wander

20|wandering... where i shouldn't be

Rose had fallen asleep while we had FRIENDS playing in the background as we flicked through some magazines. We had picked up a VOGUE magazine as we decided to have a little wonder through a small town and a cute store had a Vogue pile and I was quite interested.

I slowly lifted myself from beside her and decided to get a drink as my mouth felt a little dry. I twisted the handle as quietly as possible and gazed out into the huge hallway. There were multiple doors, more than I remember when walking up to Rose's Room. I shut her door behind me and tiptoed down the stairs.

I find my way to the large kitchen and start rummaging through cupboards to find a glass. I open the first cupboard and to my surprise it's empty. I close it silently and open the next cupboard along. It was also empty. Where the fuck are the glasses? All I want is a drink not a fucking search party. I open a few more doors to find cutlery and plate but still no glasses. I'm guessing it's the last cupboard since I've looked in all the others. Yes! Glasses! That was a huge fucking journey for a glass to drink out of.

I take the first glass and fill it with water from the tap. I gulp it down. my throat thanking me since it's lack of moisture was painful. I fill the glass up again and hold it in a tight grasp. I decide to take a walk around the house since I'm not tired anymore. It's a beautiful house and I'm sure the garden is even prettier.

I walk into a spacious room with a huge TV hung on the wall. I'm surprised the Bianchi siblings are always at my house when their own is just as perfect. I take a mental photo of this room before I close the door and make my way back up the stairs. The stairs are shiny marble and the small glitter particles glimmer as the light from the chandelier above hits the right angle. As I reach the top of the stairs, I'm utterly lost. In thought and physically. I can't remember which room is Rose's. Fuck. I'm going to have to look in each of the rooms. I don't mean to intrude privacy but I really didn't know which door it was because every door here looked the same. and all pointed towards the grand staircase.

I open the door right ahead of me and I'm greeted by a gorgeous wooden bed frame and modern Italian style bedroom furniture. I know I said I don't mean to peer through people's things but I can't help myself. It was like a magnet and I couldn't pull away. I gaze out of the huge window and the towns streets are lit up and it's a sight you never thought you needed. I remind myself I'm trying to find Rose's room and I stumble back out to the foyer. I walk towards the next door along and I push the door open.

My heartbeat almost stops as I realise what room this is. Romeo's room. Fuck! I can't be in here, what if Rose finds me in here. How do I explain that. But my legs don't move. My brain is basically shouting my feet to stride but they just don't go anywhere. My heartbeat increases and I know I'm not doing the sensible thing. My eyes roam the room and a photo frame of  a young Rose and Romeo sits on his bedside table. I have to take a closer look. I pick up the delicate frame and two pairs of hazel eyes and the faces with missing teeth are posed standing together on the beach. I reach for my phone in my pocket and snap a quick photo of the childhood memory. The camera shutter clicks and that's when I clock the growing shadow in front of me.

"Peering into others belongings and taking photo's are we?" the familiar voice chuckles. I stutter, knowing I've been caught red handed. He notices my panic and rethinks his past words. "Chill out Chi, it's fine. Not like I haven't seen all your childhood photos your Dad showed me."
"My Dad showed you pictures. Oh fuck!" I'm kind of glad I didn't see my father after the age of 4 because luckily for him, he missed my awkward stage. "Yeah cute baby bath photos by the way" he says with a wink. I know exactly what photo he's talking about. I turn away from him, red from embarrassment. "Cute ass. Still looks good." I pick up a pillow from his bed and throw it towards him. Of course, he catches it. Bitch. I shake my head at him and turn on my heel.

"Hey Chiara," his tone was serious, "can I speak to you, please?" I turned to look at him and his playful face had also dropped to a much more begging plea. "Um I guess so." Romeo pats down next to him as he takes a seat on his bed. I sit next to him and stare at his eyes. He looked worried. Almost sorry. "Please, I need to know why you suddenly changed. We seemed to be getting on well, then distanced yourself from me?" I cut him off, "Romeo... I-" but he cut me off instead. "Did someone hurt you. Was it me? If it was, I'll try all I can to make it better."

"Romeo!," I say pretty loud but not loud enough to wake Rose, "I'm trying to tell you. Let me speak... okay?" He looked up towards me and nodded his head and muttered a small "sorry"

"Um yeah, so when I came here you were so sweet and kind and if I'm going to be honest I really liked you. We got on so well and everything felt so right. You took real good care of me and I appreciate all you did, it was something I never felt before.I had never been cared for or felt loved and you changed that. But that changed when I went out with Rose one day for lunch. She told me about you. You and your ex. About how you... cheated. And I don't want to get involved with a cheater. You know what they say, once a cheater always a cheater and well I guess... I don't want to be more hurt and more broken than I already am. I didn't know how I could be around you without catching fucking feelings and I can't put myself through being cheated on."

After my little speech, it was silent. My heartbeat thumped through my chest. I had never been this honest with anyone. Romeo took a deep breath and turned to me. "I never fucking cheated. I promise. She was the one who cheated and flipped it on me. She knows I was the most loyal fucking person ever and wanted everyone to think differently of me. I know I sound like a toxic shit right now but I promise, I never did anything to hurt her. She wanted money from me. She never fucking liked me, she used me. For popularity and the money. It wasn't a healthy relationship. Whatever you hear, don't believe it. Come to me and I'll tell you everything I swear". His pace quickened as he spoke more and more, getting more angry at the rumors.

I didn't know what to say. I had no words. So I kissed him...