She is Not Who You Thought She Was

Chapter 22/Too Wounded to Care

After Flora finished the tour we headed back to the lounge waiting for dessert to be announced and for the adults to finish their drinks.

"May I use the bathroom Flora." I asked as we sat in silence. I need to recompose myself after Rock's comment. Thankfully, Flora came out of her room the moment he finished that sentence. 'Yes, you look very pretty tonight Scarlett.'

Once Flora directed me to the bathroom I closed the door behind me and sat down on the closed toilet seat. I took three deep breaths. Tonight was a hell of a lot more stressful and mentally draining than I anticipated. Which was saying a lot considering I have been doing this for five plus years.

Getting a compliment as blatantly from someone as handsome as Rock was not easy to recover from. I stared at myself in the mirror looking for what Rock saw in me. I am pretty. I am hot. And if I dare to say, sexy. I do not doubt myself in that criteria at all. However, that is not what Rock sees. If all he saw in me was a hot body to bang...we would have already done that. He was so hard to read and it was driving me crazy. Even if I meet someone hard to read, by now I would of figured them out and be reading them as easy as a nursery rhyme. Not with Rock. Will I ever be able to figure him out? Will I ever know what he is thinking?

This is too much thinking. I still have enough waiting for me outside these bathroom walls. Stepping outside of the bathroom, I had to recall how I made it here from the lounge so to find my way back.

Walking down the hall I spotted a room I hadn't seen yet. The door was cracked open and I took a sneak peek. The wall was covered in wine holes and black leathered seating. This must be the parlor where my mom, Mr and Mrs. Chase are. Just before I was going to walk off my mother comes into view. She took a few steps forward and studied something placed on a small side table. Before she could touch the item I watched Brandon come up behind her. Too close, they must be touching to be standing that close. Brandon placed a hand on either side of her resting them on the table in front of Blair. I held my breath. Brandon's face came close to Blair's ear and I watched him whisper something into her ear. I wanted to walk away. I wanted to rub my eyes and come to see I was imagining things, but I didn't. I couldn't. I was glued in the spot I was standing. My mother's face rose in shock, but then she slowly turned around. They were face to face. They looked at each other longingly and Brandon continued his seductive whispering. As my mom stared up into his eyes. Next, Brandon's hand that was once resting on the table now slid up my mothers arm disappearing under her flared sleeves. He lifted his other hand and I watched him caress her cheek and run his thumb across her lips. My breath caught and I was finding it hard to breath.

"Scarlett." My terrified eyes moved from the PG-13 scene that was unfolding in front of me to the voice that was too familiar than I wished it to be. Rock looked through the same crack as I had just been. Too in shock to decipher his expressions. I walked away ready to go back into the safety the bathroom once provided. "Scarlett." He called for me. His voice was gentle and apologetic. Why did he feel sorry? My mom was the one letting this happen. She shouldn't even be alone in a room with this man. She shouldn't have let him come that close to her, touch her. My breathing quickened and I felt one of my panic attacks coming. I turned around to face Rock.

"I-" I choked on my words. His eyes widened and he came to my side in a flash. I couldn't even process what was happening next thing I knew I was sitting back on the toilet in the bathroom with Rock standing in front of the sink. I tried to focus on one spot in the room. Once my panic attacks started I couldn't stop them. I just had to get through it. I haven't had one since my dad had died. Every time I think I am over them they just come back. Next thing I knew Rock was on one knee in front of me and had a wet towel in his hand.

"Lift your chin Buzz." He ordered me. I did as he said still trying to get my breathing to work. He carefully put the cold towel under my neck close to my ears. He dabbed carefully under my jaw then did the same to the other side. My lungs slowly filled with air. I breathed out raggedly. Rock's eyes flickered up to mine and he continued to carefully dab the cold wet towel on the sides of my neck. My breathing steadied. How? How did he do that? I was never able to stop them. I always had to go through the whole episode. All by myself. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice was below a whisper, but I heard him perfectly. His hand slowly came up to my face. I froze. He wiped a tear off my cheek that I had no idea was there. Had I been crying?

"No." I said honestly. It was silent for a long moment. It might have went on forever, it was hard to tell. "Thank you." Rock nodded and put the wet towel in the sink. I darted my blue eyes to my hands embarrassed, but I was too wounded to care in the moment.

"You know, this isn't the first time." I looked up and Rock was leaning against the door arms folded over his chest. "This isn't your mom's doing." He stared at me seriously. I didn't respond because even if it isn't my mother's doing she still let it happen. She didn't make any effort to stop it. I looked back into my hands.

"We should get back. They will wonder where we are." I said standing. Rock stared at me and I avoid his eyes. I did not want to hear anymore of this. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. If ever became possible I want this erased from my brain.

"Okay." He opened the door and let me out first. I walked forward keeping my head straight. Just a little bit more Scarlett. This evening will be over soon. I sucked in a breath and let it out as I made my way back to the lounge. Flora and Wenna sat next to each other speaking about something. Their conversation was cut short once I entered.

"Where is Rock?" Flora asked. Wenna gave her a stern look, "well." She finished.

"Oh uh," I glanced behind me noticing he didn't follow, "not sure."

"He was suppose to get you, I thought you got lost." Flora laughed slightly.

"Where is Daddy?" Flora asked Mrs. Chase. My knees became weak and I sat down before I collapsed.

"He said he had a business call to take. He will be here soon. Let's head into the dining room though. Joaquín must be finished by now." Wenna gestured for us to make our way.

A business call. I wondered what other calls he has taken before.

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Pink Kitty