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Phonism

It was the first day of school. I, 17-year-old schoolboy, hardworking and deserving

Romeo, was faced with piles of troubles. First of all, my name. My former name was

Rowen, though a bit pedantic, but at least was a practical common name. However, justa few days ago, my father and mother, who had never read masterpieces by

Shakespeare, both suggested that I was renamed Romeo. I was suddenly puzzled.

When they were asked why, they wouldnt make an answer, just forcing to name me

Romeo. In this way, I not only buckled up a big flowery hat onto my own head for no

reason, but also had run errands for the whole day to have the names on my ID card and

passport changed. Whats more, my parents announced this piece of sensational news

on the local press. I was baffled. No one ever had his name changed in such a high-

profile way, and I was no celebrity. Therefore, I concluded that my parents wanted their

son to throw a back face greatly. This announcement was also Rowan's obituary, I

thought sadly, I would spend the rest of my life in the aura of this flowery name.

Secondly, my childhood girlfriend Xiaoshan ignored me today. I even saw a few a

disdainful looks of her. At first, I thought it was because of my new name, but no matter

how hard I explained this name was a forced one, she still ignored me. I thought about

what I did recently carefully, and found nothing that was wrong. So, I guessed, it must still

be my new name that made unhappy.

Thirdly, I had only got 5 Bs and 1 C in my final exams last semester. Historically, I was

the only one in the school who could get all the As, which was amazing. But this time

somehow, although I was confident, the scores were terrible. In this way, my good

reputation was insured. Imaging that results of the exams would be announced tomorrowand the words would be spilled in and behind my face, I really wanted to buy a tofu kill

myself by knocking into it.

After the night classes, I walked in the dark street with my mind filled with bad news,

following my steps home without restriction. All, all of that was so like a bad dream. All, all

of the bad things were thrown to me at one time. Thinking about the long, tedious

semester ahead of me, and the home which was full of Romeo, get up, Romeo, its so

late and you ought to take a shower waiting for me, I started to feel my head swimming

and couldnt help it. Do not go home tonight? A rebellious idea suddenly flashed through

my mind. No, now all the town knew that I was called Romeo, I was like the Japan

surrounded by American atomic bombs, had nowhere to hide. At this time, I had come to

the stairs at home, and a girl suddenly stopped me.

I was taken by surprise. My first thought was that I had encountered a robber. I stood

there calmly, clutching at my backpack strap. A bunch of bright light from the lamp was

projected upon her and with its assistance I could see her face carefully. She was

probably one or two years younger than me, and looked kind of like the perfect queen

bee of our school, although the queen bee was a lot prettier than her. In spite of her

ordinary look, she wore an elegant white sweater and a delicate plaid skirt with stockings

on her legs and a lovely gold pin in her curly hair, looked just like a princess. A girl as

fragile as her shouldnt be a robber. But what if she was the daughter of the robber? Oh,her father must have known that today our teacher have just given us one thousand

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yuan, and had his ambush set up here. I couldnt help but grip the backpack strap tighter,

feeling sweats in my hands.

She burst into laughter, reached out her hand and said smiling, Good evening, Romeo.

I looked at herskeptically. Not because of my new name, but for her behavior. First of

all, in the era of schoolgirls-who-never-wear-skirts, she was dressed so blatantly.Secondly, in todays world, only hotel staff would say good evening instead of hey as

greeting. I stared at herwarily and didnt take her hand.

She had no embarrassment, just grabbed my hand and forcibly pulled me to a tree by

the side of the building.

I just like your kind of personality. She said. At the same time, I cried, What are you

going to do? Our voices mingled together and she laughed.

My name is Juliet. She said.

I had a surprise again. I was just renamed Romeo and the next minute a Juliet

appeared. Is there anything more bizarre than this? Suddenly I understood the situation. I

had had enough admirers since primary school, and today I was harassed again by a

pretending to be elegant Juliet. I was secretly crying. To solve this kind of things, I always

tried not to break the girls heart, and made myself out of trouble. Today, however, I was

in a bad mood, and didnt want to deal with her. Tell her the truth anyway.

I did not do well in the test today, dont annoy me. I said with my head drooped. Just

when I was about to leave, she snatched my hand. To my astonishment, she didnt have

an expression of disappoint and heartbreak that my admirers always had.

If there is anything bothering you, you can tell me. She said with a gentle tone.

I suddenly felt wronged, this girl, who I never met before, seemed to become the only

one that I could rely on at this time. I told her everything. How could my parents treat melike that? How could Xiaoshan treat me like that? And my grades, which I had always

been proud of, how could you treat me like that? She had listened quietly, but I was still

able to feel vaguely that she couldnt conceal her impatience.

What Im most sad about is that Xiaoshan was sulky with me just because of a name.

You know, we have been together since we were born, and we have never had an

argument. I said.

There, there. She changed the moderate tone and said impatiently, she ignored you

not because of your name, but for the reason that you forgot to add her favorite pepper to

her breakfast ham this morning.

How do you know? Are you a friend of her? But anyway, I dont believe that Xiaoshan

can be so narrow-minded. You are sowing discord between us, arent you?

Nope. She answered, to my surprise, and mysteriously conspired my ear, said,

However, I can make you become friends again.

I looked at her in doubt. This was not like what an admirer would do. Maybe she was

really a friend of Xiaoshan, a pen pal perhaps.

Not only that, I can make your grades become all As again.

What do you mean? This Juliet is more and more far-fetched to speak of.

Just this meaning.

Do you want me to cheat? First of allOh, do not say first of all please! You are just too good at math. Anyways, you want all

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As, and I will give you. I am not in the mood of cheating.

I thought that I looked like an idiot in front of her and felt a bit upset. I had felt bad

enough already, and at this time met a girl who was lying in mouthful, I was so

unfortunate.

I responded lazily in hesitation, and wanted to go upstairs. To my surprise, she shoutedin my back, this is not your home. I threw a look back. Sure enough, there wasnt my

fathers old, rusty bicycle in the corridor, this was not my home. I ran out of the corridor

and suddenly understood. The community I lived in had two parts, one was East Suyuan

in the east of the city, and the other was West Shating in the west. The buildings in both

parts were all the same, but were located in two absolutely different places. My home

was in East Suyuan, but the doorplate showed that I was in West Shating.

It was really strange. I had walked this way home a thousand times since I was a kid,

and every time I just followed my steps thinking about math problems. I must have been

cursed. Also, how come this girl know so much about me, even have a clear picture of

my home address?

I wanted to go back and ask whom she was, but weary footsteps just led me on the way

home.

The next morning, when I went downstairs, Xiaoshan was already there waiting for me,

but usually I rode my bike to her house to take her to school.

She said sincerely, looking into my eyes, Im so sorry, Romeo, I was bad. I shouldnt

have been sulky with you just because you forgot to add pepper to my breakfast. I was

so small-minded,

While comforting guilty Xiaoshan, I was secretly wondering how that Juliet did this.On my arrival to school, I couldnt believe my eyes: the school was decorated

everywhere, at the school gate hung a huge picture on which the background was my

photo and my all-A report card and foreground was a bold bright headline:

Congratulations to Romeo, who had just got all As 21 times in a row! Every tree, every

display window, and every place where something can be hung was hung the smaller

version of it. The national flag on the flagpole was replaced by a banner on which was

printed my head. Then came the sound neat recited of the Grade Senior One,

Congratulations to Romeo, who had just got all As 21 times in a row!

I was stunned to stand still, couldnt believe it was not a dream.

At this time, the headmaster came, who had a smaller version hung before the chest. I

hurried to meet him, Headmaster, this is really too much. There is no need to

Oh my Romeo, you have always been so modest, The headmaster interrupted me with

a smile, took out a cigarette, lit it with a cigarette-lighter on which there printed the head

of me, and spit out six perfect A-shaped smoke ring, and left.

I felt so incredible, but at the same time believed the ability Juliet had. I couldnt help but

to admire her. However, what she did was too much to me, as if she was playing with me.

Next time when I see her, I must have to have a word with her.

Just at this point, Juliet was in front of me, as if coming from the heaven. She was

wearing an Indian sari-like bright flowing dress, barefooted, ankle-length straight hairloose forward. She had earrings looking like fish bones on her ears, and shining painted

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vines on her cheeks.

How come you are dressed like this? I asked. I have hardly ever seen girls dressed like

that in real life.

I wear whatever I want. She said nonchalantly, you will be bored to death to stay here

any longer. Lets go and have fun!She took hold of my hand without explanation and ran out of school. I was so surprised

that a girl as fragile-looking as her would have so much strength. Maybe my first

impression was right.

We stopped out of breath in front of a fruit shop. She picked up a large bag, filled it with

different kinds of fruit, snatched my arm and ran into a barber shop. A curly-haired lady

was having her hair permed. Juliet stood in front of her, lifted a cocoanut over her head

and pinched. The cocoanut was broken and white juice suddenly poured down on her

hair.

Give your hair a hot cocoanut bath! Juliet laughed.

Then, she grabbed a durian and threw it at a mirror. Just at that time, the mirror was

broken and glass was all over. A young girl was having her hair cut in front of the broken

mirror. Looking at this, the barber said happily, Great! We can just do the most popular

glass makeup this year!

I looked at what Juliet had done, also got excited, picked up an apple and threw it right

to the crystal light hung on the ceiling. Fatal glass fell down and I quickly pulled Juliet to

escape.

We ran out of the barber shop, left all the chaos behind and smashed each stores

window with the remaining fruit. We then ran into a narrow alley laughing to calm down

the excitement.Who on earth are you? I gasped.

Im Juliet! I was expecting this kind of answer; I knew that I would never know who she

was.

Why do you help me? I asked her after a little silence.

Juliet looked into my eyes just as Xiaoshan did and said sincerely, because Im in love

with you.

I didnt know how to answer, so I just said, Ah.

She burst out laughing, So do you like me?

I didnt look at her eyes and lied, Yes.

She laughed again and said, No problem. I will make you fall in love with me anyway,

I looked at her face in surprise. This girl, who was not pretty but always so confident,

seemed to have some supernatural powers. There had been enormous changes in my

flat world since she appeared.

You are Romeo, I am Juliet, we should have made a couple. She said.

Romeo again.

I asked her, You have always been called Juliet?

She looked a little puzzled, Of course.

I said, I was renamed Romeo. Actually, my name is Rowen.

She was suddenly infuriated, You are Romeo, as you always are. You are neverRowen, you should cancel that name in your brain!

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Her words did make me feel sort of annoyed, but I could not retort her; I admitted that I

was a little afraid of her.

Arent you happy with me? Isnt being with me way better than sitting your exams at

school all day? She asked me angrily. And suddenly, she changed into a cheerful tone,

took my arm and said smiling, next street!In the garden at the middle of the street, she snatched the large scissors from the

horticultural workers, and cut down all the roses from the fence. She put the flowers in a

layer of her sari and scattered the petals in the whole street.

I moved out piles of books from the bookstore, and threw the books to her to play. All of

a sudden, she was slipped by a bunch of tattered petals. When I was about to run to help

her up, she just smiled slily and jumped onto a cars roof. I also jumped onto another

cars roof. The two cars seemed to be specially set for us and had been maintaining the

same speed and the same route. She stood on the roof laughing and jumping. Just at the

moment, a guitar appeared in her arms out of nowhere, and she asked me to sing while

tuning. I refused to expose my drake voice, so she just started to play and sing. Her voice

was pretty and sweet. When it came to a nice part, I couldnt help but roar into the sky.

She suddenly jumped onto the roof of my car half way through it, laughed, took my hand

and got us onto a fire truck. We climbed along the expanded ladders and went up to

someones window. Just at that moment, I realized that it was Xiaoshans home. I had no

time to react when Juliet jumped into the window, so I had to follow her.

There was no one in her home. Juliet lifted a vase seeming to want to smash it, but

looked at me and put it down.

The next time you see Xiaoshan, be sure to break up with her! She said.

I made no answer. She said, I could make her desert you and find a new lover withease. But, I dont want that, I want you to say to her that you like me for yourself.

She laughed after saying that, climbed into my home from the window like a wind. I

followed her closely in case she did something bad.

We had just run into my room when my dad came in. As soon as Juliet saw dad, she

jumped out of the window of the 7th floor.

Dad was stunned to silence for a moment before he asked, Who was that girl?

A classmate. I panicked and didnt think much before saying that, and after that

there was an unspoken regret.

Whats her name?

Xiaoli. I lied.

You have to tell her that its very dangerous to jump down from so high. Dad said, You

finished school very early today, and lets go to the Burger King to celebrate that you

have all Asagain!

That night, laying in bad, I could not fall asleep. Right, I was happy with Juliet. In the

past seventeen years my life was as plain as water, and the show-up of Juliet was like

colorful pigments added in the water. Were colorful pigments good for the body? Well, I

didnt want to think about that, I was happy with her anyway.

The whole day at school, I didnt hear anything special about my absence from school.

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I was always wandering in thoughts when I was in classes. At the class break and

lunchtime I didnt dare to see Xiaoshan and talk to her about that. Finally class was over,

I went straight to Xiaoshans home.

We sat on the sofa drinking orange soda glass after glass, watching the

advertisements on TV one after one but I dared not speak to Xiaoshan to make it allclear.

Scene after scene of how we played together flashed through my mind. In order to calm

down, I simply started to do my homework. Just as I had finished my biology paper and

was about to tell her the truth, she got close and kissed me. The tight string was loose

again, and I had to go back to my homework.

Suddenly came the sound of a shattered porcelain with a bam from the study. I hurried

to the study. There stood Juliet. She was wearing a purple lace-frilled dress and looking

angrily at me. On the floor lied the debris of the china vase, exactly the one she wanted

to smash that day. There were scattered letters I wrote to Xiaoshan on the floor. It

seemed that she had hided them all in the vase.

As soon as Xiaoshan saw Juliet, she was frightened to death and cried, she is the

ghost who have appeared in my dream every night! And then she fainted.

I got Xiaoshan back to the sofa. It turned out that she was not Xiaoshans friend at all! At

this moment, a bam came from the study again.

Ive had enough! I shouted at her.

The answer was another bam.

I finally was fed up with her unreasonable behaviors. I rushed to her and took hold of

her arm, I have promised to be with you. You shouldnt have been so inexplicably angry

and vexatious!She cried and got rid of me, No! I know how you are, you will never break up with her! If

you want to be with me, you have to give up your parents, give up Xiaoshan, give up your

everything, and start a new life with me! After that she jumped through the window and

climbed into my home.

I followed her. She was domineering in my home. The computer, in which all my dads

papers were stored, was smashed, monkeys were hung on the curtains, jam covered the

floor, and the bathroom was filled with mercury. It seemed that even dad could not stop

her, and mom was crying. Juliet tossed her head back to me, gave me a grief side look,

jumped outside of the window and left.

Although our house is like this, we still have to live here. Mom wiped her tears and

sighed.

Yeah. Said dad.

The three of us had to clean the room.

After the tiring night, I woke up at 6:30 the next morning. See it was already late for

school, I hastened up to get dressed. There seemed to be something in my shoe. I took it

out, it was a heart-shaped note.

Romeo:Im sorry. It was me that was wrong, I shouldnt have been so angry. Today I

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wanted to help you clean the house, but as you have done it, I could do nothing but

be apologetic. See you at the school gate after school.

Juleit

I got so cross just seeing Juliets name. I was regretful that I made her thepromise. The original sense of impulse had gone and to re-examine the time spent

with her, I felt that the happiness was all falsehood. Her supernatural powers and

fickle temper made me feel afraid. What was the worst, as she had said, I must

give up my everything to be with her. I felt heartbroken thinking of the cozy time

spent with my parents and the lovely smile of Xiaoshan.

Just in next afternoon, I should tell her that it was all over, she should withdraw

from my life. I was still the ordinary me.

In the afternoon after school, Juliet was waiting for me at the school gate with a

big smile. Although I had got used to her weird clothes, I still thought her dress

today was a plot. She was wearing a white wedding dress with her hair set high

and an elegant small basket in her hand. Every passing student was giving her

strange looks. I felt very embarrassed and passed her without greeting her.

She hastily followed up, Do not be angry with me anymore. I will take you to a

beautiful place today.

She took me through streets and streets to the foot of a hill in the west of the

town. How strange, I had been living in this plain small town for seventeen years

but had never seen or heard of this hill. She led me to climb up the hillside. The

dense woods and lovely singing of the birds suddenly vanished, in my sight therewas a beautiful lawn. Though it was already autumn, the grass was still green and

nice, all covered with colorful wildflowers and red berries. The sky was the kind of

blue that seemed to come out of water with white clouds gently flowing. Here is all

silence, except for the footsteps of Juliet and I, all the creatures were silent. I

turned around to have a look at the noisy town, but it seemed to be blocked

invisible by the dense woods.

Juliet took out a plaid tablecloth from the basket, laid it on the lawn and put all

kinds of food on it. Just as we sat down at the table cloth, she began to speak,

Well, here our story goes.

I looked at the naught not far from the tablecloth. No lawn, it was the cliff. She

forced me from the hill to the cliff.

Juliet didnt take notice that I was distracted and continued, Actually I was

raised in a poor family

I looked at her gorgeous dress and felt incredible.

I have been extremely introverted and lonely since I was a little kid, so I always

write stories for fun. One day, I wrote a story and fell in love with the hero. He was

somewhat unsophisticated, a little indecisive, immersed in his ivory tower, and his

scores are always the highest in the grade I loved him to death and wanted to

drag him out of the story,I looked at her, puzzled. She laughed.

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You are just him. You are living in my story.

Nonsense! This is a real world, and Im standing in front of you. Say, I have 17

years of memories, every detail I can remember clearly. How can they be unreal?

I exclaimed. She was lying she intended to take hold of my life. I felt the threat.

Believe me! Believe me! Your world is completely fictional. I just moved myfingers to make your parents rename you Romeo. Remember the pictures hung in

the school display windows? Remember my supernatural powers? Remember the

ghost Xiaoshan spoke of? They were all written by me in my notebook with a

pencil, and the notebook was locked in the drawer in my desk. If It were real life,

how could all these happen? I made all the chaos in your house I could have

made it worse to make you give up all you have in this fictional world and go with

me to the real world to live! Forget Xiaoshan and your parents, they were all just

some ideas which flashed through my mind. Dont believe in them just because I

put them into my writings! All their feelings to you were virtual, only me, me, is

sincere to you. Im your only friend, come with me! She sputtered all these and

laughed madly.

I was trembling all over. My dreams, my feelings, are they all illusions? Can I

just be a manipulated puppet in a puppet show? No, Dont believer her! Only after

she appeared did my life became all chaotic, strange, and unreal. This devil who

interfered in other peoples life! All this was a perfect lie she concocted. She tried

to control my life!

I secret stole a look at the cliff. A roiling sea of clouds, like the end of the world.

A cruel plan appeared in my mind.

She looked at me pathetically and sadly, You are living in a world made up byme.

I said, No matter in real or virtual world, there is no eternality. My hand stroked

through the soft grass, Time is merciless, it pierces through our skins without

crevices. Maybe you should stay in the real world and watch me get married and

grow old from a faraway place. Only in that way can you feel a little timeless taste.

No. She laughed again, There is no time in the virtual world. All the

transformations of day and night are from my thoughts. I can put time into pieces

and twist it into cannabis if I wish.

But in your real world, time is also an artificial thing.

At least you can have a life that is real in the real world.

Maybe you can only say, you can have a life that is more real.

It was her turn to look at me in a puzzled way,

I smiled, Whats the name of your story?

Phonism. She responded.

Okay, I can go with you. But let us eat something first and then hit the road.

She smiled mockingly.

Well, ok. But the kind of food of the virtual world cannot really fill your stomach.

Even your feeling of hunger is not real.

She turned to pick up the orange soda. I pushed her to the cliff all of a sudden.She did not scream, I could even not seen any fear in her face. I watched her

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fall down into the never-ending abyss like a white butterfly, and soon merged into

the sea of the cloud. I felt relieved.

I turned around and wanted to eat some food on the plaid tablecloth but it

seemed to have disappeared with her.

I suddenly felt very tired. I lied down on the breeze rippling lawn, the flowersexuded a fascinating aroma. I saw the figure of a deer flashing by dimly.

The blue sky gradually grew narrow, narrow, narrow, and suddenly became a

bright spot, and suddenly disappeared like turning off the TV with a hop.

I fell asleep.