As the driver pulled before our house, he got out and opened the door for us to get out. I was the first to slip out and then I asked Juliette to come out.

　　"No, Thank you I think I'll pass the offer" she crossed her arms across her chest and behaved as if she was sober now. Clearly, she wasn't.


　　I rolled my eyes at her and gave her my hand asking her to come out.

　　"Are you deaf? I said I am going out for shopping" she whined and leaned against the window and turned towards my direction, keeping her legs on the seat.

　　"Juliette" I sighed and took in a deep breath before as politely as I could I said: "We are already in the mall. Come out now" I cringed at my own lie.


　　"Really?" came her slurry voice.

　　"Let's go now!" I told her and watched as she put her legs down and slipped towards my direction. Finally, I held her arm and pulled her out.


　　"Good morning!" she greeted to the driver who just smiled at her in response.

　　"Good night ma'am" he replied and closed the door after I pulled her out and wrapped my arm around her waist and made her walk into the house.

　　"Listen! I want to buy a neck-klace" she hiccupped and pulled my suit "just like the one you-r mother gave t-to me" as she said that I stopped in my track and looked at her.

　　"Then you can you have the one which she gave," I told her and remembered the day when she returned it back to me.

　　"No! No!" she shook her head no.

　　"It's yours. It belongs to you and your fa-family" she said and leaned her head on my shoulder.

　　I sighed and closed my eyes then dragged her towards the staircase when my phone rang. I thought it would ring and stop but it didn't. It kept on ringing and finally, I stood near the stair with Juliette leaning on to me. I pulled the phone out and read the caller Id to find it as Mr. Stephen, Juliette's dad.

　　"Good evening Mr. Stephen," I said once I picked it up.

　　"I will walk up on my own!" Juliette said with her slurry voice and tried to take a step on the stair but I pulled her back and held her tightly.

　　"Ugh! Let me go! I want to use the bathroom" she said and tried to move.

　　"Just excuse me for a second Mr. Stephen," I said on the phone and kept the call on hold before I looked back at Juliette.

　　"Will you please stand for a second? I'm talking to your dad. Let me end the call" I said and she muttered something and I went back to the call.

　　Being the stubborn woman she is, she struggled and even dragged me on the stairs. Finally, I let her go and watched her moves as she swayed and holding the rail for the support she made it up to the floor. I sighed once I saw her reaching the top. I assumed she would reach the room and would directly go to sleep. Meanwhile, I had a conversation with Mr. Stephen and he told me that he would be arriving tomorrow in the afternoon with his family. He called to inform me about this. After the call, I hurried up skipping a step and walked towards the bedroom.

　　As I opened the door and walked in, I looked towards the bed to find it empty.

　　"This woman!" I muttered and looked the other side of the room to find it empty as well. Hoping that she must be in the bathroom, I walked that direction and knocked before opening it.

　　"Juliette?" the bathroom was empty as well.

　　"Juli-" I cut off in the middle when I saw her. There she was in the shower but on the floor. She sat on the floor while the shower ran on her making her soak.

　　"Juliette!" I said and immediately got rid of my suit jacket and tie and walked towards her. I looked at her as she sat on the floor, with the shower water running on her. She had pulled her legs to her chest and has sleeked her already wet hair to the back as she closed her eyes and sat on the floor calmly letting the water soak her.

　　"Juliette!" I called her and she opened her eyes and looked up at me.

　　"My head hurts," she said and I wondered if she was sober by now.

　　"Come out now! You will catch a cold!" I said and forwarded my hand for her to take.

　　"I don't want to talk to you," she said and closed her eyes leaning her chin on her hand which was on her knees.

　　"What?"

　　I looked at her and then crouched down to her level right on the open glass doorframe and watched as she didn't look my way.

　　"Why?" I asked.

　　"Nothing!" she replied but still didn't look my way.

　　"Why did you drink in the party?" I asked and saw as she clutched her soaked dress but still didn't look my way.

　　"I don't know" she replied.

　　"You don't know why you drank to point where you couldn't even stand straight?" I asked with amusement clear in my voice.

　　"Yes, I don't know. Now, leave me alone!" she had a sudden uproar in her voice and she glared at me squinting her eyes whenever the water went into it.

　　Okay! I guess, she isn't sober yet!

　　"Leave me alone!" she said and looked the other way.

　　"You know I can't do that!" I said truthfully first time ever letting her know what I truly meant.

　　"Well, then what do you want? You can't leave me alone, you can't stick up to me! Then what?" she snapped at me and then before I could open my mouth she started crying.

　　"Leave me alone!" she cried and hid her face using her hands as she wept and wailed wiping her face and she looked the other way.

　　She confused me. What did I do? And why is she crying all of a sudden? I got up from my place and walked in even though the soaked me as well, but I didn't mind it and walked in as I crouched down next to her and made her look at me. She squinted her eyes and closed it shut stubbornly not wanting me to see her eyes.

　　"Hey, Juliette" I called her and held her arms and pulled her and thankfully she allowed me and we stood up.

　　"Look at me!" I said slowly more like a whisper.

　　"No!" she sobbed.

　　"Look at me," I said and caressed her cheeks with my knuckles.

　　She turned her head my way and finally opened her eyes letting me see her beautiful blue orbs which were sad and kind of dark. The shower water drenched us and I moved to stand before her stopping the water coming her way. She looked up to me and held my hands which were on her cheeks and I couldn't when stop myself when I leaned in and planted my lips over her.