Stranger

XXVII.

*A week later*

-JENNIE-

It's been a week after I left Verona, after I left the dream-like life with Rosie. Oh, how I've missed it, how I've missed her.

I thought coming back home and drowning my feelings away with work will somehow make me think less of her, will make it hurt a little bit less... But I'm wrong, for all I did ever since I came back was stare into thin air without finishing any work at all.

Good thing my father isn't home yet, good thing he's still in Europe doing business, otherwise I'll be making up excuses as to why I'm always awake and weeping at night, or why I always zone out, completely out of my normal self. And I can't lie to him that I'm okay, that there's nothing wrong because he knows me too well.

Rosie.

I can't help but wonder how she is right now. I bet she's still crying, I bet she's still hurting. Maybe she despises me so much for what I did, or maybe even regretted ever knowing me.

A tear roll down my cheek, and not shortly after I started crying again.

I'm getting tired of this routine, of sleeping for less than 3 hours a day, or of sleeping myself to sleep, and of forcing myself to eat all while crying.

I know that the people at home knows that there's something going on with me. They knew it, they just don't wanna ask.

I can tell it by their sad eyes and small smile whenever they see me in the hallways, they shoot me glances of worry, some, pity. I know they know that I'm out of my usual self because they sometimes find me crying in the corner while painting sad looking portraits of a woman, or at rare times where something would make me remember Rosie and would make me burst out crying.

I expected them to tell dad, I expected him to call me and ask why I'm behaving this way. But nothing happened so far, and although it's not like dad to let something like this pass, I'm somehow thankful. Thankful that I don't have to think of excuses for the mean time, because I don't wanna lie anymore, I just wanna be left alone for now.

"Oh, Rosie." I whispered, sighing at our happy faces flashed on my phone screen.

Should I start deleting these pictures?

I don't think I can.

I clicked one video and found Rosie secretly filming me while I'm eating. We were at Antonio's pizzeria and I was happily chewing my food that I didn't pay much attention to her.

"Bella, Bella!" Her voice echoed.

"Hmm." I found myself smiling at my once carefree self, hurting myself more by looking at these memories.

"How much do you love that pizza?" She asked.

"Very much." I grinned widely, then proceeding to tell her a bunch of useless things.

"I love you." She cut me off, taking me off guard.

I chuckled at seeing my surprised face that stared back at her and on the hidden camera. Rosie laughed, successfully making me stop talking. After a few seconds, her arms stretched out to wipe the mess on the side of my lips.

"You're such a messy eater." She added. The all too familiar words shoot daggers into my poor heart and making it bleed even more.