Venecia
I couldn't stop thinking about the flower Romeo had left in my locker. The soft petals, the delicate scent-it was such a simple gesture, yet it had my heart fluttering every time I thought about it. It felt like a silent promise, one that we both knew was dangerous but impossible to resist.
The night air was cool as I sat by my window, absently twirling my phone between my fingers. I hadn't texted Romeo in hours, but my thoughts never really left him. I sighed, leaning against the window frame, staring out into the night sky.
Then-
Thud.
I frowned. What was that?
Thud. Thud.
Something was hitting my window.
My heart pounded as I slowly stood up, my pulse loud in my ears. I crept toward the window, hesitating for a second before pulling back the curtains.
And there he was.
"Romeo?" I whisper-shouted, my eyes widening. He stood below my window, tossing small pebbles up with an amused smirk. The dim glow of the garden lights cast soft shadows on his face, highlighting the mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Oh, hello there, gorgeous," he said smoothly. "Are you ready to spend the night with your knight?"
I stared at him, completely caught off guard. "What the hell are you doing here?"
He placed a hand dramatically over his heart. "Ouch. No 'I missed you'? No 'Romeo, you're so handsome, come kiss me'?"
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't fight the smile tugging at my lips. "How did you even get here? How the hell did you get past the guards?"
"Don't worry your pretty head about that, my love. I have my ways," he said, shooting me a wink. "Now, put on something warm. We have an adventure to go on."
I glanced over my shoulder at my bedroom door, considering my options. This was reckless. Stupid, even. But then I looked back at Romeo, standing there like the world couldn't touch him, like he could take on anything-including my overprotective family-just to see me.
I sighed dramatically. "Fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming you."
He grinned. "I'd expect nothing less."
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Third Person POV
Venecia tiptoed past her sleeping household, heart racing as she reached the back door. The cold night air greeted her as she slipped outside, where Romeo was waiting with his hands tucked in his pockets.
"Took you long enough," he teased.
She huffed, crossing her arms. "You do realize I could get in serious trouble for this, right?"
Romeo smirked. "Trouble makes everything more exciting."
Before she could retort, he took her hand and started leading her toward the woods. The moment his fingers curled around hers, a warmth spread through her chest. The same warmth she felt every time he was near.
As they walked deeper into the forest, the noise of the town faded into silence, replaced by the soft rustling of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. Romeo finally stopped in a small clearing, where a blanket was already spread out, a basket of food beside it.
Venecia blinked. "Wait... you planned this?
"Of course," he said with a proud grin. "I'm a romantic, you know."
She let out a soft laugh as she settled onto the blanket, watching as Romeo pulled out fresh strawberries, chocolate, and sandwiches.
"You really thought of everything, huh?" she mused.
He popped a strawberry into his mouth, smirking. "When it comes to you, I don't do things halfway."
Venecia felt her face warm as she looked away. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, just eating, lying back, and staring at the endless stretch of stars above them.
Then, Romeo turned to her. "Tell me something you've never told anyone before."
She hesitated. "Like what?"
"Anything," he said. "A dream, a fear, a wish. Something that makes you."
Venecia bit her lip, thinking. "Alright... I used to dream of running away. Not because I don't love my family, but because I wanted to know what it felt like to be completely free-to live without expectations."
Romeo was quiet for a moment before saying, "I get that."
She turned to him. "You do?"
He nodded, his gaze distant. "My whole life, I've felt like I'm being pushed toward something. Like my future was written before I even had a say in it."
Venecia's heart ached at his words. She reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "We're writing our own stories now."
Romeo looked at her then, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. We are."
The air shifted. The tension between them was undeniable. Romeo slowly leaned in, his breath mingling with hers. Venecia's eyes fluttered closed, anticipation sending a shiver down her spine.
Just as their lips were about to touch-
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"
Both of them jumped apart as a flashlight beamed straight at them.
Liana and Damien stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, looking absolutely unimpressed.
Venecia groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You have to be kidding me."
Liana stalked forward, hands on her hips. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you'd be in if someone caught you sneaking out? Do you have a death wish? Because I'm pretty sure your parents will kill you if they find out."
Romeo grinned, completely unfazed. "Relax, Lia. We were just enjoying a nice, romantic evening under the stars."
Damien scoffed. "Yeah, right. And I'm the prince of England."
Venecia sighed. "How did you even find us?"
Liana smirked. "Easy. You're predictable. And also, you left your phone on your bed, genius."
Romeo turned to Damien. "And you? Why are you here?"
Damien shrugged. "She dragged me."
Liana nudged Venecia's shoulder. "If you're sneaking out, at least invite me next time."
Venecia let out a laugh. "Deal."
After some more teasing, the four of them ended up sitting together, finishing off the picnic under the moonlight.
And despite the interruptions, Venecia knew this night was something she'd never forget.
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Hehehehe... they got caught