Cheater (Complete)

Chapter Five: Such a Sweet Man

Rosalinda's POV

We had our drink and sat in silence for nearly fifteen minutes before Dean announced that he would show me my room. I was tired, my eyelids felt like heavy weights, so I agreed. I followed him like some lost puppy up the stairs, holding the bags he would let me carry. The stairs were winding, carpeted with a light blue. I smiled, looking at them. They made me nostalgic of the house I left. Soon, we came to the top floor. I don't think I realized exactly how big this house was because I gaped like a moron when I took in the vast space. Dean chuckled nervously at my reaction.

“I'm guessing you weren't expecting this” he said. I turned to him for only a minute before I began to look at all the things he had scattered all over the place. Furniture, paintings, sculptures, nicknacks were all over the place, all artfully making this place homey. He gently took me away from my observation at an abstract painting.

“You can snoop around tomorrow. Right now you need to rest. I'm sure you've had an extremely trying day” he murmured. I nodded, still in awe. He led me through a hall that looked like lapis lazuli in beautiful patterns that ran in different directions. In fact, I think I saw some of the actual gemstone encrusted onto the wall but that couldn't be right. How could Dean even afford all this? We came to a stop outside of a door.

“I hope you like it” he said to me softly, opening the door without so much of a creak. He had the most nervous look on his face but I didn't notice because I was busy looking in complete and utter awe at the room before me. He remembered. I felt tears well up and I didn't even try to hide them as they slipped down slowly.

“You remembered” I whispered out loud. He cleared his throat.

“Of course. I promised you that one day I'd give you this and I meant it” I couldn't help but go on my tippy toes and hug him tight. I remembered that promise. When we were still helpless teenagers that couldn't afford move far, we dreamt of sleeping in rooms made for kings and eating every day three times a day. We hadn't had it easy. Most of our early life we lived in poverty and I was a runaway for half my life. How we dug ourselves out I would never know.

I had said that the way the Egyptians had lived fascinated me. How they seemed so amazing, all of it. The culture, the look, the mythology; it all enchanted me. But especially the way their palaces would look, or their rooms. It seemed so glamorous to me. I had shared this with Dean, looking up at the stars from the hood of his crappy car. He looked at me sadly, seriously.

“Rosa, I promise you one day I'll make you a room fit for the finest queen. And I'll buy a house for you and the children we'll have. We'll live happily ever after” he told me, brushing a strand of hair out of my eyes. I smiled up at him, leaning in to give him a kiss.

“That's so sweet, baby but I won't hold you to it” I said quietly. I knew we were poor and would likely stay that way forever. I knew that he would get tired of me and dump me, maybe as soon as tomorrow. He frowned, letting me kiss him going to talk when I let him go.

“I'm going to do it. I'm going to treat you better than any royalty, I swear on my mother's li-” here I slapped a hand over his mouth.

“You will swear on no such thing. Dean, there might not even be an us in the future. You'll probably get married to some beautiful woman who likes all modern furnishings and won't give me a thought. Don't swear on something so important for an unlikely outcome” I said sternly.

“I hate how you talk about us being temporary” he muttered, hurt shining in his hazel eyes. I sighed and kissed him lightly again.

“So do I” I said quietly. We watched the stars until we fell asleep in each other's arms.