Rosemary and Juliet

Clean Streak X

"I've had stomach issues since forever, Mom. It's just per the use, now." Looking at the clock, she sighed. "I should probably sleep."

****

She had nothing to publish on her books, but she figured she might as well read a few of the things on her list. She was taking a break, she needed a break, so she used the laptop instead of her phone.

Then, she did something rash.

"Do you think if our life is a book in another universe, people would ship us?"

That was the question that started it all, the hypothetical fandom in the hypothetical universe that would hypothetically ship them.

"What do you think would happen if we gave JewlRose to the internet?"

"We'd probably gain a bunch of strangers shipping us?" Juliet guessed.

A while back, Rosemary had started writing about how she fell in love with Juliet. It had been a hard day, and she needed some clarity. It was a Wattpad account that no one had found out about, and it was her own little private project. She read the first couple of chapters, and that was when she made the decision.

She pressed, "Publish".

It didn't take long for a read to pop up, which impressed her. The read was accompanied by a vote and a follow. Then, a message popped up.

"Private message from: demi-all-around."

Hmm . . . I wonder who this person is. She clicked into the message.

"Hi! This is weird, and I don't usually talk to people on the internet . . . yet, here we are."

"Um, hello? Who are you?"

"My name is Amilia. Wow, I didn't think you'd respond. Um, I read the first few chapters of your book!"

"My name is Rosemary. And, thanks. It's really just like a three part prologue, honestly."

"Well, maybe, but it makes me want to read more! That's what prologues should do, though, don't you think?"

"Totally. You could've just commented that, though, so why are you here?"

"I recognized the pattern. Three chapters uploaded within seconds of each other, and they're the first three? You've had that sitting around for a while, haven't you?"

"Only a month or so."

"What kept you from uploading it sooner? It's really good, you've got to at least recognize that."

"I think it's actually some of my best work. But, it's based on me and this girl I know."

"Is this girl your girlfriend?"

"No, not at all."

"Do you wish she was?"

"Sometimes. I ruined that, though."

"How so?"

"Wait for the rest of the book, and you'll see. Anyways, this doesn't answer why you're talking to me."

"Oh, right. Well, I recently went through something weird and terrible, and I needed to talk to someone who seemed to be going through something similar, but who I didn't know. I can't talk to the people I know."

"Wow, I feel that on a spiritual level. It's like, I don't want to keep the depression in, but if I let it out, everyone will just worry, so why bother?"