Off-Screen Drama

°~ Chapter Eight ~°

Juliet waited just at the end of the hall, arms crossed and feet planted, waiting for the moment her brother would come home. She had a lot of things to say to him, but she'd wait to say them until after she'd hit him across the head a couple of times.

What was he thinking, talking to me like that in front of Remi!?

She'd told him not to talk to her so people didn't realize she was his sister, but now she had people asking if she was flirting with him instead. People were actually asking HER how she knew the two of them.

All afternoon she'd had to field questions, side-step the ones she didn't want to answer and try to work her way through the ones she couldn't escape. By the end of the day, she was more than happy to come home.

There was a reason I didn't want people knowing we were related... Juliet glowered to herself.

I hate all the attention, and yet here's my brother, sending me more.

Juliet waited in the hallway for at least thirty minutes, knowing full well that he'd be coming home early today. His manager, Lucas had been nice enough to provide her Julian's schedule for the next week, so her brother couldn't escape her this time.

Just you wait Julian. When I get my hands on you-

The doorknob turned, and the familiar image of her brother came into view. She didn't wait for him to shut the door.

"What the HELL were you thinking!?"

Julian must have been distracted by something, because he didn't see her standing there. After her shout, he flinched and backed up awkwardly.

"Wha- Juliet?"

"I told you I didn't want any attention on set. I told you! And then after our conversation, people were suddenly asking ME if you and I were DATING!

Do you have any idea how awkward it is to deny you are dating your own brother! DO YOU!?"

"Uh... Juliet, can we talk about this another time-?"

Juliet bristled. "No, I want to talk about it NOW! Come HERE! You know what's coming!"

She marched up to him, and to her surprise Julian didn't run, though he looked like he wanted to. She caught him up in a neck hold she'd used on him since they were little, and tugged him down the hall from under her armpit.

"Apologize. Come on! I'm waiting!"

"Uh... Juliet ...Uh!" Julian began. "There's... There's something-"

"That doesn't sound like an apology, Julian," She growled at him.

She was intent on tossing him on the sofa, when she heard a voice from behind her she hadn't expected.

"Should I come back another time? Seems like you two have something more important to get to."

Juliet dropped her brother, who let out a yelp when he hit the floor, and whirled. Remi Lockhart was standing there, in her doorway, down the hall to her condo, and just a bare few feet away.

Remi Lockhart was here...

Oh my word!

"R-R-R-R-R-R..." Juliet stuttered, unable to say his name properly. And just like that her brain went off again, only now her body had gone with it. She couldn't move, even if she wanted to.

The man she admired most in the world, had just witnessed her doing something horribly unlady-like. She could never undo the things he'd just seen.

Oh. My. Word!

NO!

Someone just KILL me now.

"It's alright, I think she's done," Julian said, getting up from the floor with a groan.

"Sorry you saw that Remi. She's not usually so brutal, but I messed up today, so I deserved that."

He stepped around Juliet, who was still laying out the "Rs" over and over again, and gripped her arm.

"Come on, let's get you a seat before you faint or something."

Juliet let her brother drag her into the sitting room and put her in a recliner. He then invited Remi inside, and provided both him and Juliet with a glass of lemonade from the fridge.

Juliet watched in frozen horror as Remi took a seat on the couch opposite her, and sipped at the drink nonchalantly.

Now he's on my couch!

It's decided. I'm NEVER going to wash that couch again.

Her brother came in a moment later and hopped on the couch caddy corner to both of them.

"So, I think introductions are in order. Remi, this is my sister, Juliet. She's an intern on the set of "The Other Side" and today was her first day."

He glanced at Juliet, and then smirked. "Juliet, you can stop mumbling now. You're scaring our guest."

She was still working her way through the R sounds, but at her brother's comment she shut her mouth. Remi looked right at her, sending chills up her spine, and then presented a hand for a handshake.

"I know we met earlier, but I suppose we can consider this the proper introduction. How do you do, I'm Remi Lockhart."

Juliet stared at his hand, and after a long moment of arguing with her brain and her body, she managed to convince one of her hands to take it and complete the gesture.

Never washing this hand EITHER...

"Don't mind her. She's not good with strangers," said Julian. "And I didn't tell her you were coming over today, so no doubt the shock has been too much."

Remi furrowed his brows. "Why didn't you let her know?"

"Well, about that. You see, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone I had a sister. And I knew she'd tried to beat me up after what I did earlier today, so I was hoping if I brought you along with me she wouldn't hurt me and she'd forgive me. I was trying to kill two birds with one stone."

"How would you bringing me here earn her forgiveness...?" He asked, when suddenly Juliet had complete control of her body again. She straightened up, adjusted her posture, and glared at her brother with everything she was worth.

"Yeah about that..." Julian said, noticing the aura of extreme anger that was coming his way in waves. "Let's just say that backfired for now."

"Julian. Alexander. Harper." Juliet growled, making sure she put an edge on each name she said. "Come. Now."

She stood, marched out of the room, and disappeared into her bedroom as quickly as she could.

*****