Hey Romeo, Don't You Think You're Just a Tad Overrated?
The Concept of Forever
I should know by now that fairytales don't exist in real life. I’m no Cinderella or Snow White and there was no way in hell I had a fairy godmother. It’s hard to find true love when you’re young. It nearly never exists. If you’re lucky, you might get married to your high school sweetheart, like David and Rachel. Maybe if you’re really lucky, you’ll have one of your coveted happy endings.
I knew I couldn’t stop Cam from going to Spain. I couldn't stop Cam from falling in love again with a beautiful foreign girl, and I couldn’t stop him from doing what he truly wanted to do. Cam was leaving, and there was a chance that I might never be able to see him again. Sometimes, I feel as if I’ve been robbed by Father Time. I didn’t even get to spend a lot of time with Cam, the first boy who I truly loved. As much as I wished for it, we might never be able to have that happy ending.
I’m not going to deny that I didn’t spend days sobbing over the fact that Cam was leaving and potentially never coming back. Part of me still wonders what it would have been like if I didn’t put on the tough act in front of him, and what would have happened if I had begged and groveled with him. But I had my pride to consider as well, and I didn’t want to seem like one of those needy, helpless girlfriends. Cam had given nearly his all for me. The least I could give him now was my support, and enthusiasm. If he was going to leave, he should be carrying all the good memories with him, and not be burdened by the bad ones.
I didn’t think Cam told anyone yet that he was leaving. Maybe he told Max, maybe he didn’t. I respected his privacy enough that I didn’t go around crying and blabbing to everyone that he was going away next year. Sure, I was upset, but I had to be optimistic for him and for me too. I was still going to be here, at McAllister Academy next year, and so are all of the people that I love. I would still have Will, Beth, Alyssa, Max, David, and Rachel beside me and that alone is enough.
I know that nobody can have everything in the world. Nobody how perfect someone seems, he or she doesn’t have everything. There are always those small things and those small imperfections. But, as cheesy and cliché as it sounds, it’s the imperfections that make everyone so beautiful.
“You look gorgeous,” Will whispered as we both stared at my reflection in Rachel’s tall full length mirror in the master bathroom. “I am brimming with envy right now.”
Will looked pretty dashing himself. He was wearing the classic black and white ensemble and his blonde hair was brushed over his forehead in his signature permanently windswept look. His blue eyes sparkled more than usual with excitement.
I nodded, a little shocked at how Will and Alyssa had fussed over my hair and my make-up and my dress, and made me absolutely beautiful. Alyssa decided to put my hair up in an eloquent twist, reminding me somewhat of Audrey Hepburn, except more modern. That girl works wonders with a curling iron. Will had done most of my make-up, and he kept it light, highlighting my eyes and making them sparkle. Beth helped me get dressed, and I was all ready to go as soon as I slipped on my shoes.
Alyssa burst into the bathroom, curling iron in one hand, a flatiron in the other. “You look sexy,” was the first thing she said when she glanced at me.
I giggled. “Thank you.”
Alyssa had opted for a tiny black number herself, and she looked amazing. “Which?” she held up her hands, looking confused.
I traded looks with Will. “Come over here and sit down,” I instructed her, tossing the flatiron away and taking the curling iron.
“I’m backkkkk!” Beth danced her way into the bathroom, holding bottles of colorful nail polish in her arms. “Alyssa, I am doing your nails!” she announced as she picked out the classic black polish.
I plugged the curling iron into the outlet and Will snapped open the make-up bag. “Close your eyes, and we’re going to make you look beautiful,” Will stated, holding up a tube of mascara.
I couldn’t help but smile wider. Just the simplicity of hanging out with three of my most favorite people in the world brought me so much happiness.
Alyssa smiled and shut her eyes. “Thanks guys, you’re the best.”
I grinned. “Of course, what are friends for?” I said, striking myself with the candor of that statement.
________________________
“I think I forgot my…uh…iPod,” I muttered the lame excuse as I turned around, a new wave of nausea striking me.
I didn’t know why I was so nervous; maybe it was what Cam said to me last week by the Outlook. I had given him a bit of space over the last week, and I haven’t seen much of him. I knew things were tough for him now, with all the final exams and everything building up. Cam might be number one in our year and even though everyone called him a genius, he wasn’t born one. Not a lot of people actually knew how hard he worked and studied all the time just to stay at the top. But of course, you know what they say, true genii are one percent genius and ninety-nine percent hard work.
Will grabbed me by the arm before I could escape. “You’re not going anywhere, lady. Come on, we’re all here if you’re nervous.” He kept his grip firm on me as he steered me towards the lobby of the Soleil Garden Hotel where our junior prom was held.
Beth linked her arm through my only free arm. “This place is so pretty,” she changed the topic, diverting my attention.
“If you think this is beautiful, wait until our senior prom. I overheard Brynne Albright say that if we continue to contribute to our class funds, we’ll be flying to Vegas next year,” Alyssa chipped in.
Ah, Brynne. I had almost forgotten that she was the junior class student council secretary. Truthfully, I haven’t seen much of her lately, except in class. I wouldn’t say we’re friends or anything, but we kept our distance from each other. She ignored me and I ignored her; we worked out a perfect compromise. She does seem to be hanging around Max a bit more, waiting for him in the locker rooms after P.E. class and I often see them together in the library.
“You’d better not sweat off your makeup before we even get to the dance floor,” Will warned me playfully as we stepped into the huge auditorium that housed our junior prom.
Beth touched Will’s shoulder silently, telling all of us that she has spotted her sort-of boyfriend Tyson already on the dance floor.
“Have fun,” Alyssa and I said in unison, flashing wide evil grins.
She laughed and flounced away.
“Come on, let’s all go dance!” Alyssa crowed, dragging me and Will to the center of the dance floor and we all started moving to the beat of the music.
Alyssa, true to her nature, was a wild dancer. She was all over the place, but strangely, on her it looked graceful. Most of the guys I knew were all awkward dancers, but Will was far from awkward. He wasn’t as crazy as Alyssa and stuck close by me. Alyssa slowly drifted away from us as a boy asked her to dance, leaving me with Will.
“You still can’t be nervous!” Will shouted at me over the music. “Come on, dance!” He took both of my hands in his and started waving them around in a goofy motion.
I started laughing, my apprehension easing away. Will grinned, satisfied that I was acting more like myself. Someone reached over and tapped Will on the shoulder. We both turned to see Cam Gallagher, dressed to perfection, flashing his signature smirk at one of my best friends just as a slow song struck its first beat.
“I’m sorry, but may I steal Aurelie for awhile?” Cam asked politely.
Will shot me a look and pushed me forward towards my boyfriend. “She’s all yours,” he told Cam, giving me a wink.
I felt my face turn red as Will sneaked away, leaving me with Cam. The anxiety suddenly started to return.
“You look beautiful,” Cam murmured as he wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing me close.
“Thank you,” I replied, reaching my arms around his neck.
He leaned in closer next to me. “Are you okay? You seem tense,” he noted.
I buried my head in his shoulder. “I’ll be okay,” I said, assuring myself more than I was assuring him.
“You’re not upset with me, are you Aurelie?” he asked softly.
I hesitated. “Of course not,” I answered.
“I’m sorry,” he said apologetically.
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault, Cam.”
“Aurelie, I really am sorry—“
“Can you just drop it?” I asked a bit more assertively.
“But Au—“
I reached up and kissed him on the lips, using possibly the cheesiest method to shut him up. When we separated, he looked more than surprised. I sighed and closed my eyes. I had already made up my mind. I knew he was going to be leaving. There was no point in wallowing in my sorrow now. There was plenty of time for that later. Right now was the present, and I intended on enjoying every minute of it.
“Let’s talk about everything else later. I just want to be here with you right now,” I murmured.
Cam’s arms tightened around my waist. He reached up, tracing my jaw line with his hand, making me look up at him.
“Me too,” he said as he leaned closer. “Aurelie, I love you.” And then he kissed me again.
I felt my heart flutter at his last words. It was the first time he had ever said them to me… We parted again, and I reached up near his ear. “I love you too, Cam Gallagher.”
I felt him smile and hold me tighter to him, just the two of us, in this moment right now. It was beautiful.
Love may or may not last forever. Fairytales always seem to end in a happily ever after. Sometimes, it happens in real life too. I suppose Romeo and Juliet had their own happy ending, united forever in death. Sometimes I doubt the conception of their forever. Because if you ask me, dying for love seems a bit overrated. Cam’s no Romeo, and I’m no Juliet. Juliet may have been a princess in her own right, but I’ve never been a princess before. I may have the blonde hair that most princesses do, I may have the good life now, and I may have all the luck now, but I will never be a princess. Because princesses only exist in fairytales, and fairytales didn’t exist. I’d like to say I was living my own fairytale, because I was. Where life isn’t all about happy endings, but more about experiencing the true moments of happiness. Because sometimes, that’s what matters the most.
The End
I knew I couldn’t stop Cam from going to Spain. I couldn't stop Cam from falling in love again with a beautiful foreign girl, and I couldn’t stop him from doing what he truly wanted to do. Cam was leaving, and there was a chance that I might never be able to see him again. Sometimes, I feel as if I’ve been robbed by Father Time. I didn’t even get to spend a lot of time with Cam, the first boy who I truly loved. As much as I wished for it, we might never be able to have that happy ending.
I’m not going to deny that I didn’t spend days sobbing over the fact that Cam was leaving and potentially never coming back. Part of me still wonders what it would have been like if I didn’t put on the tough act in front of him, and what would have happened if I had begged and groveled with him. But I had my pride to consider as well, and I didn’t want to seem like one of those needy, helpless girlfriends. Cam had given nearly his all for me. The least I could give him now was my support, and enthusiasm. If he was going to leave, he should be carrying all the good memories with him, and not be burdened by the bad ones.
I didn’t think Cam told anyone yet that he was leaving. Maybe he told Max, maybe he didn’t. I respected his privacy enough that I didn’t go around crying and blabbing to everyone that he was going away next year. Sure, I was upset, but I had to be optimistic for him and for me too. I was still going to be here, at McAllister Academy next year, and so are all of the people that I love. I would still have Will, Beth, Alyssa, Max, David, and Rachel beside me and that alone is enough.
I know that nobody can have everything in the world. Nobody how perfect someone seems, he or she doesn’t have everything. There are always those small things and those small imperfections. But, as cheesy and cliché as it sounds, it’s the imperfections that make everyone so beautiful.
“You look gorgeous,” Will whispered as we both stared at my reflection in Rachel’s tall full length mirror in the master bathroom. “I am brimming with envy right now.”
Will looked pretty dashing himself. He was wearing the classic black and white ensemble and his blonde hair was brushed over his forehead in his signature permanently windswept look. His blue eyes sparkled more than usual with excitement.
I nodded, a little shocked at how Will and Alyssa had fussed over my hair and my make-up and my dress, and made me absolutely beautiful. Alyssa decided to put my hair up in an eloquent twist, reminding me somewhat of Audrey Hepburn, except more modern. That girl works wonders with a curling iron. Will had done most of my make-up, and he kept it light, highlighting my eyes and making them sparkle. Beth helped me get dressed, and I was all ready to go as soon as I slipped on my shoes.
Alyssa burst into the bathroom, curling iron in one hand, a flatiron in the other. “You look sexy,” was the first thing she said when she glanced at me.
I giggled. “Thank you.”
Alyssa had opted for a tiny black number herself, and she looked amazing. “Which?” she held up her hands, looking confused.
I traded looks with Will. “Come over here and sit down,” I instructed her, tossing the flatiron away and taking the curling iron.
“I’m backkkkk!” Beth danced her way into the bathroom, holding bottles of colorful nail polish in her arms. “Alyssa, I am doing your nails!” she announced as she picked out the classic black polish.
I plugged the curling iron into the outlet and Will snapped open the make-up bag. “Close your eyes, and we’re going to make you look beautiful,” Will stated, holding up a tube of mascara.
I couldn’t help but smile wider. Just the simplicity of hanging out with three of my most favorite people in the world brought me so much happiness.
Alyssa smiled and shut her eyes. “Thanks guys, you’re the best.”
I grinned. “Of course, what are friends for?” I said, striking myself with the candor of that statement.
________________________
“I think I forgot my…uh…iPod,” I muttered the lame excuse as I turned around, a new wave of nausea striking me.
I didn’t know why I was so nervous; maybe it was what Cam said to me last week by the Outlook. I had given him a bit of space over the last week, and I haven’t seen much of him. I knew things were tough for him now, with all the final exams and everything building up. Cam might be number one in our year and even though everyone called him a genius, he wasn’t born one. Not a lot of people actually knew how hard he worked and studied all the time just to stay at the top. But of course, you know what they say, true genii are one percent genius and ninety-nine percent hard work.
Will grabbed me by the arm before I could escape. “You’re not going anywhere, lady. Come on, we’re all here if you’re nervous.” He kept his grip firm on me as he steered me towards the lobby of the Soleil Garden Hotel where our junior prom was held.
Beth linked her arm through my only free arm. “This place is so pretty,” she changed the topic, diverting my attention.
“If you think this is beautiful, wait until our senior prom. I overheard Brynne Albright say that if we continue to contribute to our class funds, we’ll be flying to Vegas next year,” Alyssa chipped in.
Ah, Brynne. I had almost forgotten that she was the junior class student council secretary. Truthfully, I haven’t seen much of her lately, except in class. I wouldn’t say we’re friends or anything, but we kept our distance from each other. She ignored me and I ignored her; we worked out a perfect compromise. She does seem to be hanging around Max a bit more, waiting for him in the locker rooms after P.E. class and I often see them together in the library.
“You’d better not sweat off your makeup before we even get to the dance floor,” Will warned me playfully as we stepped into the huge auditorium that housed our junior prom.
Beth touched Will’s shoulder silently, telling all of us that she has spotted her sort-of boyfriend Tyson already on the dance floor.
“Have fun,” Alyssa and I said in unison, flashing wide evil grins.
She laughed and flounced away.
“Come on, let’s all go dance!” Alyssa crowed, dragging me and Will to the center of the dance floor and we all started moving to the beat of the music.
Alyssa, true to her nature, was a wild dancer. She was all over the place, but strangely, on her it looked graceful. Most of the guys I knew were all awkward dancers, but Will was far from awkward. He wasn’t as crazy as Alyssa and stuck close by me. Alyssa slowly drifted away from us as a boy asked her to dance, leaving me with Will.
“You still can’t be nervous!” Will shouted at me over the music. “Come on, dance!” He took both of my hands in his and started waving them around in a goofy motion.
I started laughing, my apprehension easing away. Will grinned, satisfied that I was acting more like myself. Someone reached over and tapped Will on the shoulder. We both turned to see Cam Gallagher, dressed to perfection, flashing his signature smirk at one of my best friends just as a slow song struck its first beat.
“I’m sorry, but may I steal Aurelie for awhile?” Cam asked politely.
Will shot me a look and pushed me forward towards my boyfriend. “She’s all yours,” he told Cam, giving me a wink.
I felt my face turn red as Will sneaked away, leaving me with Cam. The anxiety suddenly started to return.
“You look beautiful,” Cam murmured as he wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing me close.
“Thank you,” I replied, reaching my arms around his neck.
He leaned in closer next to me. “Are you okay? You seem tense,” he noted.
I buried my head in his shoulder. “I’ll be okay,” I said, assuring myself more than I was assuring him.
“You’re not upset with me, are you Aurelie?” he asked softly.
I hesitated. “Of course not,” I answered.
“I’m sorry,” he said apologetically.
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault, Cam.”
“Aurelie, I really am sorry—“
“Can you just drop it?” I asked a bit more assertively.
“But Au—“
I reached up and kissed him on the lips, using possibly the cheesiest method to shut him up. When we separated, he looked more than surprised. I sighed and closed my eyes. I had already made up my mind. I knew he was going to be leaving. There was no point in wallowing in my sorrow now. There was plenty of time for that later. Right now was the present, and I intended on enjoying every minute of it.
“Let’s talk about everything else later. I just want to be here with you right now,” I murmured.
Cam’s arms tightened around my waist. He reached up, tracing my jaw line with his hand, making me look up at him.
“Me too,” he said as he leaned closer. “Aurelie, I love you.” And then he kissed me again.
I felt my heart flutter at his last words. It was the first time he had ever said them to me… We parted again, and I reached up near his ear. “I love you too, Cam Gallagher.”
I felt him smile and hold me tighter to him, just the two of us, in this moment right now. It was beautiful.
Love may or may not last forever. Fairytales always seem to end in a happily ever after. Sometimes, it happens in real life too. I suppose Romeo and Juliet had their own happy ending, united forever in death. Sometimes I doubt the conception of their forever. Because if you ask me, dying for love seems a bit overrated. Cam’s no Romeo, and I’m no Juliet. Juliet may have been a princess in her own right, but I’ve never been a princess before. I may have the blonde hair that most princesses do, I may have the good life now, and I may have all the luck now, but I will never be a princess. Because princesses only exist in fairytales, and fairytales didn’t exist. I’d like to say I was living my own fairytale, because I was. Where life isn’t all about happy endings, but more about experiencing the true moments of happiness. Because sometimes, that’s what matters the most.
The End