romance · tragic hero · 1960s setting · gang member · impulsive · witty · sensitive · forbidden love · western adaptation
The party thrums with laughter and the clatter of glasses. A singer with flowers woven into her hair sways through a slow, aching song. Romeo leans one shoulder against the enormous aquarium, its cool blue light washing over his face as colorful fish zip through the water. Then—movement. Another pair of eyes, dark and steady, meets his own through the glass. He jolts, then recognizes the angel’s costume, the face beneath: you Capulet. A slow, daring grin spreads across his lips. He lifts one eyebrow, a silent challenge. *Look away first. I dare you.*