Which Blythe was also opposed to. So, Darcy’s hands were tied.
She decided that even though her communication with Juliet had been kept light and conversational for the last week, shewouldreach out to her. She –
She stumbled to a stop as her hotel door shut behind her upon seeing Juliet sitting on the edge of her bed.
Wearing an off-the-shoulder sweater and a pair of cotton shorts – Darcy knew Juliet had changed into those when she’d arrived here, because she never left the house wearing something so dressed-down – Juliet looked perfect. She looked exactly like Darcy’s fantasy thoughts about what she’d possibly find walking into her hotel room.
Darcy could only stare, the shock cutting through the nonstop hurt and fury she’d been flooded with all day long.
“Juliet,” she breathed, shaking her head. “What are you doing here?”
Juliet offered a small smile as she stood up. “Surprise?”
“Yeah,” she agreed, dumbly, still standing in the short entryway. “Very much so.”
As another few seconds ticked by, that light expression on Juliet’s face slipped. “A… good surprise?”
“I’m just – what are you doing here?” She asked, finally able to snap to attention. She grabbed the handle of her suitcase and wheeled farther into the room.
Given their schedule – traveling between cities on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays – they’d stay on the tour bus most ofthe week. But on Friday and Saturday, where they’d be doing back-to-back shows in the same place, they were in a hotel.
She walked past Juliet, holding her breath as she went so she wouldn’t breathe her in and be tempted to stop. Only pausing once she was several feet away, gripping so tightly to her suitcase, using it to steady herself as she asked, “Why haven’t you wanted to talk? I thought… when I left, things were good?”
Her voice was so quiet, completely beyond her control, strained with the choking tightness in her throat.
Juliet turned so sharply to face her, her hair fanned out behind her. Her dark eyes were wide and, to her credit, she looked genuinely baffled. “What are you talking about?”
Darcy stared at her, dubiously. Expectantly. “So… I was reading into something that wasn’t there?”
“We’ve talked,” Juliet countered, but notably didn’tdenyanything. “We talk almost every day.”
“We text,” she shot back, sharply. “We’ve only talked once, other than the first night of my tour.”
The first night on her tour had been the only time Darcy had feltconnectedto Juliet, though. Yes, they’d texted with little check-ins every other day. And they’d talked when Darcy had called Juliet from the back of the tour bus after one of her shows. Juliet had answered promptly, nothing was notably wrong, and yet somehow, it also seemed like it was.
“Hearing myself say that out loud makes me realize I sound really fucking clingy, though, and I do not enjoy it,” she muttered, spinning on her heel so she didn’t have to look at Juliet’s face when she said it.
She felt utterly raw today, her face was hot and she felt the sting of tears already hitting the backs of her eyes.
Darcy wasnotan easy crier. Not when it came to being sad, at least. Frustrated or overwhelmed, sure. So this, these tears thatthreatened to start rolling down her cheeks over not feelingclose enoughto Juliet…
God, that was foolish and mortifying, and she still couldn’t stop it. And she knew there was so much more bubbling underneath the surface, she wasn’t naïve enough to believe her emotional state was entirely because of Juliet.
However, Juliet was the only one here to bear witness, to be on the receiving end of – what Darcy could feel was – the beginning of a breakdown. She couldn’t possibly put the cap back on the bottle inside of her; it was far too late and everything was swiftly rising to the surface. She could already feel her breathing growing choppy with it.
“This isnota good day to have an emotional conversation,” she managed to tell Juliet haltingly, scrubbing her hands over her face. “I’m a lot more… sensitive right now than I normally am.”
She made herself laugh, the sound higher pitched than was typical, sounding a little wild. Because wasn’t that funny?
“Sorry.” Her breath hitched, cutting through her laughter. “It’s just funny, because I’m a pretty emotional and reactionary person normally, as you and Blythe have both pointed out. Today – today’s about to get a lot worse,” she tried to warn her, before she pressed her hand to her lips, trying to stem the tide. Trying to stop the sob that nearly burst out.
“Because of your mother?” Juliet asked, her eyes so big and concerned, as she kept them trained on Darcy’s face from a few feet away.
Darcy’s body locked up tight at the very mention of her. “Yeah, because ofmy mother,” she answered thickly, before one of her breaths shuddered out, and she pressed her lips tightly together. She stayed that way for several seconds, until she thought she had it under control enough to say, “Look, Juliet,you should probably go because I’m about to lose it. Like really lose it. Can you go and come back la–”
“I don’t want to go anywhere.” Juliet’s voice was low and so firm, it cut through Darcy’s warning.
She turned away and closed her eyes tightly, warding off her tears as long as she possibly could. Trying to hold it together.
