▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

❛ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ᴇʏᴇꜱ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ꒱


❝ YOU'RE NOT AS
INTERESTING AS ITALY ❞

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

As Juliet moved stealthily in her apartment building, she stuck to the walls to make sure she wasn't seen. The spy-like effect was lessened slightly due to the apple she held in her mouth and her hands being full of two garbage bags where she'd unceremoniously stuffed her clothes while cleaning up at Topanga's house. Now that it was summer and the blonde would be going away, Juliet felt awkward about staying at the Lawrence's and had elected to move back home (though her friend's parents had given her the option of staying longer.)

Sliding the key silently into the lock on her door, she twisted the knob and slowly opened it, holding her breath as she picked up the garbage bags. She closed the door quietly behind her and continued on her path of creeping across the open space to her room only to be stopped by the sound of her mother's voice. "Juliet?"

The redhead winced and turned slowly to face her mother, who was standing in the kitchen. Dropping the garbage bags, she bit down on the apple and pulled it from her mouth with her free hand, chewing as she answered, "yeah, mom?"

The older woman's expression was both teasing and scolding. "You're hardly here anymore, I wasn't sure if that was you."

The girl swallowed the bite. "Oh. Yeah, it's me."

There was a heartbeat of awkward silence before Daly spoke again: "listen. I, um, wanted to talk to you about something. Did you have plans for summer?"

"Er— no."

Nodding, the woman picked up her mug of tea and moved to occupy one of two tall chairs placed on the other side of the counter. "Why don't you sit with me and we'll talk about it?"

That was the last thing she wanted to do but since she didn't have another excuse, Juliet nodded and stepped away from her "luggage" to take the other seat across from her mother. As she placed the half-eaten apple on the counter the asked, "what's up, mom?"

"Well," Daly started, uncertain of how to approach the topic favorably. "I've been talking with you— um, Barron," she changed the name at the last minute since she knew that Juliet refused to call her father dad.

"Oh?"

"I know you're hesitant at getting to know him, darling, but he wants to know you."

The redhead snorted. "He should have done that when I was born. Y'know, stay, like a normal parent? He can't just walk back into my life and pretend nothing's happened."

"I know, I know," the woman reassured her, "and he knows that too. That's why he wants to make the effort."

"Effort?" Juliet repeated dubiously.

"He's suggested we take a family trip. You know, I'm still wary of him, too, but at least I'm willing to hear him out."

"Wary? Mom, you've taken trips to see him!"

"Adult relationships are complicated, Juliet. They take a little effort from everyone. He's a very busy man who can't be expected to only come to Pennsylvania, which he did," the woman added pointedly.

"Well, if he wanted to be a proper parent he should've been there for my birth," Juliet said crossly, "besides, I have to stay here to keep Cory company. Both Shawn and Topanga are leaving for the summer."

Daly's expression softened slightly. "You're an amazing friend, darling, but I'm sure Cory would want you to have the best summer possible—"

"Which would be staying here and keeping him from doing dumb things."

She tried another tactic. "You don't even know where your— Barron suggested."

The redhead huffed. "Fine, where did he suggest?"

"Tuscany."

Instantly, the girl's expression brightened. "Oh, I love Tuscany. When I went there with Jack, it was so beautiful, the countryside especially. I would love to stay for a whole summer and not just a couple of weeks—" she cut off her rambling as her eyes narrowed. "Are you bribing me?"

"Maybe," Daly answered aloofly. She decided not to tell her daughter that she'd been the one to suggest that particular region in Italy after she remembered how her daughter had sounded positively ecstatic when she'd called during her last visit.

The redhead hmphed. "Does he have to come?"

"Yes, because he's your father and he's financing the whole trip. Without him, we're not going anywhere."

"Can I think about it?"

"Would a week be sufficient?"

She thought for a minute. "Yes, I think so."

🌎🌎🌎

There was a tense air in Topanga's room for the next several nights leading up to the final days of school. The blonde finally broke it a few days later as she sat cross-legged on her bed. "You're worried about something."

Juliet, who was reading Tuesdays With Morrie, didn't even look up from her current page. "Great job, Sherlock."

Topanga huffed. "There's no need to get snippy with me, Jules. What's wrong? Are you worried about Shawn?"

"I'm always worried about Shawn," the redhead responded easily, "but it's not about him this time."

The blonde waited for her to continue and sighed when she didn't. "Don't make me drag it out of you, Peaches."

That got Juliet's attention and her head jerked up from her book. "Peaches?" she repeated, almost incredulously.

The other girl shrugged. "I thought we were at a point in our friendship where we could have nicknames for each other, like pancakes and syrup."

The redhead snorted. "I'm not calling you a condiment, Panga. Besides, we already have nicknames for each other: Jules and Panga."

Topanga pouted slightly. "I thought it would be fun. Besides, I could be pancakes, but I thought Peaches was fitting for you."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "You're sweet like one and peaches are kind of red, like your hair."

Juliet rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the compliment, Cream, but have you never heard of 'peach pink?'"

"Pink is a shade of red," the girl responded, "besides, what's Cream?"

"Peaches and Cream," the redhead explained, "besides, your hair is blondeish and cream is pale, if we're going with hair explanations. Besides, you can turn sour real quick," Juliet added teasingly.

Topanga sniffed with mock indignation. "It's really quickly, for your information and we're getting off topic."

"You're the one that got distracted."

The blonde twisted around and grabbed one of her pillows from behind her before she launched it at the redhead who batted it out of the air with a momentary burst of skill. "You're the one questioning my choice in nicknames."

"I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised considering how weird your name is," Juliet joked. She bent over to pick up the pillow and sent it back where it came from (it hit Topanga in the face.)

Topanga, knowing she was teasing, just rolled her eyes. "Okay, now we really should change the subject. What are you worried about? And no deflecting," she added sternly.

"Barron wants to take me and my mom on a family trip this summer," the redhead rushed out, not wanting to keep stewing in it any longer.

"Peaches, that's great!" Topanga exclaimed supportively.

Juliet gave her something close to a stink eye at the use of the newly-created nickname but said nothing of it. Instead, she shook her head. "I don't want to spend time with him, Panga. That's why I camped out here! If he wanted to get to know me he should've been there for my birth."

"Maybe he had a really good reason," the blonde tried.

"Like what, being stuck in traffic for fifteen years?"

"Well, no, but you should at least hear him out. What's the worst that could happen?"

"I could start to like him."

The other girl stared at her for a moment. "But wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Juliet sighed. "Oh, Panga, Panga, Panga. I don't want to like him. If we wanted me—"

"To like him, he should've been there. Yeah, I think I got it," Topanga said, "but why don't you want to like him?"

"What if he decides he doesn't like me? Or what if he wants to leave me and my mom again? Or—"

"Wait," the blonde interrupted her, holding up a hand, "I'm not saying those things can't happen but isn't there anything positive that could come out of this?"

"I— well— sure, but I don't want to get my hopes up."

"Well, if worst comes to worst, you still get a free Italian vacation, right?"

🌎🌎🌎

Juliet tried not to think of the reasonable points Topanga brought up during the next few days but eventually, her good judgement beat out her pettiness and she finally told her mother that she would be begrudgingly accepting of the trip on a few conditions. Now, she was spending the last few days of school with Shawn and Cory. The two boys were playing basketball while she cheered them on, just like old times (she tried not to be too biased towards Shawn but then again— she always had been.)

"Okay, fine. Topanga's going to camp, and it's an all-girl camp," the curly-haired boy complained for the umpteenth time, "but, I mean, there's no threat there. There's more time for us, the golden trio of summer."

"Cory, I'm gonna spend the next two months traveling with my dad," Shawn said.

"The golden duo of summer."

Juliet exchanged an exasperated look with Shawn before she added, "and my— my—" She still couldn't say dad, so she continued, "we're going to Italy."

Cory turn wide eyes to her. "Italy? Jules, that's not even in the same country!"

She gave him an amused look. "Congratulations, you've finally learned the names of the fifty states."

"This isn't funny!" he protested as his tone turned towards sadness. "I'll just be the boy of summer. Alright. Just me. Fine. I thought you were gonna keep me company?" this was directed at Juliet.

She shrugged. "Sorry. You're not as interesting as Italy."

"And I thought you were staying home?"

"Well, I am. I mean, that's the beauty of a mobile home: wherever you go, you're home," Shawn told him.

"So you guys are leaving too."

"Not for a couple of days," Juliet tried to cheer him up, "are you okay, Cor?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine. I mean, I can do without my best friends and my girlfriend for a couple of months, right? I mean, it's not like I can't make new friends." He sat down next to an older woman. Turning towards the boy, she held up a piece of bread and he opened his mouth to allow her to feed him. "See?"

🌎🌎🌎

Juliet sat next to Shawn, Cory and Topanga in a corner of Eric's party. She was very glad Shawn was her buffer between her and Cory since the curly-haired boy was moving side-to-side with his arms thrown over his girlfriend and best friend.

"Take your arm off me, man. You're making me nervous," Shawn said as he shrugged out of the boy's grasp.

"Topanga, am I making you nervous?"

"Uh-huh," she answered, freeing herself as well.

Mr. Feeny clinked his glass to get everyone's attention. "If I may, I have something more to say. Eric, earlier this year, it was doubtful that you would graduate but you responded to the pressure, applied yourself, and not only grew as a student but as a person. I, for one, couldn't be happier."

"Thank you, Mr. Feeny," Eric said.

"Oh, also I brought a little gift," the teacher told him as he reached under the table. "I took the liberty to pull this and have it framed." He turned the face towards the group. "Your high-school diploma."

Everyone clapped except for Cory. Eric accepted the gift as he said, "oh, oh, Mr. Feeny. Oh, thank you. And I know how much you hate to be touched but give me this one, huh?" he asked, reaching over to hug the older man.

Mr. Feeny patted him on the arm. "Alright, alright, Eric."

Mr. Matthews came over to the quartet's corner. "Hey. Hey, buddy. Don't you want to say something?"

"No, that's okay."

"Come on, Cory. He's your brother. You should say something," Topanga said.

"He's your family, Cor," Juliet added, knowing just as much about estranged family members as he did.

Eric continued to speak: "you know, I really don't think I could've done this without everyone in this room believing in me. That's why this diploma, which signifies my intelligence, belongs as much to you as it does to. . . I."

"Me," Mr. Feeny corrected him predictably.

"I included you."

"Oh dear."

"Hang on. I do have a toast to make," Cory announced as he stood. "Attention, everybody." He turned to his brother. "To my brother, Eric, who's moving out, and not just for four years, probably forever and I don't even know him," his voice faltered, "and now I probably never will. Fifteen years in the same room, Eric. Fifteen years." He stuck his hand out. "Goodbye. I-I hope you have a nice life. I really do." The boy turned to the assembled guests, who were all silent. "I'm sorry, everyone."

🌎🌎🌎

There was an uncomfortable silence in the Capelwood car as Barron parked behind the Hunter's trailer. Juliet had given him the barest of "good mornings" when he came to pick them up and hadn't said anything since. Gratefully, she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. "I'll be right back," she promised before she slid out.

She joined the already-present trio at the park and Cory looked absolutely miserable. "Aw, Cor," the redhead said, reaching out to pull him into an unexpected hug. "I'm sorry."

She released him with an apologetic smile. The boy shook his head. "'S alright, Jules. What are you doing here?"

"We're on our way to the airport and I couldn't leave without saying goodbye," she explained.

A horn sounded from the street and Topanga sighed. "That's my bus."

Then another one. "That's my car," Juliet said in the same tone, not wanting to go back the thick atmosphere.

And finally a third. "And that's my house."

"I should get going. I'll miss you," Topanga said, kissing Cory briefly.

"Me too," he replied.

"Can I walk you to your car?" Shawn asked, turning to the redhead.

"'Course," she agreed, feeling warmth rush to her face. She exchanged goodbyes with Cory and Topanga before Shawn looped an arm over her shoulders and began to lead her to the waiting car. 

They were silent for a moment before he said, "so. Italy, huh?"

"Yeah."

"The countryside, right?"

"Yeah," she said again, turning her head up slightly to look at him. "Why d'you ask?"

He shrugged. "I just wanted to see if you'd be around any Italian guys."

A smile curved on her lips as the butterflies in her stomach woke up. "You've got nothin' to worry about, Shawnie."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." 

[written feb. 2021]
[edited may 2022]