"I want how it was before. I want it all with you in my life again... I'm asking you to stay."
Miles Cobain-Smith
An aloof and detached logician, he scrutinizes the simplest things through microscopic lenses. Academic validation, family expectations...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I want a love that's forever. I know it's kind of idealistic but not impossible, right? Those lovely old couples give me hope," Juliet says, laughing as she leans against the headboard of the couch.
"You are a lucky girl. Miles seems like the perfect match for you. The way he managed his schools just to be closer to you- so committed," Maddie says in appreciation, making a grid on a piece of paper where they have decided to play a word game.
"If I ever get married, he has to be committed like this. I really want a love story for me like those romance books, but sometimes I feel like my standards are too high and I will never find someone who matches my values," Bridget pouts, looking over at Juliet from the opposite couch.
"We are the same at this!" Juliet quips. "You know what, Bridget? I've been into romance books since I was twelve. Now I'm nineteen. These seven years, I've read about other people's love stories and daydreamed about my own while my standards kept touching the roof. At times, I felt the same, that I will never find someone for me. I was hopeful, though. You should do the same. As long as your expectations are not unrealistic and real people with those high standards do exist, even if extremely rare, there's hope that one day you will find your person."
"But what if I don't?"
"Then you won't! But remember, Bridget, you should never lower your standards too far, fearing that nobody would ever match that. What is easily available isn't always enough for everybody," Maddie adds, finishing the grid as Juliet and Bridget join her on the floor.
"Exactly. Personally, I think a woman should only get married when she finds a man who matches her values, can respect her as a person, and someone she wishes to spend her life with out of love and not necessity or liability. The same goes for men. A marriage just for the sake of it equals sitting for an exam; a requirement must be fulfilled to hit an expectation or achieve something, but what you achieve perhaps would never be peace of mind and contentment," Juliet says sincerely, to which Maddie nods as she writes their names on the paper.
"So about the game," Maddie announces the instructions, "Each one of us will take turns and put a letter in one of these boxes, and whenever one can write a word consisting of three or more letters, they will get points. Our milestone is 100. Whoever reaches this point first is the winner, and the loser will treat us all."
"If I lose, I will go into hiding. You two are going to end up making me broke," Bridget chuckles, taking the pen from Maddie.
"Ungenerous. You probably have a treasure trove or something."
"Yeah, sure," Bridget rolls her eyes at Maddie's comment. Throwing her a cheeky smile, Maddie turns her attention back to Juliet before saying,
"Oh, and don't forget to invite Miles to our house. We all want to see your knight in shining armor-my mistake, it should be knight in a black shirt!"
