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Adrien Valor, the second youngest child of the Valor Dynasty, had never set his eyes on a more beautiful woman. Kathelyn Young had caught his eye in a way no other woman had been able to in his life, all it ever was for his whole l...
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Of course, it's raining again when I storm out of the apartment complex. I'm too upset to go back in and grab my car keys so I'm walking down the streets of New York with nothing but my jacket and pride.
I wouldn't be this upset if I hadn't warned Adrien to stop bringing up my past as often as he's been doing lately. You'd think after my nightmares he'd walk on thin ice with that subject. Instead, he plays hopscotch on my feelings.
It's a constant game of tug-of-war with Adrien and I really wish it was as easy as it was in the movies.
When I make it down three blocks from home, my hair is absolutely drenched. My legs are freezing in a skirt, oversized shirt, and raincoat. I wish I'd dressed warmer this morning.
A car starts following me in the corner of my eye just as I near a coffee shop. Knowing my current circumstances, a worried chill rolls down my spine. I make a ballsy move and stop in y tracks, face the car, and wait for them to reveal themselves.
The passenger window rolls down when the car stops along with me.
"I shouldn't care, but it's not a good sight to see my baby brother's girlfriend walking down the streets of New York by herself and shaking." I'm not prepared to see Rose when the tinted window reveals the driver. I can't not say I'm relieved though.
I sigh, rubbing my arms and nearing the car. "Yeah well, your brother is not on my good side right now. I'd rather walk the streets than listen to him dwell on my abusive father like he's some NFL player he admires." Rose frowns in confusion.
It really did bother me how much Adrien asked about him and not about him with me. It's almost like I was an appetizer; something you get over quickly before you get to what you truly came for.
How hard was it to be someone's main priority and desired object?
Rose looks ahead to the bustling traffic, tapping her finger on the wheel like she's thinking. "Look I'm not usually the caring person but," She looks my way with a tight-lipped smile and shrugs. "Want to go for a drive or a coffee? Anything to get you off the wet sketchy streets..."
We may have started off really rough but we didn't know each other and maybe that's why it started that way. Plus, it will get me a step closer to being dry.
I nod. "Yeah, that would be really nice." Rose unlocks the car before I get in and thank her. "What did that buffoon do to have you running out the door?"
"This is the second time actually..." Rose blows out a whistle whilst shaking her head in disbelief. "Not good. He's always lacked communication skills. Ever since our dad warped our brains he shielded himself out. We may all like to point that finger at Grayson but at least it was transparent. Gray made it clear how he felt. Adrien's feelings were locked away and he never tried talking to us."
Hearing validation from someone is a breath of fresh air. I was starting to believe I was going insane.
"We tried to get through to him but we gave up once I grew cold and Grayson got his shit together enough to get Evelyn back. I may have a rocky relationship with my brothers but that doesn't take away from the fact that I can read straight through them."
"It feels like no matter how hard I lie to myself saying I know him, he does something to reverse that feeling."
Rose parks in the lot of a coffee shop. "Adrien has a tendency to overprotect. His constant display of uncertainty for truth proves that. He'll say he's protecting someone by keeping things to himself but he does it to protect himself."
Trust issues seem to run through both our families. I'm not trying to invalidate those feelings but it feels like he invalidated mine. And trust me I know he wants to protect me but controlling and cushioning a fall is two different things.
"One of our arguments was actually the day he blew up on you. He had no right to say what he said, no matter the context. You cant judge an action when you're the reason for the reaction."
The world has always had a hard time accepting cause and effect. It's a natural denial system through and through.
"I'm far from perfect Kathelyn. I cant lie about that, but that's exactly why I've become so... disdainful" Her eyes wander around the wet concrete ahead of us. "People always deemed me as this spoiled brat, rich bitch, uncaring girl when really I was the opposite. Obviously, no one cared for the truth when slithering up lies came so easy to a snake's tongue." She explains.
"Eventually my fire blew out and my spark faded to nothing. I thought what the hell, if you cant escape something why not just become it? So that's exactly what I did." I've never thought of Rose as a deep person but talking with her is changing that. It proves that knowing someone before jumping to conclusions will do you a better job than assuming.
"That's what my dad wanted from me but I never gave in. I pretended to be something I wasn't for myself not for others..." I counter. "Our dads seem to enjoy destroying us, huh?" Rose scoffs out.
"Yeah," I smile. "I guess we have more in common than we thought."
Rose is nicer than she lets on. I'm sure whatever sent those brick walls flying up damaged her to the point of no return, but everyone can heal with time. It just takes the right people and the perfect change of heart.
"...I don't admit this to a lot of people but it can get lonely trying to act like my life is perfect." She breathes out, tucking her blonde waves behind her ear. "I know it can, trust me I was there." I reach out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But we can take those warped pieces and mend it back together. Although it won't be perfect it can be so much better than its original form. It adds...spunk."
We both let out a laugh and it feels like we're two high school girls gossiping and blowing off steam after a stressful day. Both of us were forced into a family of lies and expectations but maybe that broken past can be the structure for a connection.
"You don't have to be alone anymore. We might not have started amazing but we can definitely end that way." I continue, looking her in the eye, cementing my seriousness. "Compatibility is key."
"I haven't had friends since the whole Eveltn thing..." She answers wearily. "I know, but you've grown and I don't expect the same girl I heard off all those years ago from Evelyn. No one stays the same, trust me. I'll take you as you come. It's what I'd want in a friendship."
Rose's eyes glisten and I know a piece of her unfinished childhood lights up. "You seriously want to be my friend? I'm not the typical go-to friend material to anyone." I cant help but feel bad for her. All she's ever wanted was to be seen for who she was and not what people said she was. "Lucky for you, I don't care."
I lean over her car console and engulf her in a hug that leaves her frozen in place. She sits in her seat, baffled at the sudden action. How long has it been since someone hugged this poor girl?
A few seconds later her body drops all its tense stationery and she hugs me back, letting out a breath of joy.
"We're gonna be like two peas in a pod."
"Oh lord I'm stuck to you now, aren't I?" She hums back.
