Too Far Gone

Thank God For Joy

Juliet's POV

I sat on my couch, watching the TV screen listlessly. It didn't seem to make sense- all it was were shapes and blurs of colors. There was nothing substantial.

Or maybe it was just the way I was looking at it.

Because many other people must be finding joy in it. I wondered if in a way, it was parallel to Romeo. I saw nothing substantial in him anymore, and I tried not to picture his face in my mind. But other people must be finding joy in his voice, his laugh, his easy smile. My chest tightened and I took deep breaths, getting up and opening the door. Maybe I just needed some fresh air. I got a warm fleece on and grabbed my wallet and walked a mile to the store. Being me, I got cookies- totally ruining the mile I just walked.

I walked across the street to the park and sat on a bench, peeking into my cookie bag curiously. I pulled out a chocolate one and munched on it happily.

"Enjoying that?" I heard a young, male voice say. I startled and turned next to me on the bench. There sat a boy, maybe two years younger than me. Sixteen. His eyes were so familiar..

"And what if I am?" I asked haughtily. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. He smiled cheekily at me.

"Then you should give me some." he told me, and I got up to walk away. Weirdos who came up and asked for cookies when they don't know you should be walked away from. They were strangers. But those eyes reminded me of someone so much.

"Jake?" I asked, turning on my heel to the young boy on the bench.

"One and only." he replied with an easy grin.

I should have known! Romeos little brother looked like him, especially in the eyes. Those bright green orbs. But I had erased Romeo from my mind so I hadn't recognized Jake.

"You grew up a lot in a few months." I told him, impressed, and he grinned.

"Thanks." he said, puffing his chest out without noticing it, and I grinned and held the cookie bag out to him. He took one happily and I sat with him on the bench.

"Fancy seeing you here." I teased, and he gave me a bright grin.

"Weird, right?" he replied. I involuntarily threw my arms around him, and he hugged me back. "How have you been holding up, Juliet?" he asked, and I let him call me it because his voice sounded like Romeo's.

"Not.. very well. How about..?"

"Not good at all. He was really mad at dad for so long- but dad hates your mother so it can't be helped. And.. I really want to tell you something but Romeo wants to do it in person so I won't." he said, struggling with himself.

"I'm not getting near Romeo with a twenty foot pole." I told him in a hard voice.

"Please, Juliet. He's so torn up about this and he's in love with you."

"No!"

"Please."

"No."

"Yes, Juliet, you want to."

"N- No, I don't!" I said angrily. He seemed to realize this was the last straw and sighed.

"Whatever."

"No, Jake, please. I have no one to talk to and just... stay?" I begged. He nodded silently and it was quiet for a moment before he was himself again, bouncing on the bench. I smiled happily and we munched on cookies together before he began to speak again.

"How's E-Emily?" he asked, clearing his throat and ducking his head down.

He likes her! It went off like a light in my brain. I smiled.

"She's lonley."

"She's single?" he asked.

"I said lonley- but.. yeah." I told him with a small laugh. He blushed, the tips of his ears turning bright red.

"Christmas is coming up." he said.

"Don't change the subject." I said, but my eyes lit up at the thought of Christmas. "I have to go home and put up my tree! What's today?" he rolled his eyes.

"December fourth."

And I was off.

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When I got home my cheeks were flushed and I was happy. I ran to the kitchen.

"Mom, it's almost Christmas, let's go! We need lights and a tree and stuff!" I squealed happily. She wiped her hands on a dishtowel in the kitchen and hugged me. I could tell she was happy I was happy. I grabbed her hand and dragged her to the attic to get the Christmas stuff. She laughed and followed me up the steep staircase.

I loved Christmas. It might just change me back to who I was before.

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The tree was all lit up and filled with ornaments. I hummed Last Christmas and took a sip of hot chocolate.

"It's beautiful." I said proudly to my mother, who nodded.

"Of course it is.. we did it." she told me, and I smiled, sitting on the couch and staring at the tree happily.

It was lit up, something that only happened one month a year. It filled me with joy.

The mix of joy and sadness was in my body. I was fine, as long as I had the joy.

So thank God I did.

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I got another chapter done!!! :) thanks to everyone who commented and voted on the first chapter, it means the world to me!! Please continue and don't be a silent reader. It makes me really happy when I see someone liked what I wrote!! <3

I needed a happy chapter so I tried to keep the drama down. And, sorry its kinda short:(

Love you!! <3

~Siobhan