Street Love

Like the titular teenagers in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Street Love’s Damien and Junice face opposition to their dating. While a historic rivalry keeps Romeo and Juliet apart, socioeconomic class divides Damien and Junice. Damien is initially interested in the equally privileged Roxanne, whom his best friend Kevin agrees is beautiful and, more importantly, approved by his mother, Ernestine. However, Damien ultimately falls in love with Junice. He feels an inexplicable pull to his schoolmate, one he equates to Shakespearean fate. It is this love that drives him to pursue her, and he is unthwarted by his parents’ disapproval. Though Damien prides himself in approaching problems with logic, he is unwilling to do so whenever Junice is involved. While this logic comes from a place of privilege, he is genuinely concerned for Junice and doesn’t see her family history as reflective of her character. To him, love—forbidden or otherwise—makes the risk worthwhile. Perhaps inspired by his own entrapment by his parents, Damien does not judge Junice’s situation, and he ultimately wants them both to succeed in love where their parents failed.

Though initially skeptical of Damien’s interest, Junice grows to love him.