Draft Number 2: (Fixed some grammar and plot mistakes. Still pretty rough, but will edit again once Act 2 is finished.)

Warning: Slight language
Side note: I'm trying (very hard) to give them actual chemistry instead of the instant love you see in the original. It's proving to be extremely difficult, but I'm going to keep trying! (Who knows how I'm going to do the later chapters 💀)

Nessa's dark brown eyes bore into Rose's light ones, leaving Julie confused as she walked in with snacks. She set them down on her nightstand and snapped in the space between the two to get their attention. They both drew back, startled and confused. Rosaline wiped her eyes and stood up, eyeing the chips that her friend had just brought in.

Her long black hair swayed as she stood up, leaving Nessa envious. She unconsciously reached up to run her fingers through her own short locs before looking up at Julie.

"What are you two doing?" Julie asked, clearly as bored as them. Rose handed her a chip to which she rejected and sat down. Nessie eyed her suspiciously as she kept checking her phone every few seconds.

"So," she started, stealing Rosaline's snacks. "Who is it?"

"Huh?" Julie asked, looking up from her phone.

"Who have you been texting all night?" She asked again, this time, a smirk was evident on her face.

"Just a friend," she insisted, putting the device down.

"Do I know this person?" Rose asked, sitting on Julie's bed. She motioned for her two friends who were sitting on the floor to join her. "Is it a guy?" She questioned, her voice as enthusiastic as ever.

"It is..." she admitted, grimacing at the thought of her reaction to texting Rowan. "It's not a big deal though! We're just talking."

"Talking, she says."

"It's true!" She yelled. "He gave me his coat, and I forgot to bring it back."

"Sounds romantic," Nessie said simply, taking a large sip of water. "Why the hell did you leave your house without a jacket? Because you were so excited to see him?"

"I just- I forgot."

"It's like ten degrees (Fahrenheit) outside, Jules. How do you forget?" Rosaline asked, not believing a word that was coming out of her mouth. "I think I know who it is."

"You do?!" Julie exclaimed, afraid that Rose actually knew.

"It's Alan, isn't it? But he's kind of a jerk, no? Doesn't seem like your type."

"He's not," she insisted. "I swear, we're just friends."

"Julie went outside in the cold just to see the guy at night yesterday," Jayden said, leaning on the doorway.

"Were you there the whole time?!"

"Maybe," he said, shrugging and walking away. "Tell me if you figure out who the guy is!" he yelled back from his room.

"That was a yes," Nessa clarified. "So, if it's not Alan, then it has to be... Who else could it be?" She pondered, exchanging glances with Rosaline.

Her eyes lit up for a second as she stared at Julie, her mouth gaping in shock.

"It's not Rowan, is it?" she asked. Rose put her chips down, looking at Julie for an answer. Her hesitation spoke volumes, but her friend's reaction wasn't what she expected.

"It makes sense..." Rose started. "He is more of your type. Overly romantic and not to mention, dramatic. I think he also said he wanted to be in the play, but then changed his mind after finding out Jayden was in it. I assumed you two also hated each other." She seemed unfazed about the whole reveal, which confused Julie as she stood up to close the door to prevent her brother from eavesdropping.

"Are you mad?" she whispered, guilt in her voice seeping through. Although she wasn't close to Rowan, she still felt terrible. She'd told her friend's ex that she had ruined him and his reputation.

"I'm not mad!" Rose insisted, shaking her head. "This is great! He might finally stop being upset about us breaking up. Besides, we weren't the best match anyway."

"This is out of character for you, Rose," Nessie stated, gaining the approval of Julie as well, who was still thrown off by her response.

"People can change. But Jules," she began. "He's not a bad guy. He just... he can get a bit too obsessed with love. That's the best way to put it. And now that I think about it, he wasn't my type."

"Gosh, that makes me feel so much better about what I was going to tell you next."

"Wait, what?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

The doorbell rang, and all three of the girl's ears perked up to the sound. As soon as Julie heard the sound of her brother's door opening, she ran out of the room without warning. Jayden recoiled his entire body as he saw his sister sprint down the stairs at lightning speed. She stopped her father from touching the knob and stood in front of it defensively.

"I got it," she said, panting. Mr. Carden walked away with a bewildered expression, shocked at how fast his unathletic daughter had just run.

Julie swung the door open to see Rowan standing there with a small bag. He awkwardly handed it over without a single word. She looked inside to see a few cookies, and she looked back up as if she were asking why.

"I didn't tell my mom where I was going. She said it would have been rude not to bring something. My coat?" he asked again, peering in to see if he could spot it.

"Right, right. But, I think you could use this as an opportunity to talk things out with Jayden. And, Rosaline doesn't completely hate you. She just thought you weren't her type," she stopped herself to look at his surprised face. "I think I should stop talking."

"Sounds like a good idea."

She grabbed the jacket off the hanger and handed it over. He took it and turned around to leave, but then Julie's voice came again.

"Do you like brownies?" She asked, hoping for a response. Rowan spun back, looking at her desperate face.

"A little. Depends on what kind of chocolate you use."

"You like dark chocolate?"

"Always," he responded, his tone serious with a hint of sarcasm.

...

The entire house was silent as everyone was eating their food, not saying a single word. Utensils clattered in the background as Mrs. Carden searched for cups to pour water in. Jayden kept glaring at Rowan every few seconds, as if he was demanding an explanation for showing up out of the blue.

"So..." he started. "How are you guys?" No response. He went back to zoning out while staring at his plate of food, waiting for the silence to end.

"Rowan," Julie started. "Why did you just ghost Jayden? He's been wondering for a while now."

Mrs. Carden slammed a cup of water next to Rowan, while gently placing it down for everyone else. He stuttered for a few moments, looking between Julie and Jayden.

"I was working through some things. I didn't mean to ghost you, then say those things to you afterwards. I just wasn't myself."

"That sounds familiar. Isn't that the excuse you always make when you can't show up to practice?" Jayden asked. "Then I have to deal with that bullshit every single time. Coach still thinks I make excuses for you because we're 'friends'."

"Jayden, it's true. I can't tell you anything else because that's what happened."

"Jules, why is he even here?" He asked his sister who was currently ignoring him.

"Rowan said he's going to join the play!" She randomly exclaimed. "Isn't that great?"

The entire table looked at her as if she had gone mad, including Rowan. He honestly never considered it because it would be just as awkward as it is now. Even the thought of rehearsing with his former best friend made him want to hide and never come out.

"I never said I would. I said I'll consider it."

"Jules, is this because you two like each other?" Rosaline asked. "Honestly, I don't mind, but you could have warned me in advance."

"I was going to! Then he showed up ten minutes early."

"Maybe I should leave," he said, picking up his silverware and other things off the table. Julie pulled him back down to his chair and glared at her brother.

"I need him to join this play," she mouthed to him. He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and looking away from her. She almost groaned out loud to get his attention again, but then Jayden spoke up.

"What kind of things happened?" he asked, giving Rowan a chance for his sister.

"I uh... I saw a few things," he said, looking at the others near him, hesitating. Why don't we talk about this somewhere else?"

"Why can't you just tell me here?"

"It's about that incident," Rowan said, completely silencing him.

Jayden looked at Rowan with shock evident in his eyes. He leaned back to his chair, looking up at the ceiling at a loss for words. Julie couldn't wrap her head around what incident they could be talking about. Why was it so important?

"Were you not expecting me to give you an answer so easily?"

"You should have told me! We could have worked it out," he said, completely ignoring the question Rowan asked.

"You were too busy. You were so excited about being captain that I didn't want to ruin your happiness."

"So you just suffered in silence?"

"Guys!" Julie yelled. "Why don't you take this conversation upstairs?"

"No," Rowan said. "I'll take my leave now. I'll just let your brother think about what I just said. Let him process it for a bit. Besides, I saw his true nature that day."

He shot up from his chair, grabbed the jacket that he came to get, and walked out the door. Jayden ran out to catch up to him, leaving the three girls who were still sitting at the table.

"That went well," Julie assured herself.

"Really, Jules?" Nessie asked her.

"No, you're right..." she admitted. "That took a turn I was not expecting."

...

"What happened with Rowan?" Julie asked her brother, who was getting a glass of water from the faucet near the sink. He shut it off, leaving the house in eerie silence.

"Nothing. Seems like I misunderstood the situation, but it's too late to go back to the way it was. I said some things that I regret, Jules."

He walked away from her, treading up the stairs lightly to try not to wake their parents up. The footsteps stopped for a moment, and he spoke again.

"Just know that I'm worried about you. Be careful. I could never live with the guilt of you getting hurt because I wasn't looking over you." Although she couldn't see his face, she could envision the pain in his eyes.

"I know," she muttered. "You don't have to explain. I should have told you what I was doing the other day."

He mumbled a few more words that she couldn't comprehend before marching into his room and closing the door. Julie sighed as she leaned back onto the counter. She turned back and opened the drawer that she had dreaded seeing all day. An envelope was tucked into the back, purposefully covered with pens, candy, and other junk.

Her father had snuck it in so that she wouldn't be reminded of the condition that haunted her nightmares. She ripped the letter open with caution, careful not to rip the paper inside. Unfolding it with shaky hands, Julie read the note with fear in her eyes.

"I think... Now it's safe to say I have terrible luck."

...

Rowan laid down on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he reviewed the whole conversation he had with Julie's brother. They both did terrible things of their own accord, but now their relationship wasn't as rocky. Which meant he could join the play. But why?

"Ben," he said to the bed next to him. "You think I should join the new play they're putting on?"

"Since when do you like performing?" he asked, sitting up and leaning onto his pillow. He looked at his cousin for an explanation, but just received a blank stare.

"This isn't about Rosaline, is it? Because if it is, I'm going to sleep."

"It's not. I'm done with her." A little white lie. "I wanted to join because it looked fun."

"See, I would never believe that in a million years because the other day you said that your definition of fun was sitting in a corner, scrolling through your phone in silence."

Rowan stayed quiet, making Ben more irritated with every passing second. He couldn't just fall asleep leaving Rowan in a tough spot, unable to decide.

"Stop thinking about this stupid little feud you and Jayden have. What do you want?"

"I want to perform."

"Great. Now sleep on that thought. Good night," he said, hurriedly turning off the lights to go to sleep. Rowan stared at the switched off lights, before finally letting out a small smile.

"I'm going to play Romeo."

...

Julie sniffled from underneath her blankets. She heard a loud ring from the phone on her nightstand and released a hand to grab it. Placing the phone to her ear she called out, "Hello..? Rowan?" Her voice came out small and nasally since she had rubbed her tears away the moment she heard the sound.

"Julie? Are you ok? Is this the wrong time to call you? I mean, it is kind of late so I understand-"

"No, I'm fine," she assured him. "What's up?"

"Can we meet up?"

"Now?" She asked, retracting the device to glance at the time. "It's almost midnight. Besides, I barely know you."

"It's important. I feel like I can't sleep unless I get this off my chest."

"Fine," she groaned, stepping off the bed. "Come to my house. I'll open the backdoor."

"Ok! Also, another tip: Don't let strangers into your house."

"You're technically not a stranger. Not to mention, when did I say I was going to let you inside the house? You can stand in the cold."

He mumbled a few more words before hanging up, leaving Julie all alone in her room again. She collapsed back onto her bed, head throbbing from the migraine she'd given herself. Deep down, she was hoping for anyone to talk to, preferably a stranger. One that wouldn't judge her or ask questions she wasn't willing to answer. But this was Rowan she was thinking about. Rosaline's obsessive ex, or so she said.

In Julie's mind, he didn't seem like a bad person. He was just a normal teenage boy that got a little taste of romance and couldn't handle it.

"What am I thinking about?" She questioned. "Get a grip, Jules."

She flung the sheets off her body, and she hopped up and onto the ground. This time, she grabbed a thick jacket and headed outside. The door to her porch stayed silent as she pushed it open. Rowan's hand waved from behind the fence, getting her attention. Julie slipped her shoes onto her feet to run and open the fence he was standing behind. He had a big smile on his face, but it immediately dropped after seeing her face.

"Your face..." he said, pointing to her. She pulled out her camera to see what he was talking about and was immediately horrified. Her eyes had dark, red puffy circles around them, which clearly showed that she was not okay at the moment.

"Were you crying?" He asked, being careful not to upset her. "Do you need anything?"

"M'fine," she sniffled. "It was a while ago."

He could see though her act as if it were made of glass. She was not fine, in fact, she had just received terrible news. Although Rowan couldn't tell what the reason was, he sympathized with her. He glanced behind her to see the lights still off in the house.

"If it's ok with you, I know something that'll make you feel better."

"Nothing could possibly do that right now. I feel like my life is falling apart, and I can't do anything to stop it," she told him, her drowsiness playing a part in her transparent honesty.

"Let me try. I won't erase what just happened, but it might help you forget for a few moments."

"What do you have in mind?" she interrogated, still wary of him.

"I'll show you," he said, extending a hand for her to take. She took it easily, and he pulled her outside the fence, locking it before guiding her to the car. She raised an eyebrow, but he brushed it off. Julie got in, immediately more relaxed with the warm air inside.

"Now, do you like ice cream?"

"In the middle of winter?" She asked him. He made a fake pout before she broke out into laughter. "Of course, knucklehead."

Before long, they ended up at a street side stall where an old man stood, handing out desserts to anyone who passed by. His silvery-white beard was covered in snow, covering his lips unless he smiled. He spotted Rowan and gave him a big grin.

"It's been a while!" The man yelled out so he would hear. Rowan opened the door to his side and came over to Julie's, opening hers. She reluctantly stepped out and stayed behind him, being cautious of the person she'd never seen before.

"Who's this?" he asked. He also spotted her eyes, and he looked back and forth between Julie and Rowan. "Young lady, what made you upset today?"

"I'd rather not say," she muttered, clutching Rowan's arm for dear life. He noticed her anxiety and grabbed her hand, squeezing it to let her know it was fine.

"I've known him for years," he whispered in her ear. "He's just a guy with a soft spot for people who are having a bad day. I used to come here all the time."

"I don't bite!" he assured her. "I lost my teeth ages ago."

"I'll talk to him for you, if you'd like. But trust me, his ice cream is the best thing you will taste in your entire life."

She just gripped his hand harder, but he started walking to the man, taking Julie with him. As she got closer, she could see that his entire stand had the signatures of hundreds of people.

"If you'd rather not tell me, you should tell him how you feel. Express your sadness if you'd like. He's the best listener I've seen in all the years I've been alive!"

He put on a pair of gloves and grabbed his scoop, reaching into the metal tub to put two dollops of chocolate flavored heaven into a cup. He handed it to Rowan who seemed like he had his hands free. The man looked back at Julie with a soft smile and said, "If you hide your emotions, they won't disappear. Anyway!" He yelled out cheerfully, reverting back to his old self. "Have a good night!"

"Thank you," Julie told him before scurrying off with Rowan. She grabbed one of the spoons in the cup and shoved it into her mouth. As much as she hated to admit it, Rowan was right. This was one of the best things she'd ever tasted. He saw her face and handed her the whole thing.

"Go ahead. I don't need any."

She didn't say a word before grabbing it away from his hands, earning a small laugh from Rowan.

"Don't judge me," she warned him.

"I never said anything."

"You looked like you were going to," she said, waving the spoon at him menacingly.

"Whatever you say," he told her, walking to the car. They both got in and began driving back to Julie's house. She had finished the entire thing, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"I told you so," Rowan said from beside her. "Are you tired?" He asked, noticing her continuous yawns.

"Very." Those were the last words she said before falling asleep on the car seat. He looked back at her sleeping and saw her house show up in the distance. Rowan pulled up to the gate that he walked into and shook Julie awake. She flinched and got up, rubbing her eyes. She looked around for a few moments before realizing where she was.

"Ok well... Thank you for that. Really."

"It's no big deal. You can call me anytime since I bothered you today."

"No, seriously. If you hadn't come today, I probably would have been sobbing into my pillow right now."

"Right. Is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"I'll tell you later," she promised. "Goodbye, Rowan."

"Goodnight, Julie," he said, taking one more look at her before driving off.

In the middle of the drive, Rowan chuckled in disbelief, smiling at his failure.

"I just realized... I came here to tell her something and it seems I've done everything but that. Maybe I'll tell her another day. In case she cries again, I'll- What am I saying? Rowan, get a grip! She's-"

He suddenly became aware that he had no idea what their relationship was. They weren't friends, lovers, or enemies. So, what were they?

Rowan resisted the urge to turn the car around to go and ask Julie himself. He groaned, but kept on his route.

"Another thing I need to figure out. Sounds... delightful."

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-Hershey