His second attempt to make successful contact with the young female didn't go exactly as he hoped either.

His friends tried to give advice.

"Stay away from her. She's probably got cooties." Ian James warned him. Romeo shook his head.

"She doesn't have cooties."

"Cooties or no cooties stay away from her. Her best friend is Ivy Collins and she's trouble. You don't want to mess with her." Connor Harris still had a bruise on his nose from the basketball.

"I'm not going to talk to Ivy. Even if I do it's not like I'm going to say anything stupid to make her mad." Romeo told his group of friends.

His best friend crossed his arms. "I say just go for it."

"But what if I run off again?"

"You don't want to run off again so you won't, right?" Anthony said.

"Are you going to do it or not?" Jason Parker whined. Romeo decided to take Anthony's advice and to just go for it. It wasn't like his other friends were giving out great advice.

Recess was nearly over when he approached her for the second time. She was reading the same book and sitting by herself in the same spot. The loud girl glanced in their direction and glared at him, protectively.

"Hi, Juliet." He said. She looked up and smiled. Her face seemed to light up with energy and happiness at the sight of him.

"Hey it's you! Romeo, right?" She smiled that same sweet and innocent smile as the day before.

"Yeah that's me. So how's your book?" Romeo asked. Juliet seemed to light up even more at the mention of the book.

"It's great! I love it. It's one of my favorites. I must have read it five times already." She laughed a little.

Unfortunately the teacher blew the whistle signaling it was time to go inside. Juliet frowned.

"I guess it's time to go in. I'll see you around, Romeo." She said sadly, expecting him to run in with his friends. She started walking.

"Wait! Let me walk in with you." Romeo valid his hands into his pockets and blushed, somewhat shyly. Juliet perked up.

"Okay!" It was clear that Juliet liked Romeo. Not too many people cared to talk to her and yet he did. She thought he was nice.

The two walked in together. After recess was a sort of quiet time break. It was an attempt to get kids to calm down after lunch and recess. They were allowed to socialize but had to be quiet. Most kids colored or read a book at this time.

Romeo decided to sit next to Juliet instead of with his regular friends. The two took out crayons and their notebooks and began doodling.

"So do you have any siblings?" Juliet asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Nope, I'm a an only child. It's just me, my mom, and my dad. My uncle visits a lot too but he's obviously not a kid. Do you?"

"Yep! I have an older brother. He's actually a third grader!" Juliet said in a way that made it sound like being third grader was much more mature and impressive than being second grader. "And I have a little sister who doesn't go to school yet. She goes to day care. And I have my mom and my dad." She looked down slightly. "Mom and dad aren't doing to well lately. They always seem mad at each other." She quickly perked up, not wanting to bring Romeo's spirits down.

"But they love each other. Mom keeps telling me that. She says that all couples fight and that the romance is still alive. So what are you drawing?" Juliet peered over to his desk and peeked.

It was a picture of a girl on some grass. It wasn't a beautiful piece of art seeing as Romeo was only a second grader but it was recognizable at least. Romeo covered up his paper.

"It's nothing." He mumbled, his face feeling quite warm.

"That looks like me! I have to say you're a lot better at this than I am." Juliet giggled.

A couple of Romeo's friends glared at the two of them from across the room. They were mad that Romeo want to spend break with her instead of them.

"Let me see yours. You got to see mine." Romeo glanced at Juliet's notebook. She slid it over to him so he could see better.

She didn't have much on the paper yet. She had written the word friends at the top. She had drawn a red haired stick girl holding a orange ball. It was loud girl. She had drawn herself next to loud girl and was in the middle of drawing a brown haired boy in red.

"That's you." Juliet pointed at the boy stick figure. Romeo smiled. She already thought of him as a friend.

"I like it." He smiled at her. "So what's your favorite color?" Romeo asked, trying to make conversation.

"Blue, like the sky and the ocean."

"And your eyes." Romeo said. She laughed.

"Yep. What's yours?"

"Red like uh...-"

Juliet interjected. "Ivy's hair!" She laughed.

"Who's Ivy?" Romeo asked. There were a lot of kids in their second grade class seeing as there were only two second grade classes so he didn't know everyone.

"She's my best friend." Juliet pointed at a girl across the room. She had red hair and was wearing a green jacket. She was in time out it looked like.

"Oh her! What did she do?" Romeo asked referring to the fact that she looked to be in trouble. The red head had her arms crossed and was glaring in Romeo's direction. He gulped.

Juliet shrugged. "I don't know. I was talking to you, but she often has a knack of getting herself in trouble." She turned the conversation back to colors. "My mom says that red is the color of love, did you know?"

Romeo nodded. "I've heard that. It's also the color of anger and war. You know, like blood." He pointed out. Julie nodded. She seemed to really like talking to him. Romeo beamed.

Connor had had enough. He stormed over to the two. He balled his hands into fists.

"Pfft, what a stupid drawing." Connor said as he grabbed Juliet's picture. He crumpled it into a ball and tossed it at Juliet's head. It bounced off. If looks could kill then Juliet would have murdered Connor right there with the unreserved glare she was giving him. She didn't say anything but went to pick up her crumpled picture.

"Hey, Connor, be nice. What's wrong with you?" Romeo didn't understand his friend's actions.

"Why are you hanging out with a dork like her? She's just some dumb girl." Connor spat.

Romeo could see Juliet swell with anger. Her face became redder, her beautiful blue eyes narrowed, and she balled her hands into fists. Juliet stood up to be at the same height as Connor.

"Do you have a problem with me? Last time I checked it was nature that did that," She pointed at Connor's face. "To you and not me. So what's up your butt?" She almost smirked.

"Why are you such a loser?" Connor hissed. "And why are you hanging out with such a loser, Romeo?"

Romeo was torn. His friend and Julie were arguing. Connor was being a jerk for some reason.

"Wow, let's just calm down." Romeo told the two but Juliet ignored him and continued.

"You're being a jerk right now. I know people say to be yourself but in your case it's horrible advice." Julie put her hands on her hips.

Connor stuck out his tongue like the mature second grade he was.

"You know my dad says there's a word for girls like you-" Connor was interrupted.

"Juliet, Connor, break it up. This is supposed to be a quiet time. I do not want a disturbance in my class. Connor, please sit down in your seat." Ms. Emily pointed to Connor's desk across the room. Connor stomped over to his desk, his face red with annoyance.

"Now Romeo and Juliet," Ms. Emily laughed as she said their names. Juliet shared a look with Romeo. Was there something funny about their names? "Please calm down and take your seats. Quiet time is over."

Romeo gave Juliet a disappointed look which she reciprocated as he went to sit in his real seat. Ms. Emily started to teach math.