Chapter Seven

Driving home with Romeo was surprisingly awkward. Considering we'd just tagged-teammed some serious romance, I found it odd that there seemed to be something almost conflicting between us.

I really didn't have a good "social radar" (or an ability to tell when something was awkward) so I just decided to go ahead and ask if anything was up. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Romeo responded, but their face wasn't very 'yeah'. "Well, I was just thinking, you know."

"That's…" I paused unsure. "Good?"

"Yeah, it's good. I mean -" Romeo cleared their throat awkwardly. "I was just wondering what I'm going to do when you're not there."

We were parked outside my house now, and I looked around to make sure we were alone. "You did pretty well on your own. Plus, Mercutio doesn't care about all that poetic stuff. He loves you no matter how poetic you are."

"Naw, he doesn't love me. He accepts me."

"Aren't those the same thing?" I asked.

"Not necessarily." Romeo sniffed, and I realized they were near tears. "I'll try to explain: Love needs acceptance, but acceptance doesn't need love. He accepts who I am, but he doesn't love who I am. I don't think he does, anyway."

"He said he did."

"Well, how often do people actually say what they mean?"

They had a point, but I certainly wasn't about to say that. "I'm sure they do…"

Romeo was crying now, and I was banging my head against the wall internally.

My lies weren't working. I had to resort to the truth. "Even if he doesn't love you, that's not your fault. If he doesn't accept you for who you are, than he's missing out. And, if it doesn't work out between you two, that's okay too. You're young, you don't have to settle for anything yet. Your life isn't dependant on his."

"I know," Romeo mumbled. "But he completes me."

"Nonsense, you're already complete, you've always been. People aren't born in half," I said, harsher than I meant to.

Romeo nodded. "I take it you don't believe in soul mates then. Or fate."

I resisted the urge to rant for about five-seconds, but eventually gave in. "I object to the idea what someone else is required to make your life whole. I don't believe in fate or destiny, either."

"Oh, what do you believe in, then?" Romeo asked flippantly.

"Coincidence."

"Everything can't be a coincidence."

"Why not?" I shrugged. "I don't know, it's just what I believe."

"You don't seem like the kind of person to believe in something without a reason."

That was also true. I didn't know what to say, and I just wanted the conversation to be over. "Let me explain, okay? There are two kinds of people in this world: the kind that believe in fate and the kind that believe in coincidence. You're the kind that believes in fate, and I'm the kind of person who believes in coincidence." I smiled, but Romeo wasn't listening. They were looking out the car window with a horrified expression on their face.

Tybalt was standing on the sidewalk outside our house.

It was too late, he'd seen Romeo and I together. I saw his face transition from shock to disgust, and then anger. I gasped and cried out, "No!" but it was too late. Tybalt had already started to run back to our house.

I ran after him.

I think it was the sheer panic that powered me as I ran that allowed me to catch up with him. I grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. Frantically, I begged, "No no no no no, you can't tell anyone!"

"You - you and that bastard!" Tybalt backed away, but I reached out and grabbed his hand.

He slapped me so hard the world fell off it's axis.

I punched him in the face and he fell on his ass.

"You aren't going to tell anyone," I yelled, and I saw Tybalt flinch like I was going to hit him again.

My brother rubbed his face and scowled up at me. "And why not?"

I smiled smugly, "Because if you do, I'll tell mom about you and Benvolio."

Tybalt froze, his eyes wide. "You wouldn't, and even if you did, that wouldn't matter! It was just one time!" Tybalt's voice had reached an alarmingly high pitch.

"Yeah, I would." I crossed my arms. "But mom would still kill you! And saying 'no homo' doesn't do shit when you've got your -"

"Alright! Alright! I won't tell!" Tybalt stood up slowly, still holding his bruised face.

I felt victorious. Tybalt looked like he'd just been shot.