Wishes were something you had to work hard to fulfill. One had to put his sweat, his belief, his hope, faith and even love to accomplish what he wants. There is no human who can grant wishes.

At least, that is what your parents taught since you were little. So, that is why you refused Yuukos offer to make your wish come true. Although you wanted from the bottom of your heart that your wish can come true sooner, you knew better then to accept such an offer. Ever since your parents died in a plane crash, you had to fend for yourself. It wasn't enough that you had to move from America, where all your friends were, to Japan. Now, you had to make a living on your own. Since you were interested in architecture, you took some classes and soon you were able to work in that domain. Also, you did some landscaping too, the money from both jobs being always welcomed for paying the apartment and your daily necessities. And if that wasn't enough you were also working at Yuukos shop, fixing what was broken and doing the yard work. Well, since you had a wish which you wanted to be granted, you could see Yuukos shop, and she was kind enough to let you work there. It was good that your working days were divided. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays you were working as an architect assistant; on Thursdays you were doing landscaping and on Tuesdays and Fridays you were at Yuukos shop, and Sundays were your free day.

You liked working at Yuukos. You befriended quickly with Mokona and Watanuki, and somehow you always were of some help in their cases. It was no surprise that you liked spending the time with boys more than with girls. From childhood you were more tomboyish and you liked sports better than ballet or dolls, as other girls. Although you spent more time with boys, you were admiring Yuuko and you also befriended Himawari. You knew of Watanukis crush on her and always tried to help him. Even though you were friends with everyone that knew Watanuki, you couldn't say that what you felt towards Doumeki, Watanukis enemy (only in Watanukis mind), was friendship. You felt attracted towards the archer from the beginning, and going to the same high school as him didn't help you keeping your feelings in control. But, you being the hot headed girl you were, denied to yourself that you like him more than a friend and started looking at him like an enemy. Seeing that he excelled in sports, you started challenging him every time in every kind of sport known to the humans. You began with football, went to basketball, baseball, swimming, running and even chess (how was that a sport I don't know: maybe you took it too far since it was called a sport of the mind). But he beat you every time, although you were not far behind. Seeing that you always got beaten by him, you trained harder so you could beat his-quote "Stuck up ass" unquote-. Yeah, you were denying it big. You were always playing the cheerful girl around other boys and when it came down to him, you were acting like he is a bastard. Nobody saw through your actions, except Yuuko who always tried to bring you and Doumeki together. 'Destined to be together by the stars' as she always put it whenever you were talking to her about him, or 'The red thread of fate has decided', you always heard that coming from her. And, of course, you always denied feeling something about the basta- I mean Doumeki. Her tries were always a failure, since you were to stubborn to actually try helping her somehow, and you always screwed up somehow, making Doumeki call you an idiot and then you would start screaming at him that he is an idiot. Whomever passed by you two quarreling in the street or in the park would think the same thing: 'Oh, look at that couple, they are having a love-fight. They are so cute together.' Of course, if you were to hear their thoughts, you would have blushed as red as a tomato and would have started blabbering something incoherent to the world. But, alas, you didn't have the power to hear other people minds and so you were saved from incoherency.

Well these things were to stop someday and you would have to decide on telling him what you feel or keeping quiet and finding somebody else. But, of course destiny (together with Yuukos help) thought that you need a little push from behind. So, this is how you find yourself in 31st October with few hours until Halloween night came. There was a ball at your school and everyone had to go, disguised as whomever or whatever they want. You didn't want to go, instead you wanted to go home and sleep. But, of course, Yuuko had to hear what Watanuki said.

"- dressed as a knight and Himawari as a princess and I'll be there to protect her and then she'll see that we were meant to be together." He kept on rambling on rambling about Himawari.

"What are you talking about, Watanuki?" asked Yuuko, while taking a sake bottle and opening it.

"Why, I am talking about the ball from our high school. We all have to go disguised as something or someone" he answered "And when Himawari-chan will see me dressed as a knight she will know that we are meant to be together and she will forget about that bastard"

Hearing about a ball and disguises, Yuukos eyes suddenly glinted in a demonically way, like she was up to something and you knew you had to go away from her before she could involve you in her plans. But, lady luck wasn't on your side as you tried to escape without being noticed. Just as you were to go round the corner and escape from her sight, her voice stopped you.

"So, Sydney, what are you disguising yourself as?" she asked looking at you with a smirk on her face. You swallowed the lump that resided in your throat and calmed yourself down, saying that it all was in your imagination.

"I am not going, Yuuko-san. I need my rest and I, also, don't have a costume." You just had to say it, didn't you. Hearing that, Yuukos smirk got bigger and she took you by the shoulders, directing you to her room.

"Oh, but you have to go. Who knows what you're going to miss. And don't worry about the costume. I just have the perfect one for you" she said laughing, making you worry for the millionth time about her sanity.

And she also took care of your make-up, making you look more as a girl. Your long, brown hair which you usually wore in a tight ponytail, was put down to float on your shoulders. She gave you a blue dress to match your blue eyes and that is how the tomboy Sydney, who wore boys clothing, was replaced with the princess Sydney, or Juliet as Yuuko called you. And you had to admit that you looked good, if Watanuki blushed when he saw you and he was at a loss of words. Well, you still had a plan in mind. You were going to go straight home after you left Yuukos shop, but that plan was decimated when she announced that she was going to accompany you and Watanuki at the ball, to be sure that none of you will get in trouble with the opposite sex, as she put it. But you knew that she wanted to be sure that you were going there and staying all night long.' And also, that means free drinks for the old hag- err, I mean for Yuuko.' You thought bitterly, not waiting for the night to come.

On the way to the ball you only tried escaping your fate, trying to run home as fast as your legs could go. But that only resulted in Yuuko having to drag you until you reached the ball room. There you saw a lot of monsters, vampires, witches, mummies and other scary costumes.

'Oh my god! I am the only one that dressed up as a princess? I want to go home now! It is good that I have a mask' you thought bitterly examining your golden mask in the mirror beside you. 'At least, Watanuki dressed up as a knight. That means we're a match. The princess and the knight. Yupee!' you thought sarcastically.

While you were looking at the other costumes around you, you saw Yuuko at the drinks table, drinking. 'Knew that was the reason she came' you thought. Looking for Watanuki and Himawari, you saw, yet, another kid dressed in a prince costume, rather than a scary costume. And he was looking straight at you, making you wonder why. Soon, your question was asked when he came to you.

"My lady, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?" the prince asked in a deep voice, making your heart beat a skip.

"Yes" was your answer. You didn't know why you said that, but something about him entranced you and made you want to be closer to him.

He took your hand and lead you to the dance ring, where a slow song was on. He put one arm on your waist, and with the other he took your hand in it. You felt a blush starting to appear and spreading at the position, even if it wasn't something embarrassing. While slowly dancing, you studied his costume. He was dressed in a golden costume, matching your mask, and his mask was blue, matching your dress. It was like you were wearing each others masks. You felt so secure in his arms, like you were in heaven and nobody could harm you. All the time you were dancing, he didn't say a word, he only looked at you and you could swear you saw those eyes somewhere. There, in his eyes you could read a feeling that was present in your eyes when you were looking at a special someone. 'If only Doumeki would look at me like that. Why couldn't I have fallen for this boy, instead of him?' you thought, a sad glint appearing in your eyes. The boy seemed to see it cause he asked what was wrong.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked worried.

"No, you did not. It is just that I could have met you before I have fallen for him. You are so different and I am sure that I would have been happy with someone as you" you said not looking at him anymore. In that instant, the song ended and you slowly started leaving the boy, when you were caught by an arm. It was the boy.

"Come with me!" he said, more like demanded.

You didn't know what to do and your heart was thumping in your chest like wanting to escape its prison. But the reason for beating so fast wasn't fear, was more like that feeling you had when you were near Doumeki. You followed the boys lead once more, him holding your hand and guiding you to the balcony. 'Where are we? The balcony? That so reminds me of Romeo and Juliet' you thought while your blush reappeared.

When you reached there, he turned towards you, bringing his hand to your mask.

"Tell me, who is that boy you should not love, Sydney?" he asked while taking your mask off. Hearing your name, you looked at him surprised that he knew it, even though you met him not too long before. You were sure that you didn't tell your name.

"How did you know my name?" you asked him.

"That does not matter now" he said while brushing your hair with his fingers. "Just say his name"

"Aaaa…. His name is Doumeki" you didn't finish saying the name and his lips crashed down on yours, taking you by surprise, and before you could react to the kiss, he pulled away.

"H-h-how could you? Why d-did y-you ki-kis-kissed me?" you asked stuttering out of embarrassment that your first kiss was stolen by a stranger.

"Well" he said "I kissed because I feel the same way about you" While saying that, you stared at him like he was an alien or some kind of monster. After saying that, he took off his mask, revealing the handsome archer and your crush himself, Doumeki. Now, instead of being happy that you got kissed by your crush, you started freaking out on the inside because you just confessed to him. But on the outside, you didn't show your inner fight. You just stood there, petrified, looking at him.

"So, aren't you going to say something?" asked Doumeki. Seeing no response from your petrified self, he just turned the other way and started talking to the shadows.

"I told you that this would not work. Look at her, I think I scared her for life." He said to a shadow that started moving towards you, revealing none other than Yuuko.

Coming out of your daze, you looked from Yuuko to Doumeki and back.

"What is going on here?" you finally asked.

"See, Doumeki, she is not scared. She was just surprised that you kissed her. Finally, you two love birds are together" she said holding her thumb up towards you two and smiling, more like grinning. "You see, Sydney" she continued "I knew of Doumekis feelings for you and your feelings for him so I decided to help you both. I gave both of you matching costumes so you could more easily find yourselves in the crowd and that gave a feeling of belonging together. And, it worked. I have to say that you danced divine. It looked more like floating than dancing. The way you were looking into each others eyes. It was like you were in a trance." She said, making you think he had hallucinations during the dance or she was looking at somebody else. But at the same time, maybe she was right, because you don't remember much of the dance, only looking in his eyes and being sucked in by his feelings that were revealed in his eyes.

"Well, now I'll live the new couple alone. I'm going to see what Watanuki did while I was watching you. Bye, bye and behave!" she said giggling and going back to the ballroom. You were left there with Doumeki, not knowing what to say. H was the one to break the silence.

"So, what do you say about another dance?" he asked while capturing you in his arms. "Or maybe you want to continue where we left off?" he asked smiling at your blushing form. Taking your silence and blush as a yes, he captured your lips once more, but this time in a more passionate kiss and you didn't wait too much to answer to his kiss. When the need for air separated both of you, you just put your head on his chest, listening to his speeding heartbeat and getting lost in your thoughts.

'Who would have thought that my love come in the disguise of Romeo? It is true that wishes do come true if you put your whole being in that one wish' you thought while smiling. Looking at Doumeki, you saw that he was looking at you.

"Are you happy, my princess or do you wish for something else?" he asked.

"I am happy and I already have everything I wished for right here, in your arms" you said looking at him lovingly. Hearing your answer, he just smiled and kissed you again, tightening his grip on you.

There was someone watching from the ballroom with a smirk on her face seeing that her mission was a success. She just left the two of you alone, knowing that you will not be able to come back to her shop anymore.