Hey guys, it's me and yes I know it has been a while, but the end of the school year is always crazy and it all ends Sunday and I'll be super focused on writing then and I'll update faster! I AM SO SORRY to always keep you waiting and what not but I promise I never forget about you guys and youre all so special
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"Is this true?" Sowden asked, incredulously.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Rosalie argued.
He sat in a chair and pushed his temples. "I just can't imagine Gnomeo doing this. He hates the Redbrick family! I can't imagine why this would be true!"
"But." Rosalie interjected. "Why would it be fake?"
"I don't know." Sowden agreed. "But how can it be real?"
"Well, what do we do?" Rosalie asked. "Do we tell Mrs. Bluebury? Redbrick? Shall we confront Gnomeo and demand the truth?"
Sowden shook his head thoughtfully. "Is a note evidence enough? It would be quite embarrassing if this was all for naught."
"I suppose;" She admitted.
"Instead, dear Rosalie, we must be vigilant. I'll need your help, to keep that boy from selling our fortune to a Redbrick tramp." He stated, soundly.
"What would happen if this was real, and he was romancing the enemy?" Rosalie asked, curious and deviant.
"She, this Juliet, would have to be eliminated. Who knows what he's told her and what she'd told her family to use against us." Rosalie liked the sound of that.
"But wait." She said suddenly. "What's in this for me?"
"What do you mean?" Asked Sowden, confused.
"Well, if I am doing this to spy on a man you should be keeping track of, I would like some compensation." Rosalie felt superior and proud for remembering the money problem.
"Isn't Gnomeo going to be enough?" He asked, laughing.
Rosalie shook her head, "I need something else in the mean time."
"You know you don't have to do this." Sowden reminded her.
"You know you need me to get to the bottom of this, though" She told him, trying to keep the upper hand.
"I do." He admitted. "Fine." He wrote her a check and handed it to her. Rosalie stuck it in her cleavage.
"You won't regret this." She told him. "I know my way around."
...
Gnomeo was pushing his dinner around on his plate, wishing he could say something to fill the large empty silence of the elaborate dining room. All he heard was the clinks of china and chewing. Dinner was never lively between him, his mother, and Sowden.
As they were being served a blueberry pie, Sowden spoke up.
"With Redbrick back in town from his vacation, things will certainly be more interesting, don't you think Gnomeo?"
Lady Bluebury glanced at him expectantly, and Gnomeo tried to keep from panicking as he replied, "Yes of course."
"I was completely unaware he even had a daughter, until she was at the ball, last season." Sowden eyed Gnomeo.
"Yeah, me either." He swallowed.
"She's probably as rotten as the rest of them." Sowden said, maliciously.
Gnomeo shrugged and stuffed pie into his mouth and Sowden looked disgusted.
"Are you meaning to say perhaps she would be a decent person?" He cackled.
"What's the big deal about her anyway?" Gnomeo said trying not to let his defensiveness for his lover show. "We've never even talked. Why do I care what she's like?" It hurt him to have to say it, but he had to protect Juliet and their secret.
"Now, Gnomeo there is no need to get angry, we were just making conversation." Lady Bluebury chided.
"I'm not Mom." He sighed, pushing back his chair, and clattering his fork on his plate. "I'm meeting some of the guys for a drink. Catch you later."
But he wasn't meeting the guys for a drink. He was going to find Juliet. He knew she had told him not to, but if he could at least see her, everything would be okay.
He knew she liked to walk in the garden at night, because during summer they'd done that a lot. Holding hands, listening to the sounds of night, kissing in the moonlight…
Gnomeo shook his head. He needed his wits about him tonight. Slowly and stealthily, he climbed a fence and hopped into the luscious Redbrick garden that was beginning to wither slightly because crisp, cold, fall air was settling in.
He breathed for a moment before slinking into the shadows, avoiding the string of lanterns. If he wasn't risking a lot to be here, it would be magical. Gnomeo creeped along trying to formulate a plan when he heard sobs. They were light feminine sobs and his heart stopped. Juliet, He crept closer to the sound and he realized that he was in one of Juliet's favorite places in the Redbrick garden. As he pushed back the bushes, he recognized her silhouette.
"Juliet" He whispered.
"Huh?" She turned around, her cheeks wet in the lantern light, but her face was defiant.
"Why are you crying, love?" He asked, upset.
" Gnomeo! What are you doing here?" She countered wiping her eyes angirly.
"I..I..just wanted…" He trailed off, trying to put his feelings into words.
"Oh well, it's no use reprimanding you about it, you're here now." Juliet stated, cutting him off.
"You might as well sit down."
He sat on the bench next to her, and she threw her arms around him.
"What's the matter?" Gnomeo asked again, wiping her cheeks with his fingers.
"It's nothing really." She sighed.
"You crying is something really." He countered.
"It's just my Dad." She said, her voice sad. "I thought he really wanted me around, but no, as usual he doesn't, and he's nearly forcing me to marry this god-awful guy."
"What?"
"Yeah, and the thing is, I don't want to marry him, at all. The only person I'd want to marry is you, and we both know how that would go down."
Gnomeo nodded, and stroked her back softly.
"So he was being rather rude about the whole thing, and we got into a fight and now I'm here." She tilted her head up at him.
Gnomeo kissed her lightly. "I'm sorry." He told Juliet.
She smiled a little. "Don't be, I'm so stubborn sometimes. It was mostly my fault that we started yelling at each other."
"I love that about you." He stated.
She looked up at him, surprised. "That I'm stubborn?"
"Cause, it makes you strong and I know you never give up on what's important." He continued. She gazed at him in wonder.
"Thank you." She whispered. "That's probably the sweetest thing someone's ever said to me."
"So why are you here, besides to see me again?" She asked. Gnomeo shrugged a little.
"What you said, I guess." He told her. "And I miss you, of course."
"I miss you too. Hey, did you get my note?" She said.
Gnomeo looked at Juliet quizzically. "What note?"
Her eyes got very round, and her cheeks turned visibly lighter. "The one I sent you?" There was a high end to her voice, in fear.
"I never got anything."
Juliet looked ill. "Oh no, that's not good. What if someone got it, and figured it out. Gnomeo, what if someone knows. "
"Shh." Gnomeo said, trying to reassure her. "No one got a note, and if they did, they probably threw it away,because it was irrelevant or something like that."
Juliet didn't appear convinced or calmed down. "Everything will be okay." He said soothingly, even though he wasn't sure how much he believed it. \
Rosalie felt powerful, holding the little note in her hands. She could do a lot with a single scrap of was going to do a lot with a single scrap of paper. She felt good. It was enlightening.
Already she was planning and plotting. Who should they confront first?
She could show Lord Redbrick or Lady Bluebury. But, she could also confront Gnomeo, or Juliet, or even better, both!
As her mind formulated the outcomes to her plans, she suddenly knew what to do.
She found her way to the Redbrick manor. It was big, and shining, with it's long red-brick (no pun intended) rooms and balconies, luscious gardens of ruby-red tulips and roses, and wrought iron gates, Rosalie was quite awed. Straightening her posture to dignified levels, she smoothed her skirts and knocked on the door, with a ruby encrusted knocker.
A maid answered it. "Can I help you Miss?" She asked.
Rosalie stuck her nose in the air. "I need to see Juliet Redbrick please."
The maid nodded, "What's your name, ma'am?"
"Rosalie." She replied. "Rosalie Carshe."
"Wait here."
The maid disappeared and Rosalie gazed in awe at the expressive murals that adorned the high ceilings. Suddenly, the maid returned.
"Right this way, please." She said. Rosalie followed her down the red carpeted hallway and past expensive paintings, to a sunny sitting room. "She's in here Miss Carshe."
"Thank you." Rosalie replied curtly.
She opened the door, and stepped in. Juliet was sitting on a fainting couch, staring out the picture window. She stood up when Rosalie entered.
"Hello." Rosalie said, nicely. It was hard not be jealous of Juliet. She lived in finery, had Rosalie's crush under her spell, and Juliet was beautiful. Her expressive green eyes, were unmissable, her rosy cheeks were clear, and her chestnut hair was shiny. Even her dress, light pink and simple, was newer and more stylish than Rosalie's red violet dress, which was a remake of an old one, because her family couldn't afford anything too new.
"Hi." Juliet responded.
"I'm Rosalie Carshe, nice to meet you." She said, graciously.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Juliet. Juliet Redbrick." She replied.
"I know." Rosalie said, bluntly.
"Oh." Juliet smiled politely. "I don't think we've met before though. Your face is not one I would forget."
Rosalie nodded. "So how are you?"
Juliet sighed, "Oh fine. How are you?"
"Surviving." Rosalie replied.
"Ah." Juliet said.
"So." Rosalie began, "See any guys that you think are cute?"
Juliet shrugged. "I don't know. I've only just gotten to know anyone."
Rosalie tilted her head. "They haven't talked to you about marriage yet?"
Juliet chuckled, "Okay, yes. But my father wants me to marry Paris, and he's such an awful bore."
Rosalie laughed out loud. Paris was a bore. Juliet dropped her voice to a whisper,
"He smells like sausages, I swear. it's nasty." Juliet giggled and Rosalie joined in. She was actually having fun and Juliet was actually really funny. The truth was, she had never had a real best girlfriend before. Suddenly, she wanted to rethink everything she was about to do. Then, Gnomeo's face appeared in her mind and she was reminded.
"But, you are just so lucky."
"Me?" Juliet asked, shocked. "Why?"
"Because." Drawled Rosalie, "Your father is so rich that you can have your pick of any boy you like."
"Yeah." Juliet coughed.
"Well almost. I mean, your father probably wouldn't like it if you were courting the Bluebury boy."
Juliet laughed shrilly. "Right."
"But does that really matter?" Rosalie whispered, her voice dripping with venom.
Juliet squinted. "Excuse me?"
Rosalie suddenly changed her tone. "Gosh, that is a beautiful necklace, where did you get it?" She reached out to touch it but Juliet swatted her hand away.
"Don't touch that!" She cried. "It's..special." She covered, protecting it with her hand.
"From an admirer?" Rosalie winked.
"No!" Juliet exclaimed, loudly. "I mean, it was my mothers. Heh." She chuckled. Suddenly her face became accusing. "What is that?" She asked, pointing to a piece of paper in Rosalie's gloved hand.
"Nothing." Rosalie said. She was having too much fun messing with Juliet to drop the bomb about the note just quite yet.
"Give me that." Juliet cried, lunging and grabbing the note
Rosalie shrieked and dove at Juliet who tried to move but Rosalie grabbed onto her hair and Juliet slapped her away. Lifting her arms, so Rosalie couldn't reach them, Juliet gasped as she read the note. It was the one she had written to Gnomeo. No wonder he hadn't gotten it. It never reached him.
In her moment of shock and weakness, Rosalie snatched the note.
"Give me that!" Juliet growled. "Where the hell did you get that?"
Rosalie smiled coolly. "I know your secret."
"You know nothing." Juliet stated, her breath shakily. "It's not what you think."
Rosalie cackled. "It is so, what I think and more. Imagine, what I could do if I told someone about this. Someone like your father, his mother."
"They wouldn't believe you." Juliet replied, angrily.
"Say what you want.." She grinned, evilly.
"How did you get that?" Juliet asked, hotly.
"I found it, Jules." She smirked.
"Don't call me that, please."
"Call you what?" Rosalie asked pretending she didn't understand.
"Jules." Juliet glared.
"Whatever." She waved her hand, dismissively. "Upon stumbling on this note, I appear to have stumbled on your scandalous secret." In a flash her mood changed. She glared at Juliet.
"You stay away from him." Rosalie demanded pinning Juliet to the wall, her breath hot.
"What are you talking about?" Juliet feigned, throwing her hands in the air.
"You know!" Rosalie spat. "He's mine!"
Juliet pushed Rosalie away and she stumbled back into a cherry-wood end table. "Liar!" She shrieked. "Gnomeo loves me, not you! And I know this for a fact."
Rosalie stepped back. "I'm warning you. You better back off him!" She replied.
"Get out of my house." Juliet snarled.
"Listen, Juliet, may I be frank? I'll make you a deal. This can all blow over, quietly if you marry Paris. Leave Gnomeo and get married." Rosalie said.
Juliet looked away, biting her lip. "I'm not ready for marriage to him." She admitted.
"Then I tell your secret." Rosalie didn't even soften the blow.
"It's not like I can get married tomorrow." Juliet sassed.
"You have a month." When Rosalie said this, she realized she sounded like her mother.
There was a long silence, heavy like humidity. Finally Juliet whispered, maybe to herself,
"At this point, do I have a choice?"
What was she going to tell Gnomeo.
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