"So can you make it? It'll be really like fun, you know. I'm inviting a lot of people." Mercutio paused. He really should be studying or actually doing his homework. Lately, he just couldn't bring himself to care. "Sure man. Thanks." he answered. "And I was wondering if you like wanted to play your guitar." Puck asked. "You want me to play at your party?" "Heck yeah! You're great on guitar!"
"Then I guess I'm playing." Puck grinned as the bell rang and they started walking to class. Mercutio hated Algebra 2. It was boring, and he had to sit next to one of them. A filthy Capp. And not just any Capp, it was Tybalt. Mercutio despised him the minute he first met him. He was vain, cocky, pretentious and arrogant. He still hasn't grown out of it. Mercutio was glad he was transferring to some private school in a few weeks. The only downside was that meant Hermia, his girlfriend, had to transfer too. Mercutio loved Hermia. She was so sweet, unlike her siblings, and she didn't even care about the fact that he's a Monty. She was probably the only reason Mercutio didn't cause as much trouble as he did before. She also helped him pass (albeit barely) 9th grade last year. His girlfriend, guitar, and job were probably his life. He was going to miss seeing her everyday, but they still have weekends and can call each other. Maybe Puck invited her to his party. Before the bell rang again, Mercutio tapped his shoulder.
"Puck. Hey Puck."Puck slammed his notebook quickly and whirled around. "Yes?" "Did you invite Hermia?" Puck's expression changed from eager to nervous, almost like he felt guilty. "W-why do you ask?" Mercutio arched his eyebrows and rested his chin on his palm, as if he was studying him. "She's leaving in a couple of weeks. I was kinda hoping we'd hang out at your party. Didn't mean to offend you or anything." Puck laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh right..." "So will she?" Mercutio repeated. "Will she what?" "Be there!" "Yeah, I mean I invited her so she'll probably be there." Puck finally answered, nodding his head. "Thanks." Mercutio said, slightly annoyed.
Days later, he slipped on his favorite leather vest and grabbed his electric guitar. When he reached the front door, he called out, "I'm gonna head out to the party now." No response. Mercutio frowned, you'd think his grandparents would care to at least say bye. He walked over to two small wooden tables seated side by side. "Bye mom. Bye dad" he whispered. Then he went back to the front door and quietly left. "Wait!" his brother yelled, "I'm going to!" Mercutio stared at Romeo coldly. "What?" "Puck invited me too!" he explained as he waved a piece of torn notebook paper in front of Mercutio's face. Mercutio grabbed the note and squinted. In Puck's handwriting, it read, "Party on Friday. You coming, yes or no." There was a neat circle around the yes, presumably Romeo's answer.
"Fine, get in." Mercutio placed the guitar in the trunk.
"Bye mama and papa! We'll be back!" Romeo screamed. Their grandparents appeared at the door and waved.
"Have fun, but be careful!" warned Isabella.
"Be back by curfew!" Patrizio said sternly, pointing at the teens. Mercutio rolled his eyes. When he almost left, neither gave as much as a goodbye, but when Romeo's leaving, they drop everything to give him the rules, warnings, and a heartfelt goodbye. He hated having to compete to earn some attention. Golden boy didn't have to lift a finger for anything while his grandparents never even gave him the time of day. He was the oldest! Shouldn't he be the heir? If they knew their precious grandson was dating Juliet behind their backs, they definitely wouldn't treat him the same. But Mercutio would never tell, as much as it annoyed him.
The drive to Puck's house felt long. Romeo kept babbling the entire way.
"Man, this party's gonna be awesome! Puck told me he got a new stereo and everything. And Juliet's gonna be there! We barely get to hang out. It's a little hard when you're trying not to get caught. Oh, and he also told me Miranda's coming too! Doesn't she kind of like you?" Mercutio wore an exasperated expression.
"I have a girlfriend." he curtly replied.
"Oh yeah huh." He began babbling again until they finally reached the party. Romeo got out of the far first and already began talking to Juliet, who started giggling. Mercutio just rolled his eyes and retrieved his guitar. Then he walked to the front door and knocked because, apparently, the other two were too busy making googily eyes at each-other. Surprisingly, Juliet's cousin Miranda answered the door.
"Party's in the backyard. Just walk a-Oh, hi Mercutio! How are you?" Her face lit up when she talked to him.
"Fine. Thanks." he replied looking at the ground, away from her eager expression.
"Oh, you brought your guitar? I can't wait to hear you play!" Miranda smiled sweetly and took a step back to close the door. Mercutio was aware of her crush on him, but Mercutio just didn't feel the same. Besides, he had a feeling she just wanted him so she could anger her parents. And call it sappy, but he loved Hermia. Romeo and Juliet walked ahead of Mercutio, too wrapped up in each-other to care about anything else. Mercutio tuned his guitar as he walked to the back and then turned around the corner of the house to see the party. Two hot tubs, a stereo, and catering. Then as he turned his head, he stopped. Puck and Hermia. They-They were kissing. Mercutio felt something in his throat. Hermia opened her eyes and spotted him. Her eyes widened and she broke away from Puck. Puck realized why and looked guilty.
"Mercutio! It-it's not what it looks like! M-Mercutio!" Mercutio ran. The last thing he needed was for an entire party to see him cry after being cheated on. He didn't know how long he ran until he finally stopped at the local park. He placed his guitar on the ground and rested his hands on his knees and panted. He saw a bench and collapsed on it, then wiped his eye with the back of his hand. The two people who actually picked him over Romeo, who he thought were his best friends, who he would always help out when needed, just betrayed him. At the exact same time. With each-other.
"Is it really a surprise though?" he asked himself bitterly.
"Why would anyone care about me?"
He never remembers acting like this when they were still alive. They treated Romeo and him equally. They were always willing to help him with homework or ask about his day. When they left, everything changed. Mama and Papa took Romeo and Mercutio in and began favoring Romeo. He had more in common with papa and always helped mama. Mercutio was left ignored. Romeo became the golden boy and he was just the other one. But then, when he turned eight, he met Hermia at the park. She was beautiful. Her short red hair shining, her pale skin glowing, and her smile hypnotizing. When he tried to speak to her, her brother Tybalt poked him in the chest and made some arrogant speech about how they were better than him and he didn't dare speak to his little sister. Six-year-old Hermia rolled her eyes behind him and began copying his movements and mouthing his speech. Mercutio burst out laughing, causing Tybalt to turn red and sputter before leaving. They quickly became friends in spite of their respective families.
Then he met Puck in middle school where they bonded over their dream to be popular. Both wanted to be known by everyone and maybe even one day, become famous. Mercutio began strumming his guitar on the bench. After a while, he glanced at his watch. 1:34. He missed curfew already, not that his grandparents noticed anyway. He decided to head home and berated himself for leaving his car at the put on his guitar strap so he could just slide his guitar on his back. He then started strolling home with both hands in his pockets. When he finally reached home, he found his car in the driveway and everyone was asleep. Romeo was sprawled on the sofa. Mercutio let out a small sigh.
"Wonder how long you've looked."He began to creep into his bedroom silently, but paused. He turned around and glanced around the living room, to the mantle with Romeo's trophies to the end tables adorned with his photos to the teen himself laying on the couch.
"It will always be about you..." Mercutio whispered.
"Sometimes, I feel like running. Running and never coming back. Hermia and Puck kept me from doing that. They told me they would always be my friends, that they would never hurt me. In the end, it was just a lie." Mercutio had an angry glint in his eye.
"Maybe I will just run." Mercutio went into his room, retrieving an old, worn suitcase from his closet. He packed it with his favorite vest, a jacket, some T-shirts, and ripped jeans. He glanced at the end table beside his bed. A photo of Hermia, Puck, and him at some middle school dance stood on it, as if giving him a reminder of why he's doing this. Then he looked at the older photo next to it. It was mom, dad, a three-year-old Romeo and him just turning six. Mercutio's right eye began to water. He rubbed it with his hand, still staring at the photos. He reached out to the older one and held it with both hands. Removing the picture from the frame, he set the frame back on the table and gently placed the picture in his suitcase. Holding both the suitcase and the guitar case, he set them next to the front door. He made sure he had his wallet, ID, some money, and his keys.
"Where are my keys?"
He then looked at Romeo. The jacket he was wearing was on the armrest. Mercutio picked it up, studying it, and found the pocket with his keys shoved in the bottom. Then he remembered the pair of urns a few feet away. He walked to them hesitantly.
"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." That's all he could say. He touched both of them tenderly and silently slipped back to the front door. He slowly opened it and placed one foot outside, when suddenly something held him back.
"Mercutio, what are you doing! You can't leave!" His brother whispered.
"So now you care?" he snorted, "How ironic."
"But-but Mercutio, where will you go?" His brother questioned desperately.
"I don't know."
"Then why are you even going?" Mercutio smirked.
"You're trying to imply I don't have a reason. You think I want to do this? It's because I'm tired Romeo. I'm tired of Romeo this or Romeo that. I'm tired of being ignored by my own family. I'm tired of everything."
"Please don't do this." Romeo reached out his hand again to pull him back inside, but Mercutio yanked his arm away."Shut up! You have no right to tell me what to do! I'm the older one, I should be the one gets to stay, not you!" he said viciously.
"Mercu-" Mercutio slammed the door on his brother's stunned face. He ran to his car, threw his guitar case and suitcase into the trunk, and quickly started it. He slammed on the brakes and began driving down the road. One day, this entire neighborhood will know him for the last existing part of life: his guitar.