I usually introduce myself to schoolmates as either Juliet or Jules. I don’t bother with details like my last name. But for a guy named Romeo to just call me Juliet was something I didn’t want, so I introduced myself with my last name included.
“I know, Holiday.”
Romeo smiled as he turned to face me. By calling me Holiday, he definitely knew my reasoning.
“We take Physics and English Lit together, right?”
I was a little taken aback when he so nonchalantly put on his bag and said that. I didn’t realize he knew.
“Right. You remembered?”
“You would also remember if there was a guy with the name Romeo, even if he wasn’t a transfer student.”
Romeo smiled in a friendly way, yet it felt different this time. Yesterday, he was as cordial as one could be, but today he was decked out in a seasonal white polo shirt (The one Abigail mentioned maybe?), beige capris, & brown running shoes… If you said he landed on the shore of southern France after sailing the Mediterranean, I wouldn’t question it.
I asked where he’d been as he walked next to me, but having only been there two days, he hadn’t seen much it seems. So, I showed him around the first floor.
“If you carry your stuff in front of room 108, everyone will think you’re new and leave you be. Also, although this is the math classroom, it’s best to leave your books and leave through the back during 2 period. This hall’s lockers are for juniors only, and watch out… Everyone tends to crowd the doors after science lets out.”
I led him to the gym after showing him the lockers and bathrooms. After taking a lap around the bleachers, I took him to the nearby cafeteria.
Freshman and juniors have the first lunch slot. 3rd period is normally History, so go straight down the hall and hang a right.
The kind Juliet of Kansas led the transfer student through the empty cafeteria and showed him the sample foods from the menu.
“You have a choice of American or Mexican for lunch, but the American choices aren’t exactly great.”
“Mexican food?”
“Our principal’s Mexican, and had it added two years ago on the notion of cultural diversity. Either way, don’t expect much. Both are the equivalents of low-sodium McDonald’s and no-msg Taco Bell. Cultural diversity or not, it’s all the same to me… I don’t want either on my plate.”
I recommended the only foods worth eating, french fries and the kale sandwich, and left. While we were about to pass the eastern building, Nick Alexander was filming something across the hall. Nick was another friend I’ve gone to school with since elementary.
“Hey, Jules!” Nick waved in the distance.
He then turned his camera to me and shouted:
“You know I’m doing vlogs these days, right? Say hello to my subscribers!”
“Hello, everyone!” I said, waving at the camera.
“There’re better things to do than subscribe to Nick’s vlog. Don’t waste your time looking at my face!”
Some of the freshmen snickered as they passed by.
“Thanks,” Nick said with a smirk.
He raised his middle finger out of view from the camera.
“Our Juliet must be oh so happy to be with her Romeo!”
Damn it, wasn’t expecting that one. I snuck a glance at Romeo’s face after Nick ran off, thinking he might not be happy with us being lumped together.
“Sorry. That was… a little disturbing.”
“It’s nothing.”
I tried to break the ice, but thankfully Romeo smiled it off as if nothing happened.
“It seems you have also had it hard. I was no different, my friends would start every morning by asking me where my Juliet was.”
Well, it seems Shakespeare didn’t just bring trouble to those named Juliet in the last 400 years
“And here I thought people only bothered me about where my Romeo was.”
“I’m sure more have asked me about how Juliet is rather than how my parents are… Not that I have kept count.”
“How do you reply?”
“I still haven’t met Juliet,” Romeo said with a smirk.
“Oh… I just tell them Romeo died.”
Romeo laughed at that.
“You’re not wrong. I should respond with that in the future.”
After talking at length about names, Romeo asked a question:
“Aren’t you tired of hearing the name Romeo?”
“Uh… Yeah? Well, hmmm… Yeah.”
Romeo laughed at me going from positive to negative to positive. I said more as I raised my hair.
“I do think it’s a good name, though. It’s manly, yet elegant, and is easy to pronounce. Though, I would’ve liked it better if Shakespeare had named the lady something like Britney or Amanda”
Romeo smiled without a word, then added on:
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
I laughed at the line’s perfect timing.
Surprisingly, Romeo has most of the original script I remember memorized. I wonder how many would love to boast that they have Shakespeare memorized in front of Romeo and Juliet! I couldn’t hide the camaraderie I felt in having had the script memorized by force from all the people rattling off lines in front of me.
I’ve never had anyone understand my pain of having to use my middle name to draw attention from my first! But to think Romeo also had to deal with so much from the gentle British people.
“England quite enjoys its dark humor, like Shakespeare and Monty Python,” Romeo added.
For a conversation I didn’t expect to have, I liked where it went.
“To think to give their grandson the name Romeo… It seems your grandfather’s just as much a romantic as my parents, and has a lot of pride in his offspring.”
“My grandfather named me after his father. In other words, it was my great grandfather’s name.”
“Ah, really?”
“But all anyone else thinks is Shakespeare. When I was in Italy, so many laughed when they heard my name. Romeo is something they would name a cat.”
Wow. While Britain was obvious, he’s even been to Italy. Having hardly ever left Kansas after I was seven, I couldn’t help but be envious of hearing him talk about the Italy I’d only seen from my phone as if he was talking about a dog passing him by in Cokeworth.
Thankfully, I didn’t do something stupid like mention it to him. Maybe if it was Grey I would, but I didn’t wanna talk like that in front of an upstanding guy like Romeo.
Instead, I gave a very generic reply:
“Don’t worry about those Italians. Even we give cats names like Oscar, Sam, or Charlie.”
“That’s true.”
“I’ve even thought it’d be better if people just called me kitty or kitten. I wouldn’t be half as stressed if people referred to me as a cat.”
“Juliet, however, is quite the beautiful name in Italy.”
My face became rose red. Why would I get embarrassed over that!? I mean, it’s not like he was complimenting me! I could take practically anything else, but compliments? Not even close.
So, I changed the subject.
“Ah… Right. Do you have a car, Buchannon?”
“A car?”
Damn it! Suddenly mentioning cars was too quick of a subject change.
“If you’re planning to buy one… Well, whether you’ll be taking the bus is what I mean to ask.”
“I don’t have my own, but I do have one my father gave me. Though, I will have to take the bus for now. I’m still not used to driving on the right side of the road.”
Bounded my way over that like a pro sprint hurdler.
“You’ll have to choose after-school activities, then. Buses leave halfway through, so you’ll have to wait. Buchannon starts with B right?
“Yes.”
“You should go see your counselor about after-school activities, should be Mr. Duff. They probably don’t like students lingering on school grounds for no reason.”
Romeo laughed, and posed a question:
“You said you still haven’t decided, right?”
“Right.”
“Is there one you have in mind?”
“I’m torn between Observational Astronomy and Choir, though I’m leaning towards Observational Astronomy.”
“Observational Astronomy, huh?”
His interest seems to have been piqued.
“Yeah, it’s every other Thursday at the Powell Observatory in Kansas City. Being mostly plains, Kansas doesn’t have too many mountains. You can get a good prospect with a 30 minute drive to the plains if the weather’s nice.”
I explained what Nate had told me.
“Sounds fun.”
“What’d you do back at Eton?”
“Rowing. But there isn’t much opportunity here…” Romeo shrugged with an uncomfortable expression.
“We’re too close to a mountain.”
Romeo smiled at my words.
“Nothing like that. It’s just that there don’t seem to be any lakes suitable for competition. You would have to go to Lawrence for a rowing competition to be held.”
“Ah, because of the Kansas River. That’s too bad.” I continued, nodding my head.
“What about another physical sport like football? We’re famous for it.”
“I heard from Mr. Harrison. Holt is the captain, right?”
“Did you talk to him about it?”
“I did. He came to ask me about trying out.”
Romeo was a good pick with his tall and fairly built figure. Leave it to Grey to have gotten to him already, just like a good captain.