Why I Hate Romeo and Juliet

Why I Hate Romeo and Juliet - Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Thank god it was lunch. After meeting with Ms. Clayton after school, I just became so excited. I needed to tell someone – anyone – before I exploded into a million, blissful chunks.

“LUCAS! LUCAS! GUESS WHAT!” I said excitedly, waltzing into the cafeteria.

“What?” he said, not nearly as excited as I was.

“I’m designing a gown. A gown! Like, a ball gown! Like, the old Victorian ball gowns!”

He stared blankly at me. “Like Titanic-type stuff?”

I scowled. Leave it to him to ruin my mood with Titanic.

I hate Titanic.

He burst out laughing at me. “Sorry Hazel, I really don’t give a shit about dresses or gowns or whatever.”

Spencer and Erick sat down across from us at that moment. “Hey guys!” I said, cheeriness reinstalled. “Guess what?”

“She’s designing a dress,” Lucas said, ruining it.

“Hey!” I elbowed him. “It’s my news!”

“Good job, Haze!” Spencer smiled at me. Erick just smiled, and nodded. That was enough, really. I just needed some positive acknowledgement, and to talk endlessly about it. So I proceeded, having already gotten half of what I needed.

“It’s going to be amazing. Like, an old Victorian ball gown!” I gushed. Come on. I had every reason in the world to be excited. “My designs -,” I didn’t even get to finish, when Spencer interrupted me.

“Like Titanic?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.

I scowled again. Sure, there were fancy dresses in the movie, but was that the only thing they thought of when I mentioned Victorian ball gowns? “Don’t associate my dress with that filth!”

“What do you have against Titanic?” Erick asked, his voice barely audible.

“’Tis not the question, my dear Watson,” Lucas told him. Erick crinkled his nose at Lucas’ awful British accent, and I stifled a laugh. “The question is, what does she have against love?”

“I don’t have to sit here and take this,” I sang, remembering Trish’s proposal from yesterday.

“Yeah? Where are you going to go?” Lucas challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Oh, Luke-y boy.

I simply picked up my tray, and walked over to Dmitri and his friends.

“Hi!” Trish said, anxiously.

“Hi,” I began. “Do you mind if I sit here today,” I looked between her and Dmitri. “My friends are being dicks.”

Jason laughed. “Yeah, they’re glowering at you.” I looked over, and sure enough, Lucas was glaring at me. Spencer was immersed in his sandwich, looking aloof as always. And Erick was sort of, well, I’m not sure. He seemed to be out of it.

“Maybe they’re glowering at you,” Dmitri told him, bringing my gaze back to the three of them.

“Sure you can sit with us!” Trish said, excited.

I took a seat next to her.

“So how, exactly, were they being dick-y?” Jason asked, mouth full of apple. I tried hard to not tell him to shove it up his ass.

“Dick-y?” Trish asked, incredulous.

“Dick-y.” Jason confirmed smugly.

“I was just talking about this dress I’ve been hired to design, and they weren’t really sharing my excitement, to say the least,” I said, trying not to sound too energized.