If it's just a game, then I like the way that we play.

“So, what are the plans for tonight, gang?” Kennedy asked everyone. They all threw out ideas, except Pat, who was too intrigued in his phone to notice everyone around him waiting him for him to answer.

“Oh, uh, sure.” He said, accepting their invite to Garrett’s place for a movie night.

“What about you, Julie?” John asked Juliet with a hopeful smile playing on his lips.

“Um, I don’t think today is good for me, thanks though.” She said adding an apologetic smile at the end.

“No prob,” John started to say when Pat’s phone started ringing a too familiar song to Juliet. One she heard multiple times ago from her mom’s phone. “Nice job Pat,” He murmured. Pat looked at the caller I.D. and his face lit up. Juliet on the other hand, stiffened up and went blank. Before she knew it she was in her driveway bawling. For a minute, she gained her composure and went inside, changed her clothes to her dance clothes and went to her basement, which is a dance studio.

When Juliet’s parents found out their daughter was a ballet prodigy, they re-did the basement for easier practice. In the long run, it helped Juliet. She loved ballet so much, every day after school that’s where she would be. She even got a full scholarship to Juilliard. With all intentions of going her senior year, her plans changed within that one night in June. Now she had the scholarship in the back of her mind, where it would be forever. She danced recreationally, or to get away from the world. Like now.

With the music playing, Juliet barely heard the knock on the front door. When she opened it, she was shocked to see none other but John standing in the doorway.

“Julie, are you okay?” He asked intently. “You stormed out of there so fast, what happened?”

“Uh, I.. I” She was searching for an excuse “I just needed to go.” She admitted. John nodded his head understandably and didn’t say anything.

“Why are you here?” Juliet asked breaking the silence.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and you left your phone.” John said handing over her Blackberry. Juliet could tell John was a good friend.

“Thanks,” she said with a big smile “I can't believe I left my phone. It’s my lifeline.” She laughed.

“You have a beautiful smile, Juliet.” He said stepping closer to her. “Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?”

Juliet looked in his jade eyes. “Okay, but only if you call me Julie,” She laughed, and so did he.

“Deal,” John said and pecked her cheek. “I’ll see you at seven.” And with that, he left. Leaving Juliet to get ready. She thought about seeing the shy boy, Pat, earlier and the instant butterflies she got from him, yet none from the beautiful man that just asked her on a date.

Juliet went upstairs to her bathroom to take a shower. When she got out she noticed the clock said 2:24p.m. This left her enough time to go to the store, see Monica, and get ready for her date.

She threw on a sundress and left the house going to the nearest health food store. While she was inside, she picked up everything she would need for the week. Before going to check out, someone ran their cart into her. Slightly annoyed, she turned around and saw John standing there with a crooked, cocky smile on his face.

“Grocery shipping?” He asked, more stating the obvious.

“Uh, no, clothes shopping, duh.” Juliet replied with a giggle in her voice.

John walked around to her cart and pulled out a box of crackers. “If this is what you wear on a daily basis, damn.” He laughed.

Juliet grabbed the box from his hand and threw it back into the cart. “Alright John, don’t get too happy,” she teased.

“I am not!” John protested loudly making everyone look at them. Juliet blushed, not liking all the attention.

“You’re so weird,” Juliet teased as they stood in line checking out.

“Yeah? Well, you’re the one that wears crackers instead of normal clothes.” He said lightly punching her arm.

“Whatever,” She smiled, getting ready to walk out. “I’ll see you tonight, John.”

“Monica!” Juliet called from the threshold of her best friend’s doorway. She let herself in, as always, walking up the stairs toward her bathroom.

“Hey, what’s up?” Monica asked laying on her bed reading a book.

“I have a date tonight.” Juliet stated proudly.

“A DATE!?” Monica shouted. “What are you going to wear? Where are you going? Do you remember how to act? It’s been so long! What’s his name!?”

“Something cute, I don’t know, yes, I know, John.” Juliet responded to all of Monica’s questions at once.

“John, ew Ugly name.” Monica said with a grimace on her face.

“No, no, he definitely turns heads. But see, his friend Pat—“

“Ooh!” Monica interrupted “What about Pat!?”

“He gave me butterflies like crazy when I saw him for the first time… And John, he asked
me out, pecked my cheek, charmed me, and—nothing. He’s one funny guy, and I think he would be a good friend.” Juliet furrowed her eyebrow and looked out the window at the Arizona sun.

“Well,” Monica sighed and sat next to her friend, placing her head on Juliet’s shoulder.
“Julie, just see how tonight goes. Maybe you are friends. Maybe he’ll grow on you. You never know.”

“Thanks Merlowe” Juliet thanked her and patted her knee.

“Anytime, Fenton.”

Juliet got up and hugged Monica before driving back to her house and got ready for her date.
When John knocked on the door, he was nervous, why he didn’t know. Something about Juliet was different, but not a different he knew. He had been in love before, and Juliet didn’t give him that feeling. He didn’t know what it was. He hoped this date would help him figure it out.

When Juliet opened the door, neither of them felt awkward or had butterflies. They were comfortable.

“Ready?” Juliet asked.

“Yeah, come on.” John grabbed her hand and led her to his car where he helped her inside
and shut the door for her. She noticed the faint smell of alcohol, and cologne. It was an oddly good smelling mixture.

John raced through the streets of Tempe like a bat out of hell. He made Juliet clench, and laughed when she hit him trying to make him slow down, and when he did, they just laughed.

They finally got to Bellacino’s, the nicest Italian restaurant in the entire state of Arizona.

“Wow, uh, John, I think I’m a bit underdressed for this.” Juliet said embarrassed.

“Julie, you’re beautiful. Come on.” He walked around the car and opened her door, helping her out. They sat down at their table for two and looked at their menus.

“So Mr. O’Callaghan, tell me about yourself.” She said not looking up from the menu.

“Well Ms. Fenton, I’m John Cornelius O’Callaghan V, I have two younger brothers, and I’m in a band with all those guys you met.” He finished with a sparkling smile.

“Those guys seemed pretty cool, the shy, little one…” Juliet tried to not sound obvious

“Pat?” John asked, Juliet nodded. “Pat’s not shy, he’s quite the opposite. He has schizophrenia.” John laughed.

“Really, he seemed so quiet.” Juliet continued.

“Nah, just not a morning person.” John looked at Juliet who smiled as she thought about the small lanky boy.

The rest of the dinner went on like that, John and Juliet getting to know each other. They were back at John’s house watching a movie when Juliet fell asleep with John’s arm around her waist.

“Yeah Julie! You shouldn’t take their crap anymore. You’re 18!” Juliet’s best friend Monica tells her as they blare Rise Against from the stereo of her ’09 BMW 650i convertible on a warm June Tempe, Arizona night. She had just gotten into a fight with her parents on curfew rights. Even though Juliet turned 18, her parents treated her like she was 12. Juliet rolled her eyes as Monica went on about her parents. Juliet and Monica’s other good friends sitting in the back agreed with everything Monica said. Juliet stopped at a red light and start singing along with the song when she saw a big white van collide with a blue Lincoln. Out of instinct, she turned down the radio. Everything was dead silent. She started dialing her mom’s cell number to let her know she would be late because of an accident. As soon as it starts ringing, the woman in the passenger’s seat of the Lincoln’s phone lit up and played her mom’s ringtone. At that moment is when she got a real view of who those people were. Juliet’s mom and dad. Time slowed down. . .

Once again, Juliet shot up, except this time, she wasn’t at home. She was covered by black sheets, a red comforter, and navy blue walls. John’s room, where he was nowhere in sight. Juliet slowly crept down the stairs. She saw a figure on the couch and decided to go see what it was. She got to it and saw a mess of brown shaggy hair covering a sleeping face.

“John,” Juliet whispered waking him up.

“Julie, what’s wrong babe, you okay?” He asked sitting up, shirtless.

Juliet ignored the ‘babe’ part. “Yeah, but do you think you could drive me home?”

“Of course.” He hopped off the couch, grabbed his keys, and headed for the door without his shirt.

They both climbed in the car, and John sped down to Juliet’s house.

“John, thank you so much,” Juliet thanked him as he walked her up to her door. “it was really nice getting to know you better.”

“I agree,” He said smiling a wide smile.

They were standing at her door now, yet neither felt a romantic spark. Putting that aside, John leaned his head towards Juliet. Juliet stretched up slightly on her toes. Their lips hit the slightest bit, and both lost control and gripped each other. Juliet’s hands ran through John’s hair, and his hands trailed down her back. They pulled away awkwardly.

“Uh, goodnight,” Juliet said as she walked in her house.

“Juliet?” John said stopping her.

“Yes?”

“I’m glad to have you as a friend.” He said letting her know what he felt.

Juliet felt a wave of relief wash over her. “Me too,” She smiled and walked into her house.

Juliet shopping/ at Monica's
Juliet/ John date