Chapter 10

(JPOV)

"Ok everyone; it's time for the midnight surprise!"

The music faded out and everyone on the dance floor stopped to face Jared (A/N: remember the DJ guy from chapter 8)

"Here's how it goes, turn over your wristbands and find the guy or girl with the matching number, and get together with them for the last dance"

I could hear murmurs of excitement as people began to look for their partners. And felt a sense of pride knowing it was me who came up with idea.

"Well, I guess it's time for us to go our separate ways…" I said, without remorse.

"I guess so. I had fun, you know…except for all the times you stood on my foot"

"What can I say? I did warn you, I'm a bad dancer, "I said smiling, thinking of all the times I caused him an injury, to stop him attempting to come closer to me.

I spun around, and walked into the crowd before he could say anything else. I glanced over the huge crowd thinking about how I didn't completely think this through , and how long it would take for people to find their pair in this crowd, when I hear someone in front of me say ,"One-two-four"

XXX

(RPOV)

"To be honest guys, we've been here for two hours and I feel pretty lame. All we've done is enjoy Riverdale's school dance"

"Relax Daniel, we're observing. Like I said, the fireworks will come," Ben said.

"Yeah, but I feel stupid joining in on this little party game…."

Even though we were here, I still didn't want to get into any trouble with Riverdale, despite the conversation I had with the guys before the dance. To try and prolong the moment when our presence would be noticed, I tried to back Ben up.

"Well if we don't play, then our partners won't have a partner and it will be obvious something is up." The guys looked at me with blank faces so I finished with, "and we get paired with a hot girl—personally, I don't see anything wrong with that." The guys started to nod and smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me while I'll try to find number…" I turned my wristband over, "One-two-four."

"Did you say one-two four?" a voice said behind me.

I turned to where the voice had come from behind me, and was met with a view that took my breath away. In front of me stood a girl with long wavy brown hair, she was wearing a white dress that was simple compared to the way some of the other girls in the room were dressed, but was by far the most beautiful.

"Err….."

"Well did you?" she asked.

"Yeah I did….Shall we?" I said, giving her my arm. She smiled and took it, leading me to the dance floor, to join many other couples who had already found their partners. As we waited for the rest to come, we were stuck with an awkward silence.

"So , I don't recognise you….." she said

"Well, I am wearing a mask. Isn't that the whole point of tonight?" I said smiled at me and laughed.

"Well I guess you're right, I was just curious…Hey! Do you know who I am?" she asked sounding like an excited kid on Christmas morning. She fingered the small mask covering her eyes.

"Nope I don't. Sorry." Somewhere in the background the music started and I reached for her hand and put one hand lightly on her waist and we began to sway to the music.

"Don't be. Like you said, that's the point of tonight."

"Why don't we keep it that way for now, you know? Enjoy the whole anonymous thing." I told her trying to avoid her asking me things about myself, before it became clear I didn't go to this school.

She nodded in agreement.

The music stopped mid chorus, and everyone stopped dancing and looked toward the DJ stand.

XXX

(JPOV)

"Sorry guys, technical glitch" Jared announced into the mike, as he fiddled with the controls, "Here we go ..." he said as a different song played.

I heard a few bars of a guitar pass before realisation hit. Jared had just chosen another track on my iPod. I froze.

"Hmmnn…. I've never heard this song." The mystery guy said. He took one look at my face and with the fact I stopped dancing. "Are you ok?" he asked looking genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I told him, getting a grip.

"You can tell me you know…trust me." Normally I wouldn't go around talking to people about this but he didn't know who I was. Something in his voice when he told me to trust him, and it hypnotized me into doing so.

"Well, you see ," I started as I began dancing again as a voice began to sing to the acoustic track, "The DJ borrowed my iPod earlier when he needed backup music, and he wasn't supposed to play this song."

"Why not?" he said, "It's a good song, I mean I've never heard it before but I like it already."

"I recorded it to listen back for mistakes .Nobody was supposed to hear it." I said trying to make him understand.

"I don't get –"

"It's my song. I write music. And I was just singing the lyrics myself to get an idea of how well it all fit together." I said holding my breath. This was the first time I let anyone apart from Timmy hear my music.

He looked shocked. But a good kind of shocked.

"Are you serious? That's great! You're great!" he said

"Really? Thanks. It's just; I've never let anybody hear me before"

"Well," he began while he twirled me round. I wasn't expecting that and giggled as he leaned me back then pulled me back up, dipping me. "As the first member of your audience, I can say you have nothing to be scared about."

"That's very sweet but…"

"I wasn't trying to be sweet, I was being honest." Hearing it from a third party did make me feel good. I smiled in thanks.

X x xx x

Romeo POV

The song finished and Bad romance by Lady GaGa began to play. Couples on the floor began to split up. I took a chance, considering I either spent the evening with her, or spent it hanging around Ben and the guys waiting for trouble to call.

"Do you want to get some air?" I asked her pointing toward the door.

"No." she said. I tried to hide my disappointment, then wondered why I even felt disappointed that I got rejected by a girl I didn't even know.

"No, I mean I do but not there, I have a better idea." She said taking hold of my hand and leading me toward a blocked off staircase. She moved the barrier and let us through closing it behind us, and took me to the top of the stairs and opened a door marked 'Fire exit B'. Taking a look through the door I realised we were on the roof. But it had been turned into a sort of garden filled with flowers and plants.

"Wow," I said looking at the view. From up here I could see the entire town. Seeing it all in one view really put into perspective how small the town really was.

"Yeah sorry about coming up here, just trying to avoid someone." I turned around to see her sitting on a stone bench in the centre.

"Oh really, who?" I asked her as I sat down beside her.

"My date." She answered. Her date. It never occurred to me she had a date.

"Don't look so disappointed! Doesn't the fact that I'm up here avoiding him tell you anything?" she said laughing.

"Then why are you?" I asked her, honestly interested.

"Long story." I gestured to her to continue, "Just family expectations, you know?"

"Actually I do." I said truthfully, not pushing her to explain any further.

She slipped off her shoes and crossed her legs and swivelled round to face me. She seemed totally at home , getting comfortable on the bench. I was having more fun up here, than I probably would downstairs with my friends.

"How about you hang here for a sec and I'll go get us some drinks?"

"Sure." She nodded.

I made my way back to the dance and up to the bar (A:N since it's a school dance it's all non alcoholic but the place had a bar since its usually a night club, so they're just serving the drinks there) . I signalled to the man behind the bar to get his attention.

XXX

(JPOV)

"Juliet?" I heard someone call as they opened the door to the roof.

"Timmy! There you are! I've been looking you all night! I need to talk to you! "

"Yeah, sorry, I've been busy with the guys just dealing with something, what're you doing up here?"

"Just taking a breather, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Taking a breather?" he asked joking around.

" No, Timmy!" I said getting frustrated now, "this isn't a joke! I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the basketball game, how could you be so stupid to want to start a fight when –"

"What are you talking about there was no fight?" he said confused.

"Well of course there wasn't, thanks to me, but I heard you talking to Da—"

"You were listening" he said, sounding mad. "This is why I didn't talk to you about stuff like this because you don't understand."

"Well duh, because there's nothing to understand—"

"What do you mean 'thanks to you'?"

"Huh?" I asked him confused.

"Juliet, you said, 'nothing happened thanks to you'" he crossed his arms and looked and me.

"Well….I heard you guys talking and I freaked out, so pulled the fire alarm." I said quietly.

"YOU DID WHAT?" he practically shouted. "It was because of you I didn't get to finish what –"

"I was just looking out for you!"

"Yeah well, I don't need you to look out for me, Juliet; I'm a big boy," he said meanly, and he walked away from me and went back to the party

XXX

(RPOV)

As I made my way back to the roof, I saw Timmy come down the steps, and I saw the girl I was with look down the steps at him and watch him walk away. You have got to be kidding me. That was the date she was trying to avoid! Was I naturally just drawn to Timmy's girls?

"Did you see him?" Ben said, sneaking up beside me.

"Yeah."

"Then let's go." Ben started walking toward Timmy before I could stop him.

"Ben!" I said trying to catch up with him

Ben stood in front of Timmy, blocking his way.

"Sorry" Timmy said, absentmindedly.

Ben lifted his mask. I saw realisation hit on Timmy's face as he realise who we were.

"Seriously?" he said. I saw a whole bunch of guys from the basketball team join us, as well as a couple of girls.

"We don't want any troub—"I started, but Ben gave me a look.

"Yeah Romeo, you don't want any trouble, I think I get it now. You're just scared, it's why you left in the first place. Since you went to all that trouble to come over, I can't let you leave without a souvenir."

Timmy took a step toward me and punched me straight in the face. Pain rushed to my jaw. I didn't want any trouble before, but that action reminded me of who I used to be. And the old me wouldn't sit down and take all of his crap. I took one look at my friends who were looking at me with pity, and I knew they were wondering if the old me they remembered was gone for good.

"Is that your best shot? Oh and Timmy, you need to get over yourself" I said and I hit him back. From the fall he took , I'm guessing he wasn't expecting that. I saw Ben smirk from the corner of my eye.

"How about you take my souvenir to you and use as a reminder that Romeo Montague is back." I meant that literally but I was also referring to a part of the old me that had just returned with that first punch.

A crowd had formed and I saw a teacher trying to control the situation. I heard her say 'Get Larko Lorenzo down here'" through her cell phone.

"Let's go!" Daniel said, grabbing my arm.

"What happened?" I saw the girl I was with run down the stairs and run up to Timmy. She looked round to see who Timmy was facing. Her eyes locked with mine for a split second.

"I don't understand?" she looked at me confused. I saw her eyes glance at Ben who was mask-less and standing beside me.

"Romeo , let's go" Daniel pressed again trying to get the last two , me and Ben out.

I was still concentrating on the girl. I could practically hear her putting two and two together in her head. And for some reason I felt bad, like I was deceiving her, when in fact I didn't owe her anything. I didn't even know her.

Timmy got up and had anger in his eyes. " Andy—get Juliet out of here." He said and began to make his way back to me. I saw Andy, one of my old friends from back in the day pull the girl I had been with away by her arm, even though she was protesting.

Before Timmy could attempt to hit me again, Daniel pulled me out the way

"What the hell's wrong with you man, let's go . "

XXX

(RPOV)

I came back to reality and ran through the crowd following Daniel, when I reached the top of the long glass staircase I looked back, at the girl , who was now standing at the side looking at me, confusion written all over her face. I made eye contact with her and on instinct reached up into the archway above me and pulled off a white rose. I kissed the rose and placed it on the top of the staircase, and ran through the doors.

A/N: oh my ! so much happened in that chapter! I was tempted to finish it after the Timmy/Juliet argument because I am tired but I forced myself to do the last little bit. So sorry if the end seems rushed! Please review!