❪ ✹ ❫ chapter three
reverie                 ౨ৎ

ROMEO POV

ROMEO NEVER believed in fairytales. not back in london, and certainly not now in paris, where everything seemed drenched in a kind of romantic sheen he found exhausting. the cobbled streets, the ivy-covered facades, the cafés spilling out onto the pavement — it all seemed designed for lovers who whispered promises they'd never keep.

back in london, everyone knew him. but not for the right reasons. "where's juliet.", the question everyone would ask him after hearing his tragic name had left him tired more times than not. but here in paris, he was supposed to be untouchable. a shadow moving through the city, untethered by anything or anyone. and yet, somehow, he'd found himself here, lingering in the wake of a girl with sunlight in her hair and oceans in her eyes. juliette.

the note had been impulsive, a slip of vulnerability he couldn't explain. he'd watched her unfold it, her delicate fingers trembling just enough to betray her nerves. her golden hair caught the light streaming in from the tall windows, and for a moment, she looked unreal, like something out of a painting. he hated how his chest tightened at the sight of her, the way his mind wandered back to the night before.

they'd met by accident, the way all the most reckless decisions start. he hadn't even seen her at first. he was walking aimlessly through the narrow streets, the damp air of a parisian autumn night curling around him like a ghost. the lights from the cafés spilled onto the cobblestones, and the sound of distant laughter filled the spaces between the shadows. romeo had shoved his hands deep into his trouser pockets, keeping his head low, lost in the steady rhythm of his boots against stone.

until she collided with him.

literally.

one second he was lost in thought, and the next he was stumbling back, startled by the force of someone barreling into him.

"blimey! i'm terribly sorry!" he'd said on instinct, reaching out to steady her before he'd even registered what had happened.

and then he'd looked at her.

she'd glanced up at him, wide-eyed and flushed, a few loose strands of her blonde braid framing her face. the tupperware she carried had shifted under her arm, and her lips parted as though she meant to apologize.

but in that moment, romeo felt something snap.

he had flirted, sure. he'd always flirted. it was easy to hide behind playful remarks and cheeky grins. it meant nothing because he let it mean nothing. he had promised himself long ago that feelings — real, raw, messy feelings — weren't worth the risk. they brought nothing but pain, and romeo croft didn't have room for any more of that.

but then she'd started to respond to him.

her teasing tone, the mischievous glint in her blue eyes — it was like a spark catching dry kindling. every time she quipped back, every time she laughed, it twisted something deep in his chest, something he thought he'd buried with the memories of sienna moore and all the heartache she'd left behind.

and yet, he couldn't seem to stop himself.

"names romeo. romeo croft." he'd said, flashing a crooked grin as though that would be enough to keep the moment light. but she hadn't brushed him off. she'd stayed, her laughter dancing in the cool night air, her presence pulling him in like a tide he couldn't resist.

he remembered the way her voice had wrapped around his name like a challenge, the way her smile lingered even as she'd tried to hide it.

and when she'd admitted her name — juliette — he'd felt the universe playing some cruel, cosmic joke on him.

he told himself it didn't mean anything. that it couldn't.

but then she smiled at him, and he found himself smiling back, the kind of smile that reached all the way to the edges of his guarded heart.

now, in the classroom, romeo's gaze drifted to juliette again. she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, her fingers brushing against the paper before folding it neatly into her bag.

his chest tightened, the memory of her laugh and the soft warmth of her hand when he'd kissed her knuckles invading his thoughts. he shouldn't feel this way.

he couldn't feel this way.

but as juliette turned slightly, her eyes catching his for a brief moment, the ghost of a smile playing at her lips, romeo felt that same spark again, small but insistent.

the bell rang, jolting him back to reality, but he didn't move. instead, he stayed where he was, watching her gather her things, the note tucked carefully away as if it meant something to her too.

and for the first time in years, romeo croft wasn't sure if he wanted to keep running from the feelings he'd sworn off so long ago.

the classroom erupted into the usual flurry of movement as the bell signaled the end of the lesson. students shuffled their things together, gathering bags and books, exchanging half-hearted comments about the day ahead. romeo stayed in his seat, his fingers drumming a slow rhythm on the desk as he watched juliette rise, her movements graceful despite the hurried chaos around her.

his thoughts were still tangled from the night before. everything felt too close to the surface now. too real. the way she'd teased him, her voice light and full of that subtle challenge that made him want to lean in and test the boundaries of it all. it was absurd. nothing was supposed to happen here. he had promised himself he wouldn't let anyone get under his skin again.

but she already had.

romeo's pulse quickened when juliette caught his eye across the room. for a moment, everything seemed to quiet, the noise of the other students fading into the background. her gaze held his, steady and curious, and for a heartbeat, he wondered if she felt the same pull, that invisible thread that tugged between them.

she didn't say anything. didn't have to.

the moment hung there, delicate and full of unsaid words, until one of the other students bumped into his chair, breaking the fragile stillness. romeo blinked, breaking eye contact and shifting his weight uncomfortably. his gaze darted toward the door as juliette gathered her things, walking with that same effortless grace toward the exit.

he should get up, he told himself. leave it. It's just a stupid crush.

but something inside him, something much deeper than he wanted to admit, made him stay seated, the tension in his chest thickening.

as he stood, his legs felt unsteady, like they were carrying him through a haze. he could hear his heartbeat thrumming in his ears as he pushed through the crowd of students, stepping out into the hallway where the blonde girl was already a few paces ahead.

"hey." romeo called, his voice cutting through the low hum of students passing by. it came out rougher than he'd intended, and he winced internally. brilliant start, mate.

she slowed and turned, her hair swaying slightly over her shoulder. that same smile he'd been trying — and utterly failing — to forget spread across her face. it wasn't just her lips; it was her whole demeanor, as if her very presence lit something in the air. his chest tightened.

"hey." she replied, her voice light, her eyes bright with curiosity. there was a playful twinkle in them that made his stomach do an inconvenient flip. juliette wasn't in a rush to speak again, clearly waiting for him to say whatever he'd stopped her for.

romeo hesitated, his heart thudding loudly in his chest. what the hell was he even doing? he took a step closer, every inch of space between them feeling like an invisible string being pulled taut.

clearing his throat, he finally forced out the words. "i was just wondering if i could get your number?"

the moment the question left his mouth, he immediately regretted it. could he have sounded any less smooth? juliette raised a single eyebrow, her lips curving into a smirk that was equal parts intrigued and amused.

"and why." she asked, her tone as teasing as her expression, "would you want that?"

romeo fumbled, coughing into his hand to buy himself a second. his mind raced, and before he could stop himself, the truth spilled out. "just because i think you're nice? and, uh... because i can't stop thinking about you?"

the words hung in the air, heavier than he'd anticipated. bloody brilliant, he thought bitterly. real smooth, casanova. he was already preparing for her to laugh it off or, worse, roll her eyes and walk away.

instead, something shifted in juliette's expression. the sharpness of her smirk softened, replaced by something warmer — something genuine. her blue eyes lingered on his, and the quiet between them stretched just long enough to make him squirm.

"sure." she said at last, her voice light but sincere, her smile deepening. "why not?"

romeo blinked, half-convinced he'd misheard her. "you're serious?" he asked before he could stop himself, then winced. "not that i'm complaining or anything. i just thought — well, never mind what i thought."

the blonde girl laughed, the sound light and unrestrained, and pulled her phone out of her pocket. "here." she said, handing it to him. "put it in before i change my mind."

he took it, his fingers brushing hers for the briefest second. her phone felt warm in his hand, and for some reason, that fact grounded him, snapping him out of his spiraling thoughts. he typed his number in quickly, double-checking it before handing the phone back.

"there." he said, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. his usual confidence was beginning to creep back into his posture, though his heart still thudded traitorously in his chest. "now you've got no excuse not to text me."

juliette slipped the phone back into her pocket, her grin turning sly. "guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

the dark haired male chuckled softly, his lips quirking into that crooked smile he knew had gotten him out of trouble more times than he could count. "fair enough." he said. "though i reckon i'm decent at waiting. mostly."

"mostly." she asked, her brow lifting again. "that doesn't sound promising."

"i'm full of surprises." he shot back, the playful glint in his eye mirroring hers.

she laughed again, and something in her expression softened further. "well, romeo croft, i'll be expecting a text first. you don't strike me as the patient type."

her words sent a thrill through him he wasn't ready to examine too closely. "deal." he said simply, stepping back but holding her gaze for a moment longer. "don't say i didn't warn you when i start spamming your phone, though."

"i'll take my chances." juliette waved as she turned and walked away, leaving romeo standing there, one hand running through his dark hair when the blonde female suddenly stopped. "hey, romeo?"

the male looked up immediately, slightly confused. "uh yeah, love?"

juliette smiled and winked at him. "have lunch with me and my friends today! that is unless you are too busy with your mysterious brooding or whatever it is new guys do."

romeo raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms and leaning slightly on one foot as he feigned offense. "brooding? do i look like the sort to skulk about and write poetry in the shadows?"

her laugh was light, dancing between them in the otherwise noisy hallway. "your words, not mine." she teased, shifting her weight onto one foot. "so, you gonna join us or what?"

his lips tugged into a smirk, the corner quirking upward in that crooked way that made his features soften. "sure, love. i'd love to."

"great." juliette beamed at him, her enthusiasm radiating in a way that made something in his chest feel uncomfortably warm. without another word, she turned back around and skipped off down the corridor, leaving him standing there once again — bemused and utterly dazed.

the dark haired teenager ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply as he muttered under his breath, "bloody hell, what've i gotten myself into?"

with that, he walked off to his next class. biology. the hallway was crowded, students brushing past him in a blur of chatter and movement, but romeo barely noticed. his mind was somewhere else entirely — more specifically, on a certain blonde with a smile that could make a guy forget how to string together a coherent sentence.

he stepped into the classroom and slid into an empty seat near the back, trying to shake the lingering warmth in his chest. focus, romeo, he thought, flipping open his notebook. but the words on the board — something about cell structures — were meaningless to him. he couldn't stop replaying the moment juliette had stopped in the hallway, turned back, and invited him to lunch. her voice, playful but warm, had looped itself into his thoughts, refusing to let go.

what was it about her? she was just another girl, wasn't she? but no, that wasn't right. she wasn't just anything. juliette had this way about her, this energy that seemed to pull people in. she was clever, confident, and entirely unpredictable. and god help him, he was already completely caught up in her orbit.

the teacher's voice broke through his thoughts, dragging him back to the present. "mr. croft, are you with us?"

the teenage male blinked, realizing he'd been staring at his blank notebook page for the past ten minutes. "uh, yes, sir." he said quickly, sitting up straighter. the class chuckled softly, and romeo resisted the urge to sink lower into his seat. brilliant start.

the rest of the lesson passed in a haze. romeo tried to pay attention, he really did, but his thoughts kept drifting. by the time the bell rang, signaling the end of class, he hadn't retained a single piece of information. not that it mattered — his next stop was lunch, and for the first time in years, he was actually looking forward to it.

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

the cafeteria was buzzing with life, the air thick with the smell of fried food and the hum of overlapping conversations. romeo stood just inside the entrance, scanning the room for juliette. fortunately for him, he spotted her quickly — she was sitting at a table near the center, laughing at something one of her friends had said. her hair caught the light, glowing like spun gold, and for a moment, romeo just stood there, watching.

"romeo!" her voice rang out over the noise, pulling him from his trance. she waved him over, her smile as bright as ever.

he weaved his way through the crowded room, tray balanced carefully in his hands. as he reached the table, juliette gestured to the empty seat beside her. "saved you a spot." she said, her tone light but warm."

"thanks, darling," romeo replied smoothly, setting his tray down with a quiet clatter and settling into the vacant seat beside juliette.

her cheeks flushed pink for just a moment before she recovered, gesturing to the two girls seated across from them. "romeo, meet my friends."

"sup, i'm sadie sinclair." the redhead introduced herself, leaning back casually in her chair. her fiery hair was tied in a messy ponytail, and she gave him a lazy two-fingered salute. romeo immediately recognized her as the sharp-tongued girl he'd spotted earlier in the corridor.

"and i'm ashido satsuki!" the black-haired girl added with a bright smile. her dark eyes sparkled as she leaned forward. "do you like animals?"

the male blinked, momentarily thrown by the unexpected question. before he could answer, juliette leaned closer, her voice a soft murmur meant only for him. "she's japanese. they say their last names first."

"ah." romeo exhaled sharply, nodding in understanding. "that makes sense." he returned ashido's eager gaze with a smile. "lovely to meet you both. i'm romeo croft. and yes, ashido, i love animals."

ashido's face lit up with genuine delight. "really? do you have a pet?"

his expression softened. "i do. i've got a black labrador named astrid back home. she's the sweetest girl. but when i was younger, we had a pomeranian named draco. he was a little devil, always nicking my socks and sandwiches if i left them lying about."

"classic pomeranian behavior." ashido said, laughing softly, her voice low and melodic.

"and my kind of hero." sadie quipped, plucking a fry from juliette's tray without even glancing at her.

"hey!" juliette swatted at sadie's hand, feigning outrage. "you have your own fries."

"hers taste better." sadie said with a shrug, popping the stolen fry into her mouth with zero remorse. "it's the principle, juliette."

romeo chuckled at their exchange, the sound deep and warm. he found himself relaxing, his earlier wariness about fitting in fading away. these girls, with their quick humor and lively energy, felt like a breath of fresh air in what had otherwise been a dull day of classes.

"so, romeo." sadie said, leaning forward now with a curious glint in her eyes, "what's your deal? where are you from? what's your tragic backstory? every broody brit has one."

romeo raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "broody brit? is that what i'm coming across as?"

"oh, 100%." sadie replied without hesitation. "it's the hair. and the accent. you're like the walking poster boy for mysterious british lads."

juliette groaned, covering her face with her hand. "ignore her, romeo. she has no filter."

"no, no." romeo said, his grin widening. "i'm quite enjoying this." he looked back at the redhead, his blue eyes glinting with mischief. "tragic backstory, you say? let's see. my mum died when i was born, my dad shortly after, and my childhood dog made off with more of my sandwiches than i ever got to eat. does that meet your criteria?"

many people knew about his history and it wasn't something that he liked to burden himself with.

her teasing smirk faltered for a split second at the casual mention of his parents, but she quickly recovered, matching his tone. "damn. tragic and sarcastic. you're ticking all the boxes."

ashido, however, frowned slightly. "i'm sorry about your parents." she said softly, her genuine concern cutting through the playful banter.

romeo nodded, his expression momentarily thoughtful. "thanks. it was a long time ago." he shrugged nonchalantly, pretending like the whole thing didn't bother him.

before romeo could speak again, juliette leaned across the table to steal back one of her fries from sadie's tray. romeo used the distraction to casually pinch a fry from juliette's plate.

her gaze snapped to him instantly, her mouth falling open in mock indignation. "romeo croft." she began, narrowing her eyes at him, "you're cute and all, but that doesn't mean you can just steal my fries."

he froze mid-chew, a sheepish grin spreading across his face as he held his hands up in mock surrender. "sorry, love. couldn't resist. they just looked too good."

the blonde female shook her head, though her lips twitched in amusement. "you owe me one. don't think i'm letting this slide."

"fair enough." romeo said, leaning back in his chair. "how about i buy you chips next time to make up for it?"

sadie snorted. "there's no way you just said chips. that's comical! but seriously, is that how you brits flirt back home? stealing people's food and then saying you will buy more to make up for it? that's hilarious!"

"it's a time-honored tradition." romeo said solemnly, his expression so earnest it sent juliette into a fit of laughter.

"well, as long as it works," juliette said, smiling at him.

ashido beamed and sadie grinned. the redhead leaned over and casually grabbed a fry from romeo's tray.

"oi!" he protested, leaning forward. "stealing from me now, are you? i thought americans were all about freedom and fairness."

the female shrugged, popping the fry into her mouth and chewing slowly, clearly enjoying herself. "we are. i just freed your fry from being eaten by you. think of it as an act of charity."

he laughed, shaking his head. "charity, she says. tell me, is it a common american custom to nick food and call it philanthropy?"

"oh, definitely." sadie deadpanned, her voice dripping with mock seriousness. "it's in the constitution. right after the bit about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. you'd know that if you paid attention in history class, but i bet british schools only teach about, like, kings and queens."

"and tea." juliette chimed in with a sly smile. "don't forget tea."

romeo groaned, covering his face with his hands. "you two are relentless. for the record, british schools teach plenty of history that isn't about royalty or tea. though i will say, tea is a very noble subject."

"noble?" the sinclair girl repeated with a snort. "you're really leaning into this whole 'posh brit' thing, huh?"

"posh?" the british male blinked, feigning offence. "do i look like the sort of bloke who attends garden parties and sips earl grey with a raised pinky?"

"oh, absolutely." sadie said, grinning wickedly. "i bet you own a monocle and everything."

"a monocle?!" romeo spluttered, laughing so hard he nearly choked on his drink. "you're mad."

juliette, shaking her head but clearly amused, interjected. "ignore her, romeo. sadie's favorite hobby is stirring the pot."

"it's a gift." sadie said with an exaggerated shrug. "and you make it so easy. seriously, though, i need to know — do british people actually say stuff like 'crikey' and 'blimey,' or is that just something americans made up?"

the dark haired male sighed dramatically, leaning back in his chair as though the weight of sadie's teasing was too much to bear. "you're confusing us with australians. but yes, we do say 'blimey' on occasion. i say it sometimes but not all the time, mind you, but some of my mates back home."

sadie's eyes lit up. "oh, this is gold. say it."

"say what?" romeo asked warily.

"blimey. say it in your best british accent."

"you do realize," romeo said, narrowing his eyes at her, "that i am british? everything i say is in a british accent."

"humor me." sadie waved a hand impatiently. "come on. lay it on thick. go full sherlock holmes or something."

romeo rolled his eyes but relented, leaning forward with a deliberately exaggerated expression. "blimey, sadie, you're absolutely insufferable."

juliette burst into laughter, nearly knocking over her water bottle. even ashido, usually more reserved, was giggling quietly into her hand.

the redhead drama girl clapped her hands together. "oh, that was perfect. you sounded like you stepped out of a victorian novel. i'm keeping you around just for that."

"how kind of you."  replied dryly. "and here i thought juliette was the one inviting me to lunch."

said girl smirked, nudging him with her elbow. "don't worry. sadie's bark is worse than her bite."

"barely." sadie muttered, stealing yet another fry from juliette's tray.

"seriously, sades?" juliette groaned. "can you not?"

"it's called quality control." sadie said with a grin. "you should be thanking me."

romeo shook his head, still grinning as he watched the exchange. he hadn't expected this — a lunch that felt more like sparring with a group of old friends rather than a nerve-wracking attempt to fit in.

"you're a menace." he said, pointing a fry at sadie.

"and proud of it." she replied, raising her drink in a mock toast. "welcome to the table, romeo. you're gonna love it here."

romeo laughed, clinking his water bottle against hers. "cheers to that."

that left sadie howling with laughter, nearly doubling over in her seat. romeo shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips as satsuki giggled and even juliette couldn't hold back her laughter, her shoulders shaking as she tried to stifle it.

"you lot are relentless." the british male muttered, though his tone betrayed amusement rather than irritation.

"oh, don't act so wounded." sadie shot back, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "we're breaking you in. consider it a welcome to paris initiation."

juliette leaned forward, her smile softening as she glanced at romeo. "you're handling it pretty well, though."

romeo met her gaze, realising something with quiet certainty.

she is something worth staying for.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

NALANI SPEAKS  !

—  okay i realised two things. one, i hate this chapter. idk why. two, there's not a single miraculous character in this chapter LOL. originally, i was gonna introduce adrien and chloe into this chapter but decided against it so next chapter i'll introduce them! next chapter is probably gonna be romeo's perspective, but i don't know yet. this story could technically become an original story istg. hope you all still like this shit show LOL.

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