3
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Juliet blinked her eyes open. As she stared at the bright sun she started to cry. The tears flowed down her cheeks, 'Andre...Why did I have to die? I was going to tell him that I liked him. Now it's too late. Why was I so slow to realize it? I hate this stupid curse!'
“Get up you bloody girl!” A voice screamed from the door. A loud banging on the door made her jump. The door swung open and Juliet sat up trying to wipe the tears from her eyes as a strange lady with wings walked into the room. The lady stared at her for a moment, “Why are you crying? Did you have that nightmare again?”
Juliet just nodded she wasn't sure who the lady was just yet but she didn't want to do anything wrong to throw her off.
The lady grabbed for Juliet and hugged her, “It's okay Mommy's here!” She kept squeezing her for a moment and then stopped. “What's wrong? Normally when I say I'm your mom you scream at me.”
Juliet went right into acting mode a small memory of pushing this lady flooded into her brain, “The only reason I didn't is because I was too busy being suffocated by your breast!” she snapped.
“Ah, that's more like it. Now come on, sheer up and go make your stepmommy some tea,” the lady told her smiling.
Juliet climbed out of the bed trying to push her thoughts of Andre out of her mind for now. It was too late for her to do anything about it anyways. She was in her new life and she had to go on with it. She left the room and headed for the kitchen knowing somehow already where it was. Small basic knowledge of this life flowed to her slowly. She didn't know her real father but she had the image of her mother. She was a spring fairy...for a moment she stopped moving and looked at her back. There 2 pale purple wings trailed behind her, it made her smile for a moment. More thought flowed in as she set water to boil. The lady was her self adopted stepmother. She was a space witch and she was kind to Juliet except for the moments when her temper was high. A picture of a girl flashed into her head. “Carmen,” she mumbled knowing the girl's name. The girl was her only friend. “Carmen,” she mumbled again as she poured the glass of tea.
Her stepmother came into the kitchen, “Oh yes Carmen. Are you going to her house today?” Juliet wasn't sure where she lived yet but she nodded. “Would you pick you some fish eyes while you’re heading through the market for me please?”
Juliet handed her the glass of tea, “Sure Jasmine. I'm going to go clean up and I'll be leaving.”
Jasmine sighed, “Can't you at least call me mommy every once in a while.”
“I'll never call you mom,” Juliet mumbled as she left the room.
After an hour of struggling to change with the difficulty of wings and then another hour of figuring out how to fly, Juliet tumbled through her landing in front of Carmen's house. She stood up and dusted herself off, 'God I must look horrible. I don't think I'm ever going to learn how to land.' She pulled a twig from her hair and just as she was about to know the door swung open and a cute blond boy ran right into her fist. He stumbled back holding his nose.
“Bloody Hell! What was that for Juliet?!” He screamed as he looked up at her. He stared at her for a moment silently as his hand slid from his nose, “You look....familiar...”
“Well duh! You see her every time she comes over!” A voice mocked as Carmen appeared, “Hey Julie! Ignore Beau. He's been a pain all morning. Come on I was waiting for you we have soooo much to talk about.”
Juliet followed Carmen inside. She glanced back over her shoulder as she walked looking back at Beau who was still staring at her as a bit of blood dripped from his nose. Carmen led her upstairs, “So talk!”
“Uh...about what?” Juliet asked confused. She had no idea what Carmen meant but Carmen just kept staring at her waiting for her to say something.
Carmen stood up, “Oh come on I know something is up. You obviously couldn't cover up the tear lines on your cheeks so I know you've been crying. Plus your eyes are bright green instead of purple. Plus you hate blue but you’re wearing it. What is going on?”
“Oh uh...” Juliet mumbled. She was screwed now, 'How am I going to explain myself I can't...I can't even tell her anything...what am I going to do?'
Carmen stared at her impatiently, “So tell me! What is his name? Is he cute?”
“Huh?” Juliet stared at her, 'She must think I'm in love so I'm changing my appearance...' Suddenly a picture of Andre popped into her mind and she felt a tear come to her eye.
“Oh don't tell me. You asked him out already and he turned you down,” Carmen said.
Juliet shook her head, “No. He told me he liked me. I never got to tell him it back. He got killed.”
“Oh no! My poor Juliet, your first love!” Carmen said and wrapped her arms around Juliet. Juliet let her tears poor out onto her friend's shoulder.
There was a knock on the door and the door opened, “Hey Carmen. Mom wants you....what's going on?”
“Tell her I'm busy. Juliet's in pain. She lost her first love,” Carmen told Beau, who was staring at Juliet.
Juliet shook her head and pushed the tears from her eyes, “No it's okay. I need to get going anyways I have to get somethings from the market.”
“Are you sure?” Carmen asked looking at Juliet. Juliet nodded. “Okay if you're sure but if you need me you just come back okay?” Carmen headed out of the room. As she passed Beau she whispered, “Be nice to her say something.” She left to go find her mom.
Juliet gathered herself together and stood up. She could feel Beau's eyes on her and she looked up at him. “I'm sorry...about your boyfriend I mean,” Beau mumbled and looked down. “I know kind of what it's like. I just lost a girl I thought I was in love with. She got hit with a truck.” He looked back up at her, “You reminded me of her when I saw you at the door. You even have the same name, but...you can't be her.”
Juliet stared at him silently. Something about his story something about what he said got her thinking but she couldn't figure out about what it was. “I'm sorry for you too, but I must be going it was nice seeing you again Beau.” She walked past him and headed out the door. The sun glared in her eyes as she headed to the market.
Juliet walked slowly into the market. She hated having to walk through markets, just the thought of getting into some big accident frightened her. Still she had told her stepmother that she would get the fish eyes and she hated going back on her word to anyone. She walked carefully trying not to b ump into anyone. Her eyes shined at all the booths in the market. She loved all the different colors and odds and ends. Even the people who passed her were amazing. Everyone was wearing bright clothes everywhere was unique and yet no one cared. Human, nekos, angels, fairies, everyone was walking together as if they were all the same. It was a sight to be seen. She passed by a fortune telling stall and suddenly heard someone scream. A little girl about 5 or 6 came running out she looked around quickly in a shock when she saw Juliet and ran to her and grabbed her arm, “Come with me quickly.” Without another word the girl dragged Juliet back to the tent and pushed her inside.
Inside the tent Juliet stared at the only thing in the room, a piece of a stone wall with a girl sitting against it. The girl held at her arm, “It's you! The one far older then she appears destined to repeat life till her love is found.” Juliet took a step back away from the girl. She couldn't say anything. She knew if she did she would lose her voice and she couldn't give away the curse.
“Don't worry child I will not harm you. I am here to warn you. You shall miss your chance if you are not careful. You will miss your love. Like you I too have a curse but for mine I can not move from this wall until my love finds me,” the girl said. “You must realize your love or they too will have my curse then you shall never find them.”
“What? How am I supposed to find a love? Every time I like someone I die!” She could feel her voice about to close off so she changed her words, “How am I suppose to meet a guy to love before he becomes in danger?”
The girl smiled, “The boy is like both of us already, but different. Unlike us he doesn't keep any appearances or namesake, instead he keeps full memories. He is full of them and yet empty. He completely becomes a new person but his soul is the same. He has only the memories he made and yet none of his own. He has to start blank and fresh only his age remains the same for eternity.” The girl paused and looked around, “I have said too much you must go now. Remember he retains all of his or her memories, find your love and he will remember you forever. Find him and you will break his and your own curse.”
Juliet ran out of the tent quickly. She headed straight home her mind full of worry. No one had ever talked to her about the curse. She had never known anyone else with a curse. Her mind was full of questions and yet she couldn't find any answers. She couldn't find anything but more questions.
4
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Juliet stumbled into her home and slammed the door behind her. She was dripping with sweat. The girl's words had frightened and yet amazed her. The thought of there actually being an ending to her curse made her exciting but it sounded so impossible. What if she did not find the guy in time? What if he became like the girl? Would she ever find him? What if it wasn't a guy at all? The girl said her love never kept the same appearance, will she know him? Has she already met him? She tried to think of all the people she has met in every life she has had. Pictures, images, of so many people flashed so fast through her mind. As the images flickered in her head she saw a bright glow. She struggled to search her mind for that glow. As she got closer the image became focused and steady. It was Andre, he was the first one she had ever been fully in touch the first she actually was in love with but was afraid to love.
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. “I said did you bring the fish eggs?” Her stepmother asked standing next to her. “Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost.”
Juliet sighed and tried to relax, “I’m fine. I just need to catch my...oh no...I'm so sorry I forgot the eggs. I'll go back right now.” She turned around and pulled open the door.
“Don't worry it can wait till tomorrow. You just go get some rest,” Jasmine said. Juliet stared at her for a moment to be sure she was serious. Her stepmother wasn't usually this nice to her. “I'm not kidding. It's no fun to pick on you when you're stressed. So go, get better so I can smother you in my breast.”
Juliet tried to hide her giggle and headed to her room. She gathered her clothes and headed to the bathroom. After fiddling with the water temperature she climbed into the bath tub and let her body relax in the warmth. Juliet slowly felt the tension in her muscles relax and her mind dissolve away. Slowly and steady her thoughts cleared and she was able to think slowly. 'If my love was really Andre then maybe he died along with me. Maybe since he has a curse too he got reborn as someone in this time. But how can I find him? The girl just said that he keeps his memories. I'd need telekinesis to search everyone's memories till someone remembers someone like me. But she said it could be a girl or a guy...wait someone like me...' Suddenly Beau's rambling words slid into her brain. 'She got hit with a truck.....you even have the same name. When I died I was hit by a truck,' Juliet thought to herself.
She sat up in the tub, “But Andre and Beau are nothing alike.” Her voice was low but it echoed in the bathroom. She put her hand over her mouth and lend back in the tub trying to remember things about Beau and Andre. 'Beau has always been nice and sweet but in a different way then Andre. Andre was flirty and not afraid to be truthful even if it caused someone pain.' Suddenly she remembered Carmen's words at the door, 'He's been a pain all morning...... What if Beau was just being a pain because it was really Andre freaking out about where he was?' She got up and climbed out of the tub, “I have to go see Beau tomorrow. If he really is Andre I can't waste time....I just hope he's still the same guy inside....” She dried herself off slowly trying not to think about what she would do if Beau was really Andre. She got dressed and a slight blush rose to her cheeks, 'I probably shouldn't be thinking about guys when I'm standing here naked.'
Once she finally got dressed for bed she walked back to her room. She saw her stepmother peeking down the hall at her. When her stepmother noticed she had been seen she ducked behind a wall. Juliet sighed and went to her room. She climbed into her bed and closed her eyes trying to get some sleep.
Juliet jumped from her bed, shaking from her dream. She had seen herself with Beau. She had found out he was Andre and suddenly out of no where the same truck that had hit them before ran into them again. She tried to slow her breathing and relax, “It was only a dream...just a dream...” Somehow she still couldn't convince herself. She hurried to get dressed scrambling all over her room trying to find the perfect outfit. She wanted to look good just in case Beau was really Andre. Her dream flashed into her head again, 'I have to be careful. I really don't want to lose him again.' She got dressed and pulled her hair up into pigtails and looked in the mirror. She frowned, 'Is he still going to like me? I'm now almost 5 years younger then him. What if he doesn't still like me? What if....' She shook her head, 'No only good thoughts I have to at least try.' She smiled at herself in the mirror, “Let's do this Juliet. You can do this.”
She opened her bedroom door to leave and her stepmother was standing there in front of her door. Her eyes were red and she had bags under her eyes, “Good morning Juliet.” Juliet stared at her for a moment confused. Jasmine quickly wrapped her arms around Juliet, “You know I love you right? I really do love you even when I seem mean and unfair I still love you, just as if you were really my daughter.” Juliet was even more confused. She was shocked when Jasmine let go of her, Jasmine was crying.
“It's okay Jasmine. I know, why don't you go get some sleep, you look tired. I'm going to go to the market to go get your fish eggs,” Juliet said.
Jasmine stared in shock, “No! Don't go to the market! Promise me you won't go near the market....please just promise me...”
Juliet was started to get afraid, Jasmine was a wreck and she seemed to be going crazy. “Okay I won't go to the market but I have to go to Carmen's house. You get some sleep and I promise I'll be back by the time you wake up.”
“Okay, be careful please Juliet,” Jasmine said heading to her room.
“I will, goodbye,” Juliet said and waved to her stepmother as she headed for the front door hoping that Jasmine would be okay till she got home.
Juliet headed out the front door to go to Carmen's house. She flapped her wings slowly making sure she was steady as they lifted her off the ground. She leaned forward and she sped off. She flew through the clouds freely, her body floating on the air. She pulled her arms against her body and she sped off faster, the wind rushing around her. As she neared Carmen and Beau's house she let her arms out and headed towards the ground, silently praying she wouldn't break a leg trying to land.
She tumbled into a ball as she rolled through the dirt, stopping only when she rolled into Carmen’s front door. The door swung open and she fell inside with an oof. She sat there for a minute silently, waiting to make sure all of her body parts were still responding. She finally moved and sat up a pair of legs were right in front of her face. She looked up and saw Beau’s smiling face and her face turned bright red as she scrambled to pull the leaves from her hair.
“Hello Juliet,” Beau said holding out his hand to help her up. Juliet took his hand and stood up. She could feel how close their bodies were and it made her brush more as she looked up at him. “Carmen’s in her room. I don’t think she was expecting you to come by today,” Beau said taking a step back from Juliet to give her some space.
“Act…actually…I wanted to talk to you,” Juliet mumbled out. She couldn’t believe she was so nervous just to talk to a guy. She took a deep breath, “I want to talk to you about what you said yesterday.”
“Oh, I was kind of on my way out…but you’re welcome to join me if you want to,” Beau offered. Juliet nodded and they left the house. She felt nervous as she walked by him but she had to talk to him she needed to find out if he was the one who could break her curse. Beau slowed down his walking, “So what did you want to talk to me about?”
“Well I can’t go into detail too much but…well have you ever been called Andre?” Juliet muttered it out so fast she wasn’t sure he would even understand her.
Beau stopped walking though. He completely froze, “How do you know that name? Who told you that? Is this some kind of joke?”
“No I’m Juliet…” she said looking him in the eyes.
Beau looked away, “Stop messing with me. I know your name, I know you’re my sist…”
“No Andre…I’m Juliet…”
“Stop calling me that!” Beau swung his arm around and hit Juliet across the face. She slide to the floor crying the tears pouring from her eyes. “Oh god I’m so sorry. Juliet I didn’t mean to do…” She looked up at him and he stopped. “Oh god it is you. I’ve made you cry again.”
Beau wrapped his arms around her, “Oh god I thought I’d lost you.”
“You’ll never lose me,” Juliet mumbled. She knew she probably looked horrible sitting on the ground, her leave covered in leaves and her face soaked but she still pulled away from him slightly so she could face him. She leaned forward ever so slowly to kiss him softly. They melted together into the kiss and for the longest of moments the world stopped.
When Beau pulled away he looked at Juliet, “But how I thought you…I mean you’re not even a vampire anymore and somehow Carmen’s known you forever.”
“I…I can’t talk about it, but there is something I have to tell you before anything happens. Something I never got to say before we got hit. I lik…..” A loud honk interrupted her and she glanced up finally realizing exactly where they had walked to. They were in the middle of the market, and a blue truck was driving right at them. Juliet looked at Beau and reached for him but other people running from the truck ran through them and she missed his grasp as the truck’s shiny grill ran into her head. She knew even before the metal touched her head she was dead. She knew she would have to awake again and hope she could find Andre all over again.
