3It's finally her turn to show the family her talent and the talent of her best friend, William. She steps onto their makeshift stage; her Dad's whole side of the family was watching her. She looked out onto the audience. They all quietly wait with anticipation for her and William's performance. She felt comfortable here on stage. She had done this every year since she could remember. From the time when she was 10, she had done almost the same thing with her best friend, William. They always did a Shakespearean Skit, and they always sang a duet of something. Their voices contrast beautifully; he is thick and rich while hers is light and airy.
She was wearing her favorite dress tonight. It was like something out of time of Shakespeare himself, may be a little earlier. It was a pale yellow with pearls embroidered carefully on to the dress. It was similar in detail to the dress that Juliet wore to the party in the book, Romeo's Ex: Rosaline's Story, by Lisa Fiedler. It is one of her favorite books. The book really complements Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. William comes on stage and walks to the center.
He looks ridiculous in his costume and yet handsome. She thinks to herself.
She had always thought this, but tonight it felt like there was a new meaning.
"Tonight ladies and gentlemen for eyes and ears only, Juliet and I will be performing a scene from Romeo and Juliet, and we will be singing a little number for you." He said with that amazingly flawless Scottish accent. She remembers that that very accent is the reason for them being friends. She went to her spot behind the table with a table cloth to serve as the balcony. William left the stage only to come back on a moment later, and as they were about to perform the scene, she took one last look out at the audience, and she got the shock of her life. In the doorway of the large living room was her ex-boyfriend, Zeke. The shock pulsed throughout her body.
Zeke had caused her so much pain and seeing HIM only reminded her of all of it. She felt like she was going to lose it again. She had come to the family reunion in the hope that she would forget HIM and everything that happened between them, but there HE was in the doorway watching her. No one had spotted HIM yet except her. She could hear William saying his part, but his voice seemed so distant. She wasn't paying any attention to their performance. All she could see was Zeke. When it finally came her turn to speak, she was still staring at HIM. It was like she was in a trance. Everyone turned to where she was looking and finally noticed that Zeke was in the doorway. Her dad started to get up, so she walked off the stage and straight to Zeke.
She heard here 14 year old sister, Carly; say to her 16 year old sister, Danielle, "Now the real love tragedy begins."
She disregards the comment and makes her way to HIM.
"You have a lot of nerve showing up here," she said with all the harshness and sarcasm she could muster.
"I came to see you. Please give me another chance," he pleaded.
"No, I am not going to give you another chance, especially after the cruel and heartless thing you did to me," her voice cracked as she whispered to him the tears forming in her eyes, and she could feel the pain continually hitting her and pulsating through her very existence.
The pain kept welling up inside her until she could not take it anymore. She decided to do what she does best, run. She scrambled for the door, pushing past her ex. When she was out the door, she decided to head for the woods. She needed something familiar and innocence. She needed her woods, the ones she played in when she was a child and knew well. She would not stop for anyone or to even look over her shoulder to see if anyone was following her. She could hear someone behind her, but she didn't want to stop. She kept running to the woods, her sanctuary. She ran without thinking because she didn't need to think. Her legs knew where they were going. It took her mind awhile to concentrate on where she was heading. She realized that she was running to their secret place, hers and William's. She tried to keep herself focused; she didn't want her mind to drift; if she let it drift, she would start thinking of Zeke and the hurt all over again. She concentrated on the footsteps behind her; they weren't heavy, but they weren't light; they were deliberate like they knew where she was going. It could be one of her cousins, but she always lost them in the upcoming thickness of the trees and undergrowth. She knew these woods better than anyone in the family even her aunts and uncles who played in them as children. The footsteps ceased but before she could reach the shelter of the thick trees and undergrowth, a pair of muscular arms from darkness of the night grabbed her. Whoever grabbed her was wrapping themselves around her.