Jim and Toby gushed like girls about their experiences with their crushes as they biked home.

"Can you believe that Darci even came over there? She just showed up right behind me and began teaching me stuff. She was so nice. I thought she'd gag at me, but she looked at me. Like really looked at me, Jimbo. I can't believe she did that. How did she even know I needed help?... Unless she was watching me!!" Tobias nearly squealed as he biked behind Jim.

Jim smiled knowingly. "That's crazy awesome, Tobes! I'm so happy for you. I told you we weren't the scum of the earth."

"You did, Jim. And you proved it. And now look at us."

"Oh! And get this: I'm playing Romeo in the school play!"

Toby came to a sudden stop, "The school play? Since when are you a theater kid?"

Jim blushed and circled around to meet Toby's eyes, "I..uh… Claire is Juliet."

"What? I mean- You mean, the Claire Nuñez is playing the Juliet to your Romeo? Are you serious? That's awesome-sauce, Jimm!!" Toby shouted in astonishment.

"I know! I couldn't believe it. I'll be rehearsing with her everyday, Toby. For the next 3 weeks. Tell me that's not just the most amazing thing that could ever happen." Jim put his hands in the air, holding his head to the sky for a moment, before grabbing hold of the bike handles and standing as he rode.

"That's so cool! Oh, Darci even told me she'd continue to help me until I can get better at the ropes course."

Like gossipers, they went on and on about the amazing improvements to their days, until they got home where they went their opposite ways to their homes across from each other.

Jim walked inside his home and noticed his mother's purse on the couch. She was home. He grabbed the purse and hung it on the edge of a dining chair. He walked into his mother's open room, where she lay on her bed sleeping, her glasses still on her face. Jim smiled and removed her glasses from her face and folded them, placing them on the nightstand beside where she slept. Jim kissed her forehead and put his flier for the play he was performing in on the nightstand. He then stopped and took it off.

She didn't need something else to be concerned with attending. She was probably going to work that day, and knowing her she would stress her way to make sure she attended. It wouldn't be right for Jim to put that on her shoulders.

He backed up and closed the door.

~*~

Claire made it to the shelter on time, tied a black apron around her waist, and began to cook in the shelter's kitchen. She slaved for 3 hours cooking for and serving homeless folk, before it was time to go.

She put her apron away and hugged her co-helpers goodbye. She'd already tutored before auditions, and she didn't have any neighbors in need of babysitting today. She just needed to head home.

Before going on her way, she checked her phone, taking it off of "Do Not Disturb". Unfortunately, the moment she did that, her notifications were out the roof. She sighed and checked them one at a time.

4 Messages from "Mom"

1 missed call from "Mom"

2 Messages from "Ms. Janeth"

! missed call from "Mary"

Email from "

The list went on. But Steve's notification made her roll her eyes. What did he want now? She groaned as her eyes scanned "Mom". What did she want?

She sighed and grumbled at the same time as she clicked into "Mom".

Mom: Need you to pick up groceries. Be back home soon, Claire Maria, need you to cook dinner.

Mom: Claire! Groceries? Got a call from our neighbor, says she wants to give you "payment" for babysitting her kids? Wanna talk to you when I get home. Are you getting this?

Mom: Claire Maria Nuñez! Pick up your phone!

Mom: Heading home in an hour. Better have dinner started on and ready or you're in trouble, Young Lady.

And the missed call, Claire decided would go unanswered. The most annoying part about it was all these messages were sent within the span of 5 minutes. She hoped she would never become anything like that. Of course, ironically, Miss Janeth felt she was. Claire sighed again, and walked to the store, checking her other notifications as she walked.

Ms. Janeth: I have sent you the schedule for rehearsals. I expect great things, I know that will not be a problem, though.

(Enclosed Doc)

Ms. Janeth: Thank you, again, Juliet.

That was definitely something she was looking forward to. Claire loved performing. It was a chance to put herself in someone else's shoes, and live from that perspective. She felt free to do whatever she wanted. In someone else's life, she could be of a high status family, escape life with a lover who loved her, and die happily from the poison on her lover's lips.

Performing let her be anything and anyone she wanted to be. It was freedom…

But back to reality, she had groceries to buy. She checked her voicemail from Mary.

"OMG! Claire, I was caught under the bleachers with Tight Jeans Hank, I'm grounded for a month! But guess what, now I have 2 dates next friday. How great is that? I just wanted to tell you congratulations on getting the part of Juliet. I mean I would've auditioned, but Hank is such a good kisser. I'm sure you'll do great. But now you're gonna have to kiss Loser Lake Jr. Unlucky you, huh? Anyway, call me when you're not busy. Byeeeee!" It gushed with Mary's latest tea, and ended in her slight annoyance toward Claire always being busy.

Claire stopped and blushed as her mind registered what Mary said about "Loser Lake Jr." Kiss him. She'd get to kiss him. Wait, wait! Get?

What was she saying? Get?? Since when was it a privilege to kiss someone? Jim Lake Jr.

Why was she so awkward around him? She barely knew him outside school hours. She never until today even talked to him, but there was just something about him that drew her to him and made her feel shy and flustered.

He was cute, like hot! But since when did that ever make the slightest difference. She'd seen cute guys before and never once did she ever get like this.

Jim had the most beautiful ocean blue eyes, nice, thick chocolate hair, and the most entrancing smile. His smile was wonderful and quite possibly the most beautiful thing she'd seen.

The way the right corner of his lips quirked up like a smirk yet without the flirtatious flare. It was sweet and sincere. She'd never seen anything like it. But yet, it was radiant. She longed to see it again to get to know him and his smile better.

She couldn't wait till rehearsals tomorrow. However, her daydreams were disrupted when her eyes glanced at her phone screen and she noticed the text her mother had sent her hours ago.

Right. She had work to do.

Claire bought what she knew her family needed at home, and placed it all in two, heavy paper bags. Walking home in the dark, she lugged her groceries down the sidewalk. She walked by a blue-painted, 2-story house that caught her eyes for a moment.

Claire noticed, through the window, a tall, red-haired woman in scrubs, and wearing square classes, walking to the dining table in the house.

Claire smiled at how sweet and loving this woman looked. And from the sound of distant chatter and the now visible pot in the hands of someone, who was now walking toward the woman, she had a son.

Claire was willing to bet that her son was lucky to have such a seemingly kind mother. Really lucky. But the second she could see the face of the son, they locked eyes, and she tripped and fell to the pavement of the road, scattering all her just-bought groceries.

The noise alerted both inhabitants of the house she stared into, and one of them raced outside to find out what happened.