Tangled in Red Threads

Threads of Almost

Chapter 37: Threads of Almost

Juliet

Juliet found herself waking earlier than usual the next morning, the soft blue dawn filtering through her window. Her new schedule stared at her from the dresser, a tangible reminder of the changes swirling around her.

Her grandma was already bustling in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared breakfast. Charlie's car would be waiting outside soon. Juliet dressed quickly, pulling on a light sweater and tying her hair back, her thoughts elsewhere.

I'll just stop by the café. It's on the way. Nothing unusual about grabbing a matcha...

But as she stepped outside, her heart skipped. Romeo's absence at the café the past few mornings lingered at the back of her mind. Is he avoiding me? Or was he just busy?

Charlie pulled up as she reached the gate, the window rolling down. "Morning, sleepyhead," he teased.

"Morning," she murmured, sliding into the passenger seat. They chatted lightly on the drive, Charlie mentioning a business contact he was meeting later that week for his startup plans. He spoke of market research, design prototypes, and networking. All things Juliet barely absorbed. Her mind kept drifting back to a certain boy with quiet eyes.

At the college, Charlie dropped her off with a smile. "I'll be waiting after class, as usual."

Juliet gave a distracted nod, her mind already moving ahead.

Her classes passed in a blur. As the final bell rang, she gathered her things and stepped outside, and there he was. Romeo, leaning against the stone wall near the gates, headphones draped loosely around his neck, a book in his hand. He wasn't looking at her, but he was there.

Her pulse raced. Did he know I'd be here? Or was it just coincidence?

Before she could decide whether to approach him, Charlie's familiar voice rang out, "Juliet! Over here!"

She turned, feeling the weight of Charlie's presence pull her back. Romeo looked up then, their eyes meeting for the briefest second, before he looked away again, tucking the book under his arm and pushing off the wall.

Charlie jogged up to her, tossing a casual glance toward Romeo. "Our paths seem to cross a lot, don't they?" His tone was light, but the undercurrent wasn't lost on Juliet. "Hey, café boy! Got any discounts today?"

Romeo's lips barely twitched into a smirk. "For you? Full price. Maybe even extra."

Charlie chuckled, pulling Juliet closer with a hand on her back. "Come on, let's go."

Juliet felt the pressure of Charlie's touch, the warmth of his palm, and her own heart beating faster than it should. She glanced back once, catching the way Romeo's shoulders stiffened slightly before he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

In the car, Charlie talked easily about his startup plans again, how the town was ripe for something fresh, how he'd already secured a small office space downtown. Juliet nodded along, but her thoughts were tangled, a knot of what-ifs and maybes pulling tighter with each passing moment.

That evening, as she sat at her desk, she stared at the schedule pinned to her wall, tracing Romeo's name with the tip of her pen. Why does it feel like no matter how far we drift, we always end up crossing paths?

Her grandma's voice echoed softly in her memory:

"Don't let someone else decide your future, Juliet."

She looked at her phone, thumb hovering over Charlie's contact. Then, almost without thinking, she scrolled to an old number she hadn't dialed in months.

Romeo's.

But her thumb hesitated.

Instead, she closed her eyes and let the phone slip from her hand onto the desk.

I should focus on school. On the future.

But her heart wasn't listening.

Outside, the night deepened, the moon rising over the town like a silent witness to the tangled lines of past and present.

End of chapter 37