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"Qiu-liet!"
Roxanne calls from the ground as Qiu sits on the tower, pretending not to hear her voice. She'd spent the last hour looking for them, and Qiu wasn't even on the fort when she last checked; they just suddenly appeared the time Roxy checked again. Qiu curls up into a ball, hiding their face in their knees. She huffs, and decides to approach them gently this time, hoping for an actual response.
"Qiu, may I come in?" She asks softly, giving them a small grin. Even if the smile was subtle, the sincerity in her gaze was undeniable. Slowly, Qiu lifts their head, not wanting to fight it anymore. After all, Roxanne has been there for them through thick and thin. "Fine..." they mumble, and Roxanne climbs using the rope, sitting beside them as she mimics the way they're sitting.
The girl sighs as she looks at her friend, feeling concerned as she extends her legs that are longer than the length of the fort. "Why are you so hard to find? You wouldn't even answer your phone." Roxy pouts, and Qiu gives her a smirk before responding. "Missed me already?" They grin, turning to place their thighs on Roxanne's lap shamelessly. She gulps, not expecting the gesture before giggling. "Maybe, but this is entirely something else. You'd normally answer my calls after a bit."
"Ah—that..." They take a deep breath, and avoid eye contact before mumbling their reply. "I just don't feel like I belong here anymore, or like anywhere for that matter." Qiu bites their lip, still looking away. Anxiously, they reach out for the notepad in their jacket's pocket, scribbling random lines to see if it could help them describe the feelings in their head into words instead of drawings; the action causes a few papers fall out. Without hesitation, Roxy picks the pieces up before handing them to her friend; her simple gesture shows that she'll be there to pick them up when they fall.
She shakes her head and moves a bit closer, wordlessly saying that she'll stay by their side. "Well, you can come to me anytime, Qiu. I already know that you know that but I just want to remind you." Roxy's hand fixes their hair, brushing Qiu's bangs away from their face. They nod, before she continues her words. "Did anything happen, though? Is there something that made you feel this way?"
"It's just a realization... People are asking me so many questions, and I can't answer any of them." They frown, before Roxy rests her head on their shoulder in an attempt to feel their heartbeat. It was beating fast, trying their best to hold on. "This is why I've withdrawn myself too, I've stopped trying not to disappoint anyone." Qiu responds, and she nods, understanding their perspective. "It's not that I dislike people, but I dislike the fact that I don't know anyone anymore. Golden Grove is the town I grew up in, but I can't recognize anything. Things are changing so quickly and I can't keep up."
Roxy nods yet again, looking up into their eyes. "Not everything can stay the same, Qiu. But my feelings for you won't ever change, I mean it when I said I love you." She says, grabbing a hold of their hand as she rubs it with her thumb. "Mhm, thank you for that, Rox." They say, laying their cheek on top of Roxy's head. "No problem, Toffee; I'll guide you today like you did for me when we were 10." She grins, and Qiu wraps an arm around her as Roxy does the same to their waist.
"We can explore the amusement park here in Golden Grove tomorrow? Maybe you'll feel familiar with the town again." She offers, and they smirk, wrapping their other arm around her as well to pull her closer. The two look into each other's eyes, snuggling inside Qiu's fort. "I'd love that, Choco." They reply softly, their voice just barely above a whisper.
In the end, Romeo was able to reach out to Juliet after all; there was light at the end of the tunnel for the two lovers.
Art by Kyrine Escalante on Facebook!