I do not own Fallout 3 or any of the Fallout stuff, just any characters I make

When You're Young

"It's already over and done, when you're young." ~3 Doors Down

xxx

October 22, 2076

Clad in dark gray sweat-pants and a gray long sleeved shirt, the tomboy appeal sixteen year old took a sip of her cappuccino, as she was sat in a booth at A Cuppa Joe.

Several women who came in and left all gave her a weird eye for wearing pants. Well, forget them! It's October, and it's cold. She was not going to wear a dress or a skirt everywhere she went. School only.

Her mother was out shopping in L'Enfant Plaza assuming her daughter was currently over at the Capitol Post, in hopes of applying for a job.

But, Juliet Carlisle didn't want to work for a stupid newspaper company. She didn't want to read everyday about the war, and how the world was going to end...

Her dark blue eyes narrowed when she heard a couple of younger teenagers in the booth behind her talk vividly about said subjects.

"Did you hear about how some of the vaults are ready? Do you think we'll be able to stay in one? The paper said each vault can hold up to a thousand people!"

Vaults? Juliet started to pull her strawberry-blonde hair into a ponytail. Oh, yeah, she heard about those. Underground shelters for people to stay in if the bombs fell...only the rich people would be granted access, no doubt.

Juliet took another sip as she sighed. She was so tired of hearing about it all. She wanted to live her normal teenage life. School, drama, life, boys...

Hearing the door to the shop open, she turned around and was immediately starstruck. A boy, definitely around her age, walked in with a grim look on his face. He was tall. Very tall. Over six feet no doubt. His eyes were stormy blue, his hair a dark red that looked as if a cherry balloon exploded.

Whoa.

Juliet watched him approach the counter and asked, "Can I have a job application?" in a well mannered but slightly dark voice.

The kids behind Juliet drowned out of her ears, watching the cashier hand the boy an application. "Thanks," he said, turning to leave.

He caught Juliet staring immensely at him.

Blushing, she looked down at her half empty drink as she heard his footsteps growing farther away as he exited the shop. When she knew he was gone, she gulped the rest of her drink, pulling out a couple of dollars for the bill and tip.

Getting up she nearly smacked into the door as she burst out and looked both ways. He was on the left at the curb, waiting for cars to pass so he could cross to the L'Enfant Cafe. Was he going to apply there too?

Juliet waited until he started to cross before she slowly turned to follow him. When he'd crossed he suddenly stopped, Juliet also. He turned around sharply as Juliet gasped.

Before he saw, she also turned around and saw a Nuka-Cola machine against the wall of the coffee shop. She dug some quarters out of her pocket and put them in the slot, grabbing the cold drink as it hit the bottom.

When she turned back around, she watched the boy inside the cafe. Wait...he wasn't there! Where did he—

"Why are you following me?"

Squawking, Juliet looked to her right to see the boy staring down at her nearly. "What?" she said loudly. "I'm not following you! I-I, was just—"

A loud car horn made Juliet jump up and cry out from surprise. "Juliet!" her mother's car had pulled up then.

Juliet looked back to the boy. "Uh...here! You can have it!" she shoved the Nuka-Cola into the boy's hands, and then ran quickly to the backseat of her car. "Go!" she yelled as she slammed shut the door.

"Okay, okay," her mother said, then stopped. "What's wrong?" she leaned forward to peer out the windshield. "Who's that? Your boyfriend?" she guessed. "He's cute..."

"DRIVE!" Juliet bellowed.

"I heard you!" Autumn Carlisle changed gears and drove away. "Did you get an application at the newspaper place?"

"Uh...yeah," Juliet said. She buckled in her seat belt and leaned back with a sigh. That had to have been the scariest moment of her life.

But there was something about that red haired boy...

"We're gonna be late! Run!"

Juliet and her year older sister Julia squeezed together through the front door with only one bookbag strap on and their coats half way on. They tumbled down the steps of their townhouse home, running as fast as they could down the street.

"This is your fault!" Julia yelled. "Your alarm didn't go off!"

"How's that my fault?" Juliet yelled back. The two went opposite ways to evade the people walking towards them on the sidewalk.

"Why can't we just take the bus?" Julia whined when they joined each other again, slowing their run to a fast walk.

"Then we'd have to go to the school here," Juliet reminded her. "I like Early Dawn High, thanks very much!"

Julia scowled. "One more year of this crap!" they neared the Takoma Station now as they skipped down the stairs into the station itself. When inside, Julia went over to see the train times as Juliet pulled her coat on all the way and zipped it up.

"We got about five minutes," Julia announced. "Our train got delayed about a few minutes. Get me a Nuka-Cola!" she ordered.

Juliet rolled her eyes as she walked back to the vending machine they passed on the way in, putting in her quarters. She thought about when she gave away her Nuka-Cola to that one boy...

Would she ever see him again? She frowned as she knelt down to get the drink. When she stood back up she received the greatest idea ever.

She'd apply for a job at the coffee shop and cafe! There was a chance he'd be working there if they accepted him in!

Julia raised one of her green eyes when she took the drink from her sister. "What are you smiling about?" she asked.

Juliet shrugged. "Nothing...let's go."

After flashing their school ticket passes to the ticket guy, they went down to board their train that came as soon as they made it down.

Both sisters sat down with a weary sigh when they got on. "Do you have to work today?" Juliet asked.

Julia nodded. "And all weekend too," she added, opening her Nuka-Cola. "Dad said he was supposed to call this weekend so make sure you...Juliet?"

"Huh?" she turned her gaze from the train window to her sister.

"Never mind," Julia said, an eye raised again.

When they exited out into Friendship Heights, they raced up the escalators and ran as fast as they could towards the water tower in the distance—their school was near it.

Finally arriving at campus and inside the school, both girls were ready to collapse.

"I think one of my heels cracked. Oh well. Later," Julia waved as she left to join her friends towards the senior hallway. Juliet said nothing as she went for the junior hallway, looking for her own friends.

"Yo, Jules!"

Grinning now, Juliet approached her best friend, Bria. "What's up?" she asked, kicking open her locker.

"Anthony's playing hooky today," Bria groaned. She pulled down her skirt. "They shouldn't make chubby girls wear this crap. Pants work fine for me." she complained.

"You're not fat," Juliet scolded.

Bria rolled her eyes. "And there's a new boy here I think." she added.

Juliet hung up her coat and bookbag, taking out her folders. "You seen him yet?" she asked.

"White boy, I ain't interested," Bria said. "He's tall as hell. Downtime red hair."

Juliet dropped her history textbook then. What...? Tall...red hair...boy...no way! It couldn't be! It was a coincidence. It had to be. That's all...

Bria picked up the fallen book. "You okay?" she asked, her caramel colored eyes slightly narrowed in concern.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," Juliet took the book back, then smoothed down her skirt. The bell rang then. "Let's go." she followed Bria out of the hallway towards the English hallway.

The last thing Juliet expected was for her coincidence to shatter when she saw the boy in her English class.

She stopped abruptly after Bria already walked in casually. Oh, my God! Juliet thought. It's him! He's in my class! ...and he's sitting in my seat!

What was she going to do? Tell him he was in her seat? Then he'd get up and sit somewhere else, farther away...wait! Anthony sat in front of Juliet. He wasn't here, so now she sighed happily. She was gonna tell Anthony to skip school more often.

She walked over nervously and sat in the seat. Turning around she said, "Hi..." quietly.

The boy folded his arms over his chest. "Hello," he said back.

That was awkward. Juliet asked, "Are you new here?"

"Yes," he confirmed. Did he sound annoyed? ...did he even recognize her? It had been a little dark outside when they 'met', maybe he didn't realize who she was.

"I'm Juliet," she held out her hand to him. "What's your name?"

"Charon," he introduced, but his arms remained intact.

Feeling stupid, Juliet put her hand down. "Sharon?" she repeated, eyes slightly wide.

"Yes. Is there a problem?" he asked her.

"N-no, sorry," Juliet faced forward, her face red. That was awkward. Poor guy, having a girl's name!