juliet swan could barely recall a day in her life where she wasn't connected to the hip of her best friend, leah clearwater. life was simple, repetitive, and quiet-just the way juliet liked it.
when her distant twin sister bella moves to forks at th...
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Sound didn't travel easily inside Olympic Books and Bakery. The low ceilings combined with the tightly packed, closely spaced bookshelves led to a nearly soundproof bakery-something that helped when the kitchen was a little loud, though that was usually before many customers were in the store. The rain beat down on the small bookstore, the windows dotted around the walls shook lightly from the impact of the large water drops. Despite sound not carrying easily, the distinct voices of Jared Cameron and Paul Lahote floated from the front of the store, near the bargin shelves, all the way to the back, where Juliet Swan sat.
Perched on a metal stool behind a wooden counter, Juliet leaned forward on her elbows, eyes slowly scanning the words on the pages before her. The bright blue cover of The Great Gatsby shone brightly against the mostly dark wood interior of the store, though Juliet's lighter clothes also stood out in her little corner. She could clearly hear Paul and Jared, though chose to ignore them in favor of reading. It wasn't long, disappointingly, until they'd made their way too close for her to ignore. She set down her book, careful to not fold the page corner too hard before shutting it. When she looked up, Jared and Paul were pushing each other, moving out of a row of shelves and into the open bakery area. Letting out a small breath, she put on a small smile.
"Hey Julie." Jared said, leaning against the counter. Paul was too busy staring at the menu to greet her.
"Hey guys." Despite everything she wanted, Juliet couldn't hate Jared or Paul. They hadn't really done anything, just stuck up for their best friend-just like she'd done for Leah. That, however, didn't mean they were anything close to friends anymore. "What can I get you?"
"From the bakery?" Jared asked, and Juliet waved her hand as a yes. "Oh, nothing, I'm good." Jared shrugged. "But I need a book for school. Some poetry bullshit." She held back a sigh.
"You mean Shakespeare?" She asked, and Jared snapped his fingers.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Three of em."
"Do you know which one?" She raised her eyebrows. Of course, she already knew as she'd gotten Leah her book, but she couldn't help but tease the two of them.
"Uh..." Jared trailed off. After a moment, he reached over and smacked Paul.
"Ow! What the hell, man?" Paul huffed, pushing Jared.
"What's that book we need for class?" Jared questioned.
"Dunno." Paul crossed his arms over his chest and Juliet rolled her eyes, shaking her head lightly.
"You need Romeo and Juliet." She huffed, pushing her stool back and sliding off. "And it's a play, not poetry."
"Hey, were you named after this thing?" Paul asked, slinging an arm over Jared's shoulders as the pair followed Juliet down a row of shelves.
"Probably." Juliet didn't turn back to look at them, instead turning a sharp corner and stopping. She pulled three copies off the shelf and turned around. "You paying me today or what?"
"How about Friday?" Jared suggested. Juliet sighed, holding the books out. "You're the best, Julie."
"Just don't forget to pay me." She sighed. "Otherwise you'll owe me double."
"You go it." Jared smiled. "Thanks!" Paul began to pull him out, wanting to get back home.
"Thanks Jules!" Juliet sighed, making her way back to her cozy bakery corner, Paul's words hanging in her mind. Quiet music played over the radio, some random Seattle station that she was lucky enough to get reception for. Glancing up at the clock, she realized it was almost time to close up. That also meant her dad was likely home, Bella by his side.
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The sun had long settled under the horizon line when Juliet pulled up to the house. Her dad's police cruiser sat in the gravel parking spot next to the road, while the two car driveway now held an old, faded red truck and an empty space for Juliet's own truck. Nothing like Bella's, Juliet's small, yellow and white Ford Bronco could've easily fit between Bella's truck and the road, if the sidewalk wasn't there. Charlie had insisted on a truck, for when it rained or snowed a lot, and Juliet didn't mind. It was better than the cruiser, at least.
The porch, entry, kitchen, and living room lights were the only ones on when Juliet entered the house, though that was the way it usually was. She shrugged off her coat and boots before peaking into the living room. Unsurprisingly, Charlie was on the couch with take out, a beer, and a Seahawks game on tv.
"Hey dad." She said lightly, walking over and leaning on the back of the chair.
"Hey Jules." Charlie's eyes didn't leave the tv. "How was work?"
"Good." She shrugged. "What'd you order?"
"Pizza, other half's in the kitchen." He waved his hand absentmindedly, the beer swishing around but not spilling. "Bella's upstairs, she's sleeping though."
"Alright." Juliet made her was into the kitchen. Sure enough, the white pizza box was sitting half open on the stovetop, a beer bottle top next to it on the counter. She put a few pieces in the microwave before getting into the fridge. Her six-pack of iced tea sat buried in the back, and she slid one out and into her sweatshirt pocket. A few minutes later, she called down a goodnight to Charlie as she walked up the stairs, the old wood creaking slightly as she went. She placed her food and drink inside, ducking out to grab an extra hair tie from the bathroom when she realized that Bella's door was open. Bella stepped out of the bathroom a few moments later, also stopping at the sight of her sister. It had been nearly a year since they'd seen or talked to each other, not like that wasn't common.
"Hey, Bella." Juliet's voice was light, as she tried to mask her surprise.
"Oh, uh, hi Juliet." Bella moved over to her bedroom door, now looking a little more comfortable.
"Welcome home." Juliet didn't really think about what she was saying, but she knew if Charlie heard, he'd probably think they were getting along.
"Thanks." Bella nodded. They looked at each other for a few more moments before Bella stepped back, shutting her door softly. Juliet didn't waste time, getting what she needed and ducking back into her bedroom. She turned on her pc before starting to put up her hair, flicking on her lights and small space heater. Just before she could turn on music, her computer was fully on. She typed her password quickly before moving away-though she didn't get far. Almost as if it was schedule, just as her computer logged in, Instant Messenger dinged, a new message.
