Roses and Hooks /// Harry Hook

Chapter 21: Finally Talking

Ben all but forces me into the studio to put my dress on, I'm going to Cotillion even if I don't want to. After that painfully awkward silence, the group split to do their own thing, and Ben had stopped me from going to my room. The plan had been to pack all my things and move to my yacht in the water, but Ben said no. Not until after the party.

I look at my rose red dress and sigh. I didn't want to celebrate Mal. I didn't want to pretend that everything is okay when it's so far from it. I want to go back to the Isle, but I have a feeling that I'm going to end up under lockdown after what I did. I wouldn't trade it for anything, though.

Looking around my studio, and idea comes to mind. If they won't let me be with my pirate, then I'll just have to bring a little of him here. I won't give him up, not even if they force me to. I'll remind them every day what they took from me, and I'll force them to face the consequences. I will have my revenge sooner or later, and I will destroy them.

I start on my dress, quickly changing it as fast as I can. I make it shorter in the front and longer in the back instead of being the large ballgown. I grab the dark red fabric and start stitching small anchors along the bottoms of the layers. Then I stitch a large black hook on the back of the dress. I make the neckline a heart one, showing some of my cleavage. Stepping back, I admire the work I did in the sort time I have.

I throw it on, put on a pair of ripped black tights, and my anchor necklace. I throw on my pirate boots, and nod at myself in the mirror. I can't be a princess anymore because the truth is, I never had been one to begin with. I feel more connected to piracy, and it's who I want to be. I'm Rose Iris Beast, the pirate of Auradon. I will keep my love for Harry alive, and I will count down the days until I can see him again.

"You look good." I look at the doorway and see Ben standing there. I'm supposed to be at Cotillion thirty minutes before him. I watch as he walks into the room and sits at one of the tables. "Rose, I know you're furious, but please talk to me. Or someone. You're worrying us."

"What is there to say Ben?" I ask him, no emotion in my voice. They have no right to be worried about me after what they did. "That I wanted to come back? That this is my home? I have no home now because of you."

"Rose, you will always have a home here. You're my sister, and I know I haven't been the best brother." He looks down and sighs before looking out the window. I watch as he looks at the Isle before nodding his head. "If you really want to go back, I'll have Carlos drive you back in the morning."

My chest blooms with hope, and I crush it. I won't fall for the false hope that they seem to like to give people. I can't trust them anymore. They've backstabbed me, my friends, and even each other. They aren't trustworthy, and I refuse to fall for it.

"I mean it, Rose. I was skeptical at first, but I watched you when I had been tied up." I look at my pirate boots and try not to think about what went down on that dock. "The look on your face. That's what I feel for Mal, so I can't imagine what you're feeling right now."

"What I feel is betrayed. You ignored me, Ben. For months. I lost my brother to the crown. So, I threw myself into my friendships, but everyone thrived without me. Evie has her clothing line. Carlos and Jay have their sports. Mal, even if she two-faced her way through it, had all the court events to keep her busy. I was left with nothing."

Ben stands up and walks over to me. I hold my hand out to stop him. He wanted me to talk, so he needs to let me get it out before it consumes me completely.

"So, I left. You guys we're doing just fine without me, so I left to go find my own place. I've always wanted to go to the Isle, so I went there. I changed my look to blend in better, and I even used Mal's old hideout to stay in. Then I started making friends. They threw me a birthday party. You would've been proud. They even did a stupid treasure hunt like you always did." I cry and he chuckles, the tears in his eyes welling up.

"How did you and Harry meet?" He asks me softly and I feel my lips twitch into a tiny smile. Feels like years ago now after everything that went down. I wish Harry and I could have had years.

"I had been walking around, exploring the Isle, when this man had tried to hurt me. I, of course, had scared the man off. Harry had been watching the whole thing, waiting to help me if I needed it. He likes that I'm a strong woman who can handle herself. And that I'm the only one who can match him in a swordfight." I grin a little, and Ben chuckles.

"So, you're the only one who can tame the 'mad pirate'. At least, that's what I had heard." Ben tells me and I nod, laughing a little at the name Harry made for himself.

"He's as mad as I am, if not more. But I love him with everything I have. I really think he's the one for me. I really do." I tell him, and smile. "We made plans before everything had went to hell, you know?"

"What were they?" Ben asks as we walk out of my studio, and we start heading down the hall.

"We promised to sail the seas together. He's the Captain, and I'm the First Mate. We were going to live in a ship, hunting for treasure, and battling evil curses." I play with my necklace, and grin at the thought. "He gave this to me. He says that I keep him anchored to the world. That I'm what keeps him from losing his mind completely."

"You really love each other, don't you?" I nod my head and look at him.

"I love him more than I love myself. I love him so much that sometimes it terrifies me. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him. Being over here, I at least know he's safe over on the Isle, but if something ever happened to him, I'm afraid of what I'd become." Ben smiles knowingly at me, probably feeling the same way about Mal.

"See you at the party, Rose." I leave Ben at his office, and head to the party. I can never forget what my brother did, but maybe I can try to find it in my heart to start down the road of forgiving him. He has a lot of making up to do, however. Mal on the other hand, has yet to even apologize to me. Evie and Ben have at least tried to fix what they broke, and Carlos has tried to make me feel better. He even found me a book on piracy, so I could learn more about it.

Mal and Jay haven't even tried to talk to me or apologize. It's like they think that they did nothing wrong. They literally kidnapped me when I told them not to. Do they not want me to be happy? What do they expect me to feel? Grateful? I shake my head as I head to the party, ready to just get the night over with.