Chapter 19: A Modern Day Romeo and Juliet

Keeping things a secret from Leo proved to be harder than I had assumed. I walked into the living room and saw Phoenix sitting on the couch. I scanned the room for Leo, coming up short. I snuck up behind Phoenix, leaning down and kissing his cheek. He turned to look at me and pressed his lips to mine. The sound of footsteps caused a panic in my chest and I immediately pulled away, wiping my mouth vigorously. My mother entered the room with her purse in one hand and her keys in the other.

"Grace, do you want to run to the store with me?" she asked as she walked towards me, seeing as I was standing beside the door.

"Uh...sure," I responded. I looked down at my apparel. I guess I'll just go in my sweatpants, old t-shirt, and moccasins.

"Let's go then," she insisted. I walked after her, watching at Phoenix smirked at me, waving. Leo entered the room just as I was leaving; looking at Phoenix with curious eyes, Leo slowly sat down in his spot on the couch.

I followed my mother outside to her car, getting into the passenger's seat. "What do we need to get?" I asked her as I buckled my seatbelt.

"Stuff," my mom responded.

"Stuff?" I replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," my mom nodded. "Stuff."

I looked at my mom and sighed, shaking my head. "So what's for dinner tonight?" I asked.

"I don't know, your father's getting home early and he said he's cooking," she responded as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"So something good for a change," I grinned and my mom slapped my arm playfully. "I'm joking, I'm joking."

"You know, you can always cook if you're hungry," my mother reminded me and I sighed dramatically.

"Yeah, I can, but why do that when someone will do it for me? Even if it's mediocre food?"

"Make another comment like that and I'll leave you in the supermarket," my mom responded with a chuckle.

"You wouldn't dare leave your favorite daughter at the supermarket," I responded.

"I know, because Avery is good and she doesn't insult my cooking," she replied with a wide grin.

I stared at her before looking away. "I see how it is...mom."

"How was homecoming, by the way?" she asked. "Avery showed me the pictures. You and Phoenix looked adorable."

My face reddened at the compliment. We looked adorable. "It was fun, I guess."

"You guess?" she asked. "Well, what'd you do? Did you dance?"

"No," I responded.

"You didn't dance? What else is there to do?" she inquired. Well, make out in an empty stairwell for one.

My face remained the color of a tomato as I twisted my hands in my lap. "I just, you know, talked to people."

"Cam and Alice went?" she asked.

"No," I responded. "I meant Elliot and Phoenix."

"If you were with Phoenix, who was your brother with?" she questioned.

"His other friends," I shrugged.

"You sure do spend a lot of time with Phoenix," she noted and I shrugged.

"We're friends," I replied. "Well, we were." I have to keep my mom from knowing about my encounters with Phoenix, too. She might blurt it out at the dinner table or something without thinking. She's not good at keeping secrets. Everyone knows that.

"So you're dating him now?" my mom asked casually.

"What? No!" I answered with a burning face. "We're—I don't---It's not—," I took a deep breath to allow myself to get out my sentence. "We're not dating."

"Do you like him?" she asked me and I slowly turned to look at her. She simply stared at me. "Well, do you?"

"No," I answered meekly as I stared out of the window.

"What a confident answer," my mother responded. "He likes you, you know that right?"

"Yeah," I muttered as I stared at the road as we drove. "So?"

"How does Leo feel about you two spending so much time together?" my mother asked me, earning a snort in response.

"How do you think he feels, mom?" I inquired. "He hates it. We're not allowed to even talk to each other around Leo anymore." I mentally swore when I realized that I had said 'around Leo.' Did she catch that? I hope she didn't.

"Since when do you listen to Leo?" she asked with a snort and I shrugged.

"I don't," I responded. "But I don't want it to start problems between Leo and Phoenix."

"I see what you mean," my mom nodded. "But if I liked a guy and—," my mom started and my head snapped in her direction.

"I never said I liked him," I retorted and she smiled before nodding.

"Okay, okay. If I...was friends with a guy and a mutual friend didn't agree, I'd try explaining to that person that our friendship has nothing to do with them," my mother explained.

"You don't think I tried that?" I asked. "He thinks I like Phoenix." And he's not wrong.

"I wonder how he can possibly think that," my mom responded sarcastically as we pulled into a parking spot near the entrance.

I rolled my eyes at her.

+ + +

On the way home from the grocery store, I used my phone for the majority of the time, texting my friends and checking social media. I mostly used it to avoid conversing with my mom about Phoenix. When I finally shoved my phone back in my pocket, after I deemed it as safe to put it away, I had a stupid grin on my face from something Phoenix had messaged me. "Who were you texting?" my mom inquired curiously.

"Oh, uh, no one," I responded as the goofy smile quickly dropped from my face.

"Phoenix?" my mother asked.

"No," I snorted. "Why would you ask me that?"

"Because you would've answered my question had it been anyone else," she responded and I shrugged.

"It was something I saw on Instagram," I attempted to lie.

"You're a horrible liar," my mom said with a roll of her eyes as we grew nearer and nearer to our street.

"Why would I text him if we're not supposed to be friends anymore?" I asked and she laughed.

"Just because you're not supposed to be friends, doesn't mean you aren't," my mother laughed. "You two are like a modern day Romeo and Juliet without the death."

"Tell me about it," I muttered.

"So you admit that you're still friends with him?" she asked. I stared at my nosey mother and sighed, nodding.

"Yeah, we're still friends," I told her.

"Like I thought," she smirked.

"Mom," I stated.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Let's keep this conversation far from the dinner table or anywhere else Leo might hear it," I told her.

"Okay, but I have a few tips for you," she announced. "You know, to help you keep Leo from finding out."

I looked to her curiously. What can she possibly know about a secret relationship?" "Yeah?" I asked.

We pulled up to the house and she looked at me. "Don't kiss him in the middle of the living room when you think people aren't looking."

My face reddened as she got out of the car, approaching the house and opening the door. She saw that? Phoenix and Leo came out of the house, approaching the car to get the groceries. I got out of the van, walking towards the house where I saw my mother relaxing on the sofa. She winked at me and I looked away, walking up the stairs to my room, closing the door behind me.

+ + +

Later on, I was sitting on the couch, watching television, secretly waiting for Phoenix to come over and wait for my brother to finish getting ready so they could go out. The doorbell rang and I sprung out of my seat and approached the door, opening it for Phoenix. He was standing there with damp hair and a boyish smile on his face. I opened the door for him, letting him pass me. He sat on the couch and I smiled at him, sitting at the other, end stretching my legs out like I had them before. They were a cushion away from him and I wished I had them on his lap like I normally would.

I stared at the television, suddenly being jerked toward the other end of the couch by Phoenix, who had a smirk on his lips. My feet were now resting in his lap and I sighed in content. A few moments later, I looked at him and grinned. "Have fun tonight...but not too much fun, or I'll have to fight you."

"Though the threat isn't very scary, I'll be sure to keep ten feet away from anyone who isn't male," he smiled at me.

"You better," I warned him.

I heard my brother coming down the stairs and I immediately slid to the other end of the couch, taking out my phone. Phoenix followed my lead, quickly pretending to be doing something interesting on his cell. My brother arrived in the living room and swore. "I forgot the keys. I'll be right back. I'll meet you outside, Phoenix."

Phoenix nodded, standing up. Once my brother's feet sounded from the stairs, I got up and stood in front of him. He leaned down and pressed his lips to my mouth before retracting, kissing my forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered and I nodded, sighing.

"See you," I responded before sitting back down on the couch, watching as he walked outside. Even though I'll see him tomorrow, it'll be momentary and I won't be able to hug him or sit next to him. He'll be with Leo like he usually is and I'll have to watch from afar.

My brother hopped down the stairs as I glared at his back. "Don't wait up, Grace. We're staying the night," he grinned as he left the house, holding an overnight bag on his shoulder.

I went upstairs to Avery's room, where I plopped down on her bed and frowned at her. "What?" she asked me.

"They just left," I mumbled, earning a smile from my sister.

"You know we could always just go," my sister explained.

"No, I don't want to interfere on their time together," I told my sister, lying through my teeth. The only thing stopping me is the fact that Leo's probably not going to leave Phoenix alone and what would I do if Phoenix was with him? Sit in the bushes and watch?

"Are you worried about him talking to any girls at all?" she asked me and I shook my head.

"I trust him," I told her honestly.

+ + +

Two hours and a few messages later, I looked at my sister, who was watching a rerun of Teen Wolf, and coughed to gain her attention. "So it seems that Leo found a girl to hang out with."

"Wow, that's surprising," my sister snorted. "What's this got to do with Tyler Posey?"

"Phoenix is all alone," I informed her.

My sister looked at me and nodded with an amused look on her face. "And?"

"And I was just thinking that maybe it doesn't have to be that way," I responded.

"What? You want to go to the party?" she asked and I smiled.

"Well, I mean, if you insist..." I trailed and she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I'll ask mom for her car. You get ready," she replied as she got up. I followed, but slipped into my room rather than my mother's. I yanked on my jeans and a pair of boots. I tossed on a sweater, taking my hair out of its messy bun. Braiding it, I took my phone and left my room, turning off the light and closing the door. My sister followed me, already dressed from her run to the store earlier, and waved the keys around in my face.

"She thinks we're going to the mall," my sister whispered. I nodded, jogging down the steps with her in tow. As I opened the front door, I saw my father standing there with his key in his hand, obviously about to put it in the lock.

"Hey girls," he smiled at us. "Where are you two heading?"

"The mall," I answered shortly.

"Oh, great. Do you need money?" he asked.

"No," I responded, deciding that I should've said yes once the word came out of my mouth. It never hurts to have money.

"Are you going to be home for dinner?" he asked.

"No, we're going to eat there," Avery piped from behind me.

"Oh, okay, well what time do you think you'll be back?" he asked.

I looked at my phone. 8:31. "10?" I asked my sister and she bit her lip.

"10:30," she corrected.

"The mall's open that late?" my father asked and I thought for a moment.

"Well, we might run to a store in the plaza next to it if we can't find what we're looking for," I quickly saved.

"You two have fun," he smiled as he moved to the side, allowing us to pass him. As we got into my mother's car, my sister sighed.

"That was stressful," I muttered.

"Yeah, but I think he's just happy to have some alone time with mom," my sister responded in a grossed out tone. I curled my upper lip and cringed.

"Do you know where Frederick lives?" I asked her and she blew the air from her mouth while biting her lip.

"I might have an idea," she mumbled as she began driving.

We were driving for thirty minutes before I sighed and decided to just ask Phoenix. I tried not to make it obvious that we were on our way, so instead, I just asked him where the party was. He told me he didn't know the exact address but that it was on Oak Street. After telling my sister, she sheepishly turned the car around and headed in the direction of Frederick's house. Twenty minutes later, we arrived and I sighed. "I only have an hour now," I muttered as I got out of the car. My sister stared at me from the car and rolled her eyes.

"Take it or leave it," she responded, earning an annoyed sigh.

"Now I just have to find him," I muttered to myself.

I noticed that the front door was open but a horde of football players surrounded the porch. I knew that it wasn't an open party, so if I were to slip past, my brother would immediately be informed. I slid around the side of the house, passing the balcony. I looked up, noticing a familiar red shirt. It was the one Phoenix was wearing when he left. I frowned when I acknowledged the height of the balcony- too high for climbing. I want to surprise him and there's no way I can get inside and make my way up to the veranda without being noticed. I looked around on the ground for some rocks. I found one, tossing it onto the balcony. After two more, I finally hit my target.

"Ow," he hissed, leaning over and looking down. I stared up at him, waving sheepishly. "Grace?" he said into the practically pitch darkness.

"Yes, you idiot, it took you long enough to notice. Come down here," I responded and he chuckled, nodding his head. About a minute later, the sliding door below the balcony opened and he exited, allowing the curtain to cover the doors.

"How'd you get here?" he asked me and I shrugged.

"I have my ways," I responded.

"Why didn't you just text me? You just had to throw that rock. Now I'm injured," he muttered as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Awe, do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" I joked, shoving his shoulder slightly.

"I wouldn't oppose to that," he grinned, earning an eye roll from me.

"Is this just going to be some huge slumber party?" I asked him as I looked at the large house and he nodded. "The girls are sleeping over, too?"

"No," he answered immediately, shaking his head. "It's just the guys. They plan on watching back to back football games until the early morning. I don't want to spend the night."

"Then why are you going to?" I inquired.

"Because I don't want your brother to get mad at me," he responded and I nodded.

"So did a girl try to talk to you?" I asked as we made our way around the vast expanse of a yard.

He grinned at me. "Would it make you jealous?" he inquired.

"Just answer the question," I responded as I stared at him.

"Yeah," he responded and I looked at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence. "Are you jealous?"

"What did you do?" I asked and he chuckled.

"I told them I was going to the bathroom and I left the room," he told me.

"Them?" I asked. "Meaning more than one?"

"Two," he told me. "Well, three if you count you."

"Two, because I don't count me," I responded and he smiled at me.

"There's no need to be jealous," he announced as he sat down at the yard table. I sat beside him, rolling my eyes.

"I'm not jealous," I answered.

"Yeah you are," he responded.

"No," I retorted.

"Just admit it," he grinned. "I mean, I'd be jealous too."

"I'm not jealous," I replied as I crossed my arms.

"Are too," he answered. I examined his face- the smile lining his lips, the playful look in his eyes, and the hair that flew against his forehead with every gust of wind.

"Okay," I confessed. "I was a little bit jealous."

"A little?" he inquired.

I held up my thumb and index finger, closing one eye as I held up my two fingers. I put them so close together that there was only a millimeter of room between them. "Just a little bit."

He grinned at me. "It was more than that."

"Phoenix!" my brother's voice called. I looked at Phoenix with wide eyes and he seemed just as panicked as me.

"Get under the table," he insisted as he lifted the tablecloth. I wanted to say no because it was dirty and dusty under there, and that there were cobwebs everywhere, but I simply did as I was told, knowing that it was the best thing to do.

"Over here!" Phoenix called back to my brother. I heard footsteps walking along the ground.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Leo asked curiously as he sat in the seat I was previously in.

"Just, uh, thinking," Phoenix answered with a lie, a very horrible, noticeable lie.

"A few of the guys said they saw you with a girl," my brother responded and I could tell he was grinning. In his mind, his plan was working.

"Yeah," Phoenix answered.

"So, where is she?" Leo asked curiously.

"She had to leave," Phoenix replied.

"What's her name?" my brother inquired.

"I didn't ask," Phoenix responded. "I didn't care very much."

"You know the girl I was with? Sasha?" my brother started and Phoenix made a sound of acknowledgment. "She was so—," my brother began in an amazed tone.

"Uh, how about you tell me later?" Phoenix responded. "When they guys are around so you don't have to tell the story over."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's just say she's—," my brother continued but I covered my ears, resisting the urge to vomit. I slowly took my fingers from my ears just in time to catch my brother asking Phoenix a question. "What's up with you? You seem a bit down."

Phoenix blew air from his mouth. "Nothing, Leonardo. What's up with you?"

"Ew, don't call me that," my brother insisted. "And don't try to change the subject. I know when something's bothering you."

"Do you?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah, I'm your best friend. I think I can tell when something's wrong with you," my brother repeated. "Look, if it's my sister...I know you've liked her for a while," my brother started, much kinder than he had with me. "And I know that you're probably elated that she's finally showing an interest in you, but it's bound to end badly."

"How so?" Phoenix asked and I listened intently.

"It's hard to explain..." Leo responded. "But how would you feel if I started dating Alex?"

"If you really liked her and she really liked you, then I don't see why it'd be such a problem. As long as you treated her right, then it'd be fine with me," Phoenix explained. "If I had to leave my sister with any guy, I'd pick you. You're my best friend and I trust you and I'd trust that you'd treat her right. I just wished you'd see it the way I do."

"I trust you, Phoenix. It's just...my sister gets hurt easily. Remember how she was because of Aaron?" my brother responded and I analyzed his words, waiting to see what his excuse would be. "I don't want that to happen again, especially not because of my best friend."

"But I won't hurt her," Phoenix explained as if it was an obvious factor. "I've liked her for too long to let something so stupid hurt her."

"You can't see the future. You don't know what will happen. What if you cheat on her?" Leo asked.

"I won't," Phoenix responded sturdily.

"What if you decide that it's getting to be too much and you want a break?" my brother inquired.

"I won't," Phoenix repeated.

"What if she does something wrong?" my brother asked. "What if she cheats on you? This would be her first relationship. What if being with someone who's in love with her is too overwhelming?"

I stared into the pitch dark with wide eyes. Phoenix is in love with me? I mean I've considered it; if what Leo said is true- that Phoenix has liked me for eight years, there must've been a point where even he considered it. But I've never actually thought that he was in love with me.

"Well then I'd give her space," Phoenix answered quietly.

"You see what I mean? Your feelings for her might be too intense and she'd feel suffocated. You've got to understand where I'm coming from. I'm just watching out for my sister, and I'm watching out for you," my brother responded.

"Yeah, I know," Phoenix whispered.

"Come inside, we're about to play Madden," my brother suggested as he patted the table. I could tell he was trying to fix what he had done, but poorly.

"Just give me a minute, okay?" Phoenix replied. "I'll be inside in a second."

"Alright," my brother responded. "Make it quick. It's cold; you'll get sick...or something."

"Thanks, mom," Phoenix joked softly.

I heard my brother chuckle before his footsteps grew quieter and quieter. I waited, unsure of what exactly I was waiting for. "You can come out now," Phoenix told me and I slowly crawled from beneath the table, looking up at Phoenix as he spun his phone on the table, trying his best not to look at me. "I know you heard that."

"Yeah," I nodded, not even bothering to deny it.

"I thought I'd be able to tell you myself when I figured it was the right time," Phoenix explained quietly.

"It's okay," I told him. His eyebrows rose and I knew he was waiting for me to continue. "I kind of figured."

"Really?" he asked me curiously, glancing at me.

"Yeah, I mean, if I liked someone for 8 years, I'm sure at one point it'd venture into the realm of, you know..." I trailed.

"Love," he finished for me. "But what Leo said made sense."

"Which part?" I inquired.

"The part about you being overwhelmed," Phoenix sighed as he sat back, leaving his phone on the table. He put his hands on his face as he let out another tired sigh.

"We've gotten this far with me knowing it," I told Phoenix. "And I haven't been overwhelmed."

Phoenix was quiet and my phone began to vibrate in my hand. I noticed my sister's contact appearing and I answered. "Where are you?" she asked. "We've got to get going. Mom and dad are texting me like crazy."

I pulled my phone away, glancing at the time. "Okay, I'll be at the car in a minute. Just give me a second."

"Hurry up," my sister snapped before hanging up. I looked at Phoenix and exhaled noisily.

"I've got to get going. We told our parents we'd be home at 10:30 and it's almost 11," I informed him.

I stood up, staring at him as he remained in his seat with his head resting on the back of the chair. I grabbed his hands, which were now lying at his sides, and did my best to yank him up. I got him standing and he looked down at me and couldn't help but smile. I grinned at him. "Are you okay?" he asked me curiously.

"I'm fine," I drawled. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he answered. I had his hands in mine as I swung them around slightly. I placed them on my waist as I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing up and pressing my lips to his, smiling once I retracted. Noticing a slight pout on his lips, I kissed his nose.

"Phoenix, I'm fine," I insisted.

"You're not overwhelmed?" he asked and I smiled at him.

"No, I'm not," I responded before pulling away from him. "Now go hang out with your friends."

"Okay," he smiled at me. "But I'm going because I want to, not because you're telling me to."

I rolled my eyes as I laughed. "Okay, sure, whatever you say."

"Text me when you get home," he told me.

"I will," I responded as I slowly began walking backwards before turning around completely. I sighed, wishing he was here beside me.

^=R<Fw