Rome and Julie

A collective, girlish scream echoed through the room, mine, embarrassingly, being one of them. Someone had just popped up on the screen — a mass murderer, who was in search of the main girl of the movie — scaring shitless every girl in the room. The guys didn’t scream girlishly, most likely because they’d seen the horror film before this night, and their macho-ness wouldn’t allow it. But every girl in the room, I was sure, screamed their bloody heads off.

Hey. It was an unexpected showing of the bloody, sadistic-looking killer. Don’t judge.

I heard Rome chuckle in his seat beside my own, obviously not getting the ‘don’t judge’ look I was currently giving him.

“You know, you’re gonna get in trouble with a mouth like that,” Rome said, referring to the string of rather colorful words I’d screamed after the appearance of my lovely serial killer friend in the movie. “Of course, I’m aware that you could care less of the trouble you get into.” I couldn’t hold my laughter in at how true his words were. “I didn’t know you were capable of that kind of scream, Jules,” Rome said, teasing me. I hit him lightly on the arm, shaking my head.

“I bet you jumped ten feet the first time you watched this. And you probably screamed in a pitch only dogs can hear. No doubt you were scared shitless,” I said, still feeling the heavy beat of my heart, still racing from the latest scare in the movie.

“I actually take scary movies well, Julie. Unlike some people,” Rome said, looking down towards my hands sitting in my lap, which were shaking. I quickly put them in between my thighs, embarrassed.

“I can’t help it! This movie is pretty friggin scary.” My cheeks were warm with humiliation, and I was mortified that Rome would acknowledge the fact that my hands were shaking.

“I’m not making fun of you. In fact, having a beautiful girl scared during a movie is quite the perfect scene for a guy.” My stomach dropped, and I wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Because then… he can do this.” Rome grabbed my wrist, bringing my hands out of the protection of my legs, lacing his fingers through those of one of mine own. My hands didn’t stop shaking; if anything, the quaking increased. My stomach was full of butterflies, and my body felt like it was on fire, but…

I kind of liked it.

Yes, I know. Crazy, right? But I was remembering what Molly had told me earlier — be with Rome with an open mind — and I found that I actually liked his affectionate actions towards me. Not only did it make me feel desirable, but also I felt older and more mature.

Oh, God. What was happening to me?

Open-mindedness was not looking good on me.

“Oi! Jules! Do you remember at camp when we—”

“Shh!” Sydney’s distant voice from somewhere in the theatre directed at me was cut off by a group of shushes, obviously into the movie. I, on the other hand, was using any kind of distraction to keep my eyes off the screen. So I trained them to Rome’s face.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Rome said, side glancing at me. I bit my lower lip and grinned, aware of how my hands were slowly starting to stop their shaking.

“Like what?”

“Like you’re judging me.” I laughed softly, shaking my head. “See? Now you’re laughing,” Rome said, pretending to sound hurt. He turned his face towards mine, staring at me with squinted eyes. I stared right back, daring him to look away. Neither of us budged.

“You know I could sit here all night,” I said quietly, holding back a smile. Rome didn’t reply, instead continuing to stare. I could tell things were already starting to return to how they used to be, before Rome started acting… different. And that thought gave me the greatest relief I’d felt since I figured out Robert would be okay after his heart attack.

Another shrill, ear piercing scream rang through the room, causing Rome and me to break our eye contact, curiosity causing me to look at the screen. I gagged at the insides of the closet door the main girl opened, revealing a grotesque, sickening corpse of her now-dead boyfriend.

How did people actually find these kind of movies appealing and/or entertaining? The answer was beyond my knowledge or understanding.

“Well that’s a pretty face,” Rome whispered, speaking of my disgusted, contorted face.

“What, you think that’s a pretty picture?” I said, jutting my thumb towards the screen. Rome gave me one of his boyish grins, making my breath hitch in my throat. Why could he do that to me? “What about this movie makes you want to watch it again? I just don’t understand,” I said, shaking my head.

“Jules, I’m a guy. Most guys are into this kind of stuff, explanation or not.” I rolled my eyes at his pathetic excuse of an explanation.

“Oh yes, because that explains it,” I said sarcastically, getting a good playful glare from Rome. “As if simply ‘being a guy’ explains all of your strange qualities…”

“It does!” Rome exclaimed. He grinned at my disbelieving expression, shaking his head. “You wouldn’t understand. You’re a girl,” Rome practically spat, causing me to scoff.

“You say it as though being a girl is the worst possible scenario for a person.” Rome shrugged. “Rome!” I said, punching his arm, making him laugh.

“Hey you up there! Shut your pie holes!” Kennan’s voice drifted from somewhere behind Rome and I, making me slide lower in my seat. Rome, coincidentally did the same. The theatre was set up in seat rows of four, and Rome and I were the only ones in our row. Sliding down only made the seclusion feeling increase.

“Oopsies. I guess we’re too loud,” I whispered, watching my breath fan Rome’s hair a bit. It was then that I realized how close our faces were, slouched down in our seats, still holding hands. Rome and I were legitimately flirting, and I was enjoying it.

Exhaling, I scooted back up in my seat, turning forward so I could attempt to watch the dang movie. Rome, wordlessly, followed suit, and at first I considered pulling my hand out of his, given I was no longer scared.

But two more minutes into the movie, I was squeezing as hard as I could on Rome’s hand, and clutching his arm for dear life.

*

“I liked it…,” Molly said after I’d listed to everyone every reason to not like the gory movie we’d all just finished. I rolled my eyes at her, silently giving her an expression that said ‘as if you were even watching the movie.’ No doubt her and Henry made out the whole time. They didn’t chose the back of the theatre to sit in for no reason.

“Watch it, Molls. Before you know it, you might turn into a guy,” I said, giving a meaningful glance at Rome, to which he replied with a roll of his eyes. We were all sitting together in a group in the middle of the rows of seats, trying to decide what to do next. “Anyhow, I vote we watch another movie, except this time the girls get to pick it out.” I started to hear groans of complaints from the guys, and I held my hand up to silence them. “I don’t want to hear it. If I had to endure that crap that you guys consider a movie, you can tolerate watching a movie of the ladies’ choice.”

“Awww, come on, Julie,” Jarred moaned.

“Please don’t make us watch some chick flick,” Henry said.

“Have mercy!” Mick moaned, causing me to laugh.

“Sheesh. Men are such babies.” I muttered, just loud enough for everyone to ear. Laughter followed, and while some guys still tried to protest, I got up from my seat, going to the movie closet to pick the next movie. Most of the girls quickly followed, leaving the guys and their futile attempt for us to have mercy to themselves.

“So ladies, what torture shall we put them through?” I asked them lowly, opening the closet door. Inside was any movie you could ever want to watch. Even Disney movies, although Rome purchased those specifically for me. I wondered what it was like to be so rich that you could literally purchase every movie ever made, whenever you want.

I suddenly realized that I would know what it was like. In the future.

“That one,” Margaret said, pointing to The Notebook through a laugh. I grinned, reaching up on my tiptoes to get it off one of the higher shelves. Internally, I cursed my shortness. Usually it wasn’t a problem, given I had Rome around to be the tall person in the room, but in cases like these — reaching for elevated items with Rome not right behind me to get whatever I wanted, laughing at me in the process — I didn’t like being only 5’3.

“Here, shorty. Let me,” Molly joked, reaching up easily, grabbing the movie. I stuck my tongue out at her, crossing my arms over my chest. “Awww, don’t take it personally. We were all short at one point. You… just happened to never grow.” I shook my head, lunging for her. Molly managed to move out of the way quick enough, and ran over towards the guys. “Mad-Julie attack! Call 911!” Molly screamed, running to Henry, ducking behind him. I rolled my eyes, walking over where Henry was sitting, looking at Molly in the floor. I held my hand out for the movie, and slowly, she retracted her hand, carefully placing the movie in my open palm.

“The Notebook?!” Lucas groaned, obviously taking a peek at the movie. “Come on, Jules! Totally uncool!” I gave him a smug grin, leaning over to tousle his black hair, his being the closest of guys to me.

“I bet it’ll have you crying like a little baby at the end. Have any of you seen it?” I asked, scanning the group of guys. No one said anything. “For real? One of you guys have to have seen it before.”

“I have,” Josh said, grinning from his place in the corner while flipping his long brown hair out of his face. “Hey, I thought it was pretty good,” He said when other guys started to laugh.

“What, has Julie not forced you to watch it, Rome?” Carrie said from behind me. I glanced back, giving her a slight smile. She was wearing, coincidentally, a green Camp LaRoux shirt just like me. That was camp we’d met at.

“She hasn’t, surprisingly,” Rome replied, looking at me with a smile. I rolled my eyes, trying and failing to keep down my grin.

“All the more reason to watch it!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air. “You know what? No. Girls’ decision. We say yes. Your opinion on the matter doesn’t mean anything.” The army of girls behind me all put in their agreeing comment, and I placed my hands on my hips. I saw Rome open his mouth to say something, but a scratching on the door outside caused him to stop.

“Shh! Stupid dog…” I heard a man’s voice from behind the door, then a few other not so nice things. It only took a few seconds for my brain to register his words, but only a few seconds for him to open the door, revealing my baby.

“Max!” I literally screamed, tossing the movie at Molly before running to meet a trotting Max in the middle. He leapt into my arms, immediately started to lick my face. I started to coo, saying sweet things to the puppy in my arms. He was getting bigger, but not anywhere near how big he would get at full-growth.

“Julie! Is this your new puppy you were talking about?” I heard Becky ask from beside me. I glanced over at her, seeing her heart-shaped face with a huge grin on it. I remembered she was the major animal lover of the group.

“He sure is. Do you want to hold him?” I didn’t even wait for an answer before gently handing Max over, who immediately started licking at her face too, and biting her curly blonde hair.

“I apologize, Miss. Julie, for taking so long with him, but he wasn’t behaving during his bath or when I tried to brush him,” One of Rome’s butlers said, giving me an apologetic look. He looked truly disheveled, and I could only imagine the stress Max had put on this poor man.

“It’s okay. Max can be crazy,” I said, looking over to the small crowd around Becky and Max. Everyone wanted to hold him, except for Rome, who was still in his seat. “Thanks so much for bathing him. Does Rome do anything to help?” The butler gave me a look that told me Rome would rather die than help out with Max. “Right. Should have guessed…,” I said, rolling my eyes. I walked over to Rome, sitting down in the seat I previously occupied during the stupid scary movie. “You suck.”

“Wow, Jules. You’re too kind,” Rome said sarcastically, getting a cheesy grin from me.

“No probs, holms.” Rome gave me a look that suggested he thought I was crazy, and knowing that I already was, I laughed, getting back up to retrieve the movie from Molly again.

After everyone was finished fanning over Max, they all settled back down into their spots, with the exception of the few that went to the food bar to stuff their faces, and I gave the movie to the butler to put in. I sat Max in my lap after I sat down in my seat, cooing to him affectionately, Rome watching in disgust.

“Rome, if you’d just give him a chance, I bet you’d get attached to him,” I said, smiling as Max licked my face. Rome scoffed, and I didn’t even both glancing over to see his predictably disbelieving face. I knew the truth, even though Rome didn’t.

The conversations between everyone in the theatre room were hushed as we all waited for the room to darken and the movie to start. I mentally grinned, giddy that I’d managed to get everyone to watch The Notebook.

But then it dawned on me what type of genre The Notebook was.

Romance. A sappy, sappy romance.

Stuff I really didn’t need at the current moment.

Count on me to chose a movie that would only start making me think things that would eventually drive me to the point of insanity. I should’ve chosen Die Hard. I mentally made a note to start thinking quicker, and to stop being so damn stupid about everything.

Finally, the lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.

Max began to squirm in my lap, on account that I wasn’t giving him enough attention. I began petting him again, glancing over at Rome to find him glaring at Max.

“Rome! There’s no need to look at my dog in that manner!” I exclaimed, curling Max to my chest, as though it would protect him from Rome’s evil wrath.

“Yes, there is a need Jules. That thing gets—” Rome stopped, and I waited expectantly, staring at his face. My mouth quite literally dropped open when I saw his face start to flush.

“Rome Houston! You’re blushing!” I exclaimed in a whisper-yell, noting that it was the first time since we’d been way younger that I’d actually seen him blush at something.

“No I’m not, Julie,” Rom mumbled in a voice that totally told me he definitely was. I clamped my hand over my still-gaping mouth, preventing myself from screaming in surprise. I couldn’t believe it. “Stop looking at me like that, Julie. I’m not blushing!”

“Defensive, are we?” I said, laughing softly. Rome’s expression was priceless; it was a mix between indignant and embarrassment. “Wait, what’s making you blush, anyway?” I asked, realizing that he’d cut himself off, not finishing his sentence, leaving me with an enigmatic feeling after what was left unsaid.

“Nothing, Jules. Forget it. Just continue to make fun of me.” Laughing, I held up my hand, rubbing my pointer finger and thumb together, symbolizing my playing a violin for him.

“Look, I’m playing you the world’s saddest song on the world’s smallest violin,” I mocked, getting a pout from Rome. I laughed again, trying to cover up how my heart starting beat faster, just at his facial expression.

“You’re being mean.” I grinned, unable to contain my obvious amusement. Rome was acting oddly cute and boyish, and it was a new side to him that I couldn’t deny I liked. “Stop bullying me, bully!” Rome said, and I opened my mouth to reply, but Max barked at that moment, obviously having enough of not all the attention being on him. I smiled down at my dog, beginning to stroke his head again. Satisfied, he lowered his head, closing his eyes to take a nap.

“Let’s watch the movie, Rome. I just know you’ll love this one!” I said sarcastically, getting a groan and eye roll from Rome. And for a while, with only a few interruptions from Rome muttering something about the cheesiness of the movie, we simply watched, taking in everything occurring in the movie, it seemed, by osmosis.

And of course, to make my night so much better, the almost-sex scene came up, and I began to squirm in my seat subconsciously. I mean, while Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams got down on the floor and nearly did the hot and heavy, we all had to sit there and watch, and I couldn’t be more uncomfortable.

“You might want to look away. This could be too mature for your eyes.” Rome slid the comment over to me through a whisper, fanning my hair again, this almost making me forget the rudeness of his words.

“Pardon? I’m the one who’s watched this before,” I replied, looking over at Rome, rolling my eyes. He grinned, his white teeth closer than I thought to my face. I surreptitiously backed away, startled by the close proximity of our faces. “What I tell you about getting over the age thing? It’s really not a big deal—,”

“I’m perfectly okay with our age difference, Jules,” Rome cut in, making my words stop for a moment.

“Then stop teasing me about it! You’re hurting my feelings,” I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest, lowering my chin towards my chest. Rome scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Oh, okay. So it’s alright for you to make me feel bad, but when I do it to you…,” Rome trailed off in an amused voice. I looked up at him with wide eyes.

“That’s exactly what it is.” I attempted to put on an innocent façade, but I knew Rome saw right through it. “Quit complaining! Geez. Watch the movie!” I said jokingly, turning my face towards the screen, pretending to follow my own advice. Rome seemed to do the same, although my mind was completely in another world.

Of course, as anyone could’ve guessed, my thoughts were all directed towards Rome. I couldn’t help but wonder why Rome was so comfortable with the fact that we were more than friends so suddenly, which led me to assess that perhaps he’d been thinking such things for a while, and I was the one who was just now realizing it.

Thinking back, I noticed only mere minor changes in Rome’s behavior that would suggest his feelings towards me were growing stronger, but they were changes that could be overlooked easily, or even considered momentarily lapses of confusion.

I rolled my eyes at myself. I knew I was doing it again. Doubting everything that was happening. Molly’s words resonated in my brain, causing me to force my mind to erase any doubtful thoughts, telling myself to just go with it.

Under any other circumstance, that would be easy. But on this instance… not so much.

Despite my previous scolding, I kept my hands busy with Max in case Rome tried to hold my hand or something. Max just looked up at me with almost suspicious looking eyes, as if he knew the meaning behind my petting had to do with Rome. I shrugged at him, almost believing he’d understand.

Hey, getting used to this Rome would take some time.