Khrysopos ✔

FORTY

And Juliet smiled. She insisted on buying some 'clubbing wear' for him too, but he refused.

"I'm going in my typical attire," he had said.

"And that would be?"

"Jeans. Full sleeved t-shirt," he had decided.

She had rolled her eyes. Typical.

At the payment counter, the male receptionist had ogled Alex appreciatively. Juliet had glared, "if you are done ogling my boyfriend, can you please cash this in?"

The boy had blinked and blushed. "Of course."

Alex had later asked, carefully, "boyfriend?"

She had shrugged. "I know you don't like being stared at so I swooped in and saved the day. You're welcome." She sounded the faintest bit nervous.

"Your boyfriend for a minute, huh," he had mumbled.

She smiled secretly. "Your girlfriend for a minute, eh?"

They both felt a little happy inside.

***

- Alex's POV -

The music was loud. Juliet was having the time of her life, and Alex just quietly sat in a corner and waited. Waited for Juliet to finish her fun and then come back to him.

Come back to him.

He took in a few breaths. Stared at the flow. His cheeks pinked a bit as he quietly whispered to himself, almost shyly, "I like Juliet."

It sunk in.

He wanted to make Juliet smile until her cheeks hurt.

He wanted to play with her pretty long blonde hair. To gently stroke her cheek. To hug her. To hold her hand. To -

"Hello there," some girl purred to him.

He was immediately annoyed.

"I'm Sappho," she said seductively.

"And I'm Aphrodite," someone snapped.

Alex actually grinned when he saw Juliet glaring at Sappho with the intensity of a thousand suns.

Sappho made a face, "and you are?"

"His girlfriend," Juliet said simply.

"I don't believe it," Sappho announced.

Juliet slid over to Alex and looked at him closely. His heartbeat was quick. Oh god. This could be his first kiss -

She kissed the corner of his mouth, but to Sappho, it would look like a proper smooch.

Alex was frozen. When Juliet pulled back, she kept staring at Alex with warning. He immediately relaxed and wrapped an arm around Juliet, playing along. Juliet sat on his laps and they both stared at an angry Sappho.

Juliet said, "Antío." Bye.

Sappho scoffed and walked away.

"You're welcome," Juliet told Alex.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

They lingered for a few seconds longer. Juliet slowly stood up, and Alex's arms left her slim waist.

Juliet cleared her throat. "Do you want to join me?"

He shook his head quickly. "No. I can't dance."

"You can," she insisted.

"I can't."

She gave him a look. "Okay," she said finally, and didn't push it. She left.

Alex clenched his jaw. He wanted to dance with her... but, he would just end up embarrassing himself. He sat there and continued to brood.

A few minutes later, a determined Juliet came to Alex. He immediately stiffened, knowing what was coming. "No," he said immediately. "No no no no - "

She grabbed his hand. "You are coming with me."

"Juliet. I said no," he said harshly.

She glared. "I heard you. But I don't agree."

"You are violating my right to consent - "

"I'm not raping you."

The song changed. The dj started playing Strangers In The Night by Frank Sinatra. The air left Alex's lungs as Juliet prepared to dance with him. Everybody groaned in disappointment, but Juliet didn't seem phased. She started dancing with Alex. He slowly started moving. Dancing.

The others joined too, finally.

All was peaceful.

"I told you that you could dance."

Alex smiled a little.

Juliet continued, "it was just the wrong kind of dance."

He shook his head. "And you are good at all of them, I suppose?"

"I like dancing," she said quietly. "It's really nice. Fun."

When the song ended, another started playing. The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra.

"You really like Frank Sinatra," Alex laughed softly.

"Johnny Mercer," Juliet added, "Nancy Sinatra, Doris Day, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald."

"I knew you liked jazz and swing," Alex said.

Juliet told him, "you're one of the few people who seem to notice that."

"I notice everything about you," he said, without thinking. Before he could quickly try to -

She said quietly, "me at you."

He wanted to grin until his cheeks hurt. What did that mean? Did -

"Come on," Juliet said abruptly, "do you want to leave early?"

He had never been happier to leave this crappy, loud, hot, annoying place. Back at the hotel, Juliet brought out a chess board.

They played chess. Then cards. Then watched Grease.

It was a great night, he though happily as he glanced at a sleeping Juliet.

He liked her so much.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Update: what the hell was i thinking when i made this girl act like a fucking worldwide citizen 😭😭😭😭