Wherefore Art Thou Romeo? ✓

three

three / fall 2017

HE HAD BEEN right about one thing: it was the morning and he hated himself. By the time he was stumbling through his front door, it was some time past six in the morning. By the time he could muster the energy to get himself up the stairs, take his clothes off, brush his teeth and wash his face, his feet aching and his body heavy and his head pounding, it was quickly approaching seven. By the time he was stumbling out of bed and back down the stairs, the sun blazing into his bedroom, it was eleven forty five.

"That's the scariest fucking thing I've seen all October."

Romeo, who was showing his face for the first time since last night, frowned. It wasn't like Adrienne— almost his twin— was looking her best either; her dark hair was tossed up, strands falling around her bare face, and she was wearing a sweater two sizes too big, striped pajama pants and fluffy slippers, her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

"Adrienne," his mom warned, side-eye glaring at her from where they stood together behind the kitchen island. She smiled at Romeo, her voice softening. "How was your night, angel?"

His mom, as always, was ready to go out. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves and she was wearing a set consisting of a blue sweater and joggers. Her eyes were bright and her face was fresh, livened further by her bronzing makeup. Regardless, his mom always looked beautiful.

"Angel," Adrienne scoffed, rolling her eyes and walking with her cup of coffee over to the table. She smiled tightly at Romeo, who had staggered over to and collapsed in one of the stools by the island, and had turned around to look at her. "As if he wasn't up to all kinds last night. It's candy to celebrate Halloween, Romeo. Not nose candy."

"Shut up, Adrienne," he snapped, turning back around and holding his head in his hands. The kitchen was far too bright. "Just because you coked your way to graduation doesn't mean that's what I'm doing."

"I did not coke my way to graduation!" She scowled. He supposed she was probably narrowing her eyes at him.

"Lovely," their mom sighed wryly. "The life of a single mother and her two coke head children."

"Her one coke head daughter," Romeo mumbled, checking a text on his phone before putting it back down.

"Whatever, crack fiend," Adrienne muttered.

"Crack fiend!" He echoed, turning so quickly to look at her that he felt all of the movement inside of his head stilling abruptly inside of him. He groaned and held it again, ignoring the glimpse in his mind of his sister and her smug smile.

"Enough! Both of you shut up," their mom warned, taking a box of Aspirin from the counter behind her and sliding it over the island towards him. "Thought you might need these."

"Thanks," he murmured, glancing up at her. "My head is pounding."

"You know, Romeo," she began, her palms spread flat on the island surface. "I don't mind when you drink, but you really should sleep longer when you come home. Will you go back to bed?"

"Definitely," he muttered, rubbing his hands over his face. "I'm exhausted."

"Good night then, I assume?" She smiled.