Rosemary and Juliet

Rosey's Birthday Party (Part 1)

Juliet

"An official invitation," Rosemary said, handing Juliet an envelope. "I know you'll be there, but still, feels more official this way."

Juliet smiled, opening it. "Thanks, of course I'll be there."

"Now, can you just . . . not talk about it around people? I didn't really invite too many, and I don't want anyone to feel bad." Juliet had a sneaking suspicion she was talking about Alexis - lately, all the two of them ever did was fight, while Sidney tried to play peace keeper.

"Yeah, of course," she assured her. Anything to avoid drama, right?

From what Juliet could tell, Sidney, Andrea, Jocelyn, and Cynthia were the others who were invited. Not too many, which wasn't a surprise. Besides living in a small apartment, Rosemary didn't like big groups.

Still, it was going to be fun.

****

"Hey, casual question," Juliet said on the phone to Seth, "but what do you think Rosemary would want for her birthday?"

"I don't know. Jewelry, maybe? She's always decked out in like, five necklaces, as if she was a hippie or something," he replied. "Are you shopping for her right now?"

"Yeah. I mean, I figured, Charming Charlies, right-? What are you laughing at?" she asked, confused.

"It's nothing, just, she's already bought your gift and, well . . ."

"She got it here, didn't she?" Juliet sighed. "Of course. Because we're the same god damn person, that's awesome."

"Don't worry, just think like Rosey and you'll figure it out."

"Oh!" she realized suddenly. "Rose is in that Percy Jackson phase as of late, I bet if I buy her sea themed jewelry it technically counts as fandom related. And owls, because Athena, and the prophecy she made up for her fan fiction. This is perfect. You're still laughing, what's coincidental this time?"

"You'll see," he snickered before hanging up on her.  

Awesome, she thought to herself, wandering over to the less sophisticated looking jewelry. Well, there's got to be something that screams "Rosey" over here . . .

That's when she found the bracelet. It was blue with starfish and seashells on it, and was not only super cute, but definitely screamed Rose. Right after those, she found the colorful owl earrings. Bright like Rosey's personality, and owls, like Athena.

Rosemary had a weird thing about the Athena kids. Not in a bad or creepy way, she just thought that all of them were the coolest. Except she had a really random prejudice against one of the minor characters, Malcolm... Yeah, Juliet didn't exactly understand Rose's extent of obsession, just faced that it was a part of her, and an adorable part at that. To see someone be in love with a book series since they were five is like the best love story ever told. Quite similar to her own, actually... Artemis Fowl. She'd been reading those books for eternity.

They both had their literary loves.

****

"This one works," Juliet said, standing in the card section of CVS.

Her mom walked over and looked at it. "This isn't even a birthday card, Jules," she pointed out, looking at the Abraham Lincoln card.

"But it's not really an anything card, which means it can be a birthday card if it wants to be," she countered. "Besides, it's an inside joke."

"What's an inside joke?"

"Abraham Lincoln," she replied.

"Juliet, shut up, why are you so weird?"