Rome and Julie

The next couple of weeks, the beginning of December came and passed. I hated the cold weather, so sitting inside all day, studying and watching movies was my schedule. I also enjoyed reading Romeo and Julie by the window, sipping some hot chocolate. It snowed pretty often, so I didn’t see Rome, on account of the roads being too bad. The county’s schools were closed, so I saw many kids playing with each other, building snowmen, and tackling each other into the soft snow piles.

I thought December was going to be rather uneventful when the 15th rolled around and nothing exciting happened, but then, something awful came up.

I woke up in the middle of the night to Maggie’s screaming. She was yelling Robert’s name over and over, causing me to shoot out of the bed, running to their room. Maggie was then on the phone, calling 911, saying that her husband was having a heart attack. I could hear the desperation in her voice, and how afraid she was the she was about to lose her significant other.

Even though I didn’t know Robert that well, he was still important to me, so I couldn’t stop the tears that started to fill my eyes. I heard Robert coughing and occasionally vomiting, but I could not see anything for the darkness of the room. Robert was saying something in a heart wrenchingly weak voice, about Maggie not calling the hospital, that he was okay, even though obviously he wasn’t.

Soon, the ambulance came, picked up Robert, and Maggie and I rushed behind the ambulance in her car. Maggie was crying the whole time, and I was containing my sadness to be strong for her. At the hospital, Maggie had to leave me to fill out some papers, and I didn’t really want to be alone. My mind was working in overdrive. I took my phone out of the pocket of my sweatpants, which I’d stupidly grabbed before leaving the house. The clock on my phone read 3:23.

Without hesitation, I dialed speed dial number 2. It rang five times before a sleepy voice answer.

“Hello?”

“Rome?” I said, realizing how obvious it was that I had been crying just by my voice. It cracked, sounded weak, and was rough.

“Julie? Are you alright? Is everything okay?” Rome’s previously tired voice was suddenly alert, and in the background I could already hear him getting out of his bed.

“I’m fine. It’s not me… it’s Robert. He’s had a heart attack. We’re at the hospital, and Maggie’s not here with me, and I don’t really want to be alone right now, so—”

“I’ll be there in five minutes.” Rome said. I smiled a little, thanked him, then hung up. Robert was like a father to me. He was the only father that I’ve ever known, and even though we weren’t best friends and we didn’t talk often, I knew he cared about me, and would give his life for me.

In less than five minutes, Rome came from around the corner of the sickeningly white wall of the hospital. I immediately noticed he was dressed in jeans and a button up shirt, and the skidding thought that he looked amazing flittered through my mind.

“Julie…” Rome started, and as he neared, I stood up. For some reason, just the sight of Rome, at 3:30 in the morning and rushing towards me, started to make me cry harder. Rome gathered me in his arms and held on tight, and my arms immediately wrapped around his neck. His presence alone was already making my pounding heart calm to an appropriate level. “I’m sure he’ll be okay.” Rome whispered, it felt like, in my hair. I swallowed hard, taking a few calming breaths, breathing in that undeniable scent of Rome.

“I know. I’m really hoping.” I pulled away so I could look up into his face, and I saw how tired he was. No doubt he was up late working. “I’m worried about Maggie, though.” I whispered, searching Rome’s eyes.

“She’ll be fine. Just like Robert. Everything will be fine, Julie. I’ll make sure of it.” By that, of course he meant he’ll pay for whatever it takes. His tone explained it all.

“Rome, you know Maggie and Robert wouldn’t want you to—”

“They need to swallow their pride. I’ll give them money, and they’ll like it.” I laughed, aware of how desperate I sounded. Heck, I was desperate. Desperate for Robert to be okay, and for the rest of December to be absolutely, unbearably uneventful.

“Well, remind me to leave the room when you guys have that… argument.” Rome smiled, and after a few moments, everything got weird. We were still in each other’s arms, and, nearly perfectly simultaneous, we pulled apart, standing for a few more awkward moments, then we sat in the waiting chairs beside us.

Why, oh why, did things have to be weird between us after any display of affection, may it be friendship?

Rome and I were seated beside each other, so the weirdness never really went completely away, but it lingered in the air after thirty minutes. I sat, staring at the clock in front of us as the minutes passed by. I was worried sick for Robert and Maggie, and I wanted nothing more in the world than for everything to be okay again. I was praying when Maggie appeared.

“He’s going to be okay.” She said in a relived voice. I breathed a huge breath of relief, getting out of my seat to hug her. When I pulled away and looked at the clock, I was surprised to find it was 7:13. I glanced back at Rome, to find him smiling a small smile in his seat. “Rome, dear. You didn’t have to come.”

“But I did, Maggie.” Rome said, getting out of his seat too, approaching us, hugging Maggie in a way that I was sure to be very comforting to her. Rome’s chest was like stone covered with velvet. I loved it.

“The doctors said they’d like for Robert to stay the rest of the week, just in case, but he should be home before Christmas.” Maggie explained, crossing her arms over her chest. I then saw how stressed she looked. She had bags under her eyes, her hair was a mess, and her eyes held sadness. I swallowed hard, knowing she, along with Rome and I, needed sleep.

“I think we should all get back to sleep.” I said, rubbing at my eyes, realizing just then how heavy they’d gotten.

“I’m going to stay here. But Rome, you’re welcome to go back to the house with Julie.” Maggie said, giving us a sorrowful smile. I yawned, giving Maggie a hug. After I kissed her cheek and pulled away, I linked my arm through Rome’s, allowing him to lead us away, towards one of his many cars. Today he’d driven his black one. It closely resembled a sports car.

Rome opened the door for me, allowing me to easily slip inside, lean my head back on the headrest, and close my eyes. After Rome had gotten in and started the car, it was only a matter of minutes before I fell asleep.

I woke to Rome gently shaking my shoulder, saying something in a voice so smooth and low that I wished I could fly away somewhere else, with just that voice as the guide to my destination.

“Jules. We’re at your house.” I remember what had happened a few moments ago with Robert, and I immediately felt my eyes burn with unshed tears. I wanted to crawl away somewhere. I couldn’t really and truly comprehend that Robert had a heart attack. That he could of died. That he still could die.

“Rome…” I whispered, peeling my eyes open, biting my lower lip. “What if he dies?” My voice was still low, and I heard the way it shook in my own ears. Rome had the passenger door opened, and was leaning down. I watched as he stared at me for a while, then he sighed.

“That’s not going to happen.” I rolled my lips into a thin line, nodding once, willing myself to just believe his words, and cease worrying so much. But I couldn’t. With a heavy sigh, I pushed passed Rome and got out of the car, seeing Robert and Maggie’s small but comfortable house in front of me. It had always reflected a sort of coziness that no one could ever deny. There were bushed lining the front, and flowers decorated the space around those bushes. The grass was trimmed—by Robert—and the weeds were killed. The house itself was paneled with an off-white color, and a pale red door sat on the small porch off to the left.

I smiled a little, thinking about the memories I had with Maggie, Rome, and even Robert at times. Rome had teased me most of our childhood, but it was good natured, and I looked up to him to such an extent that I took his humor as compliments. Like when he told me my hair looked like a bird’s nest. Or when he shoved me into a pile of leaves we’d just created. Or directed the water hose in my direction, drenching me from head to toe.

Rome, despite his seriousness eighty percent of the time, was a funny kid. He was still funny, but not in the same way. Back then he was innocent, unknown to his parents training him into mini versions of themselves.

And yet I still looked up to him. He was everything I wanted to be. Rich, unbelievably smart, bold, funny, and adorable. Rome Madden was and still is my idol. Not that I’d ever let him know that, but—

“Julie! Hello? You still in there somewhere?” I realized Rome was snapping at me, bringing me from my flash to the past to the present, where I was standing, motionless, before the front door. I rubbed my hand down my face, leaning forward, grabbing the door handle, pushing it open.

Inside, I relaxed at the familiar smell of warm vanilla sugar, and the habitual burr of the appliances throughout the house. Realizing, again, that I was tired, I rolled over the back of the couch and lounged on it, my head on the armrest. It wasn’t long before my eyes closed. Only a few seconds later, however, they opened again.

“Ahem.” Rome said from above me, his eyebrows raised. “You expect me to rest where exactly?” I rolled my eyes. Stupid idiot.

“Wherever you please. Geez Rome, it’s not like you’ve never been here before. Find a seat, find a bed.” I said, my eyes closing again in mid sentence. Rome’s voice didn’t interrupt my sleep this time, however, and I finally got to rest.

-Rome-

It was rather awkward, but I sat in Robert’s chair, trying to make myself comfortable in a situation that obviously couldn’t be pleasant. Here I was, sitting in the chair of a man who had just had a heart attack. My mind didn’t fret over it long, however, for soon it liked the notion of watching Julie sleep. The sun coming up through the open window caught Julie’s long eyelashes, casting a shadow across her peaceful face. Julie didn’t deserve the stress she was put through. Not just by Robert’s heart attack, but by my parents.

Julie was a great girl. Woman. She was kind, smart, hilarious. I very well knew I didn’t and never would deserve her. And the fact that my parents were practically tell her to love me didn’t help her worries and troubles. She was already doing a great job with the company, and my parents didn’t even know she did a lot of the work.

After a while, I found myself studying Julie very closely. Closer than I ever would with her awake. Even if I told her one million times, I knew she would never believe she was unbelievably gorgeous. And I very well knew she was. Yet another reason I didn’t deserve her as my wife. Julie was the kind of girl that no man could ignore. She was not perfect, I’ll give her that. She had flaws with her behaviors, but those are what make Julie…well, Julie. She wasn’t proper, she had a lack of manners, and I found many of her actions and habits outrageous and disgusting. And yet, every quality she had added up to her overall perfection. Julie wasn’t perfect, yet she was in a way that only she could be.

Julie was perfect because she was 100% the true person she really was. There was never any pretending with her, and never any doubt that her actions were based on what she wanted, not on what others did. She wasn’t a fake, a phony, or deceitful. Julie Corbin was completely genuine.

I knew what she wanted. And for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I wouldn’t just kiss her and make her feel as beautiful as she was. Every time I wanted to, though, I just knew that it wasn’t the right time. Julie and I weren’t in love. No where close in fact. Our relationship was closer to than that of a brother and sister.

Julie was difficult. She was disappointed in me. She wanted me to kiss her. Julie wanted me to be as genuine as she was, but it wasn’t that easy. I had a company to run, and parents to keep satisfied. Maggie and Robert would support Julie in anyway. If Julie got pregnant, Maggie would support her. I, on the other hand, would have some difficulty. I knew guys liked what they saw when they took second takes to see Julie. And I knew I should’ve made my move immediately to assure that I could keep her to myself forever.

But, I couldn’t. Didn’t.

When Julie smiled, laughed, or talked, I often found myself captivated by her. Her presence was an interesting one. I cannot put it in words or begin to describe it, but five minutes with her, you’d know what I meant. I hated myself for not giving Julie everything she ever wanted. No doubt she wanted a love like Romeo and Juliet, given that she read it all the time. However close our names are to the lovers, our relationship couldn’t be any more different. Unlike them, our parents actually wanted us to get together. And, our parents were not enemies, but best friends.

Immediately I remembered Julie mentioning something about hating Romeo and Juliet, which contradicted her actions greatly. She reread a book over and over that she loathed. I remembered her exact words after watching the Titanic, which was actually a really good movie.

“It is so unreal. No one would actually fall in love that fast, then kill themselves over each other. It’s illusory shadows any romantic aspects of the play. I hate it.”

So Julie hated Romeo and Juliet. What did that mean, then? She hated love itself? Or just the fictional concept that two beings can fall in love in an incomprehensible short amount of time? I didn’t know, nor did I think I would ever find out without question, lest I actually ask Julie herself.

I willed my thoughts to leave Julie, along with my eyes, and I soon was thinking about the upcoming Christmas party my parents held at their houses. All business partners, friends, and fellow workers were attending. I needed to tell Julie to invite all her friends from those outrageous camps she used to go to during the summer.

Sighing, I concluded that my thoughts couldn’t stay away from Julie, so I abruptly stood up from Robert’s chair, pointlessly brushing it off where I had sat. I walked towards Julie’s room, momentarily feeling like a pry and pedophile. I brushed off the feelings, however. I was Julie’s fiancé. I could go to her room if I wished. Hey, she’d told me to find a bed. I was finding hers.

In her room, I took in the essence of Julie. Her smell wafted through the air, the smell I could never really and effectively describe with words. It was messy, with clothes strung over every surface. Her bed wasn’t made, dirty dishes piling on the nightstand. I noticed pictures on the wall and on her desk that I’d never really gotten a chance to look at.

Most the pictures were of Julie and either one of three girls. One was a pretty blonde with a gorgeous smile, with freckles splattering her nose. Another was a raven haired girl, who looked shy but pretty, with a closed mouth smile. The way her lips shaped upwards and the shine in her eyes, however, reflected her happy mood. Anyone with Julie had to be happy. The last girl Julie had pictures with Julie was a curly haired brunette. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of green, but not nearly as gorgeous as Julie’s eyes. The girl was slightly overweight, but had a pretty face and a contagious smile. As I looked through her pictures, I found other random people she had taken pictures with, surprised by the amount of guys. I took no emotion, though, knowing Julie wouldn’t cheat on me, if it could even be considered cheating.

When I found that the only pictures she had on her desk were those taken of Julie and I, I was even more surprised. Most were of us when we weren’t aware that a picture was being taken. There was one of Julie and I on her back porch, leaning against the railing, laughing at something. It really was an amazing picture. There was another of Julie and I sitting on the couch in her living room on Robert’s birthday, another with us smiling with Maggie on her 36th birthday.

After looking at the pictures, I was shocked to find that Julie Corbin was my best friend. I could tell her things that I would never tell my corporate friends, even including my college buddies. And I was pretty close to the guys. I briefly wondered if I was her best friend, too.

“Rome? What’re you doing?” I heard Julie’s tired voice from behind me, and I turned, finding her leaning against her doorframe, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“I’m just looking at your pictures.” I looked over at the clock, to be surprised to find that it was 9:47.

“I woke up and I thought you had left me. I was about to—”

“Why would you think I would leave you alone at a time like this?” I cut her off, wondering about Julie’s opinion of me. From the sound of it, it wasn’t very good.

“I don’t know. I just didn’t see you, so I assumed—”

“Well don’t next time.” I said, interrupting her. I watched as the tiredness in her eyes melted away, and an indignant air took over. Her chin raised slightly, and she stood up straight.

“Why are you being such an ass? I just—”

“You were just judging me, right? Assuming that I would actually leave you to deal with your emotions by yourself?” I knew I was being unrightfully mean, and I couldn’t find out why. The thought that Julie thought of me as a bad person was too much to bear.

“Rome. Chill your boat. Alright?” I sighed, running a hand down my face, attempting to calm my flaring temper. “There you go. Sit with me?” Julie gestured to her bed, walking over to it and plopping down. A sigh escaped my lips as I joined her.

“The annual Christmas party is coming at my parents’ house. They’re allowing us to invite our friends this year. They said that we’re finally old enough to do so. You need to tell your friends so they can fly here in enough time. They can stay at my house if needed.” Immediately, Julie’s eyes lit up, and any previous anger left, replaced by excitement.

“I get to see my friends again! Sydney, Molly, Margaret, Carrie, Josh, Keenan, Jeremy—” I tuned out as she named off the guys. I didn’t need to hear her list of her friends. Unlike Julie, I only had two really close friends, and then only five others that I hung out with college. I tried to keep to myself in college.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” I asked after Julie had grown quiet, her chatter replaced by an awkward silence I’d rather avoid.

“Um, duh. And I have just the one I know you’ll love.” When Julie thought she knew what I loved, I knew it was bad news. I groaned as she hopped off her bed, skipping out of her bedroom towards the living room. I grudgingly got up, taking one last look at the picture of us laughing together on her porch before leaving the room.

When I reached the living room, Julie was already putting the movie into the television, not letting me know what exactly it was we were about to watch. I went to the kitchen to pop popcorn and get us some soft drinks, allowing Julie to try and be sneaky in the living room.

As I watched the popcorn kernels pop, I found it hard to believe Julie was actually seventeen. I often forgot about how young she was, because at times, Julie showed maturity not even adults had acquired yet. The fact the Julie obtained that wisdom only showed what an amazing person she really was.

She’d mentioned Jeremy in the list of her invites. That fact alone made me want to punch the kitchen wall. I detested Jeremy, and I wasn’t quite sure why. He made fun of me in any way he could, and although I tried to get acclimated to his unfunny humorous personality, I couldn’t. I really tried for Julie’s sake, but he was too much to bear. And anyone with eyes could tell he was in love with Julie. And that really pissed me off.

Jeremy could get hit by a truck, and I’d be by Julie’s side to comfort her through her sadness, but I would feel no sorrow in the slightest. And I’m sure our feelings towards each other are the same. Jeremy hates me, I hate him. That’s the way it was, and that was the way it should be.

The microwave’s alarm that alerted me that the food inside was finished brought me from the heated thoughts of Jeremy, and had me getting the popcorn out of the microwave. I put it in a bowel, getting the cans of soda, taking it all to the living room, where Julie was sitting comfortable on the couch, waiting for me to arrive so she could start the movie.

From the grin on her face, I knew what I was about to watch was going to make me run for the door. But, since Julie wasn’t in a state to be alone, I knew I’d have to deal this time.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting beside her on the couch. She grabbed the remote wordlessly, the smile still on her face, and pressed the play button, making the blue screen turn black. Then commercials started. Instead of pressing the title menu button, however, Julie decided to let the commercials play, prolonging my lack of knowledge of the movie we were about to watch.

“Are you getting excited?” Julie asked when I rolled my eyes and groaned.

“Oh yes. The anticipation is killing me.” I said sarcastically, getting a friendly shove from Julie. She laughed, picking up the remote from her lap, pressing the title menu. “Moulin Rouge?”

“Yes. One of my favorite movies. I’m sure you’ll love it, just like Star Wars.” I rolled my eyes. Julie was one interesting girl. Woman.