Romeo and Joey
hello hello, new year
I hope you all enjoyed the holidays. i am feeling very fatigued, i think i’ve got sugar overload from christmas cookies and new years cake.
i wanted to share this short story i wrote. my friend and i wanted to get back into writing, as we both have more free time. honestly, college left me with no time for hobbies, and anything remotely creative.
this story had the prompt of romance, which we both had a really hard time with trying not to make it corny/cringey. i don’t know if i accomplished that, but i tried my best. but yah, we both got two weeks to finish the story, though I def finished this in two days and never looked at it again.
:}
Write a short story about two childhood friends who reunite after years apart. They shared a deep bond as kids, but life took them on different paths. When they meet again as adults, they realize that their connection is still as strong as ever. As they spend more time together, they navigate the complexities of their past and present relationships, questioning if they were meant to be more than just friends. Will they take a leap of faith and explore a romantic relationship, or will they choose to cherish their friendship above all else?
I smelled salt and the floral tang of grapefruit. It was rich and sweet, holding an agonizing lure.
The sticky heat of her arm burned against my own, leaving me rigid with short exhales. She firmly wrapped her fingers around the hem of my shirt, giving it a taut pull.
“I’m going to miss you, Joey.”
A shy laugh escaped me as I opened my mouth to make light of the situation. But I met her eyes, glittering brown eyes filled with sobering sincerity. I cleared my throat, almost coughing.
“Yeah, me too. I’mma miss you, Romeo.”
My head throbbed awake from the numbing pressure behind my temples. I groaned and rolled over to pull the cottony duvet over my face. Suddenly, cool, smooth pressure ran along the warmth of my chest; its movements were nimble...finger-like.
My eyelids flicked open and I jerked the covers off. “What the fuck.”
I smelled salt. Grapefruit. Brown eyes. So, so brown.
“Romeo, I—uh Roma?”
Her face was bashfully close, her two-tone lips twisted playfully. “Ouch Joel. That’s not what you called me last night.”
I blinked hard, suddenly hyper-aware of her bare chest pressing against my side. I slowly untangled her arm from the nook of my shoulder. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Roma snickered and leaned over the side of the bed, seizing an oversized red T-shirt off the floor. I trailed the outline of her back as she slipped the top over her head, all fluid sinewy muscle—wait, that shirt was mine.
“Hey that’s—”
“Dude, your bed gets hot,” She glanced at my wide-open mouth. “Relax. Your drunk ass just offered my drunk ass a place to stay. Everything was PG-ish—besides some brief nudity.”
I ignored her wave of giggles as I stumbled out of the bed to find another damn shirt to wear. “Stop laughing, you weirdo. Fuck—I can’t remember anything,” I turned to look at her. “Yo, how much did I drink?”
Roma shrugged. “I was pretty fucked up too. But I think you were drunk when we met, and I saw you take uh—5 shots?”
I groaned and picked up my phone to check the time. 1:12 PM. All the work that I had planned for today… fuck.
“You okay?” Roma tilted her head, her left brow scrunching out of concerned habit. She must have caught my annoyed expression.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m good,” I sat down beside her and took a deep breath before giving her a small smile. “So, Romeo. You’re in my bed.”
She grinned. “I’m in your bed.”
“Then tell me Romeo, how are you in my bed?”
I knew it was him the moment we bumped shoulders. He had turned to apologize, his untamed dark curls falling gently over his downturned brow.
“Romeo? That you?” He had bloodshot eyes and spoke with an unsteady rasp.
I tried to keep my voice poised as my stomach nervously fluttered. “And what if it is me?”
He slowly smiled into a broad and stupid grin. “I…I’m just uh—” He looked like he was struggling for his next words when a pretty brunette girl appeared at his side, wrapping her thin arm around his waist. She was tightly adorned in an all-blue set, her matching eyes sizing up my off-the-shoulder blouse and plaid skirt.
She then plastered on a tight smile. “So, who’s this Joel?”
“Oh hey, Sydney. This is my really good friend from my hometown, Romeo—oh, I mean Roma.”
Sydney almost snickered. “Romeo? Oh, what a cute nickname. I love that!” She then sniffed and turned to Joey. “Babe, could you stand in the bathroom line with me?”
My heart sank as I locked eyes with him, his face filled with uncertainty when he spoke. “Uh actually…bro, could you find Daiya real quick instead? I kinda wanted to catch up with Roma.”
Sydney’s cheeks turned pinker under her blush as her mouth opened and closed into a flat line. “Fine.” She brushed past me, leaving a sickly sweet waft of toasted hazelnut.
I looked at Joey, his knowing smile and eyes all wrapped in warm honey and mint. He hadn’t changed at all, besides some new smile lines and peppered scruff.
“Been a while.” He cocked his head, seeming to take in my new appearance as well.
“Hmm…it has,” I frowned slightly to concentrate. “Just about 8 years?”
Joey ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. “Damn, lemme buy us some drinks then.”
Spinning. It all spun.
Pretty face. I thought she was so pretty.
I wrapped my fingers through her frizzy, curled strands. We were laughing, I forgot why though.
My thumb rested on her chin, her brown eyes turned to stare at my mouth. I pulled close timidly, now inches away from each other. I could see the two moles under her left eye clearly now.
My eyes fluttered shut as our faces nuzzled together for a slow, unsure kiss.
Her lips were warm and glossy. She parted her mouth, my tongue exploring against hers.
We started to kiss faster, I felt her hand on my chest. I shuddered as she trailed her fingertips along the hem of my shirt. I grabbed her body and placed it below me, her legs wrapping and squeezing around my waist.
I gingerly bit her bottom lip and she gasped, twisting out from under me to take my place.
I could only watch as she pulled her top over her head, long black waves falling gracefully around her bare shoulders. When she leaned closer, her unmistakable fragrance blew toward me. I closed my eyes to breathe it in, but my mind started to darken.
I’m so angry, angry at my body.
“Always liked Romeo. Smell.” His eyes were shut and his words were slurred.
“Me too.” I whispered into his chest, drifting tiredly into a deep sleep.
omg u should write a book