Khrysopos ✔

THIRTY SIX

- Juliet's POV -

Strawberry Chamomile Naked cake.

It was something that Juliet liked baking, just because it looked pretty. Her friends had gobbled it all up within minutes. Even Alex asked for second helpings.

Sometimes, Juliet felt like the mother of the group.

She liked it.

***

It was november. Alex and Juliet had already been labelled best friends, and they most certainly were.

You'd always see them walking next to each other, either mumbling quietly or arguing or yelling or laughing or whispering.

But mostly arguing.

And yelling.

And then lots of laughing.

Alex had topped the entire academy, Juliet coming second. While she did well in math, she could've done better, which pulled her grade back a bit. They both were awarded, and congratulated. Juliet thanked everyone with smugness and obvious glee, even if it was second place, while Alex simply grunted and nodded.

When Juliet's mother organised a fundraiser and demanded that Juliet attend, Alex was her plus one. This time, Juliet's father took the time to speak to Alex. Alex was polite, but didn't encourage much conversation.

However, Maximus Ashton loved Alex. Called him a "brilliant boy". Her mother called him "such a handsome young fellow. He will do well in the future, that one." She had eyed Juliet sideways. "The girl who's going to end up with him is going to be very, very lucky indeed, Juliet."

Juliet ignored her mother's implied meaning and said, "eh. The average girl would probably divorce him within a week."

"But you're not the average girl, are you, Juliet?"

Juliet was speechless as her mother smiled slyly and left.

***

It was a surprisingly warm Friday afternoon. Juliet sat near the window in nearly every room, just so that she could soak in the gentle warmth and rays of the sun.

Her English teacher took a sudden leave because she was feeling ill, and they had finished their syllabus in physics a week ago. This meant that they were let off of school two hours early.

Around four pm, Juliet was on her balcony, watering her plants and snipping away a few leaves and weeds with her heels on. She liked wearing heels. They were nice.

She was humming Lana Del Ray's Once Upon A Dream. She loved that song. It made her feel so ethereal. However, this -

The doorbell rang.

Juliet lifted an eyebrow, wondering who it could be, and went to open it.

And then she was attacked with a blind-fold and grabby hands.

She didn't get the time to see her attacker. Someone bound her wrists together, and started dragging her out of the room.

Juliet started breathing heavily and freaking out. She kept fighting back, her legs kicking everything and her shoulders slamming into her kidnappers. Adrenaline filled her veins. Finally, she slammed her knee into someone's groin, and she was released. She quickly put the cloth binding her wrists under her heels, and tore them.

Amateurs. They could've used stronger material.

Then she removed her blind fold, and paused. "Vans? What's going on? Hold on - "