You Can Be My Romeo

Bridget drove back to my house and we headed inside, she asked if she should stay, but I just wanted to be alone. I wanted to cry myself to sleep and curse myself for opening up again, for almost giving in and being with him again.

I wasn’t by myself for long, I heard a car pull into my driveway, I walked towards the window ad glared as I saw James jumping out of his car and running towards the door. I listened to everything, not calling out or even acknowledging his presence. I guess he just assumed that I left the door unlocked, and almost laughed when he tried multiple times to open it, but I had locked it, dead bolted it, and even put the chain up. I didn’t want to see him.

“Jewels! Jewels open up! I know you’re there!” he yelled and banged on the door, Pepper started to bark and I bit my lip and started to cry, “Please! Please, just let me explain! It wasn’t what it looked like!”

“Go away!” I yelled, my back leaning against the door and I slid to the ground.

“Jewels, please just listen to me!”

“Go away, James! I never want to see you again!” I yelled and then stood back up.

“No! Juliet! Please, just hear me out! Jewels!” he yelled, I could hear the panic in his voice, “I’m begging you! Don’t do this!”

“Go home, James!” I yelled and then turned off the lights and headed up the stairs.

I walked into my bedroom, stripped my clothes and then walked into the bathroom, turned on the water and then stepped into the shower. I let the water hit my muscles, and that’s when it seemed to hit me, my legs felt weak and I collapsed, the water hitting me and I began the uncontrollable crying.

I don’t know how long I was in the shower, but when I came out, I just threw some pajamas on, jumped into bed and tried my best to fall asleep.

When morning came, I awoke to find Pepper lying at the end of my bed, I looked at the clock and sighed, it was ten in the morning, Pepper had a vet appointment at noon, so I figured I should get up. I changed into shorts and a tank top, headed downstairs, took her out, leaving the backdoor open so she could come back in, while I fed her and gave her fresh water. When she came back in, I closed the door and then walked into the kitchen, grabbed my tea pot, put water in it and threw it onto the stove. I walked into the living room, hearing Pepper eating and turned on the TV, I was doing my normal morning routine.

Something outside caught my attention though, I turned and saw a car in the driveway, and it wasn’t mine. I sighed and walked over towards the window and saw that it was James’, confused on why it was there, I walked over towards the front door, opened it and gasped when I found him, on the front porch, leaning against the railing asleep.

‘…He was here all night…’ I thought and then sighed, opened the screen door and bent down next to him. I just stared at him, he looked tired, I didn’t know how long he had stayed awake, calling out for me. I sighed again and then placed my hand on his shoulder and shook him, “You gunna be here all day, I’ve got shit to do.”

Slowly James started to wake up, he looked at me and then it took a moment to realize that it was me in front of him. He jumped up and grabbed my hand, “Jewels, please, just let me explain!”

“Didn’t you hear me? I’ve got shit to do,” I said and then went to turn around and go back inside, but he pulled me back, still having my hand, “James-“ James grabbed my neck and pressed his lips against mine, I tried to push away, but he pinned me against the doorway and wouldn’t budge. When he broke the kiss, I shoved him, but he didn’t move far, “Don’t kiss me- After the girl did!”

“Jewels-“

“No! Get out! Get out of here, James! I don’t want to see you!” I growled and James just shook his head, “Go now, or I’ll call the cops,” I threatened, grabbing my phone. James just shook his head, closed the front door and moved towards me, “James, go! I’ll do it! I’ll call!”

“No you won’t,” he said, by butt touched my kitchen counter, he always was able to trap me, even way back when, “You won’t,” he repeated, taking the phone from my hand and placing it on the counter behind me, “Just hear me out, Jewels. Please.”

“Why should I?” I asked, feeling the clump in my throat and knowing that I was going to start to cry.

“Because I love you,” he said, cupping my face and trying to kiss me, but I just turned my head and pushed him away, “Jewels.”

“Who is she?” I asked, giving into him and letting him tell his story.

“She’s just a girl from Pittsburgh,” he explained, “Talbo, tried to hook us up in the past, but- but I didn’t want a relationship and she did,” James said and I looked at him, “She wasn’t supposed to be there, Talbo invited her not knowing that you were here, he didn’t know that I wanted you,” he said and I bit my lip, “Jewels I love you.”

"I love you too, Ro,” I said and felt the tears forming in my eyes, “Are there more coming?”

“No,” he said confidently, “I’m not going to lie, Jewels, I did have some hook ups,” I just gulped and stared at him, he cupped my face again, “But I never stopped thinking about you, never stopped wanting you back,” James looked into my eyes, not sure of what to say. The only problem was, I didn’t know what to say either. When he told me about the hook ups, I was almost sick, I did feel sick, I didn’t want to tell him what happened in Florida with his best friend, I couldn’t, “Juliet.”

I placed my hands on his arms and looked at him, stared at him for a good while, trying to come up with reasons on why I can’t be with him, “You’ll always be my Romeo,” I couldn’t come up with any.

-James-
I smiled brightly and pressed my lips against hers, so happy that she was here, in my arms, letting me hold her, letting me kiss her. I picked her up and placed her on the counter, rubbing my hands over her thighs. Her hands were on my shoulders, in my hair, I snuck my hands under her shirt and was about to take it off when we heard something.

Juliet cursed and then pushed my back, pulled her phone out of her back pocket and turned the alarm off, “What?” I asked confused.

“Pepper has a doctor appointment,” she said and I nodded my head.

“Can I come?” I asked and she looked at me and slowly nodded her head.

“If you want.”

“Yeah, we can grab lunch after,” I said and she gave me a small smile, “That little café on the corner of town- It still allows dogs outside, right?”

“I’m not sure,” she giggled, “Guess we’ll find out.”

“All right,” I smiled brightly and stole a quick peck before we grabbed Pepper and headed out the door.

We got to the vet while a half hour, Juliet drove and I played with her radio. When we finally got there, Pepper was taken into the back and Juliet and I were led to a patient room, we sat and waited. She was sitting in the chair; I was leaning against the wall just looking at her read a book about helping newborn puppies.

I smiled and then felt my phone buzzing in my back pocket. I grabbed it and looked to see that I had a lot of missed calls and texts; on top of that, my phone was dying. I went through all of the messages; they were from the guys asking how everything went about me explaining myself to Juliet. Talbot was apologizing for bringing the girls and my brother was teasing me, saying that if I hadn’t reply to his text and call, then I must be getting laid.

The door to the room opened and I saw Pepper run in and over towards Juliet, I smiled on how happy one dog could make her. I looked at the doctor and Juliet stood up.

“Well things look really good, she’ll most likely have her puppies within a month,” he said and we nodded our heads, “I saw three healthy ones in there, I want you to come back in, in three weeks.”

“Ok, thank you,” Juliet said, “What about her leg?”

I noticed that her cast was still on there, I remembered that she had broken her leg after maybe being hit by a car.

“Her cast we’ll stay on for a little longer, I did look at her leg today as well, and when she comes back in, in three weeks, I’ll look into removing it,” he said and I nodded my head, shook his head and then grabbed Pepper and Juliet and walked out of the door, paid the bill, much to Juliet’s dismay, and we left.

“You didn’t have to pay.”

“Well I did,” I said and smiled towards her as we got into the car, “Now do you remember how to get to this café?”

She looked at me and giggled, “No, not really.”

“Do you want to go to the café or somewhere else?” I asked and she shrugged her shoulders, “Or we could go back to my place, I’m pretty sure I’ve got burgers that I could grill up.”

“Aren’t your friends there?” she asked and I looked at her, bit my lip and nodded my head.

“That all right? They’re staying for another two days,” I said and she nodded her head.

“It’s fine, maybe I’ll actually get to talk to them all today,” she said and I smiled and nodded my head, “Is everyone from last night there?” Juliet asked cautiously.

“No girls,” I said seriously and she just looked down and played with her fingers, “Jewels I am sorry about that.”

“Can we just go?” she asked and I grabbed her hand and kissed it.

I nodded my head, started the car and started to drive, my hand stayed on her lap, and I was about to pull it back, when I felt her hands grab it and I smiled. Her words ringing in my mind, words that will always put a smile on my face, ‘You’ll always be my Romeo’