfriend of nearly two months.

“Calm down,” Mom laughed as I ate dinner with them at the apartment. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out by then.”

I stared, then said, “What if I don’t?!”

“You will.” Mom shook her head with a grin and Dad just smiled. “Besides, we’re all going over to the Davis’s on Christmas, a big Davis-Capula get-together.”

“Cathy and your mother both are looking forward to possible repeat Davis-Capula holidays.” Dad said to me across the table.

I blushed, crying, “Mom!”

“Oh, hush, George, she didn’t need to know that!” Mom said, flushing.

“She’s involved, so I’m sure she’d want to know.” Dad just shrugged.

“Mom!”

“George!!”

Romeo’s Point of View

Todd still hadn’t asked Taylor about something that Juliet might like, so I’d resorted to my last resort.

“Oh, Romeo, I’m sure she’d be fine with anything! Why’d you drag me all the way here?” Mom sighed, as we walked through the mall, decked with all its Christmas-y glory.

“I want your help picking,” I said uncertainly, as I kind of looked in a few windows. “I don’t know whether to get her a pair of earrings or a t-shirt or a necklace or -”

“A locket!” Mom suddenly said, stepping up to the window. “It’s perfect! Especially with her hair and eyes.”

I stepped up, eagerly, to look at the one Mom pointed at.

Sterling silver, a small heart. And it came with matching earrings. I pictured Juliet in my mind, which wasn’t hard to do, and realized that Mom had it right. Silver, with her black hair and blue eyes, would look great.

“Yeah,” I managed, letting my eyes hesitantly drop to the price tag. I didn’t groan, and I went in and bought it. After all, no matter how much it was worth, Juliet was worth so much more.

Taylor’s Point of View

“Todd!” I whined. “You should tell me something that Romeo would like, so I can tell Juliet so she can get it for him!” I finally blurted.

Juliet had been counting on me, and now, just a few days until Christmas as Todd drove towards home, I had finally asked.

He kind of laughed, and said, “Romeo’s been asking for help, too.”

“Huh?” I asked, clueless.

“Romeo needs help with a gift for Juliet. Well, he did. He finally just went shopping with his Mom, like an hour ago. So I don’t know what he picked, if he’s even picked yet.”

“Oh.” I said. “Still! I need a gift idea for Romeo for Juliet!”

Todd’s Point of View

I laughed, and said, “Taylor, trust me. Anything she could give Romeo would make him happy. Just as long as it was from her. He hasn’t liked someone this much in…well, I don’t think he’s ever fallen this hard for someone.”

“Really?!” she asked, excitedly, as I pulled into the passing lane. We were just crossing the state line into our home state - yes, we, since we decided that just taking one car would save gas, thus, saving money.

“Really. Now, can I get a few minutes to think about what I want to get them?”

She blinked, and laughed. “You haven’t gotten Romeo anything? He’s your best friend, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he’s my best friend,” I sighed, “but now I have to think about what to get both him and his girlfriend, and that makes things about four times harder.”

“Not really,” Taylor said. “They both like Panic at the Disco, just buy them some graphic tees or something - or, don’t, because that’s what I was planning on doing…”

“So you still haven’t bought them anything, either,” I said, with a smirk. I saw her flush from the corner of my eye as I pulled into a gas station to fill up.

“Well, I - okay, I’ve got no excuse.” she sighed.

I laughed.