River Rose | ✓

10

Knowledge is power
______
Sarang (v)
The feeling of wanting to be with someone until death.

••••••
River A. Rose

"You have a beautiful son, Rosey"

There's no way he could know unless...unless he's working with Valenciano. I pull away from him with a glare, I grab Oakley and pass him on to my dad who's currently fighting with my brothers on which movie to play.

"Dad, I need to talk to N for a bit would you mind babysitting? We'll just go for some ice cream" I say sweetly

"Of course, be careful outside and take a sweater baby" he says and I nod.

I motion with my head for Noah to follow me, I pass through the kitchen and grab a knife. We get outside and Noah makes to open the car door for me but as soon as he turns his back to me I make my move.

I grab his elbow and pin it behind his back, using my weight to trap him against the car as I use my free hand to take the knife to his side, not hard enough to cut but for him to know I could stab him in one move.

Noah grunts as his head hits the car's roof.

"Explain. And if I find it Noah that you're working with Valenciano I will fucking kill you, I don't care about the consequences" I say

"I like it when you're violent. Is it too bold of me to say it turns me on?" He says so I push him harder, earning another grunt.

"Check my front pocket" he says and I frown

"Why?" I ask

"Just check it Rose, I promise I don't bite unless you want me to" my lip twitches. This boy...okay focus.

"Move and I'll stab the humor out of you" I say

"And I would gladly take it baby" he says and I roll my eyes as I take a paper out of his pocket. It looks like a picture. I turn it over and gasp.

"Where did you get this?" I stutter

"When I picked up Oak from Nolan's — Nolan he uh...he gave it to me. I didn't understand why at first, the guy hates me for something that happened a while ago but...he said someone else should know. That you needed a push to tell your own family"

Fucking Nolan. I'll make sure to have a long, very unpleasant talk with my best friend. I'm sure he's expecting it.

I sigh and release him, I lean against the car door and trace a finger on the picture smiling longingly. He was so small there...it's a picture of Oakley and me the day he was born. One of the nurses was so kind to me, I was young and alone through all of it so she stayed by my side when I cried in pain and during the c-section.

She took a picture when they pulled Oak out and laid him on my chest for a few minutes before taking him away while they finished closing me up. My eyes are teary and filled with fear but also full of love.

"He looks so tiny, it feels like it was yesterday I held him for the first time" I whisper to Noah, he's standing beside me looking at the picture with me.

"He looks like a small red tomato, he was born cute though" Noah laughs and I'm surprised to laugh along with him.

"I couldn't believe it, he looked all red and swollen but so, so tiny and fragile. I was scared for him because the cord was around his neck and the doctor said he was a little underweight, they had to rush me to the operation room because his heartbeat was dropping" I say

"I can't believe how frightening it must've been for you...was he there?" He asks and I shake my head no.

N takes my hand and helps me into the car. He gets behind the wheel and starts the engine, getting out of the driveway.