Love Story - Jegulus
We were both young when I first saw you. I think I was sixteen, meaning you would’ve been seventeen or eighteen. It was a warm summer’s night; the summer solstice to be exact. My family always held an annual ball for wealthy families at our manor, but I never was one for parties. I wasn’t even planning on attending until I caught sight of you from that balcony.
Every year I’d stand on that same balcony in the summer air, watching and listening. See the lights, see the party, the ballgowns. Then I saw you. You with your tousled hair and crooked glasses. You who looked so dreadfully out of place, yet like you were right where you belonged. You, the man who happened to glance up at the scenery above himself and catch a glimpse of me. You who smiled and waved when no one else could be bothered with my whereabouts.
You were chatting with my brother when I decided to give this ball a whirl. I climbed down from my tower of banishment (one which I had put myself in) and weaved through the crowd, setting myself up a healthy distance away from you. Maybe you would notice me, maybe you wouldn’t, that’d be up to you, I supposed.
It didn’t take long for you to make your way through the crowd and say hello. Your voice was deep and soothing as you introduced yourself, giving my hand a slight peck. James Potter. I rolled that name around in my head for a beat.
“I think I’d prefer Romeo.”
“Of course, but only if you can be Juliet.”
That night was like magic. You were like magic. We danced in the garden, careful not to let anyone see. My father would never approve, but how could I say no? Only a man like James Potter could make me feel like this. Only Romeo if I were Juliet.
That was only the beginning of what felt like years. Night after night you’d come to see me. Night after night you’d throw your pebbles. Night after night my father would shout, but it wouldn’t bother me so much after you’d been around. After I could still taste you on my lips and smell you on my sheets.
Only after a few weeks did he learn of the pebble-throwing culprit’s identity, popping our bubble of bliss and secrecy.
“Stay away from Regulus, Potter scum.”
That night you were caught and I was caught. I sat on the stairs, silently crying that night. Warm tears rolled down my cheeks as I listened to my father’s endless yelling and your calm replies. I wouldn’t let this be the end of us, but I was hopeless.
After the arguing had ceased, you came up next to me and I turned to look at you. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to survive without you. You whom I had only known for a month, maximum. But I couldn’t think of a time when I was happy before you.
I was crying on that staircase, begging you, “Please don't go.”
I said, “Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run. You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess. It's a love story, please, just say–”
“Yes.”
So I’d sneak out to the garden to see you. Every night without fail. You’d sit on that rickety old swing and we’d keep quiet because we’d be dead if he knew. I’d hold your hands and we’d dance around. We’d dance in the same garden that we danced in that first night. Every night we’d be together and escape this town for a little while.
You were Romeo and I was a scarlet letter. You hated keeping secrets and I couldn’t be seen as your Juliet, but you were everything to me and I was begging you, “Please don’t go.”
Of course, you stayed.
You stayed every day, but nothing changed. Our families still fought. We were still a secret. They were trying to tell me how to feel. No progress. Never. I needed my Romeo to save me.
This love was difficult, but I knew it was real.
“Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess. I’ll get us out of here, I promise.” You told me.
It was months and months until I’d see you again.
I got tired of waiting. Every day was like agony. I spent each hour sitting on that balcony, the air turned crisp with fall, wondering if you would ever come around. My faith in you was fading, when I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said “Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you, but you never come.”
Was this in my head? I didn’t know what to think when he knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said, "Marry me, Regulus. You'll never have to be alone. I love you and that's all I really know. I talked to your dad, go pick out a nice suit. It's our love story, baby, just say–”
"Yes."
Not everyone can meet their Romeo as early as I did, but I guess we just got lucky that we were both young when I first saw you.