𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐑; ethan landry

chapter two

CHAPTER TWO
"anything could go wrong anywhere."

WHEN TARA HAD initially asked Juliet to accompany her to the house party, she'd said no. She'd said this for many reasons - one of which being the trauma. Anything could go wrong anywhere, but at a house party? Everything would go wrong at a house party.

However, that was only her initial thoughts. A few days later, after the girl had thought it over, she grew overly excited. It was New York, she'd convinced herself parties would slowly become a weekly thing. And so, with a hand over her heart, she made a costume instead of writing an essay. The costume was more interesting anyway.

"Hurry up, Jules! We're leaving," Tara shouted as she thumped on the door to the girl's lonely apartment. The blonde laughed as she ran forward, throwing it open with a grin. Tara's eyes widened. "Oh my god. Juliet, really?"

She span around, arms held wide, as she giggled into the air. "It's funny, right?"

She wore a crimson red robe, crafted with individual strands of woven thread directed by her very own hands. It was old-school, the dress having clearly depicted the look of the olden days, but that's what Juliet appreciated the most. She was worried nobody would know who she was, but her thoughts were disregarded once the name slipped through Tara's plump lips.

"Dressing up as yourself? That depends on who you ask," the shorter girl mumbled, though a smile still graced her lips. Juliet frowned while she turned once more, grabbing her keys off the stand beside the door before dragging it shut behind her.

"I'm not dressing up as myself, I'm just dressing up as someone who . . . has my name," she tried innocently with a shrug. Tara shook her head, stifling a laugh as she jogged down the steps. 

"Come on, Capulet. I have shots in my room to start us off," the girl grinned, leading the flustered girl down the stairs to her shared apartment a few floors down.

"Can't we wait until the party?" Juliet pleaded, her voice small.

"Don't be a party-pooper, you sound like Sam. It won't hurt," Tara teased, looking back up at the girl walking down the stairs behind her. She could feel her hesitant hand itching to leave the grip it had in Tara's, but then she remembered, this was New York. Everything was different in New York.

"Okay, fine, why not, right?" The girl laughed humorlessly, Tara ignoring it as she sent her a smile with an excited nod. However, Juliet quickly found out, it would hurt.

She felt tipsy before she even stepped foot into the blaring house, the music guiding the two girls on their way. They bumped into people, apologising with a laugh, before clinging onto each other in order to keep their sanity straight. Anyone walking past the two would think they were losing it.

Juliet lost Tara almost immediately, the amount of people too overwhelming for the two to bear. Their hands were pulled apart as they were dragged into opposite sides of the sea of people, Tara finding the alcohol while Juliet found Mindy and Anika.

"Mindy! Annie! Hi," she laughed bubbly, walking over to the two girls lying on the couch with a wide smile. They looked up, Anika smiling at the girl while Mindy widened her eyes.

"I like what you did to the costume," Anika applauded as she leant forward, Mindy's arm falling from her shoulder to the back of the couch. Juliet smiled with gratitude.

"How much have you had to drink?" Mindy asked, tilting her head as she examined the girl's stance. She forced a laugh with a shake of her head.

"Like . . . nothing," she scoffed, waving her hand towards the two girls. Anika laughed as Mindy quirked a brow; unimpressed. Juliet sighed. "Okay, I might have had like . . . three shots- or four," she winced, watching the girls raise their brows.