Ella couldn’t believe Rome was crossing her yard. How brave must he be to dare climb over the tall barrier in the wall and make his way through rows of hedges and bushes as well. She muttered to herself, “My goodness!” watching him cross toward the yard.
Resting her head on her hand, she considered what she should do. If she opened the window, she’d have to shout to him, but that wasn’t feasible. She could wake up everyone in the house doing that.
As he began to disappear from view below her, under the smaller roofs that jutted off the second story, Ella mumbled, “Rome? Rome? Where did you go, Rome?” He was completely hidden from her sight now. Surely, he wasn’t about to try to climb up here, was he? Could he do that? What would happen if he did?
She’d never tried to open the window before, but she decided she had better do so now, in case he was intending to speak to her. It was too small for him to climb in. She knew it had no alarm, at least. The lock squeaked as she pulled it up out of the hook and then managed to swing the window open. It stuck slightly, but she managed. The cool night air filled her lungs as she took a deep breath and listened.
If Rome was climbing, he was doing it quietly. She couldn’t hear him. He couldn’t possibly be trying to come in the house, could he? There were alarms on all of the windows downstairs. He’d wake the whole house, and if they caught him, they’d definitely call the police. He was a Verona, after all.
Thinking of his last name made her heart heavy, and Ella leaned against the windowsill again. “Why do you have to be a Verona?” she mumbled. “Why can’t you just be Rome, and I’ll just be Ella? Do we need our last names?”
She thought she heard a sound on the roof and quieted to listen. Only a stirring of the trees and bushes hit her ear, so she continued. “It’s just his name my father doesn’t like, not Rome himself. He doesn’t even know him. And Verona isn’t anything but a name--it’s not him, not part of who he is, like an arm or a leg. He could just… change his name. A rose would still smell as sweet if it were called something else. And Rome would still be perfect, even if his last name was something else. If he could give up his name, maybe then, he could have me.”
“Well, if that’s the case….”
Ella startled until she realized Rome was perched on the roof below her. He stood, leapt up, and grabbed ahold of her windowsill, standing on the edge of the trellis beneath it, she assumed. He looked completely casual, as if he were just floating there. She couldn’t help but laugh, even though she was a little bit afraid he might fall.
“If all I have to do to win you is to change my name, then consider it done. Call me something else.”
“Then how am I supposed to describe this man who’s come to my window in the middle of the night?” she asked with a giggle.
“Good question. But not Rome Verona. If it were written on a piece of paper, I’d rip it in half and toss it in the trash.”
“But you are Rome. And a Verona,” she reminded him, praying no one could overhear them speaking.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll change my entire name,” he replied, grinning at her.
“Do you have any idea how dangerous it is that you’re here? The walls are high for a reason. If they catch you, my stepmother will call the police.” Not to mention, if she were caught speaking to him, her stepmother might just kill her.
“Do you not want me here? I don’t really care what anyone else thinks, but if you keep looking at me like that, like you wish I were gone, I’ll go.”
“I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get caught,” Ella replied, trying to soften her gaze.
“It’s night. I think I’ll be fine. Besides, if you meant what you said earlier, and you’ll be mine, then, I don’t care. I’d rather know you love me and be discovered then spend even one more minute waiting.”
The mention of the word love had Ella’s heart pounding in her chest. How could he have gotten there so quickly? Yet, she thought she did love him--which sounded crazy and wonderful all at the same time. She couldn’t say so at the moment though. He’d think she had lost her mind, wouldn’t he? “How did you know where I live?”
“Everyone knows where your father’s house is, Ella. Besides, you have my phone. I tracked it here. But I’d go anywhere to see you again. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t wait. If there was a perilous sea between us, I’d have crossed it to be with you.”
Ella took a deep breath. Everything he said was so sweet. “I know it’s dark and difficult to see, but you’ve made me blush, Rome. You heard me earlier then, didn’t you? While I was speaking of you?” He nodded. “You say you love me already. But it’s been so soon. If I say I love you as well, won’t you think I’m crazy, that I’ve jumped in too fast? Perhaps I should pretend I don’t feel the same, that I’m unsure of my feelings for you.” He lifted an eyebrow, and she giggled. “I can’t do that, though. And I promise you, I’m not crazy. But… how do I know you really love me, and you’re not just saying that?”
Rome shrugged. “I swear… on the moon.”
“The moon? The moon changes all the time. Why would you swear on that?”
“Okay. Is there something else you’d rather I swore by?”
“Don’t swear on anything, silly. Or just swear on yourself if you have to swear on anything. Just tell me you love me, and I’ll believe you.” His eyes were so crystal clear, so bright, they seemed to see into her soul.
“Ella, I love…”
“Wait!” She cut him off, running a hand through her hair. “This is crazy, Rome! We just met. We can’t declare our love for each other right now. It’s like telling someone to look at lightning--before they turn, it’s gone. That’s how long we’ve known each other. It takes time for a flower to bloom. We should just… talk about this tomorrow. I should go to bed. And you should go home before you’re caught.”
“But Ella… I already said it. Do you want me to take it back?” He had an amused look on his face that made her smile.
“Only if you’re going to give it back again.” He chuckled, and she couldn’t help but laugh along. Leaning in closer to him, she said, “I love you, too, Rome. It’s as deep as the ocean and as infinite, and I can’t deny it, no matter how crazy it might sound.” Below her, Ella thought she heard something. She looked down, though that wasn’t helpful. “I think you should go.”
His smile was so bright, it rivaled the moon as he took in what she’d said. “You love me? Is it possible? Maybe I’m already in bed--asleep--and this is a dream.”
“No, I do love you, Rome, and if you really do love me, too, then you need to go before you’re caught or we’ll both be in trouble. We’ll talk about everything tomorrow.” She couldn’t tell him she loved him if she didn’t trust him, and that meant telling him the truth. Another sound caught her attention, and she froze, listening.
But Romeo didn’t. “I can’t believe this... how perfect it all is. All right. I’ll call you tomorrow. To unlock my phone, press 5498. Can you remember that?”
She nodded. Were those footsteps on the stairs? “All right--now for the thousandth time, you have to go! Goodnight!”
“A thousand times, maybe, but a thousand seconds without you is an eternity, Ella.”
“I’ll be speaking your name until I’m hoarse until I see you again. But you have to go.”
“Your name is like music in my ear, sweet Ella.” He touched her hand gently and then dropped down to the roof below, hardly making a noise.
Ella looked over her shoulder, not hearing anything now, but not sure. She couldn’t help it. “Rome!”
“Yes, dear Ella?”
“What time will you call tomorrow?”
“At nine.”
She nodded. That should be fine. “It seems like forever….” She’d wanted to tell him something else but couldn’t remember. “I don’t know what I wanted to say.”
Rome leapt back up and grabbed the window sill. “I’ll just wait then.”
“That won’t help. You standing there is a bigger distraction than anything!” She smiled at him, and he laughed.
“That’s okay. I’ll just stay here forever then.”
“It’ll be morning before we know it. You need to go. You’re not a bird in a cage that I’ve freed, sent away, and then pulled back again.”
“I wouldn’t mind being that bird.”
“I’d probably love you to death, if you were. You’ve got to go. Your leaving makes me so sad… yet, it’s a sweet sorrow, knowing I’ll speak to you again soon.”
“I’ll go so you can rest.” He lightly touched her hand. “I wish I could stay, but I have to get home, and you’re right, it would be bad for both of us if anyone knew I was here. I have a lot of questions for you tomorrow, Ella, but they will wait until then. I do love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He leaned in then, and found her lips with his. It was precarious and a stretch for both of them because of the awkward angle, but she relished having his lips on hers again.
Then, Rome dropped down again, and disappeared over the edge of the roof. Ella stayed there and waited until she could see him again. At the wall, he blew her a kiss before he climbed to the top, paused, waved at her, and then disappeared from sight.
Once he was gone, Ella hurried to close the window, unable to believe what had just happened. He really did love her--and she knew in her heart she loved him, too. It might be crazy, but if that’s what crazy was, she was more than willing to declare herself legally insane. Whatever it took to be with Rome, that’s what she was willing to do.