*Chapter One

“Romeo, where art thou, Romeo…”

The voice delivering the line came out unsuspectingly flat — well, to everyone else, that is.

“Cut, cut!” the director cried dramatically — well, this was after all a play and we were in the theater. “That is just no good! You, Juliana, are Juliet! Acting! C’mon! You have talent! Show me!”

I watched Mr. Dean flail his arms with no expression on my face and an intense desire rose inside of me — to punch him.

“Enough! Enough!” Mr. Dean cried louder. Then he sighed and added, “I’m sure all my superstars —” I raised one eyebrow at that overstatement. “—are tired and need their rest. I’m letting you off early today.” His hand placed over his forehead, letting a dramatic sigh.

My eyebrow rose higher. But then I shrugged and pulled off the wig which its hair fell to my waist, revealing shorter hair — literally.

Noise broke out throughout the theatre — chatter, ornaments being moved, a couple of chairs scraping... And one especially annoying voice that sent my eyebrows twitching.

“Juliet! Ah, m’ Juliet —” Aaron Gilson, also known as the major Drama King of the century — or the last twenty — he’s spooky enough to be an ancient ghost.

“Shut up, Aaron,” I mumbled and walked away, stopping halfway only to pick up my bag.

I immediately broke into a run as soon as I walked out of the theatre, in that overcomplicated design of a dress. I ran to the girls’ room to change out of this cursed dress —theme: I can hardly breathe… Cast of the play usually changed in the dressing room, but me — believe me, I do not like changing where they are another bunch of people around you, even if you’re still wearing clothes under. Blech. Total violation of my privacy.

I rushed in the girls’ room and hastily pulled off the dress. As soon as it was off, my breaths weren’t painfully caught around my middle anymore. I wondered if this was how the river felt like with a dam built against its rush.

Maybe I’m just being silly. I took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh. I pulled on my black hoodie and jean skirt — the skirt was still a first, due to the fact I’m pretty much a tomboy, not much of a Juliet after all, huh?

I walked up to the mirrors, pulling out a brush from my bag. I began brushing my hair in a slow, rhythmic pulse. And I stared into the mirror, slowly sinking deep in thought.

I haven’t changed a bit, I thought. It was just a miracle how I remain the same over the years. No chance in my hair, in my eyes, my expressions, my personality — especially not that one. My hair was a caramel tone, trimmed short under my ears, strands of my fringe almost touching my eyes. My eyes were butterscotch, somewhere around hazel with a golden tint, framed with thick and long lashes.

Being an utter tomboy, made me unchangeable — well, mostly, of course I’m still growing and all. People just don’t get it sometimes; with my looks, I can pull off any look – all unwanted. My hair was healthy, flexible with any style and my translucent skin usually flushed apple red — especially around winter, my lips gleamed in the tone of lavender when I paled but it was cherry red most of the time. I had a perfectly oval bone structure with no roundness at all, jawbones prominent but I had cheeks that were as chubby as the baby I was. Try something, they urged me all the time – when I walked into a hair salon especially.

But as I always say, Hey, it’s me, so deal with it… I’m used to it so, why care? I threw the brush in my bag, smiling slightly. I brushed my fringe with my fingertips and walked out with the poufy dress stuffed in my bag.

“Jul!” Someone screamed my name.

I looked around, slightly startled. It was five o’ clock. No one stays this late, instead of club meetings, which are usually still going on.

But I recognized that voice… I reeled around and there she was.

“Nessa!” I smiled. My best friend came running towards me in top speed. Well, not exactly best friend, she’s my best girl friend, but also my best friend’s younger sister. Her name is Vanessa Hale. I call her Nessa unlike everyone else — they call her Van.

“Juliana Capulet! I’ve looking for you everywhere!” she gasped.

Note, I am not related to Juliet! Having my name sound like Juliet, too doesn’t really help. It was part of the reason I was in the play.

“Breathe, Nessa, breathe!” I urged her.

She nodded repeatedly, still gasping. Breathing deeply, she slowly gained control.

I grinned. “So, what’s up?”

“Daniel… Bio lab… Help…” she panted.

Help? I raised an eyebrow. This oughta be good. “Okay,” I said slowly.

She nodded, still gasping.

“But, Nessa, breathe!” I urged her again.

She nodded, catching breath. She straightened her pink collared long sleeves, smoothing it ‘til it hung right above her pleated beige skirt — obviously she‘s just like any other girl, not tomboyish like me. Her fingers ran through her unbelievably smooth blond curls.

“Well, I’ll be going now.” I waved and headed for the Bio lab.

The school janitor, Wes, tipped his hat at me with an inconspicuous wink as I passed by. I grinned at him. I had a record of rule-breaking, food fights especially. My punishment would be detention but I’d always persuaded Principal Gate to let me help with the cleaning up.

“Danny! You’ve just got to come over!” The shrill, unpleasant nasal voice rang through the empty hallway — Amelia Fanning.

Miss Popularity… the classic TV mean girl, tear peoples reputation apart with absolute humiliation. An arrogant, little brat with no dignity when it came to this.

“Er… No…. No, thanks.” Another voice came — the one I’ve been hearing since I was a kid — soothingly deep and quiet.

“Come on!” she almost shrieked.

I knocked on the door. “Danny, looking for me?” I looked between them, trying hard not to grin.

Amelia — looking blonder than ever, probably more highlights again — was completely onto him already. Danny was completely squashed between a lab table and she was still leaning in, forcing him back. Danny moved his eyes back and forth — from me with a pleading glint and pointedly towards Amelia. I grinned.

Ah, my best friend, Daniel Hale… He was one of the best-looking guys in school which makes a lot of girls are always trying to ask him out — or more. And he always called for help from me. I was his best friend so a favor wouldn’t hurt most of the time. It was known amongst the student body, rumors, that we were secretly dating, and obviously, this absolutely did no help. Sometimes I’d whine, but I wouldn’t usually because… I seriously didn’t want him to end up with them… secretly. Most of the girls already given up by who knows how many years of rejection — it was always the same words saying he doesn’t date. Only Amelia is still as persistent as a bull — not to mention coming head on.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Her hard brown eyes squinted as she glared at me.

“Danny can’t go, you know,” I said casually, not really trying. I was tired of it. It served no purpose. He wouldn’t go in the end anyway and Amelia will still be around to pull on his arm.

“Of course he can!” She pulled on his arm. Ah, there it is, quite literally.

He coughed and stared accusingly at me. I shrugged. “He’s got something up tonight…” I said simply, really not trying. Swooping in and swooping out, day and day again? ZZZZZZZ… boring… boring… doze… doze… Who writes this material anyway? But he always just refused to say yes. How easy is it? Y-E-S. Ye-es… YES!

“What exactly?” she turned and shot an icy glare at me.

Gee! What did I do? “Well — frankly, I have no idea.”

She snorted, glowering at me icily. “Buzz off, Capulet.”

Dismissal! “Gladly.” I flashed a smile, bowed mockingly and turned to leave.

“Jul!” Danny called, his voice strained.

I turned back again, irritated for the most part. “What do you want me to do, Danny?” I demanded, the corner of my lips twitching.

“Help,” he mouthed, his eyes narrowing.

I shrugged, giving him a wink. I gave Amelia my sweetest smile and she looked more confused than a lost duck. I laughed, turned and skipped out.

“Jul!” He raced out after me, grabbing hold of my hand, he shouted, “Run!”

“Danny Hale!” Amelia shriek was heard, ringing through the halls as she appeared by the door with her face distorted with anger.

I laughed at the look of her face once again. Danny pulled me to go faster. “Hurry!”

How I enjoyed the stupidity, I wasn’t sure. It was funny. Like a mouse chase, maybe. But sadly the cat did not come after. So I pulled my hand free and winked at him again. “Race ya,” I challenged and then ran off at top speed.

We rushed down the hall and straight for the school exit, at the other end of the school, me taking the lead. It didn’t really help when laughter was obstructing my heavily heaving pants from my non-daily-exercise. I gasped for air as my stomach ached.

“Hey!” He raced after me and quickly overtook me. He was a basketball player after all. All his drills are bound to count for something.

“Aw, you’re too fast for me!” My shoes screeched as my feet came to a stop. He overshot me a little bit, he turned around. “What is wrong with you?” I asked, amused.

“What, what?” he panted.

“Can’t you just go and do whatever the hell she’s trying to get you to do?” I wore a silly smile on my face.

“Well, no,” he panted.

“Why not?” I grinned.

Well, it was funny for me. The way he always had to run away. Like a really cunning criminal being hunted down. Some give up, and one, only one, strive. Maybe there’s something wrong with my brain… what was with all the descriptive?

“We-ell,” he put his arm around my shoulder. “You don’t want me to spend a whole day with her on the beach with a couple more of… what did she say again?” He made a face of fake concentration. “Oh, yeah. Cute guys and hot girls.” He grimaced.

My left eyebrow arched and kept a straight face, though I felt like giggling. “Right… Like she’d risk losing you in a one-on-on,” I said matter-of-factly. It was a fact. I was a girl after all — no matter how not girlie I am.

“I dunno…” He shrugged.

“Maybe that’s what she’d do. Then she drags you off to somewhere and do some voodoo on you. Then you’ll fall in love with her and… poof, happily ever after,” I bubbled on with a playful grin on my face, yet marred with sarcasm. If that ever happened, I was not going to be the best woman.

He scowled. “Not funny.”

“Just say yes to her!” I gave him a push.

His arm slid off my shoulder and he stuttered back. “Geez, Jul, you hit like a guy.”

I turned around and grimaced at him.

He took a few long strides and was keeping up with me again.

“Honestly,” I muttered, “It wouldn’t be so hard, saying yes.” I wouldn’t know though. I was born mischievous.

He returned my grimace. “There. Is. Absolutely. No. Way. I’m going out. With that. Bird.”

“Bird?” I laughed though I agreed secretly.

“Yes. As yellow as a bird,” he grumbled.

“That the only problem? You can just get her to dye her hair. Oh, wait, she already dyed it,” I grimaced. “For you, I suppose.”

“Well, I don’t like it,” he glowered. “Bird-like.”

“Then what do you like? I think her natural color was brown, ‘bout auburn,” I mused.

“I like you, Jul,” he said, sounding suddenly serious.

I pretended I didn’t hear. This happened occasionally. Not that I don’t like it — I just don’t think it’s real. He’s my best friend. Sometimes, I think I like him. But I don’t think he does. But at times like this, I just get extremely confused.

“Jul?” he bent down and looked at me curious and serious.

“Hm?” I looked up at him. His eyes smothered.

He burst out laughing. “You didn’t think I was serious, right?”

I frowned, confused more than ever. “No, just… odd.”

“Right,” he laughed again and looked away. For a second, I caught a glint of sourness on his face.

“You guys!” Nessa came racing to us.

“Whoa! Cool down!” Danny shouted for her to stop.

She stopped just before she could’ve banged into us. “Sorry.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Danny demanded with his brow furrowed. “Go everywhere running like a maniac?”

Nessa was mainly sporty. She was one of the school’s top athletes. But you’d think, she is the single most multi-talented person. Straight A student, talented artist and extremely sporting.

“Well, I don’t care,” she retorted and stuck out her tongue.

“Tomboy.” Danny grimaced.

I raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

Nessa giggled. “Oops…”

“Er…” Danny looked at me awkwardly. “Not you.”

I shrugged. “I thought I’m the tomboy. Supposedly. It’s me. Seriously, supposedly. Me.”

Danny started muttering under his breath so fast and so random that I couldn’t catch anything but a few words that made no sense without being joined.

“You wanna drive?” I asked suddenly.

Her eyes brightened. “You’d let me drive?” she asked, hopeful.

I shrugged. “Why not?” Like I said, Juliet, as rich as Juliet. I only just got my license a month ago and I got a car. And it wasn’t just any car, it was customized — by my dearest brother, the ingenious engineer.

“Thank you!” she squealed and caught the gleaming white keys I threw her. She hooked her pinkie through the silver key chain, humming happily.

We walked out together into the parking lot. And when we approached my car, I saw Nessa’s face practically glowing with excitement.

My car stood out from the rest, mostly second hands and ‘inherited’ from parents — only one other car that stood out although less, was Amelia’s black BMW. My car — being customized and named after me, as Jul —plainly stood out. The brand new paint job gleamed under the summer sun — pale powder blue with a single streak of white and silver on the side of the car. It was a convertible with great mileage — like a race car, which kinda is what it is. The car plate actually showed JULIANA. I had no idea how my brother managed it, but he did — get me a long car plate like that. There was the name branded by the side of the car — Jul.

“This is my luckiest day, ever!” Nessa breathed, admiring the car.

I raised an eyebrow at Danny and he shrugged. Nessa hit the unlock button and ducked into the driver’s seat — the top was still on. She gunned the engine that purred softly — which was amazing, considering how fast it went.

“You! In the backseat!” Nessa commanded when I opened the passenger seat.

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Excuse me? Isn’t this my car, you bossy little brat?”

She nodded, ignoring the comment. “But I want you to sit with Danny. He has a crush on you.” She grinned childishly.

I blushed and reached into the car and pinched her forearm. “Ow…” she complained. “That’s not fair. It’s so true.”

Nessa was Danny’s only sister, so I don’t think she would either lie or joke about his feelings. But sometimes, this is just impossible. I fumed and wrinkled my nose at Nessa. Danny who stood by aside grabbed my waist, pulling me out and forced me into the backseat.

Being helplessly carried into the backseat, I sat with my arms folded across my chest grudgingly and glared absentmindedly at the custom surround sound stereo. Danny always treated me like a kid. Carrying me everywhere and taking charge of anything and everything I did. Because of that, my tomboyish nature was highly limited. He never allowed me to do anything close too dangerous. And I liked being rash from time to time.

“Don’t be so childish,” Danny shot at me once he shut the door after getting in beside me.

I scowled at the stereo. “I like being childish. Is that okay?”

I felt him shrug and then said, “It’s better than being rash.”

I rounded up on him and glowered. He smiled and my glare broke momentarily. He had that effect on me — it’s completely unfair. But I really couldn’t help it when he cheated like that. And yes, it’s cheating! I picked up my glare and turned childishly away from him.

“Man, I’m so tired,” he groaned and leaned against my shoulder. This was another one of his habits. He liked being close to me — as close as he could get as my best friend. Another reason why people usually misunderstood him as my boyfriend instead, which really didn’t help our… situation, relationship, whatever you call it.

“Get off me,” I growled and shrugged him off.

“Oh, c’mon. You’re holding a grudge over this?” he asked mockingly.

I cringed — once again, another effect he had on me. It’s like he reached out to my positive and rational side. I’d change my attitude back to what was right by the next second he spoke. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

“More like it,” he murmured and leaned back over my head, his face pressed against my hair.

Then Nessa giggled. We broke off — not that I was doing anything. Danny coughed pointedly and straightened up. She laughed and asked, “So, Jul, you wanna come over to sleepover?”

“Is it okay?” I asked tentatively. I always crashed at the Hales’. Mr. and Mrs. Hale always welcomed me like some kind of relative.

Home was always lonely. My maids and my sister. My parents were never home, working. Dad was a famous instructor of orchestras who traveled the world, and Mom with him to support, being a pretty amazing musician herself. My brother was usually at work, occasionally traveling — he knew how I felt, being lonely. So he always tried extra hard to be there for me. As for my sister, she’s sick. She had a weak body to begin with, she couldn’t do much. And then she got involved in a car accident when she was sixteen and was weaker all the same. She was a famous modern musician but she was too weak to travel. So hardly performing, she stayed at home, in her room, playing instruments and singing to herself, and making a living out of composing.

“Definitely,” Nessa confirmed without hesitation.

“Maybe…” I mumbled uncertainly.

“Just head home, take a shower, pack some clothes and head over,” Danny directed.

“Okay.” I gave a small smile.

The car came to a stop and I got out of the backseat and to the driver’s seat. I waved to them as they walked into the house, waving back. After they got in, I sat in driver’s seat in silence. Mutely admiring… just how simple life is in their hands: a simple house, a simple garden, a simple family. I sighed in frustration. If only it was that way for me. Exactly the opposite…

Feeling a sort of mixed jealousy and envy — endless frustration, I skidded out of the sidewalk. Soon, I was out of speed limit. The serpentine road only allowed a speed of sixty kilometers per hour but when I glanced at the speedometer, it read a hundred and two. I scowled, but I didn’t slow down. Instead, feeling completely psycho — either that or suicidal, I sped up. The engine growled, the soft purring grew louder and wilder. The curving road began to twist, tighter and nearer. My foot itched on the gas pedal and then… I finally lost my mind. I hit the pedal hard and firm — all the way, the engine roared and the car skidded across the uneven surface of the twisted road. Luckily, my reflexes have been sharper than anyone’s — even Nessa’s even though I didn’t join her whole athletic affair — my hands pressing hard against the wheel moved and twisted quicker than ever.

But my luck… eventually ran out. A pair of headlights shone far from the setting sun in the middle of the dark forest where the road wined as I wheeled, right in front of it. My eyes wide with horror. I heard both drivers slam on the brakes — both me and the other. My eyes squeezed tight as I held my breath, and thoughts ran through my mind: how irrational I was, how careless I was, how rash I was, how stupid I was — but oddly, there was no guilt.

Daniel’s right. Being me, doesn’t help. Too rash.