"Romeo!" Imogen called out as she walked up the pavement. He's waited infront of the hotel for her, sending Pemberly to pick her up.

"Look at you!" he grinned at her as she did a small spin in her purple dress. "Came to impress, did you?"

"I burnt my neck while curling my hair too." she turned to show off the burn on her neck.

"And forgot to buckle your shoe, you fool." he kneeled down to do it for her, he noticed a little cut on her ankle. "Burnt your neck and cut your ankle? Should I be concerned for your safety?"

"Try shaving your legs with soap in your eye. It's rather difficult." she smiling widely as he stood up. "How many people are in there?"

"Eh, a few. But, they won't talk to us." he held his arm out. "Shall we?"

Imogen linked their arms, walking through the hotel doors. It was different without the multi colour lights from Harry's party. It seemed a bit older, almost vintage like. The chandelier was lower then usual, the floors polished. "It reminds me of Clue."

"Yeah, we like to murder someone once a month and let our guest figure out which of us did it." Romeo confirmed, leaning in a little closer to her to say it.

"Oh, am I the lucky contestant of the evening?" she faked a small gasp, her free hand placed on her heart.

"Did I blow my cover that easily?" he gave a worried look. "It was suppose to be a surprise."

Imogen had to laugh as they made it in the dining room together. She looked over when she heard a man speaking Spanish. "That's your Dad isn't it?"

"How'd you know?" he lead her farther away from the business call.

"I remember his face from one of the rugby games." he nodded her head. "Do you speak Spanish too?"

"Mmmm..." he trailed off, wincing slightly. "Solo un poco, Hermosa."

She faked a gasp. "Are you gonna tell me what you said?"

Romeo pretended to think, shaking his head at her.

"When you said girl I figured Elle." the sound of his mothers voice rung as Romeo looked back to see her walking their way. "But you are not Elle."

"This is Imogen." Romeo cleared his throat. While his Mum meant well and was a very kind person, she didn't realize that how comfortable she was with others could come off a bit uncomfortable. "From the school across the street from mine."

"Thank you for inviting me!" Imogen was cheerful, more then she needed to be. "And for all of Pemberlys ride he's given me after school. My legs thank you the most."

It made Lana laugh loudly as Imogen did the same. Romeos eyes widened, because he realized how well their "out there" energies matched. Romeo took the chances in escaping toward the bathroom while they got to know each other.

"No shell fish for me, thank you." Imogen smiled to the waiter as he nodded, leaving her plate be.

Romeo looked over at her. "Are you allergic too?"

"No, but imagine if I accidentally killed you." she pointed out, Romeo gave a very sudden snort as a few of the very important business people looked over. He cleared his throat and straighten his posture. Imogen leaned over to whisper. "Real subtle."

"I'm not really sure why they actually wanted me to be here, honestly." he whispered in return. "Maybe because they knew I'd try to bring a cow home again."

This time, she was the one to give a loud snort as a few people looked over as well. Imogen gave an apologetic look with a small wave. Romeo cracked her a grin. "Maybe we're just the comical relief."

"That makes sense, actually." she has to agreed. "I th-"

She froze, stilling a second. Romeo pulled an odd look, looking behind him to see if she'd seen something. He faced her again. "What's happened to your face?"

"Nothing." she smiled, clearing her throat. "I'll be right back."

He watched her go, frowning his eyebrows together at the sudden change of mood. He stayed put, eyeing the shrimp. He shook his head. "No. Listen to Elle."

To avoid giving in just to rebel, he stood up and walked around some. He waited around for Imogen to show, only she'd been gone for quite sometimes. He felt his phone buzz, digging into his pocket to pull it out.

Imogen: is your mum busy?"

Romeo looked in confusion, thinking it was a joke. He looked toward his mum back at the table, and the way she'd been speaking indicated she indeed had been busy. Romeo took it upon himself to walk toward the bathrooms, leaning on the door. "Imogen?"

She opened the door just to look out, she expected to see her. "Where is she?"

"She looked pretty occupied. Is everything okay?" he gave a questionable, confused look. She sighed with a faint red face. "You can tell me."

"I started my period." her voice was a whisper. "That's why I needed your Mum."

"She probably won't be any help. She got a hysterectomy about three years ago." he broke the news as she winced. "I can run to the shop across the street."

Imogen gave an embarrassed look. "What? No. No."

"Do you want me to ask around then?" he gave a look of disbelief.

"No, no!" she rose her voice quickly, because that was the worst idea. "This is embarrassing."

"It's not embarrassing, i'll be fast." he promised, pulling his phone out. "What do you want?"

Romeo stared at the section with his eyebrows frowned and mouth slightly gapped. He cleared his throat, looking at the searched up brand Imogen typed on his phone for him. His eyes danced around, searching for the name but failing miserably. Romeo sighed loudly, leaning down to look on the bottom shelves. His arms flew up when he saw the right name. "Yes!"

Reached down, he grabbed two packs and a few chocolate bars before paying. The man at the counter gave him a look. Romeo gave a tight lipped smile. He nodded to him. "Girlfriend, mate?"

The curly haired boy cleared his throat. "Long story."

He got across the street easily, making sure no one saw him sneak in to avoid embarrassing her. When he got to the bathroom, he knocked on the door. "You still alive in there?"

"Barley." she opened the door with a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. I know that's like, so weird."

"No worries. I have three older sisters." he shook his head with a grin. "It's not weird unless you make it weird."

She flashed him a small smile before disappearing into the bathroom again. Romeo texted Pemberly to bring the car around, knowing Imogen would likely want to go home. He leaned against the door and found his oldest sisters name in his contact thread. The last they texted was yesterday morning when she went a photo of her new dog and Romeo said he would come meet him soon.

romeo: it's an emergency. how do i comfort a girl on her period ???????

He tapped his foot impatiently, but was relieved when he saw the three little dots. Out of all three sisters, he relied on Lily the most. She'd been the oldest and was already a few years short of thirty. She had her life together, for real. Two dogs, a fiancé, her own flower shop, and a business degree. Romeo looked up to her the most, he figured. He didn't think he'd ever looked up to someone as much as he had her.

lily: something warm. have you got a girl over?

Romeo switched text to ask Pemperly to heat up the seats as well.

lily: you do!!! is she cute?

romeo: i don't have a girl over, she's at the hotel meeting with me.

romeo: but yes, very cute.

lily: do prudence and bee know?

Prudence and Bee. The twins that came a few years after Lily did. Polar opposites, and both in different parts of the world now. Bee was backpacking around the world right now after taking all her college fund out and deciding not to go to Uni. Their parents were inferior with her, mainly because it was their money, but they learned to forgive, just never forget. They knew she was happy, probably the most happy out of all of them. After having such a hard time in high school with bullies, it was good to see her happy. Last Romeo talked to her was about a week ago when she landed in Africa and said she was gonna ride an elephant soon.

Prudence on the other hand was not someone he looked up to much. He loved her, loved her so very much. But, when she turned seventeen, she took off with her boyfriend. He was a decent guy, but she left her education and any hope of a job behind. She had a baby about a year ago, not getting to enjoy much of her adulthood at all. And it wasn't that Romeo thought it was bad to have children young or become a housewife, it just annoyed him because he knew that's not what she wanted. She spend her entire life working herself to death to get the highest grades, be at the top of her year, gushing about four different Uni's she was accepted into. All to give it up a year into her education for a man that likely only saw her as an opportunity to have a child before he got too old.

Romeo missed them, but he wouldn't say it ever.

romeo: no they don't. DONT TELL THEM EITHER! it's bad enough prudence thought elle and i were together

lily: lips are sealed. is she coming to the reunion in a few months????

Romeo pulled an odd look, going to type another message before the door opened. He quickly put his phone into his pocket as he smiled at Imogen. "Wanna go home?"

"Sorry i'm the worst date." she sighed, her cheeks flushed.

"Are you kidding? I'd have ate all that shrimp without you here." he grinned, holding the door open for her. "And probably jumped into that fish tank."

"I was also a little tempted to jump into that fish tank." she said honestly as they headed for the car. "We should go scuba diving this summer."

"We should." Romeo grinned. "My sister has a boat."

"Oh, sounds fancy." she hummed as he opened the door of the car for her. "Hi, Pemberly."

"Welcome back, Miss Imogen." he smiled to her as Romeo shut the door. "Romeos advised me to heat the seats up. Let me know if you want them off."

Imogens heart fluttered. "He did?"

Her head turned when he got in.

"Wait, don't go." Romeo spoke to Pemberly as he watched Imogen knock on her door. "Something is wrong."

"Appears no one's home." the older man said. "Well?"

"Well what?" Romeo gapped.

"Are you just going to leave her there in the night?" he turned back to gap at him.

"What do I do? Throw a rock through her window?" Romeo shook his head in confusion.

He sighed. "You invite the poor girl home."

His eyes widened. "But, no one's home."

"And I won't tell if you don't." Pemberly gave a knowing look. Romeo took a deep breath as the window rolled down when Imogen walked back over.

"Looks like my parents are out." she gave a small, forced laugh. "My sister will be home soon."

"Well, I know you don't feel very good." Romeo shook his head. "Do you just...wanna stay at my house?"

Imogene smiled slightly.

When they got to Romeos, Pemberly zipped his lips and threw a fake key at Romeo. He let Imogen use his shower while he used his parents, getting out quickly to get her a shirt and a pair of Bee's old sweats he found after nearly tearing her drawers out entirely. He played it off casually when she walked into his room, pretending to be on his phone but just opening random apps and closing them again. "Feel any better?"

"Much." Imogen agreed, her hair dripped slightly. He tried no to stare at her too much, but it was difficult. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

"Probably not as comfortable as your actual room." he said honestly, eyes going wide when she crawled into his bed next to him.

"No, I like it." she looked around his room. He made it so obvious he cleaned after last time she'd been in here, but it didn't make a mayor difference. He still had his desk with multiple papers on it, still had the fuzzy carpet that kept his feet warm when he woke up in the morning, still had the three Catfish and the Bottlemen posters above his bed, still had the black and navy comforter that was warm in her opinion. The only difference was there wasn't a spilled Rugby bag on the floor. "I thought the spilled bag really made the room though."

Romeo had to laugh. "To be fair, that was after a very brutal practice."

"No judgment here." she smiled, shaking her head.

"Okay." he got up. "I'll just be down the hall if you need me."

"You don't have to go." she gave an odd look. "I don't want to kick you out of your room."

"No, it's okay. You can have your space." he shook he head, apart of him hoped she'd argue again though.

"It's fine." Imogen moved over again, patting the space next to her. "I don't mind."

Thank god she didn't mind.

•

kylie speaks

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