Sincerely, Romeo

by Amy Sparks

  "Yo, down here," I say and Jacob walks over to me and looks down at me with a smile.

  "What's up Add?" That stupid nickname brings me so many memories and the fact that he still remembers it. Everyone would call me that since those are the three letters of the beginning of my name and the fact that I'm awesome in math. I scoff at him as I stand up and push his chest. Of course, that doesn't even make me nudge and he stands there like a statue. Curse my lack of strength.

  "I needed to talk to you." Jacob is taller than me and of course, I'm a bit shorter than him and so I have to look up while I talk to him.

  "You don't have class or something? Or are you skipping?" I roll my eyes and imagine me actually skipping class.

  "I am not skipping class. I finished a math test about ten minutes ago and had nothing to do so I just wanted to talk to you." Jacob raises an eyebrow up and I laugh on how hilarious that fucking looks right now.

  "You wanted to talk to me? About what?" I cross my arms and lean back against the lockers.

  "I know for sure you don't want to take me on a date Mr. Romeo. I know there's something else. Spill or I'm gonna scream and say you attacked me." Jacob's eyes are bulged out and he looks absolutely frightened right now.

  "First off, Mr. Romeo? I'm not that romantic. Second, you are not screaming Addilyn." Jacob walks away and goes straight into the men's washroom. Lucky for me, I don't easily get embarrassed by such things. Especially on this.

  Jacob

  There is no way in hell am I telling Addilyn that I want her to pretend that she's my girlfriend for this stupid dinner party with my whole family. No way in hell. I'm doing number one right now and it's kind of funny how I'm just thinking of this. At least I'm saved since Addilyn would never come in the men's washroom since it's totally crazy. I hear the door open and it's either Ryan because he'll want to know why I'm taking so long to pee, or it's either some guy who just wants to use the washroom.

  "Are you done? Or are you just gonna continue to pee for the rest of the period?" My whole body stops as I hear that perfect voice created by Addilyn. I stop doing what I'm doing and zip everything up and turn around to ask Addilyn what in the world is she doing in here!?

  "Addilyn, what the fuck!" I shout the words and Addilyn puts her finger to her lips and tells me to shush it. I groan and wash my hands while looking at Addilyn.

  "I'm not leaving until you tell me everything, Jacob." I know for sure she's not gonna leave and I know for sure, if some guy comes in here, he's gonna think either we're having sex in here, or either Addilyn is a guy. I dry my hands and walk all the way to her so I can push her out of this washroom.

  "You could have seen my thing Addilyn." I'm honestly not that comfortable with saying penis in front of Addilyn. Not because she's a girl or something, but because she's the perfect girl.

  "It's called a penis Jacob, grow up. Also, even if I see it, it's not gonna amaze me or something. So, calm down." I'm shaking that Addilyn just said that word to me, but also that she said just said that it won't amaze her. Like okay, it's kind of stupid to be worrying about that, but come on!!! She's basically saying that my "thing" is small or in her case, not amazing.

  "Wow. You actually hurt me Addilyn. I'm literally crying on the inside." She rolls her eyes and quickly my mind goes straight to the door. Oh crap, right...

  "Look, we gotta go Addilyn. Or else someone is gonna come through this door and see that a girl is in the fucking men's washroom. Now get out." Addilyn doesn't even move and it's now getting me mad.

  "Fine, you asked for it." I pick Addilyn up and throw her over my shoulder and carry her out of the men's washroom. I first open the door to see if there's anybody out there, but the coast is clear. Thank god. I open the door and walk out of the washroom while carrying Addilyn which of course must look crazy as hell but what can I do?

  "Well, Addilyn? You lose." I say and of course, she keeps on hitting my back with her hands.

  "Put. Me. Down Jacob." Addilyn says which I laugh since I am not letting her down until she calms the hell down.

  "Yeah, no. Until you calm the hell down I might just let you down." Addilyn sighs and stops hitting me with her hands and actually calms the hell down. I'm about to let her down until I hear my name being called. Oh shit. I close my eyes and now I'm just scared to even open my eyes to see who the hell called my name.

  "Damn Jacob, what the hell are you even doing?" Ryan. Of course. I open my eyes and turn around to see Ryan laughing his pants off and pointing at Addilyn, which of course, is swung over my shoulder.

  "Hey, Ryan..." I say and Addilyn, of course, is laughing too as of course, this is kind of my own fault.

  "Damn, nice ass Addilyn," Ryan says which gets on my nerves. I put Addilyn down and she puts her middle finger up to me and turns around and smiles at Ryan. Yeah, now I wanna kill my best friend for some reason. Dammit.

  "Thanks, Ryan. Of course, it's all Jacob's fault since somehow, I accidentally made him mad for coming in the men's washroom because I wanted to talk to him about something." I'm rubbing my eyes because right now they are burning so much that it feels like I got hot sauce in them. My head also hurts, thanks to Ryan for being a dumbass like always.

  "Wow, damn dude, really? I mean okay look, if a girl came in the men's washroom and I was there, I would mostly bang her. Cause come on, Addilyn is fucking hot. Like, look at her!" I lower my hands down from my face and give Ryan a "shut up or I'm gonna kill someone you love" look because right now, I'm not kidding.

  "Aw, thanks, Ryan. Anyway... I gotta go so I don't get in trouble by my teacher since I have been gone for quite a while. Goodbye Jacob, oh and Ryan, call me." Addilyn walks away from all of this and those last words hit me straight in my heart. I look at Ryan and he's looking at Addilyn's ass of course. That mother fucker. I somehow wanna punch Ryan in the face and kind of kill him since somehow Addilyn wants him to call her!

  "You are so dead, dude." I walk over to Ryan and of course, Ryan is still laughing since he has not even a brain cell in him. I'm unclenching and clenching my hand since I'm super mad at Ryan and mostly Addilyn.

  "Dude, I'm sorry. I forgot you like her and stuff but like dude, look at her!" He points at Addilyn walking in her classroom and leaving this scene that is being caused by Ryan and me.

  "You are not calling her okay?" I say and Ryan just groans and nods. If I even know that this bastard called Addilyn to ask her out I might just freak. Ryan puts his hands on both of my shoulders and I know right now he's gonna give me the man talk about this.

  "Dude, calm down, I won't call her. Just like, okay look, she is really beautiful okay? Someone is gonna take her away from you if you don't man up!" I shook that Ryan is actually right for once. I have to man up but not man up that much. I still don't know if Addilyn likes me or not. I mean like a minute ago, she just told Ryan to call her! I take a step back and nod as Ryan is actually right.

  "Yeah, your right dude. As always. Just, give me time okay?" I say and Ryan nods as he gives me a slap on the back.

  "Fine. Just to let you know though if you take a long time to asking Addilyn out or anything, I'm gonna then take her out to a fancy ass dinner. Just to warn you. I mean look at me, how hot am I?" I shake my head and crack my knuckles so I won't actually punch him to hell.

  "Funny. And dude, I don't know!" I walk away and go back into my classroom leaving Ryan alone in the damn hallway. That dude is so weird, I don't even know how to have a decent conversation with him anymore. I'm gonna have to man up though if I wanna ask out Addilyn again. First though, to find a fake girlfriend for today. If I don't, ugh, my parents will think I'm some failure in life just for not having a decent girlfriend. Yeah, that sounds like a perfect definition of my entire life right now.

  Addilyn

  The day honestly went by so fast that I actually don't even remember what class I just had. I'm walking in the parking lot toward my car so I can leave this hell and just sleep when I get home. As I'm approaching my car I see
Jacob sitting on the top of it.

  "Dude!!!! That's my car!!!" I'm triggered and scared on how he's sitting on my car and he could easily break it with all his weight. I run to my car and check the car if it's broken or not. Jacob get off of it and laughs which makes me even madder.

  "Oh, calm down Addilyn, I didn't break it or anything." I'm annoyed at how calm he sounds and how I just wanna break his stupid perfect face.

  "Fine then, your fine if I ask out Ryan on a date, right?" Jacob stops laughing and coughs for a second and that's when I laugh. I open the car and sit down on the seat and start putting the car in drive. Jacob opens the passenger door and sits down while he shuts the door. I back out and drive out from the parking lot and to my house and of course he's since he does live right next to me.

  "So... your actually gonna call him?" I laugh and think about if I really want to date Ryan. He is a cute guy. Okay, he's hot, but he's not for me. He might be for Veronica since they do have some stuff in common, but me and Ryan? Haha, no.

  "Well, I don't know. Maybe. He is really cute and I don't know, I think I might want to ask him out since he does find me cute Jacob. Aren't I allowed to ask guys out?" Jacob nods and then looks out the window without saying anything and I know for sure that I messed him up a bit.

  "So, you like him then?" That question kind of scares me because I don't even like him. I can't even think of dating or even kissing Ryan because I can't think of even liking him.

  "Jacob, what is wrong with you?" I'm now getting mad at him for getting into all my space with my relationship life. I stop at a red light and turn to look at Jacob in the face and really have a decent conversation with him.

  "Look I'm sorry it's just that." I'm filled with confusion because Jacob is the guy who goes with Veronica. I'm the kind of girl who might go with a hot nerd, or a hot poet or someone who just wants to be with me. I hear a car honking at me at the back and that's when I notice that the light has turn green again. I step on the gas pedal and rush so I can go home fast and slam the door in his stupid face.

  "Look Jacob. Unless you can get out of your stupid little hole of embarrassment and man up. Give me a call and actually explain yourself and your little "asking me out" thing." We make it home really fast since I slam on the gas and also because we don't live that far. I park in my driveway and take out my key and open the car door and leave this stupid space between us. I slam the car door and walk up to my house and unlock the door so I can actually get in the house and leave Jacob all alone out there.

  "Addilyn wait. I kind of need to ask you something." I unlock my door right as he says that which makes me mad since I just unlocked the damn door! I turn around and find Jacob actually standing super close to me. I cross my arms and wait for the words to come out of his mouth so I can then sleep in my bed because I'm really tired and tired of dealing with him all the time.

  "Um well. Remember when my mom called me while I was in the car with you?" I nod and remember the whole moment when that happened.

  "Okay good. Anyway... she asked me to come to dinner at my place of course in like an hour because somehow, she invited my dad's family to come for dinner." I keep on nodding and taking everything in and also still confused on why he's actually telling me this.

  "So of course, I had to agree because it's my mom and you know how she is and stuff. So, when I agreed I kind of regret agreeing since she told me I kind of had to bring an um... girlfriend." I nod and still filled with confusion on to why he's still telling me this. What does he want me to do about this? Find him a fake girlfriend under an hour so he can bring to his stupid family dinner? Haha, not happening.

  "So what? You're telling me this because..." He rubs his eyes and that's when I know this is not gonna be good at all.

  "That's the thing. I was wondering if you can be my "fake" girlfriend." I pause at the thought of me being Jacob's fake girlfriend. There is no way in hell am I doing that.

  "Is that why you wanted to ask me out to dinner in the morning at school? So, I could be your "fake" girlfriend?" I'm now getting pissed at him since he wants to somehow use me to be his girlfriend so his parents don't think he's a loser or something.

  "Look, I'll pay you." My mouth is opened right now because I cannot even believe that he would pay me to do such thing.

  "No. That's not gonna happen Jacob. I don't want to be paid for doing some stupid thing. Go find some other girl to be your fake girlfriend. Oh, I know, why not Veronica? She could even bang you for free!" Jacob's jaw drops and I know that I've won this conversation. I open my door and close it in front of his face and lock it. Thank god, it's done. I drop my bag on the floor and walk to the kitchen and grab a water bottle because, after all of this, I'm dying of thirst. As I'm about to drink my water the doorbell rings and I know for sure that it's Jacob. And I know for sure that I don't want to answer it if it's him. I basically run to the door and I open it just to find Jacob. Oh great.

  "What." Jacob, of course, is the type of person that makes everything better in just one word that comes out of his mouth.

  "Look, I'm sorry it's just I really need you for this. If I don't have a girlfriend my whole family will think I'm just some disappointment in life and I know that having or not having a girlfriend doesn't really matter but come on Addilyn, you know my parents and how they are. They drive me nuts. So, I'm just asking you this, please help me on this and I'll do anything you want. Just, please. Please help me." Okay, now is a good time to take a sip of my water. I think about what he just said and he's right. I do know his parents and I know how they are with him and everything. They are so controlling that sometimes, they even make me crazy.

  "Your right. I do know your parents and they are kind of crazy. I don't want to be some bitch who's gonna say no to you after all of that speech you just gave right now. Anyway... I am so gonna regret this and I know I will but... ugh. Fine, I will do this stupid thing for you." Jacob smiles and grabs me and hugs me hard that I swear I can't breathe anymore. He lets go of me and I catch my breath and check if my ribs aren't broken or anything.

  "Thank you so much Addilyn! Oh, my God you are awesome!" I roll my eyes and push his chest so he can back away from the door so I can at least close it and not trap his foot in it. Or maybe... Nah.

  "Whatever. So, what time should I be there?" James looks over at his house and sighs which makes me laugh since I know for sure this is gonna end up in hell.

  "Um... in like an hour? No, wait, less than an hour. Yup, that's right." My jaw falls and I'm now just thinking about how little time I have and that I was just gonna sleep!!! Ughhhh. The things you do for guys are so stupid Addilyn. You are so stupid.

  "Ugh. Fine. Whatever. Well, you wanna come in then so you can pick out what I have to wear? I don't know what your mom looks for a "perfect" fake girlfriend so I need help." Jacob laughs and walks into my house and looks around. This hasn't been the first time he's been in my house. We've been honestly close friends since he's moved here like ten years ago. As we hit high school though we lost focus on being friends and shit and so we really haven't talked like this before and he hasn't been in my house in a long time. I'm fine though, I don't know if he's fine but I know I'm fine. Right?

  Jacob

  I'm in Addilyn's room right now and honestly, it's just like when we were kids. Only now her room is changed and it's not pink anymore and doesn't have Leonardo DiCaprio pictures from Titanic anymore and Romeo and Juliet. Her room is now the colour gray and she doesn't even have princess sheets anymore and the posters are now actually still about Romeo and Juliet. Mostly all Shakespeare's books though. I sit on her bed and stare at the walls and realize how stupid I must look right now. I'm a guy in a girl's bedroom sitting on her damn bed. Ryan would laugh at me right now and tell all of our friends about this and honestly, I kind of wouldn't mind it. Ah crap, I'm becoming like Ryan right now. I'm different now and I've changed through my years of actually being with girls and also ahem, Veronica. Addilyn is the only girl who honest
ly gets me and I'm always fine and myself when I'm with her. Now, if only I can stop imagining what she would look like with a top... Ugh crap, now I'm totally becoming like Ryan. Dammit.

  "What's up roomie," Addilyn said and my thoughts are broken as her voice breaks it and I return back to reality and that I and Addilyn will never work out because I think we're better than friends. Right?

  "So, uh, I guess we should check what dresses you have because I know for sure that my mom loves it when a girl wears a proper and beautiful dress. Why I know this, I have no clue. I get up as Addilyn opens up her closet and makes way for me to check out her dresses.