Hello. The story is turning out even better than I thought it would when I first started it. Thank you guys so much for your reviews. Of course, there's not much else to say. I'm three away from 100 total. And ten reviews three times ina row. (I think:)) That's great!
Ahava: Hi Katie. By the way, you've been on. Why haven't you emailed me on gmail?
AgiVega: Of course. She can't hit, and headbutting would make her loose her balance... (Besides, I like kicking people too;))
aperfectattitude: I hope you update soon? Is everyday not soon enough? ;)
avovisto: No, it was an accident. Yes, Justin is a cool name. It's needed later to, because of the Ju, Ju thing (Justin, Juliet)
Elyne: Glad, as always, to hear from you. I'm glad you like it. Do you have an email address?
Lizzy Lien: What was stupid? I assume you mean the Anthonys. I have to agree there. Most of them, excluding Justin and Chance, are quite stupid, but they have to be there, so I make fun of them. Anyway, thanks for reviewing.
Lucy Gwendolyn: I almost updated before I got your review. Thanks. I wrote this in three days, and then started publishing. I don't write a new chapter everyday. Or perhaps the three days was what you were talking about... Anyway, thanks.
notdapunkprincess: You shall see...
R.C.C.: Good then, you're done reading the rest of the chapters. (shameless self-promotion works);)
The Blazing Blade: It's etcetra! (I think) et is and in Latin, and cetra is so on.
Trouble Kelp: I don't remember how many more lovely insults I had. I have a database of insults on my computer. Perhaps I'll see if I can add them in.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the things I own. The things I own are the things not owned by Colfer. Colfer owns everything except the things I own. The things Colfer own are the things I do not own. :) Try that one, all you people who think you're the next Artemis Fowl.
The kick brought quite a howl. In fact, it was so loud, that Juliet took a step backwards with a wince.
"Chance is going to know about this!" he babbled, hopping on one foot, and swearing in between.
"Go ahead and tell him." Juliet shrugged, daring him with her eyes. Not seeming to care would make the man even more nervous. And it was very amusing, making people nervous like that.
More of the men appeared, some jogging, so sprinting. Juliet realized then, that they were on some kind of workout run. She should have been more careful. How was she to know they wouldn't leave the fields soon after she had? Next time she would go somewhere else. Somewhere safe.
At the moment, it was the cell phone in her pocket that was worrying her. If they found it, they'd take it away from her. And then she wouldn't be able to talk to Dom.
Slowly, they gathered around her in a semi-circle, breathing hard, and watching her. No one spoke.
Juliet studied them for a minute, and then turned towards the house. The men moved, and she walked on. They weren't stupid enough to challenge her, but neither was she stupid enough to challenge them. That would come eventually, but later. Not now.
When she got back to the house, she wandered around for a while, making herself familiar with everything, and ignoring the frightened stares some of the children gave her.
Finally, she ambled into the kitchen, leaning against a wall, and watching the women who were making supper without blinking, until they were all quite nervous. That was the fun part, she decided, about being a Butler in the Anthonys' camp. They didn't know what you'd do, and they, or most of them, were almost afraid of you, if not.
One of the women turned towards her, stopped, and then turned away quickly, with a slight flush. Juliet glanced down. Ah yes, she was standing right next to the garbage can.
The silence was getting uncomfortable. Juliet straightened, and walked out, shutting the door. Behind her, the room exploded in whispers.
She was making a lovely impression.
Juliet scuffled along, and then turned towards the wing of the house she had not visited. It was probably Justin's wing, and if it was, she wanted to pick out a nice room.
In the hall, she paused, looking out a window. The door behind her opened with a slight creak, and she turned, glancing over Justin. To her surprise, he had showered. His hair was wet.
"Hi."
Juliet nodded slightly. "Which of these rooms may I use?"
"Anything in the wing, I suppose, though I'm not moving out of my bedroom."
"Right. What are the times?" Juliet watched him sit down on the window seat distrustfully.
"For food? Breakfast is a five. Lunch is at noon. Supper is a six. Curfew is eleven for the older women, and two for the men. The children go to bed at eight."
"Never mind the curfew," snapped Juliet. "I won't pay attention to it anyway. What are the schedules? As far as what everyone does? And does anyone have any extra clothes for me?"
Justin opened his mouth, shut it, and finally opened it again. "Look, I don't have time to answer everything. I'll send some of the girls up with things after supper, and you can ask them then, or ask me. Right now, I have to go talk to Chance before supper."
She looked at him. "Fine."
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Justin got up, and disappeared down the end of the hall.
After he was gone, Juliet began to explore the rooms. She'd already decided she wasn't going to eat. Not in front of everyone. Maybe she'd go down to the kitchen later. But with her arms, there was no way she was going to handle spaghetti with any grace. A few pieces of fruit would have been easier to handle. Some crackers.
Shortly after seven, there was a timid knock at the door of the room she had chosen. Juliet straightened from her meditation position, which she had come to tolerate, and even use, in especially stressful situations. Not that she would have admitted it to Madam, nor to her older brother, but still— "Come in."
The door opened. The three girls who edged into the room looked absolutely terrified. Of course, they were younger than she was, and the Anthonys didn't think it necessary to train their women for more than a few years, and make them run laps.
"He— Justin— said… you wanted clothes?"
"Please."
Slowly, they stepped closer, glancing at the clothing in their arms uncertainly. Juliet said nothing.
"Where do you want it?"
"What do you have?" Juliet crossed her legs, resting her hands on her knees.
"Just this."
Juliet watched them spread out jeans and t-shirts across the bed. They were good jeans, sturdy, with nice flares. The shirts were good too. Tank-tops. Halter-tops. Light t-shirts. Not too loose, and not too tight. Mostly white, with a few blacks. No color though. A few pajamas. Nice ones. Baggy pants, smooth tops. Some… necessary items. Brushes. Things like that. Mostly everything she needed. Socks. New shoes. Sandals.
"What size?" She motioned to the jeans.
"Six."
"Good. Leave them there. I will put them away."
Quickly, the girls stepped back, glad to be out of reach. "Justin said you had questions?"
"I do." She was enjoying this. Really. It was so fun mimicking her brother. And it worked. People were desperately afraid of her. The less she said, and the more she watched, the more they squirmed.
"What?"
"The schedules."
"They're posted downstairs. The women exercise after breakfast. Around seven. We do chores first."
Juliet nodded. "You may go."
They went as fast as they could, shutting the door behind them.
Juliet got up, got dressed for bed, put everything away, and sat back down to brush out her hair, and meditate a bit more. It helped— a little.
Two hours later, there was another knock, this one decidedly less timid. "Come in."
Chance opened the door, followed by Justin. "I got complaints from my men."
"What about?" Juliet looked up innocently, motioning him to a chair, and then resumed her previous posture of meditation. Meditation made an impression too.
"You were wandering around near the road, and apparently injured someone." Here his voice wavered slightly, and Justin coughed discreetly in his hand. "Apparently, you were trying to leave the property without permission, and…"
"Do you have proof of that? When your men came up, if I remember correctly, I was sitting under a tree, not bothering anyone, nor trying to escape. I was simply being alone. That generated enough suspicion, so that they provoked me to the point of reinforcing my demand for respect." Again she looked up, studying him.
"I… realize that. In the future, however, you might want to be a little more careful. What were you doing?"
"First, I was walking. Then, I was sitting."
"And?"
Her teeth showed for a moment. "And then I was kicking. Hard."
"You didn't go out there for the sole purpose of the walk."
"Maybe."
"You're not going to tell me?"
"Not really." Juliet touched her head to the bed, and held it there.
"You weren't trying to contact your brother were you? Because if you were, and I find out later, there will be consequences."
"Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn't. You decide."
Chance said nothing for a long moment. Finally, he turned, and walked out. Justin did not follow him.
"Yes?"
Justin picked up her hoody off the back of a chair. Juliet stopped what she was doing, watching him. Silently, he drew out the cell phone, and then sat down on the bed beside her.
For a long while, he looked at her. "Next time… you want to call, I suggest you ask. If anyone else found you, you would be confiscated to the cell for the rest of your life."
Juliet didn't moved, except for her eyes, watching him as he rose, half angry, half afraid. "Are you going to tell Chance?"
"Would you like me to?"
"That's a stupid question." She unfolded herself, swinging her feet to the floor.
Justin shook his head slightly. Slowly, she sank back.
"Next time, ask." He slid the phone into his pocket, and walked out, locking the door with a click from the inside.
Yes, Justin is a pretty nice guy. Good, and nice. I like guys like that. They're quite interesting. The ones just as good as you, who sometimes you beat, and sometimes beat you. The ones who seem to have everything under control. Especially when they produce on the spot, and the wildest things.
Anyway, review, will you? I'm sorry if things aren't quite so great as the first ten chapters or so, but they get better. I'm going to try and edit out some of the blah junk.