Urban Juliet

It was the summer of '85.

He stared at her from across the room, his dark eyes catching her bright ones.

She was beautiful, he was speechless.

"Michael," he looked up at his mother, just now hearing his name being called. "Come on, Michael, we have to get these groceries home before they soil."

He nodded, still not in his right mind as he looked again at the beautiful young lady still looking at him. Michael grinned at her, and she smiled shyly before talking with the two adults at her sides. Her parents... he thought to himself.

Half way home, there was a tap on his shoulder. He looked at her, his black hair flicking in front of his eyes.

There she was. He nearly dropped the bag of groceries when he saw her.

"Hi," she spoke meekly, twirling her brunette hair around her finger.

"Hi," he greeted her back, body slack as he watched and her little movements.

"I'm Mabel." She thrusted out her hand for him to shake.

He chuckled at the notice before shifting the paper grocery bag under his left arm to take her hand, but instead of shaking, he bowed his head to kiss her knuckles. A blush spread across her cheeks. Slowly, Mabel took her hand back.

"I'm Michael. A pleasure to meet you, Mabel."

"Michael! Come on!" He turned to find his mother impatiently waiting for him about twenty feet away. He turned to Mabel to ask to meet her again, but she was already walking away and slight slump in her shoulders.

Michael stepped forward quickly to stop her. "Wait, Mabel!" She stopped at his words and turned around in surprise. "I'll meet you at the corner of Roman Ave and Julia Street at six o'clock, okay?"

She nodded, not knowing what to say. He grinned, kissed her knuckles once more before running to fall back in step with his mother...

Six o'clock came faster than either would imagine.

Mabel was dressed in her favorite skirt and matching top, hair curled to perfection and in a high pony tail on the back right corner of her scalp. She fiddled with a bracelet on her wrist and checked her watch yet again.

There was a tap on her shoulder. Mabel turned around.

Standing behind her was a very handsome Michael, obviously wearing his best collared shirt with the front tucked into his jeans and a pink Carnation held out for her. She grinned happily and took the flower, bringing it up to her nose to smell the sweetness.

She brought her hand down and held the flower between both hands' fingertips.

"So, what did you have planned?"

Michael smiled and gently took one of her hands in his. "I was going to take you to this new restaurant that just opened up."

"Oh, what's it called?" She asked as she blushed looking at their hands before back up at him. Michael began to guide her down the street.

"I think it's called Gabriele's Perla."

...and so the night went on, and as Michael walked Mabel back home, he watched her walk up the stairs to the top floor of her apartment building. They were going back and forth horizontally, like a zigzag. He watched her, and as she stopped at the top, Mabel turned around and leaned against the railing.

"Good night, my city Romeo."

He grinned up at her.

"Good night, my urban Juliet."

It was the summer of '85, when Juliet and Romeo finally found each other again.