by Jade Bitters
“Lawrence, what’s new? What is Alex going to do? And what trouble am I in?” asked Romeo.
“You know too much about trouble,” said Lawrence with a sigh. “But yes, I do have news about Escalus’s decree.”
“How bad is it? On a scale of pillow fight to Ragnarok?” asked Romeo, biting his lower lip.
“He’s not going to have you arrested or anything: Ty isn’t pressing charges,” said Lawrence, but he added, before Romeo could sigh, “However, you’ve been blacklisted.”
“I’ve...really been blacklisted? That’s a fate worth than death, just tell me I’m dead, don’t tell me I’m blacklisted,” said Romeo, with a groan.
“From now on, you’ve been blacklisted from the San Francisco tech scene,” said Lawrence gently. “But, this really isn’t that bad, Romeo. There’s a big world out there, and other cities with a tech presence. You’ll be fine.”
“There’s no world for me outside of San Francisco, except Hell. To be exiled from San Francisco is like being banished from the world, and that’s death, isn’t it? That’s what death is?” asked Romeo. “San Francisco is my whole world, and I can’t live anywhere else. I barely survive during the school year, which is all a blur compared to San Francisco. If you call exiling a punishment, and a fate that isn’t equivalent to death, well...I guess you just don’t get it.”
“Really, Romeo? I don’t get why you can’t imagine yourself living anywhere else but here, after all we’ve been through?” asked Lawrence. “You could’ve gone to jail, Romeo, but Ty didn’t press charges, and Escalus was understanding, so you’re going to be blacklisted instead. That doesn’t even show up on a resume. Escalus gave you mercy and still, that’s not enough for you.”
“No, you don’t get it: it’s not mercy, it’s the ultimate torture. San Francisco is only special because of the girl that lives here, Juliet, my Juliet. Any other person, from the youngest intern to the oldest CEO, can see her, but I cannot. Anyone else has a better chance of getting with her than I do, because they’re here. Long distance doesn’t work, and it won’t work with a girl like her, a girl who is special and can easily replace a guy like me, and I can’t be one of those guys, because I have to leave. I can’t just hang out all summer in a city where I can’t be employed by anyone, because I’m a fuck up. I fucked up hard,” said Romeo. “And yet you don’t think being blacklisted is a big fucking deal. Well, wake up Lawrence: it’s the biggest possible deal, so just kill me now. Isn’t there anything in this place that can kill me?”
Romeo picked up an item from the stockroom, reading “Pure Caffeine”. “How much of this would I have to take to die?” asked Romeo.
He picked up a spare knife, the one Lawrence used to cut the freshly baked bread he used to make his artisanal sandwiches. “How about this, would this kill me?” asked Romeo, holding the serrated edge to his wrist.
“You have a Taser near the cash register, right? What about that? Can that kill me?” asked Romeo. “Lawrence, people who are exiled mourn the loss of their homeland. I am no different. This is my home, and if you know anything about home, you know what it’s like to have the place you call home threatened.”
“Calm the fuck down,” ordered Lawrence. “And listen to me, for once in your life, you crazy motherfucker.”
“So you can talk about how this blacklist isn’t a big deal?” asked Romeo.
“I can make the problem go away,” said Lawrence. “If you just listen to my perspective, you’ll feel better about the blacklist.”
“And there you go again, about the blacklist. Fuck your perspective!”, shouted Romeo. “Unless a perspective can bring Juliet and I together, or make a new San Francisco somewhere else, or make Escalus change his mind, perspectives are useless. Maybe you should try shutting the fuck up for once.”
“You’re not just crazy, you’re deaf,” said Lawrence.
“And you’re supposed to be smart and wise and worldly, yet you have nothing helpful to say!” said Romeo.
“Let’s talk about this,” said Lawrence.
“You can’t talk to me about love when I’ve never heard you talk about a girlfriend, or a boyfriend or whatever,” said Romeo. “If you were my age, if you met the love of your life, if you had made plans to run off with her, and you had assaulted Ty, if you were as in love as I would, maybe we’d have something to talk about. You’d also be as upset as I am, you’d also be unable to control yourself.” Romeo took a knee...and then a hand. Two, in fact, palm down on the ground, and then two fists. “You would take to your fucking knees and try and sink as far down into the ground as possible.”
Before Lawrence could help Romeo off the floor, or rather force him off, there was a knocking at the door, a light knocking but it was there nonetheless. “Get a hold of yourself,” said Lawrence. “There’s somebody here. Hide yourself, if you know what’s good for you.”
“Why hide when I have nothing to hide from, given I have nothing to live for?” lamented Romeo. The knocking started again, and it was louder.
“Can’t you hear them? They’re still knocking,” said Lawrence, shouting out the door to the backroom, “Who’s there?” He turned back to Romeo. “Get up, Romeo, if it’s Escalus and he finds me harboring you, there’ll be Hell to pay. The knocking continued and Lawrence stuck his head out the door. “Give me a second.” He turned back to Romeo and hissed, “Get up and hide yourself.”
Whoever was at the door had obviously not skipped arm day, as the knocking grew louder yet. “Go, to the back office,” ordered Lawrence. “Just a minute!” he shouted to the interloper. “For fuck’s sake, Romeo, get it together!” he said to his reluctant ward. “I’m coming!” he shouted to the knocked. “Coming!”
The knocking stayed steady and whoever was knocking had taken it upon themself to knock in a rhythmic pattern. Lawrence looked out the door at the plump blonde woman with rhinestone-studded sunglasses and a white Hermes Birkin in ostrich. “What the fuck do you want?” asked Lawrence. “We’re closed, why are you here? What do you want?”
“Let me in, and I’ll tell you,” said Amy, lowering her glasses and raising an eyebrow. She liked her men like she liked her coffee and in front of her was one tall, steaming hot cup of coffee. She had to remind herself she was a married woman. “I’m a friend. Of Juliet’s.”
Lawrence opened the door. “Come on in then.”
Amy looked around. She was a fan of Wattage’s coffee, but had only ever sent Peter on the coffee runs. However, if she’d known a tall, dark, handsome barista was available free with every purchase, she would’ve made the trek herself. “Barista, where is Romeo?”
“He’s in the back room, getting drunk,” said Lawrence. Amy raised a brow. “On his own tears,” finished Lawrence.
“Of course, just like Juliet,” said Amy, putting her glasses away. “They’re birds of a feather, and isn’t that just the problem? She’s just like him right now, crying in her room. Get a hold of yourself and get up, get up if you’re really a man. For Juliet’s sake, get up, get off the ground. Why are you the one that’s upset?”
“Amy!” cried out Romeo.
“From what I’ve tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor Kindle Fire,” said Amy, clucking her tongue. Would this STEM lord even get her reference?
“You mean Juliet? How is she? She must think I’m some sort of thug, for what I did to Ty, and I’ve messed everything up,” said Romeo. “Where is she? How is she? What does she say about our ruined plans?”
“She doesn’t say anything,” said Amy. “She just cries and cries, sleeps, and cries about Ty, and cries about you...and sleeps.”
“She cries about me as if I were hurting her, the way I hurt Ty,” said Romeo. “Tell me, Lawrence...what part of me is owned by Pyrymyn, because that’s a part I’d gladly cut out.” Romeo lifted up the serrated bread knife again.
“Put. That. Knife. Down,” ordered Lawrence slowly, and Romeo had no choice but to obey one of the few mentors he had left in the city.
“Get a hold of yourself. You’re a man, aren’t you? So start acting like it. You act like an animal, or at best, s manimal: half a man, half an animal. I’d never have thought that you would have stooped so low: I swear, boy, I thought that you were better than this, smarter than this, more reasonable than this, but look: you’ve hurt Ty, so why hurt yourself in turn? What about Juliet, who would hurt herself too? Why do you complain about working at one of the most illustrious companies in the tech sector? You’d throw all that away, and for what? You’re not doing right...by yourself,” said Lawrence, pressing on Romeo’s chest.
“You have so much going for you, but you don’t know how to use your talents properly. Your body’s like a shell, the love you had before ended up being false, and now, the one you do love is being hurt by you. The problem is up here.” Lawrence tapped on Romeo’s head. “You’re like an empty robot, who explodes because the software tries to overclock the hardware and the battery runs too hot, improperly vented. The unique talents that brought you here ended up ruining you.”
Lawrence extended a single hand to Romeo, who finally took it and rose from the floor. “Get up, kid. Juliet’s okay, and that’s al that matters...and she’s the reason you’ve gone through all this. Be happy for that at least. Ty wanted you hurt, you hurt Ty. Be happy that you’re okay. Escalus and Balt haven’t pressed charges, just blacklisted you. Be happy for that. You’re so young, and the wide world is opening up in front of you: be happy.”
Romeo turned away and Lawrence pushed his face back to his. “But...like a child, you’re whining about circumstances that won’t change, and about a girl. Listen, grow up or die trying. Go to her, to your Juliet, like you promised. Go to her apartment, make things better, and get out of the city as soon as you can. Escape to Austin, where you’ll be able to get a job, and we’ll try and get you off Escalus’s blacklist, and you can come back next summer, and it’ll be twenty thousand times better than it was when you left it. Go on, Amy, let Juliet know things are better, and tell her to make sure nobody bothers her tonight. I’m sure that everyone at Thisbia will be at the hospital. Romeo will be on his way,” said Romeo.
Amy, who had been fanning herself with a paper menu, said, “Oh, Lawrence, I could stay and listen to you all night. Baristas are so spiritual.” She turned to Romeo. “I’ll let Juliet know you’re on your way.”
“Please,” said Romeo. “And tell her to be ready to give me Hell about all of this.”
“Wait,” said Amy, opening the white designer purse and pulling out a thin band of diamonds. “This is a bracelet she asked me to give to you. Hurry up, it’s almost night.”
Romeo held the band in his hands, delicately turning the thin bracelet in his fingers. “I can’t believe she trusts me with this. What a girl.”
“Get out, and good night,” said Lawrence, pushing Romeo towards the door as well. “Everything you’ve fought for relies on what happens tonight: either be out of here before Escalus finds out you’re still around, or get out in the morning before anyone can see you. Get yourself to Austin. I’ll find a courier, and he’ll update you on the situation.” Lawrence held Romeo’s hand quickly. “Don’t forget, you always have a friend here...but right now, it’s getting late. The streetlights are turning on, and you need to get out. Good night, and good luck.”
“Everything’s finally coming together,” said Romeo, whose tears were now of joy rather than of sorrow. “But still, I can’t believe I won’t see you for months. Goodbye, Lawrence.”
Chapter Fifteen: Act Three, Scene Four
Potrero Hill was nothing like SoMa or the Mission, but the residents controlled the rest of the city, at least, ever since the technocrats had taken residence in the same neighborhood, all together and all at once, like a tornado absorbing everything in its path, taking from the city everything.
And William’s study in his Victorian home in Potrero was nothing like his office at Thisbia.
“Things have taken a rather unfortunate turn, haven’t they?” said William Stratford, swirling his whiskey in his glass, over and around the whiskey stones, sitting as gray as the fog over San Francisco would in the morning. “I’ll cut to the chase: we haven’t been able to convince Juliet to transfer to your company. She’s upset over Ty right now, as are we all...but we’re all human, we all get hurt. It’s late, and she won’t be joining us tonight. I wouldn’t be up either, if it wasn’t for your visit.”
“Times like these are bad for business,” said Paris. “Good night, Miranda, and do send my condolences to Juliet.”
“I will,” said Miranda, sipping at her seltzer water. “I’ll find out what she thinks about the transfer, tomorrow morning. Tonight, she’s stuck in her apartment, crying.”
“Paris...I’m going to make a last ditch effort. I think she’ll have to listen to me, as my employee,” said William, sipping at the whiskey which was almost strong enough to make the pain of the week’s events go away. “She’ll do whatever I say, and more, have not a doubt. Miranda...go to her apartment before you go back to yours. Let her know about Paris’s offer, one more time. And tell her to come to my office first thing Wednesday. Wait...what day is it?”
“Monday, sir,” said Miranda.
“Monday? How time flies. Wednesday is too soon...let’s make it Thursday. On Thursday, tell her know she’ll be transferring to Paris’s startup incubator, to work full time on her project and some of his. Will you be ready for her? And are you okay with everything happening so quickly?” asked William. Paris nodded. “We’ll make this huge. That way she can’t back out in front of everyone. Because Ty was just hurt, people might think that Thisbia’s weak, so we’re going to have to make this the event of the season. How’s Thursday?”
“If only Thursday came tomorrow!” said Paris, raising his glass and looking at in the light. The crystal was fine, very fine. He’d know. He picked it out for William many years ago, after one of their many treks in the Mediterranean, where they’d explored the culture and each other’s bodies.
“Well, then we all better go to sleep, lots of preparations to do. Thursday it is!” William turned to Miranda. “Go and check on Juliet, make sure she’s ready for the transfer party.” He turned back to Paris. “I’ll see you later, Friend. I’m off to bed...it’s so late that I guess I can say I’m going to bed early! Good night.”
Chapter Sixteen: Act Three, Scene Five
As usual, Juliet was lying in her bed looking up at the ceiling fan, but this time, she was wrapped in someone’s arms, rather than in her thin comforter. “Are you leaving already? We still have some time before dawn...please, don’t be afraid. The sounds of people downstairs...they must’ve been showering for bed, not for work. Every night, they all shower for bed, rarely for work, so it has to have been that,” said Juliet.
“Or, or, you could look out your window and see that the fog is rolling in...and through the fog, the rays of light that signal morning,” said Romeo with a sigh as he pulled her closer under the sheets. “Our night together is over...and I have to go, unless you want to get in trouble.”
“It’s not dawn yet, not yet,” said Juliet. “But I still need to hold you. Please, don’t go, not yet.” The night had been so exhausting: no, they hadn’t had sex, but they’d signed the papers they’d need to sever their relations with their respective companies. Romeo would no longer be an employee of Pyrymyn, nor would she be one of Thisbia, but they’d finally be able to be together. All they had left was the summer: in the fall, she’d be going to college in the south and he’d be on his year abroad. But after that, and after this...they could finally be together.
“If I’m going to get into trouble...at least it’ll be for you,” said Romeo. “Let them take me, if that’s what you want. I’ll pretend that the morning will never come, I’ll pretend that we’ll be able to stay like this forever, if that’s what makes you happy, Juliet. You’re okay, right?” he asked. She nodded and he pulled her closer under the sheets, kissing the top of her head. “Good. We
can still talk. We can pretend the morning will never come.”
“Except it’s already here,” said Juliet, looking over at her electric alarm clock. “You need to leave. Now. Get out! People are up downstairs and I can hear the buses downstairs, they’re coming to get people for work. Please, just go: it’s getting brighter by the minute.”
“More light, more pain,” said Romeo, pulling her close. Juliet wondered why a man could feel so strong and so soft at the same time. Romeo held her like no other man had ever been able to, and they just felt...right together. She didn’t feel weird or awkward or gawkish. She felt human whenever she was around him, which is all she ever wanted to feel. She could have emotions, and have feelings, and she didn’t have to think about lines of code and sets of APIs. She could just be a real girl, have something close to normal.
Juliet looked up as she heard the door nob turn: Amy entered the room without knocking. “Juliet...” said the woman in a tight grey cashmere sweater over a white long-sleeved blouse, with a black pencil shirt to complete the look.
“Yes?” asked Juliet, getting out of bed and stretching. She was still wearing the same outfit she’d worn the day before when waiting for news from Romeo.
“It’s Miranda. She’s coming up here, she’s coming up the stairs now. It’s morning,” said Amy, raising her eyebrows as an acknowledgement of Romeo’s presence. Before leaving, she turned. “Stay safe and...be careful, okay?” Amy shut the door behind her, but Juliet now knew that the door wouldn’t be shut for much longer.
“You’re going to have to use the window...sorry,” said Juliet.
“It’s fine,” said Romeo. “At least I got to be with you. A kiss, for the road?”
Romeo didn’t even have time to smile at his cheeky joke: Juliet pressed her lips against his, shutting him up as he sat on the window ledge and steadied himself with a free hand, Juliet steading the small of his back with both her hands wrapped all the way around his hips and waist. Pulling away from him was hard because she felt as right with him as a USB port did with a USB drive. It was like they were literally made for each other.
