I think you're fine

You really blow my mind

Maybe someday, you and me can run away

I just want you to know

I wanna be your Romeo

Hey Juliet

I entered the swarming hallway after the ninth period bell had rung. The hallways always seemed to have a different story to tell after the last bell of the day. Various passing faces told stories of "failing the rigorous social studies test" or grief from a breakup. Then, there was her. The face that tells beauty and beauty only, Juliet Bolin. I observed as she walked down the hallway, feeling as if I had been positioned in the opening scene of a romantic comedy, everything felt as if it was slow motion.

"H-Hey Juliet." I managed to utter as she passed.

"Hey!" I heard her exclaim. My hopes rose but then fell as James, my best friend and also Juliet's boyfriend, stepped up to my side. They quickly exchanged a hug before she gave him a flirty wave and continued down the hallway

I left James's side, trotting down the flight of stairs that led to the front door.

"Kendall! Wait up!" I heard his voice shout. James and I had been best friends since preschool. Being neighbors gave us the advantage of time to hang out but attending the same high school created glitches. James always dated the girls while I received the great grades and was practically invisible to the entire student body of Lakeview High School. "What's wrong?" James asked, shifting the weight of his backpack to his opposite arm.

"Nothing," I plainly stated as we began walking down the deserted sidewalk to our neighborhood. "Are you still coming over to do homework?" I asked my voice still in the unenthusiastic tone as before.

"Um…Yeah, sure," James answered, a worried tone in his voice. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, alright!" I snapped, dwelling on the thoughts I had had earlier. Silence fell between us until it was broken by our departing in which I simply said "Goodbye, I'll see you later."

I entered the entryway of my home, greeted by the smell of meatloaf in the oven. I wrinkled my nose in disgust before quickly starting up the steps.

"Oh! Kendall! You received a letter in the mail today." Mom said, continuing to tend to dinner. I slowly backed down the steps. A letter? Who even sends letters anymore? I thought to myself, picking up the small envelope from the table.

Juliet Bolin

145 East Van Buren St.

Phoenix, AZ 85001

I felt my heart begin to race in my chest, this must be a mistake, and it has to be a mistake. I opened the envelope with caution, pulling out the doubled piece of pink paper. It smelled of the fragrance she wore everyday a school, a scent that made my heart ache and want her.

Dear James,

Snail mail! This could be fun! Let's try to write each other often, please write back often.

Love always,

Juliet

I recognized it was a mistake, the letter was meant for James, my neighbor. I should give the letter to him when he arrives for studying, at least that would be the correct thing to do. I tucked the letter away in my jacket pocket and trotted up the steps to my bedroom. Closing the door with ease I placed the letter in the top drawer of my bedside table, unseen by the world's eyes.

"Kendall! James is here!" I heard mom cry from the kitchen as I marched downstairs.

"Hey, are you ready to study?" James said in a sarcastic enthusiastic voice. I laughed.

"Try to contain your excitement." I said, amused.

"Would you boys like some supper before you study?" Mom asked, not looking up from the page of the cookbook she was scanning.

"What are we having?" I questioned, spiraling to face her from the stairs

"Meatloaf," She said, finally turning to look at us.

"Ick!" We both said in disgust and unison before quickly running us the steps and into my room.

I closed the door and lay across my bed, reaching for my Math book and notebook.

"Can you believe that Juliet and I have been dating for four years?'" James said, flicking through the pages in his math book.

"Fascinating," I said, unenthusiastically. I glanced up from my notebook, continuing to write.

Dear Juliet,

You're right, this could be fun! Can you believe we've been dating for four years now? It seems unreal.

I stopped my writing for a rapid second, waiting for James to say something else to add to the letter I was writing in secrecy.

"Yeah, we have a date Friday, for our four year anniversary." James continued, reading a problem from our Math homework.

I can't wait for our date on Friday, it should be fun. Write back soon!

Love Always,

James

I closed the notebook, placing it on my bedside table. James looked up from his paper.

"You okay?" He inquired, catching me staring out the window.

"What? Oh, yeah!" I answered, my daydream slowly fading away like the colors in the sky from the autumn sunset. "Where were we?" I added, picking up my math book. James noted that we had stopped at number thirteen. "Oh! Number thirteen? That one's easy! You just add six, subtract five, divide by two, multiply by forty—, "James cut me off.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! You're talking to a non-math genius here." James said, putting his hands up, signaling me to slow down.

"Sorry, it just comes natural to me." I said, slowing down.

After we had finished the homework, I said goodbye to James and walked into the living room, searching for a stamp so I would be able to send the letter back tomorrow.

"Honey, what are you doing?" My mom asked as she walked into the room.

"Just, looking for something." I quickly said, returning to my search for a stamp.

"Who was your letter from?" She asked quickly. I felt a turning in my stomach. I would have to lie, I had no choice. If I told the truth tonight would turn into a game of twenty questions.

"It was just from Maddie, back in West Virginia." I lied about receiving a letter from my longtime friend, Maddie, who lived in West Virginia. The truth is, I haven't talked to her in over three years.

"That's nice." She said smiling. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I pulled out a stamp from under a pile of bills. I placed my hand in my back pocket, grabbing the letter and pulling it out.

Letter one, done.

I walked through the doors of school the next morning, half asleep. Suddenly, I felt myself run into something as a pile of books fell to the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" I said, lifting my head to see who I had ran into. It was her.

"It's fine, I'm so clumsy anyway, it was probably my fault." She said, giggling. I smiled.

"You're James's best friend, right?" She asked as I handed her the last book that lay on the ground.

"Yeah," I answered. "I don't know how you deal with him all the time, we've known each other for fourteen years and I still fight the urge to kill him half the time." I said, giggling. Juliet laughed with me.

"Hey, I better get going. Mr. Miller is a horrid homeroom teacher if you're late. But, I, I'll talk to you later, Kendall. Bye" She said before disappearing down the hall, leaving me standing alone in the empty corridor.

"What was that?" I heard a voice say as it approached me. It was James.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"You were totally just flirting with Juliet!" He yelled, pushing me.

"No, I really wasn't!" Okay, maybe I was, but he didn't have to know that.

"Kendall! I know you're lying!" James defended.

"James! Maybe you're just an overprotective boyfriend, ever think of that?" I yelled before walking away from him and down the hall. Sometimes people can be so ignorant.

After school I walked home alone. I contemplated the last time I had walked home alone. I found it was never. My only friend and now he was gone, because he didn't listen to what I had to say. I felt mixed emotions. I was angry and sad all at the same time. I finally reached the threshold of my home, entering and slamming the door. The house remained silent upon my arrival. No questions of why I was irritated arose, just silence. I ran upstairs, pulling out a notebook. I quickly scribbled down a note.

Dear Juliet,

Please understand when I tell you this. It isn't working out. I feel we should see other people. It's over.

Goodbye,

James

I tore the page from the book, folding it and stuffing the paper into an envelope. Part of me felt guilty for hurting my friend, but the other part could care less. I quickly inserted the letter in the mailbox, hoping for a fast sending. I sat on my bed for the rest of the night, thinking of what I had done. I was starting to experience the feeling of guilt in my stomach. Come on Kendall! You don't feel bad! James is a horrible friend for just assuming things...Even if they were true.

I arrived at school early the next morning, noticing Juliet sitting alone on the front steps with her head in her hands, crying. I walked up the aged stone steps to sit beside her.

"I heard." I simply said before she noticed me.

"Do you have any idea why he did?" She answered, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"I don't know why, James is just ignorant sometimes." I said, looking over at Juliet.

"Just know that I'm here." I added. She slowly looked up from my shoulder, wiping away her tears.

"You really mean that?" She asked, sniffling through her tears. I nodded in response.

"Do you, um, care if I come over later? I could really use a friend." I smiled.

"Of course you can." I said, victory dancing in my head.

"Mom, this is Juliet." I said as I introduced Juliet to my mom.

"Hello Juliet, it's very nice to meet you." She smiled, drying the dishes that sat in the kitchen.

"Hello Mrs. Knight, it's a pleasure to meet you." Juliet responded, smiling her beautiful smile.

I lead Juliet up the steps and to my bedroom. She smiled as she entered.

"It defiantly reminds me of you, everything has to be perfect." She laughed, noticing the notebook on my bedside table. "Oh, what's this?" She asked, picking it up. My eyes widened, realizing that she was holding the notebook that I had printed the letters to her in. Many of them remained in the notebook because I had decided not to send them. "Dear…Juliet…..." She began to read, the confidence in her voice slowly fading. "What is this, Kendall?" She asked anger in her voice.

I was frozen, frozen like a picture in time, unable to move, unable to speak.

"It was you! You were the one sending the letters this entire time! James didn't break up with me after all!" She roared fury in her voice.

"Juliet, I can explain—," I tried to say.

"Don't try to explain, I could care less." Juliet said, storming from my room and out the front door.

Why did you do it, Kendall now you're alone? Now all you can do is sit and reminisce about days once loved. You have no best friend, no girlfriend; you're completely invisible to everyone again. All because of that first letter you wrote.

Hey Juliet,

Can't you see that I'm apologetic? I didn't mean what I said, don't leave me here alone. Please tell James the same. I'm sorry Juliet, even though you probably won't listen, I truly mean it.

-Kendall

I wish I never had sent those letters, I want my life back, and I want my friends back. It's not possible now though; they are gone, gone like the fall leaves on the sidewalk in the wind…..

Only memories in my thoughts for years to come.