A/N: for some reason I really loved this chapter, and really got a kick out of writing it, so tell me if you like it!

It's a nice longer one :]

Chapter 15- Need some help?

"So when're you meeting Liam?" I asked Nala.

Nala looked at the time on her phone, "In about five minutes or so, he said he's meet me by the new sushi place downstairs."

"Well I'm parked on this floor, so I'm just going to head off," I told her

"Oh, so I'll see you at school Monday?" she asked me whilst looking at her reflection in her compact, to make sure she looked good when she met up with her date. Surprisingly she was meeting the same guy who was her date at the dance, which was weird for Nala, to see a guy again.

"Yeah, do you want me to take your bags?" Nala smiled gratefully and handed me her armful of shopping bags to add to my own. I gave her a small wave and headed off toward my car.

After cheerleading practice, Nala and I had headed off to the mall to add to our back to school wardrobes (even though we already did that two weeks ago.) We'd spent about an hour hanging out before she had to meet Liam for her date.

Once I found my car, I put both of our shopping bags on the back seat and started driving home. I hadn't gotten very far before I heard a crunching sound and felt my car slowly come to a halt. I tried re-starting the engine, but each time the car made a funny splurting sound then went dead again.

I sighed and took out my cell phone. Just my luck that after lying to Timmy about my phone going flat, it does just that. I looked around me, and there were no other cars going past on the sandy Cliffside road. I could already feel the sun burning my back. I thought about putting the top back on the car, but couldn't bear the thought of being in a hot airless car, since the air con didn't work without the engine on.

Even though my knowledge of cars was non-existent, getting out of the car and at least trying to see what the problem was pretty much the only option I had.

I walked around to the front of the car and it took me all of three seconds to realize I didn't know how to open the bonnet. There must be a latch somewhere, I thought, whilst feeling around the edge of the bonnet, but the metal of the car, heated by the sun, was burning my fingers. I let out a frustrated noise and sat on the car, forgetting it was hot, and jumping up again with a small yelp. I pushed my sunglasses onto my head and was wondering what to do now when a shiny yellow Lamborghini stopped beside me.

"Need some help?" I was about to give a grateful speech to the driver, but I looked up to see it was Romeo.

I hadn't seen him for a week, ever since the afternoon on the beach. Part of me had felt slightly disappointed he hadn't come looking for me, and I had been beginning to wonder whether the afternoon was a one off and if I would ever see him again.

I looked at him speechless, surprised to see him.

Romeo shrugged and started driving forward.

"Wait!" I shouted behind me, knowing full well I had no idea when the next car would drive up. Romeo parked up in front of me and got out of the car.

"Relax, I wasn't driving off, I couldn't exactly stop the car on the road."

"Oh," I said, feeling stupid for thinking he would just abandon me.

"So what's the problem?" he asked.

"Ummm… my car won't work," I told him. For some reason I was nervous to see him again and I didn't quite know how to react to him, let alone string a sentence together to explain the innermost workings of the problem with my car.

"Yeah, I can see that," he said laughing, and walked toward the driver's seat of my car. He attempted to start the car, and was met with the same sound as I was. He then reached beside the steering wheel and flipped a button, and the bonnet popped up. So that's how to open it! I was suddenly glad he hadn't driven up sooner and seen me trying to look for the button outside the car.

He walked around the car to look inside. I stood by the side watching him fiddle with the car.

"So I haven't seen you around lately," he said.

"You didn't come to find me," I told him; then immediately regretted saying it, on the account of how pathetic I sounded.

"I didn't know you wanted me too," he said shrugging, "But at least now I know you think it's the guy's job to do stuff like that."

"What? I don't think that," I said confused.

"It's ok, I guess I just thought you were different to the other girls around here," he said calmly.

I was nothing like all the other girls in this town.

"You think you have me all figured out don't you?" I said, crossing my arms.

"Well…." He said raising his eyebrow.

"You know nothing about me!" I said getting mad now. There was nothing I hated more than people prejudging me to be like a lot of other girls I knew.

He just gave me a look, which gave me the message that he thought otherwise.

"Fine, take your best shot," I uncrossed my hands and put them on my hips.

"Well, you fit the typical stereotype of all the girls in the town for one."

"Oh really? And you got that all how?" I asked.

He gestured toward my cheerleading uniform and then pointed to the huge pile of shopping bags in the back seat.

"Oh please! You can't just get that from a few shopping bags and a school club, I happen to be a part of!"

Romeo stopped looking at the car and looked me straight in the eye, "You know you don't fool anybody with the 'my parents are asking something of me which is totally unfair and I'm not going to do it' crap"

"Excuse me?" I said the only think I managed to say. I was totally speechless. First he acts like he knows me then he has the nerve to say that. And just when I was beginning to think he wasn't a bad guy.

"Oh come on! I don't know what it is they want you to do , but you will probably end up doing it, since you're probably like the perfect daughter, and I'm not judging you , in fact I don't blame you if by doing whatever they tell you to, you end up driving a shiny red Ferrari California, and those are Armani sunglasses right?"

I let out a snort, "Oh my god! You are such a hypocrite!" I said pointing to his car, which was way more expensive than mine.

"I actually paid for that myself," he said, looking hurt.

"Really? And how'd you get the money?" I said doubting someone our age could come up with that much money by ourselves.

"My trust fund," he said and I scoffed. "But This isn't about me, I'm not trying to argue your perceptions of me, seriously chill, like I said, I get how you are now, and it's cool. Try the engine."

"I tried switching on the car, and it worked, but I was still mad at him.

"And, I probably won't see you again, which is a shame, because it would have been cool, but I guess you're also too worried about what your friends think, to do what you want."

Even though what he said was true, it still bugged me. Part of me felt guilty at the thought of hanging out with him because it felt like I was fraternizing with the enemy.

"Great it works, I have places to go and people to see, but it was nice meeting you. Bye Lee." He winked and got back into his car before I could say anything else.

I could very easily pretend the whole bizarre incident hadn't happened and never see him again, but for some reason I had to show him that I was different, and to do that I had to do something he wasn't expecting me of all people to do. Why did I even care what he thought? I knew things would get pretty sticky if I carried on a friendship with him but for some reason I still wanted to, and even if I didn't I still wanted to show him he was wrong.

I had to do something he wasn't expecting me to do, and to do that I had to do something that I wasn't expecting myself to do.

I got back into my car and started driving toward my house, thinking about what I could do to prove to Romeo I didn't always stick to the rules.

The most risky thing I could think of was stepping onto his turf, but I didn't like the thought of being found at Compton Academy with all his friends without my own. And if they see me, it would get back to Timmy and everyone else and there was no way I could come up with an excuse good enough to explain why I was there.

Now that the engine was working I connected my cell phone to the car to charge it. It had barely switched itself back on, when I had an incoming call from Nala. I put the Bluetooth device in my ear and answered the call.

"So do I need to make up an excuse yet?" I asked.

"No, actually everything's going well, he just went to the bathroom, I just called because I ran into Josie Milner, who was also at the sushi place, which is actually pretty good by the way they have these really nice salmon rolls—"

"Nal, get to the point!"

"Oh sorry, where was I?"

"Josie?" I prompted.

"Oh right, well she told me that her cousin, who goes to Compton told her that you know that gorgeous huge, stone house on the beach?"

"Yeah," I told her. I was pretty familiar with the house. It had been there ever since I could remember but it didn't seem like anybody lived there, you would occasionally see some gardeners and other staff but no residents.

"Well, the reason it's been empty the last couple of years because it's the Montague's beach house, but now they're back and they're renovating in their house, they've moved into there!"

"So that's where they live right now?" I asked, an idea forming in my brain.

"Yep, ooh, listen, Liam's back, I got to go!"

I took the earpiece out my ear and started forming a plan.

X x x x x x x x x x x

Juliet POV

I stood on the beach at 2am with a view of the back of his house. This was going to take guts. Guts, which I didn't have. I knew I had to do something big, and this could be it. Worst case scenario, I could get caught breaking and entering, and that wouldn't look so good on my permanent record.

It was pretty easy to get in through the back gate, leading to the beach. Security in this town was pretty lax considering everybody knew each other and crime rarely happened.

It was silent around his house and I could hear the sound of my own footstep on the brick flooring. I suddenly regretted wearing flip flops. I slipped them off and tip toed barefoot around his pool. Now I was at a loss at where to go. I could either try the house doors, but they would probably be locked, and I'm pretty sure that would be more illegal than just being in his back yard, and plus I didn't exactly want to run into his parents.

I looked up and saw a metal staircase curling around the outside of the house, leading toward a balcony. Leaning against the railing was a surfboard, which I was guessing belonged to Romeo, which would mean I had the right room. Since that was the only idea I could come up with, I decided to just go for it. I slowly climbed the staircase and walked onto the balcony. There were two glass doors side by side, both covered by blinds, so I couldn't see inside. Feeling a moment of satisfaction of knowing I'd found him easily enough I slowly put my hand on black metal door handle and tried to open it without making much noise. I soon found that I wasn't getting very far because the door was either locked, or required more force. I rattled the door, as quietly as I could, trying to wedge it open, and hoping Romeo wasn't a light sleeper.

"Trying to wake my sister?" a voice whispered startling me. I jumped and flipped round and saw Romeo leaning against the other glass door watching me, "That's her room."

"How long have you been there?" I asked, hoping he hadn't seen me and my sad attempt to open the door.

"Well I saw you trying to tip toe around the pool through the kitchen window, and I thought I'd better come up here, and stop you waking up the whole house," he said shrugging.

I was suddenly thankful he couldn't see me going red in the dark.

So, what exactly did you have in mind by turning up at my bedroom at this hour? Juliet, I'm not that kind of guy!" He said, with his hand on his chest joking.

"Keep dreaming, like I said back at the beach, you're not my type," I said smiling and heading down the stairs.

"So this is a total Kodak moment, you were the last person I ever thought would break into my house," he said leaning over the railing.

"So I guess I don't always 'stick to the rules'" I said with my hands on my hips.

"Ok, point taken, but I still think in your life you stick to what your 'supposed' to do."

" I don't care what you think," I said.

"Then why bother to prove me wrong?"

I froze in my steps and thought about how he was right, I never did anything for myself.

"Ok, fine, me and you Saturday afternoon?" I said boldly, taking a chance, and asking him out, something I wouldn't have done normally.

"Umm, I have plans," he said.

Oh he had to be kidding. I did all this for nothing. I suddenly felt really stupid as if his plan was for me to make it obvious I like him, and putting myself out there then he could reject me.

"Fine, whatever," I said giving him a look and I walked back toward the beach, feeling utterly ridiculous.

X x x x x x x x x

After spending the first half of the day, sulking in my room over Romeo rejecting me, and then realizing that nobody in the house had any sympathy for me because they didn't know what happened, I decided I needed to get a grip.

Yeah sure, I had nice things, but that wasn't because I did exactly what was expected of me. My parents didn't grow up with money and now they had it, they liked to spend it. Other people in that position would teach their children the value of money, but mine liked to flaunt how much they had. And if to do that they had give their daughter a Ferrari, and a limitless credit card, then that's what they did.

I liked to think I lived my life for me, but part of me knew many of my actions were to please other people, but I didn't want to admit he was partially right.

I strolled through the house, looking for everybody wondering where they all were since nobody had come to see me since the morning. I wondered if they even knew I was in the house.

I walked outside and past the outdoor laundry room and saw Ada separating clothes inside.

"Hi Sweetie, where have you been all morning," she said.

"Oh you know, I had some studying to do," I lied.

"Ah, that's my girl, studying on a Saturday morning, if only that would rub off on that cousin of yours!"

"Speaking of Timmy, is he around?"

"Last I saw of him he was heading to the outhouse after breakfast."

I nodded in thanks and walked out and round the pool, to the poolhouse. I could see two shadows inside and knocked cautiously before just barging in, not wanting to catch him with a girl again.

"Yep?" I heard him call from inside.

I opened the door and went inside, he was lounging on the floor leaning against the bed, and playing Xbox. Andy walked out from the kitchenette, holding two cokes.

"Oh, so it's safe, I just thought with the two shadows…." I trailed off jokingly.

"That only happened once!" Timmy said, pausing the game and turning his position to face me.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Ok twice," he said giving in.

I laughed and sat on the bed behind them.

"I'm bored," I whined.

"Go out by the pool, or go shopping or something, isn't that what girls do?" Timmy said, while his mind was on the game.

Normally saying that's what girls do wouldn't bother me but after Romeo, who implied a similar thing, the comment irritated me.

Timmy took my silence as rejection of the activities he proposed.

"Why don't you go get us some ice cream from Slurpy's?"

"Ok, what flavor do you guys want?" I said getting up from the bed.

Timmy paused the game again.

"I was just kidding, you don't have to," he said, he obviously was joking when he suggested it and didn't expect me to agree to go run an errand to get them ice cream.

"It's ok; I want to get out of the house."

"Well if you're sure…" Timmy said cautiously, "this isn't one of those times, where later you accuse me of something like ordering you around right?"

"No, "I said laughing, "I'll be back in a little bit."

I picked up my handbag from the house then collected my car from the front and drove over to Slurpy's.

When I got there, the inside was pretty empty, since most people had opted to sit outside, due to the weather. So when I went inside, it was pretty easy to see Romeo sitting at one of the booths, texting on his phone. So this is what he blew me off to do. One of the kids that worked there walked over and place two sundaes on his table. One for him and one in front of the seat opposite him. That was when I realized he was with someone. I suddenly wished I had taken a bit more effort in how I looked, rather than walking out the house in jean cut offs, a black Pepsi t-shirt, and black flip flops. Of course he had a girlfriend! Why wouldn't he? I walked over and joined the queue and tried to avoid looking at him, which was easier said than done. I told myself I would look just one more time then, I would order the ice cream for the boys and leave. Unfortunately for me, just as I looked, he was looking at me and I looked straight into his eyes. I immediately looked away, but I knew he knew that I had seen him.

"Next," the guy at the cashier called. I stepped up and ordered a nutty chocolate sundae and a strawberry and vanilla cream. I paid for the ice cream and walked over to the edge of the cashier to pick up plastic spoons and I added toppings to each one, wondering if he was still looking at me. Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Romeo standing behind me.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey, "I said back, wondering if his girlfriend was about to pop out.

"So this is why you were busy?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, I promised Iz that we'd hang out Saturday,"

"Iz?" I asked. Just my luck that his girlfriend would have a funky name like Iz, Izzie? Isabella?

"Yeah," he said taking a step back and pointing to a little girl that was on her way back through the restaurant from the bathroom, "My sister"

It was then that I realized that there was no girlfriend. I suddenly felt really stupid for assuming otherwise and not giving him a chance to explain.

The girl, who was really cute and had a pink backpack on her back, picked up the sundae in front of her in one hand and Romeo's in the other and walked over to us,. She handed Romeo his cup and put large spoonful of her own in her mouth.

"Not as good as chocolate zoom, but it's a close second," she said with a mouthful of ice cream. Then she noticed me and swallowed the ice cream.

"Sorry, Hi, I'm Isabel," she held out her hand to shake and I shook it back.

"Hi, Isabel, I'm Juliet,"

"You have a pretty name," she said smiling, showing me two of her missing teeth.

"Thanks, your name's pretty too," I told her.

She smiled at me and turned to her brother, "Ro, can we go now? My ice cream would have melted by the time we get there!"

"Sorry, I said I'd show her where the park is," he said.

"D'you , wanna come?" Isabel asked me innocently.

"Oh, no it's ok, I don't want to get in the way, and I have to get home anyway," I said picking up the two ice cream containers for the boys.

"You're not getting in the way, but it's ok, I totally get if you don't want to, but do think maybe we could hang out some other time?"

"Please, it would be fun!" Isabel said smiling.

I looked to the girl who looked happy at the thought of me coming, and then to Romeo, whose expression I couldn't read. I didn't mind going with them , in fact I liked little kids, we just didn't have that many in the family, I didn't want Romeo to think I said no because she was there.

"Ok, I'll come," I said smiling at her, forgetting about the two boys at home waiting on me, "infact , how bout I show you the best places in the park to go?"

Her eyes lit up and she grabbed my hand with her spare one. I saw Romeo smile out of the side of my eye.

"Ok then, let's go," he said and led us both out the door.

A/N: Review! First kiss coming up! The story will move along a bit more now…xD