Chapter 7: A moonlight talk
Authors note: Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! Anyway in this chapter, will our 'Beatrice and Benedick' finally be able to understand each other? Or will they be at each others throats again? Oh and this story kinda twists with my other story 'Memories of the past' and it may contain a few spoilers. Please skip Tybalt's story if you don't want to find out until later. And anyway, Enjoy!
Ham kept his distance from both Tybalt and Rosie for the rest of the evening. Especially Tybalt! Just like Shakespeare, Ham knew that there was a deep connection between the two gnomes even though they always denied any feelings for one another. But to other people it was obvious that both were covering up their feelings with the excuse of 'hate'. The hate was not there no more. Love had taken its course, but would Tybalt and Rosie come to accept their feelings? Or just deny them for the rest of their lives?
It was growing dark now. The garden was practically pitch black, but the full moon was shining so it light the night sky. Tybalt noticed a small light at the other end of the garden in the shed. He occasionally saw the shadow of a gnome pass the window from time to time; it was obvious that Ham was indeed keeping his distance. And Tybalt couldn't have been more than happy to keep it that way. Especially tonight.
Both Tybalt and Rosie sat on the fountain listening to Shakespeare babble on what seemed gibberish to them. But it all made sense to Shakespeare. Rosie kept her eyes fixed on the sky and avoided all eye contact with Tybalt. The last thing she wanted was an argument to boil up on such a beautiful night like tonight.
"To be or not to be? That is the question," Shakespeare pondered for the millionth time in a row. He kept his head down and he sat in a thinking position. Rosie and Tybalt tried to ignore him as much as possible, but even they could only put up with so much before they exploded.
"Doesn't this guy ever shut up?" Tybalt leant into Rosie and whispered. Rosie then turned to Tybalt and chuckled.
"I don't know, why don't you ask him yourself?" Rosie replied smirking a smirk which spoke "I would like to see you try." Tybalt grunted and put his head in his hands as Shakespeare continued to say the same question over and over again.
"Oh when will this torture end?" Tybalt let out unexpectedly. Rosie looked away as Tybalt looked up again.
"Well when we get unstuck we can leave this garden and head our separate ways," Rosie replied looking up at the stars that were now shining like bright diamonds in the sky.
"You still haven't reconsidered coming back to the red and blue garden then?" Tybalt asked sounding a little disappointed.
"Well why should I?" Rosie asked still avoiding eye contact.
"Because we are a-" Tybalt began but was immediately cut off by Rosie.
"Family? Don't even speak of the word! You have no idea what my life was like before I came to your garden! I had a family of my own! I loved them all! But some stupid humans decided to ruin all that!" Rosie shouted angrily.
"Listen, I have put up with you referring to your past non stop since we were stuck together! Yet you don't have the guts to even tell me what happened!" Tybalt shouted back but then changed his tone to a calmer one "You can tell me Rosie. You can trust me!"
"Can I?" Rosie asked sounding calmer as well.
"Yes," Tybalt reassured and Rosie sighed. Better get it out of the way with.
"Ok," Rosie began as Tybalt listened closely "I was raised in a small but pretty garden. The couple who lived there were happily married with a son. My family consisted of: my mother, father, brother, sister and my aunts, uncles and cousins. We were really close! We lived that way for many years! But then all of it changed. Soon the humans started to argue, and they threatened each other with a divorce. When it was confirmed that they would be divorced, our dream garden turned into a nightmare! The human's son was distraught and decided to take his anger out on something that didn't even matter to him, us gnomes. He smashed my father, then my mother, and then the rest of my family! He even chipped my hat when he kicked me! He would have continued to smash me but his parents saw what he had done. They were upset, we had been there for many years for the humans and then their son had to destroy my family. But instead of gluing my family back together, they just threw their body parts in the bin and took me to a yard sale. A man bought me and took me to a warehouse. That warehouse was that old room we got trapped in a few nights ago. But soon I found myself in a shop and then your kind owners gave me a home." Rosie was nearby crying at this point but wiped her eyes and turned to Tybalt. "You have a family Tybalt. You may not realize how lucky you are to have them, but you have more than what I have!" Rosie then looked down sadly and Tybalt did the same thing.
"Well I haven't been a very good family member and I don't deserve a family!" Tybalt replied. Rosie looked up shocked at what Tybalt had just said.
"Of course you do! Why on earth wouldn't you?" Rosie asked. She was completely unaware at what Tybalt had done in the past. She had told him her past. It was time he told her about his.
"Listen Rosie, I have something to tell you about how I got like this," Tybalt motioned to his cracked body. Rosie nodded.
"I was wondering how you got like that," Rosie replied.
"Well I haven't been a good gnome in the past. But I am different now; do you really want to know what I did?" Tybalt asked. Rosie nodded again and he sighed.
"Ok, well I was raised by a loving mother and father. But they had a pure hatred for the blues. They even started the feud and torn relationships apart. My parents wanted me to follow in their shoes and not to even socialize with the blues. My mother taught me all the bad things to do to the blues and she was proud of teaching me about this. But my anger for the blues really erupted when my mother was smashed right before my eyes. Then my uncle, Lord Redbrick took on the role of raising me up, but he had Juliet to take care of too. Life was hard and I usually bullied people to get my own way. I usually had lawnmower races with Gnomeo from the blue garden and I usually cheated to win. Then when my cousin Juliet started her relationship with Gnomeo, I had no idea that they were together and I chopped off Benny's hat to teach them blues not to mess with us reds. Then Gnomeo decided to get revenge on me which ended with me getting smashed. The next thing I remembered when I was fixed was that the feud was over. I still wouldn't accept this for a while and me and Fawn tried to cause a ruckus to try and persuade Lord Redbrick and Lady Blueberry to reconsider the feud. But that plan kinda backfired when they explained that they had learnt and nothing could cause a feud again. This angered me, and I didn't speak to anyone for weeks. But then my cousin Juliet had a talk with me and I soon learnt to accept the blues and grow a friendship with them. And that is when you showed up," Tybalt explained his past and Rosie was astounded by what she had heard.
"So all your arrogance and carefree behaviour was based on how you were raised?" Rosie asked.
"Yes," Tybalt looked away. "If I could turn the clock back a few years I would change how I behaved back then. But I can't. If it wasn't for my selfish behaviour, everything would have been different. I guess that is why I don't deserve anything but hatred!"
Rosie then put her hand on Tybalt's shoulder and shook her head in disagreement "No, not at all! You were different back then Tybalt. You're actually a pretty nice gnome now. I guess it's best to turn away from the past and look toward the future. You deserve more than hatred Tybalt. You deserve compassion, caring and most of all…" Rosie paused for a second as Tybalt stared deep into her eyes "Love."
"I don't deserve love Rosie!" Tybalt then snapped out of his gaze and looked away again 'least of all from you' Tybalt thought sadly.
"Anyone deserves love Tybalt! You have a family who love you and many more things! What do I have? A chipped orange hat and a dark blue tatty dress!" Rosie explained.
"But you have more characteristics than I do!" Tybalt replied.
"How do I?" Rosie asked raising an eyebrow slightly.
"Well your smart, caring, and most of all beautiful!" Tybalt blurted automatically regretting what he was saying. Rosie began to blush at how Tybalt tried to compliment her. Tybalt then put his head in his hands and tried to cover up what he had just said with some words of nonsense.
"Eh… Rosie I didn't mean it like that! I mean you ARE a very pretty gnome and I admire you a lot! Oh for crying out loud! Why do I even bother?" Tybalt said once again putting his head in his hands. Rosie chuckled at him softly. She was still embarrassed at his outburst, but she found how he was trying to cover it up well… kinda cute. Rosie placed an arm on Tybalt's shoulder and he looked up to see her smirking.
"No one has ever said anything so nice to me in all my life! Thank you Tybalt!" Rosie then did the unexpected. She hugged him!
"Eh, you're welcome Rosie!" Tybalt then placed his arms around Rosie as he began to embrace her. He felt so good when he was in her arms. He felt complete! No one could ruin this moment for them. Well, that was until Rosie let go of Tybalt and punched him very lightly on the shoulder. She had to be careful, the last thing she wanted right now was Tybalt's arm snapping off like the day she had first met him.
"Rosie?" Tybalt began.
"Yes?" Rosie replied expecting something.
"Where do you plan on going when we get unstuck?" Tybalt asked.
"Well I will help you get back to your own garden first and then I may just go off and re-visit my old garden and pay a tribute to all my family," Rosie explained and Tybalt raised an eyebrow.
"You're gonna help me get back to my garden?"
"Of course!" Rosie replied.
"Why do you want to even know me, let alone help me?" Tybalt looked down sadly. No gnome really ever cared for him before, well anyone other than his best friend Fawn. And ever since the feud had ended, he had changed a lot. Tybalt was now changing too, but it wasn't the end of the feud that was changing him. Oh no, it was love! Love was changing Tybalt and he was unaware how much he was changing in his attitudes towards Rosie.
"Because you're a good guy Tybalt!" Rosie replied placing her hand gently on Tybalt's shoulder once again.
"No I'm not! Why on earth do you care so much?" Tybalt snapped a little and Rosie swiftly removed her hand from Tybalt's shoulder and then looked Tybalt straight in the face.
"You may seem arrogant and selfish at first, but once I got to know you more, I didn't feel that you were so bad. You're not a bad gnome Tybalt! And no matter how hard you try to hide it, I know you have a heart! It's just your decision when you choose to use it! I care because you're not like the other gnomes out there. You're different. And I'm beginning to really like you Tybalt!" Rosie spoke truly from the heart. She tried not to infer that she loved him but she knew it was true. She couldn't help it. Only a few days ago she couldn't stand Tybalt and his rudeness but somehow that selfish gnome started to care about others, but most of all Rosie.
"Likewise Rosie, but I still can't believe you like me after all them bad things I did!" Tybalt replied.
"Well I guess it's time we let go of the past and look towards the future, eh?" Rosie now glanced at Tybalt who also glanced back. They were soon locked in each others gaze and nothing could tare it away from each other.
"Yes, I guess we have both done things we have regretted. You're right Rosie; we should look towards the future!" Tybalt said and Rosie smiled shyly and nodded. Tybalt also smiled weakly as both he and Rosie slowly edged in closely to each other.
Rosie could no longer control what she was doing. She would have mentally snapped herself out of what she was about to do if her brain was working. But she was too blind to notice what her brain was telling her at this point of time. Her vision was fixed on Tybalt as was his on Rosie. Their faces slowly leant in towards each other and it was as if they were about to kiss. Rosie closed her eyes and turned her head so she wouldn't bash into Tybalt's nose or anything. Tybalt also closed his eyes and could no longer control what he was doing. They were soon about an inch away from kissing, and they would have done so if it wasn't for a sudden loud noise that jerked them back into reality. Rosie and Tybalt practically leaped away from each other and then looked up to see what had caused that noise. As it turned out, it was Shakespeare snoring very loudly. Rosie then turned to Tybalt and blushed embarrassed.
"Well I guess we had better get some sleep if we want to be separated tomorrow!" Rosie explained lying down. Tybalt followed suit and they lay back to back on the side of the fountain. Rosie smiled as she spoke "Goodnight Tybalt."
"Goodnight, Rosie!" Tybalt replied closing his eyes immediately. Rosie on the other hand looked up at the sky and sighed contentedly. She lay awake for over 10 minutes whilst admiring the stars dreamily, the same thought going through her mind non stop. She had almost done it! She almost kissed him!
Meanwhile at the other end of the garden, Ham sighed looking rather annoyed yet disappointed he then huffed as he spoke "Damn you Shakespeare!" he cursed and then smiled approvingly "better look next time Tybalt! I never thought you had it in you!" Ham then turned away from the window and headed to his bed. He had a busy day tomorrow! And he needed his sleep for what he was about to do.
Authors note: Well now you realize that Tybalt and Rosie really do care for each other! In the next chapter Ham will help them and get the glue remover from inside the human's house! How do you like it? Please review! Thanks!