36. Romeo
Romeo
Icalled a ride share, and we headed into the car, Ivy Jade radiating nervous energy.
“You alright?” I asked, reaching for her hand and interlocking our fingers together.
She nodded. “I’m just nervous. Mami might literally explode with anger and take us all out with her.”
The literal visual got stuck in my head, but I cleared my throat.
“It’s gonna be okay, Princess. I’ll be right by you, or if you need space, I can give you that as well,” I said softly.
She stared out the window for a moment, then turned her head, giving me a warm smile.
“I like that you call me that.”
I gave her hand a small squeeze, returning the smile. Truth be told, I was nervous as hell. Meeting her family again—this time as a couple—changed the dynamic of my whole relationship with the Castellanos. I wanted to play it cool for Ivy Jade. She needed some support right now.
By the time we made it back to the chateau, the reception was in full swing. We had to have been at least two hours late. Music blasted from the speakers, and hundreds of people in costumes roamed the Gothic, Halloween-themed space, goblets in their hands, laughter spilling in every direction.
I led Ivy Jade up to where the wedding party’s tables were, and where Tallulah and Gustav’s names were lit up in neon letters above a black-ribboned arch. Some of the party sat at their tables, fully dressed as vampires, Wednesday Addams, witches, and demons.
I couldn’t imagine the heart attack Mrs. Castellanos must have had seeing all of this.
“Romeo, that you, man?” Gustav’s voice called out, and I turned to find him in his black suit, along with a top hat and skeleton makeup.
I gave him a pat on the shoulder as he approached us.
“Congratulations, Gusty,” I said, giving him a small side hug.
“Thanks, man! Glad you made it.” He turned to Ivy Jade, then looked down at mine and his sister’s hands that were interlaced together.
“Followed my advice?” he asked her with a knowing grin. “You’re wise to listen to your much smarter older brother.”
She snorted a laugh and then raised her free hand in the air.
“How did you know it was Ro?!” she asked her brother. “Am I really that oblivious?”
Gustav looked between us. “Huh?”
“I’ll explain it later, man. Where’s the wife?”
“Tallulah!” Ivy Jade exclaimed, waving her hand in the other direction behind us.
She caught Tallulah’s attention, and the bride came towards us, shocked but with delight clear across her face.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry I missed the ceremony,” Ivy Jade said, letting go of my hand to wrap her arms around her.
“Oh, babe, it’s okay!” she responded, kissing her cheek.
“And congratulations to Mrs. Gustav Phillium Castellanos!” Ivy Jade squealed.
Tallulah’s eyes creased as her laughter hit. Gustav was beet red. “Phillium?” she said.
“Ivy-fucking-Jade!” Gustav said. “I can’t believe you—”
And Tallulah interrupted his scolding with a smack of a kiss. “Shut up. I love you.”
Honestly, so much had gone down tonight, it was hard to keep up with.
They pulled away from each other, and Ivy Jade turned back to me.
“This was the hot clown I was talking about,” she proudly announced.
I ran a hand through my hair, unable to conceal the stupid grin that crossed my face. Getting compliments from Ivy Jade was going to take some getting used to.
Tallulah’s mouth dropped open as she gasped. “Romeo?! Romeo was your hot clown?!”
Ivy Jade turned to me, once again shocked that someone could possibly recognize me like this.
“He was my hot clown all along,” she finally responded, as if that explanation was enough, not taking her eyes off me.
“Okay, well. I’m gonna need all the juicy details soon.
Especially with the way your makeup looks right now,” she said with a laugh, pointing a circle around her lips.
Ivy Jade looked like Mrs. High Jynx; her eyes were painted in purple diamonds, and her lips were outlined in the most colorful pink.
When I looked closer, I saw what Tallulah was laughing at.
The paint on Ivy Jade’s face was smudged from all of our kissing.
We were totally caught.
Ivy Jade touched it and saw the pink on her fingers. “Oh my god!” She looked at me, laughing. “Thanks for the heads-up!” she said lightly. “But… by the way. Your makeup is messed up too.”
I chuckled as Tallulah took Ivy Jade’s hand, and they began to walk towards the dance floor.
Gustav nudged me with his shoulder. “Good luck with that one. You’re gonna need it,” he quipped.
I was grateful that Gustav and Tallulah were supportive, though I never had any doubt they wouldn’t be. Who I had my doubts about were—
“Ivy Jade Castellanos, where have you been?!” Her mother’s voice boomed through the outside air just as the upbeat song transitioned into a slower one. She was with Antonio, who looked like he was ready to crawl out of his skin.
Ivy Jade froze before she turned around, and the stare-down between the two could intimidate a fucking bull.
“Shit,” I heard Gustav say under his breath.
“Come here,” their mother snapped. “You have a lot of explaining to do!”
Mrs. Castellanos marched towards her and began to grab her arm and pull her away, but Ivy Jade wiggled free.
“Get off of me!” she scolded, slapping the back of her mother’s hand.
Our group got quiet, and Mrs. Castellanos looked like she was about to have a meltdown. Neither she nor Antonio were dressed up for the reception, but her face was as red as the devil.
“You’re embarrassing yourself right now, Ivy Jade. You’re embarrassing our whole family!” she hissed.
“You’re the one shouting in the middle of a dance floor!” Ivy Jade spat out. “All you care about is your reputation, so you can’t even see that neither of us wants to get married.”
“Don’t be absurd!” Mrs. Castellanos scoffed, looking back at Antonio.
He clammed up, trying to smile. I swear I could see the sweat leaking out through his suit.
“Tell her, Antonio,” Mrs. Castellanos laughed. “Tell her you want to marry her!”
It got quiet again. We all waited for a response.
“Well…” he cleared his throat, loosening his tie. “I think Ivy Jade… is a wonderful woman. And without a doubt, she’s going to make a man very happy someday. I just don’t think that man is me…”
Ivy Jade nodded confidently, as if it were so obvious.
“Enough of this!” Mrs. Castellanos snapped, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“No!” Ivy Jade said firmly, stepping closer to her mother. “I won’t do this anymore. I don’t have to explain myself to you ever again, Mami. I don’t care about being cut off or not being good enough for you and Papi anymore. If your love is conditional, I don’t want it!”
Ivy Jade quickly walked over to me, taking my hand in hers. “This man will love me no matter what. And he makes me happy, Mami. And I love myself enough to know that’s what I deserve—I deserve happiness!”
My heart flipped wildly in my chest. Not only did Ivy Jade love me, but she was about to change her entire life just to be with me.
Mrs. Castellanos' mouth dropped open as she looked between the two of us.
“I told you Romeo was no—”
“Stop. I don’t wanna hear anymore.” Ivy Jade turned to me, looking up at me with wide, determined eyes. “Let’s dance, my dark knight.”
I smiled, proud of my girl as she led us further into the dance floor.
The soft, melodic music vibrated through my feet.
We turned towards each other as we stopped below a disco ball chandelier.
Ivy Jade’s eyes were soft and content as I wrapped my arm around her waist. I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers.
She tasted like everything I never knew I needed.
“I’m proud of you, Princess,” I said quietly, warmth spreading from the tips of my fingers where I touched her.
She looked up at me with admiration and desire. “I’m proud of you too, clown.”
“Brat.” I grinned, pulling her closer. I took her right hand in mine as we swayed to the sounds of whatever song was playing, but I couldn’t hear it.
All I could hear was Ivy Jade whispering into my ear, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I buried my face into her hair, kissing her.
She never needed me to be saved. Her independence was all her doing.
And I never needed to be saved, either. All along, all I needed was for her to find me, embrace my mask finally being unveiled, and show me that I could be loved just for being me after all.