Juliet, contrary to her name, had never been in love. Even though she was a hopeless romantic, as she liked to think of herself, she had never found anyone who seemed to fit the form of how a boy should feel about her.
Sure, she had had crushes before but she never seemed to fall for a guy like her friends constantly did. Take Rachel for example. Rachel lived as if everyday was Valentines Day and was seen with a new boyfriend on her arm every other day of the week. She was a flirt, yeah, but still. She had loved so many she made the word sound like a joke.
Then there was Sara. She had been dating her boyfriend Lucas for nearly two years and even though they had split up dozens of times over the years, they always seemed to find a way back to each other.
Juliet was tired of searching for a great love by the age of 16. She was sure that if she would find someone she would have by then. And, as she watched her friends fall into the game of love, Juliet feel into great novels and discovered Heathcliff and his Catherine, Antony and his Cleopatra and most of all, Romeo and his Juliet.
Juliet's mother, Elsa Capitree, had been a Shakespeare historian since her childhood and felt that it was only poetic to name her only daughter after, what she believed, to be his greatest character. The mother and daughter were close…once. But economic crisis and her mother's love of vodka had drifted them apart and had forced the women to move away from their Chicago apartment and into the cold suburban town of North Shaw in Illinois. The only good part of this, in Juliet's mind, was meeting Rachel and Sara.
The town they had moved to was rough. Fights often broke out in the streets and drug bust were made up as a regular event. The neighboring town of St. Andrews was made of wealthy families and oversized homes of stone and brick. The only thing these two areas shared was a school. The outdated Springwood High that worked as a mirror to the teens it taught. Not everyone had everything and Juliet had learned that a long time ago.
Ben, her older cousin had always been her big brother in a way. He protected her from bullies in Chicago and kept an eye out for her in the neighborhoods they had grown up in. He wasn't there anymore though. Sure, he had promised to visit her on a regular basis in North Shaw but how long would that last? In the year Juliet and her mother had lived there he had missed more of their visits than Juliet would have liked.
Juliet stood in her small bedroom; it was only big enough for her twin bed and a small
dresser; and looked out her window. Even though an over sized brick building stood in the way of her view, she could still see a glimpse of the stars. Ben had taught her the constellations when she was young and it was a lesson that had always stuck with her. Her favorite was Cassiopeia. She loved stories that ended tragically and found it very poetic that she, Juliet Capitree, the daughter of a Shakespeare scholar, would think that.
Her cell phone buzzed on her bed and saw that it was Sara calling.
"Hey Jules, you coming to the party tonight?" She asked in a bit of a hurry.
Juliet had completely forgotten about the party that one of the many Springwood students was hosting tonight. It would be a very social event and Juliet wasn't quite sure if she was up to that tonight after the rampage her drunken mother had just thrown. "Um, I really don't know," Juliet said as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I might. Could you pick me up?"
"Yeah. Be ready in ten." Sara said before hanging up the phone with a click.
Juliet looked down at her self. The worn and ripped jeans and plain white tee-shirt would have to do. She wouldn't have enough time to change her clothes so she would have to make the hair work. Her long black hair feel in their natural waves as usual but with a hair clip she pulled a bit back from either side and let the rest hang loose.
She made her way out of her room and into the living room where her mother was sitting with her bottle in front of the television.
"Mom, I'm going out for a little. Do you need anything while I'm out?"
Elsa looked up at her daughter, her gray eyes bloodshot. "No, take a coat." She said simply and returned to her program.
At least she still cared, Juliet thought to herself. Enough to care if she took a jacket or not.
Interrupting her mid thought, Juliet heard the sound of Sara's jeep outside the building. "I have to go mom. Call me if you need me. Do you still know my number?" Juliet asked.
Her mother nodded once. That was the goodbye she gave to her only child. A nod.
Juliet walked outside to the sound of a fight and Sara's jeep blasting music from inside. Sara smiled and unlocked the doors for her friend with a smile. "Hey Jules, what's up?"
Juliet shrugged. "I don't know. Mom's not doing so great and I haven't slept much." She said as Sara mouthed out the lyrics to the song she was listening to.
Juliet looked out the window at the changing scenery. Slowly, they were leaving the slums of the town and entering the beautiful St. Andrews area where the party was held. Juliet couldn't remember the last time she had been to a party but she had an idea of what was to be expected at this one. Beer, music, dancing and more beer. Wasn't that the stereotypical teen party?
"So," Juliet began as she looked out the plastic window in the car. "who's going to be at the party?"
Please review, even if you have bad reviews, tell me.