Mr. Linden’s Library

Talk about making your story come to life. I’m now stuck in William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. I have no idea how I’m going to get home or explain to mom why I was late to dinner. How’d I even get here? My thoughts are racing a mile per second. I should calm down and retrace my steps. What did I do before I got here? It’s all such a blur.
Everyone’s carrying guns in holsters instead of swords driving in cars instead of riding on horses. It’s clear that I’m in the modern day version of Romeo & Juliet so there’s phones and Leonardo DiCaprio playing Romeo. I have no idea what my role is in this book right now, but I just need to find a pay phone maybe I can call my house and leave a voicemail.
“Ma’am. Thou needeth help?” A man extended his hand to help me out of the bush I was hiding in.
“Oh no. Just chilling.” I replied back trying to ease the awkwardness of the moment, but in return he gave me a puzzled look like I was speaking gibberish and slowly backed away. I stood up wiped off my dress and went the opposite way.

“Hi sir, do you know where’s the nearest pay phone?” I ask, but he looks at me as if I’m speaking another language. So I say it again in a more Shakespeare way. “Thou knoweth where a pay phone is?” and with that he smiles and points his finger to the right.
As I’m walking down the street I feel everyone looking at me almost as if their admiring me. I smile, of course ,because my mom raised me with manners and continue on my way until I get yanked by an old woman reeking of rose petal perfume and a pound of makeup on her face. “Juliet! Your mother has been looking everywhere for you! You must get in the car at once.” She said in a thick accent. Before I could protest she tossed me into the car.
“I’m Juliet?” I mumbled to myself and paused. “I thought she’d be treated way nicer than this.”
Before I know it we’re in front of a champagne colored mansion, vines growing up the side of it and bodyguards standing in front.
“Come, Juliet you must get ready for costume party.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the house.
I immediately begin to think I’m meeting Romeo tonight. “Oh my gosh. Is he going to like me? Of course he will! That’s how the story goes.” I’m answering my own questions and mumbling amongst myself when a woman ever so gracefully, in a robe and face full of make-up, approaches me. She was much prettier with her mouth closed.
“Juliet! Why aren’t you dressed?” Her nagging seemed so familiar like I heard it before. “Are you going to get dressed before or after pigs fly?”
“Mom.” I say without hesitation.
I’ve never seen her with so much make-up.
“How’d she get here? Does she even know it’s me?” I say to myself. Before I can even ask her she glides away to put on her costume and once again I am yanked away in the opposite direction.
I’m put into an angel costume, I would’ve much rather have been an alien, but I don’t have much choice around here. After I get dressed I walk back out into the crowded house. There are people wall to wall in wacky costumes ranging from gladiators to princesses. Everyone in here is at the least thirty years old if not older. I roam the halls admiring the wall art because no one bothers to have a conversation with me.
“Juliet! Juliet!” it’s the same old woman from earlier turns out her name is Marissa and she’s my nanny.
“Yes.” I answer a little more excited than I planned she’s the only human interaction I’ve had all night.
“Your mother wants you to meet someone. He’s very handsome.” She says and finishes with a sly smirk. She grabs my hand and leads me to my mother and the mystery boy.
I begin to think it’s going to be Romeo, but it couldn’t be that’s not how the story goes. Aren’t we sworn enemies how my mom could hook me up the enemies son.
Once we finally approach my mother I see he’s obviously no Leonardo DiCaprio and I think he can see the utter disappointment in my face because he also turns his face up. Not in a way of oh-she’s-not-as-cute-as-I-thought face, but an am-I-not-who-you-were-looking-for face. But I smile and listen to mom brag on and on about his accomplishments wishing that Romeo would swing down from the ceilings and take me away. In the middle of her bragging I excuse myself to the restroom hoping they lose me in the sea of people and can’t see me actually run towards the exit. I begin to put a little more pep in my step and ram directly into a phantom. He has on a mask that covers his eyes, It’s very well crafted if I do say so myself.
“I am so sorry! I’m such a klutz.” The phantom doesn’t say anything, but instead just stares at me. “Thoueth sorry foreth being a klutz.” And once again I receive the same blank stare.

“This guy must speak a different language.” I say under my breath. I open my mouth to speak Spanish, but he shuts me up with a kiss.
“Whoa, you need to calm down; I don’t go around kissing strangers!”
The phantom rips off his mask and it’s Romeo. It is Romeo. We exchange stares for what seemed like forever then he finally speaks.
“I apologize, but you shine like the stars in the midnight sky. I can’t take my eyes off of you like waves can’t refuse to kiss the shore at the beach.”
All I can think is how can a person harbor so many metaphors in their head. He notices the confusion on my face and stops.
“Are you not as thrilled to see me?” he asks concerned.
“Oh yes I am. Just a little thrown off.” I say.
“Thrown off? Off of what?” He says.
“Never mind.” I say.
Once again I’m interrupted by Marissa telling me my mother craves a word with me. What does that even mean? Marissa grabs my hand and we disappear into the sea of people leaving behind Romeo.
“He is a Montague. Your families worst enemies son.” Marissa whispers. She continues her rant, but I can’t seem to take my mind off of Romeo. I spend the rest of the night with mom, Marissa and the boy she was with earlier talking about politics until I just can’t take it anymore.
“I’m going to go to my room. I’m not feeling to well.” I say and roam through the house looking for my room and maybe to catch a glimpse of Romeo again, but sadly I make it to my room first.
“This room is amazing! I have a balcony. Oh, wait that’s the whole point. Balcony scene duh.” I hit my head a little bit like I should’ve had a V8.
Low and behold there is a thud on my window and its Romeo reciting his lines and I love every minute of it. We share our first kiss and it’s magical. I felt butterflies in my stomach and fireworks going off in the distance. I felt like I’d float away if he wasn’t holding on to me. Everything goes according to plan and was nearing the end of the story. Like the end when we die from poison and I freak out.
“I can’t die! I just can’t. I’m only sixteen I have so much more living to do.” I’m pacing around my bedroom contemplating and I finally get an idea. We won’t die.
“Marissa, I need you to deliver a message to Romeo.” I look her straight in the eye.
“Yes, Juliet. What is it?” She can see the concern in my face and sits me down.
“Tell Romeo to come over tonight and bring his family.”
“Miss Juliet. I don’t know. That’s very risky.” She shakes her head and looks down.
“I need you to do this for me. Were solving the old family feud tonight! I mean it. If you don’t I will.”
“Okay.” Marissa looked a little sick to her stomach but she put on her jacket on was out the door.
A few hours later there was a knock on the door. I ran down the stairs and opened it to see Romeo, his mother and father standing there dressed to impress.
“I can’t believe they actually went through with it.” I mumble and direct them to the dining room. After about five hours of debating, food fights, being escorted out only to be brought back in we finally solved the problem. Apparently Grandpa Montagues, ages ago, took Grandpa Capulet’s parking spot for his horse at a local play. Fast forward, Romeo and I got married, no one died and Mercutio was his best man.