The Case of Juliette Gilmore

Chapter 5

On a sunny, and uncharacteristically warm for October, Saturday morning, Lauren Andrews and James Seymour were sitting in a quaint coffee shop in Hartford. A little family-owned establishment with flowers on all the window panes and the most aromatic smell of apple pie wafting from the small kitchenette. For a not-date, it was a pretty romantic spot to go.

It would be more romantic if in the corner there wasn't Juliette Gilmore and Charles Morelli in very terrible disguises, obviously stalking their friends not-date.

"You look like a founding father." Charles whispers in Juliette's ear, flicking the fake and ostentatious moustache that she had stuck under nose. "Well there is no way in hell you would be able to grow a moustache so I am saving you from embarrassment Albert Einstein." Juliette tugs at his grey wig in retaliation.

It's a surprise to both of the spying friends that they hadn't been spotted the moment they sat down, but Lauren and James were stuck in their own little world, completely hitting it off. And Juliette loved it!

"I bet you 10 buck that Lauren will get over Tristan and fall for James." Charles looks at his counterpart incredulously, "You reckon that Lauren is going to get over a crush she had had for years, for some jock? I am taking those odds, my boy Tristan is suave."

Juliette rolls her eyes, "He may be suave when he wants to be, but he's still an idiot. James is clearly the full package." The two do a high-five fist bump combination to seal the deal to their bet. A bet that Lauren would kill them for if she ever found out.

"Are you kidding me Lala!" Juliette widens her eyes at the drink that is placed in front of her friend. A plain black coffee. Charles hits his forehead slightly, "That is definitely not a romantic drink."

Juliette shakes her head in exasperation, "Would it have killed her to get something with whipped cream on it so that James could romantically wipe it off her face? It's as if we have taught her nothing!"

The two quickly duck behind their very large menus when Lauren's head tilts in their direction. Not quite sure what their friend would do if she saw them spying on her not-date.

"Give it another 5 seconds and then we peek over and see if she is still looking." Juliette nods at Charles, "Ever heard of a breath mint babe?" Charles pouts. "You are mean and cruel Gilmore." To which Juliette responds with a cheeky smile and a wink, making sure the boy knows she's just teasing. The two of them risking a glance over, and, to both of their relief, they spot the blonde girl tilting her head back in laughter, her straight white teeth sparkling in the light.

"Look at James' face, is that not the most lovey dovey gooey face ever!" Charles looks at the broader brunette boy, taking note of the infatuated expression. "I feel bad for the boy, if Lauren Andrews decides that she is going to seduce you, there is not a chance of survival." Jules nods in agreement.

Their bombshell friend has been known to leave a trail of boys following her. With her classic and timeless beauty it's not hard to see why. But what really reels the boys in is Lauren's special ability to figure out exactly what they need to hear. She can get in the heads of her victims better than anyone Juliette knows. A trick that she picked up from her mother, a powerhouse of a lawyer, and personal icon of Juliette's.

This ability of Lauren's is how the two become friends with her in the first place. While Charles and Juliette had been friends since meeting in Kindergarten, Juliette met Lauren in 5th Grade. It was an awkward time for Juliette. On the cusp of puberty, she wasn't very coordinated. Her dance abilities had not yet transferred into her regular life. 

Because of this she was always picked last for team sports at school. One day, stupid Ryan McMellor made some comment to Juliette about how she should just fake an injury to save herself the embarrassment. Lauren had overheard and asked the teacher if she could be one of the team leaders for their game of dodgeball. To the surprise of awkward and gangly Juliette (and the surprise of the rest of the class) Lauren picked Juliette first, with so much confidence in her voice that for a split second Juliette thought that she would be good at sports. During the game, Lauren threw her dodgeball so hard at Ryan's most sensitive area that he had to go to the nurse. Juliette went up to Lauren after the game, and a little bit fearful of the girl. "Why did you do that for me?" Juliette had asked the ironically angelic looking girl and Lauren had shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Because my mother taught me to never let a boy walk over me, and I couldn't let him walk all over you either." From that day on, the two girls were fast friends, Charles took an immediate liking to the girl when he heard what had happened in physical education.