Rose Among Thorns

10-shopping

Rose pov:

As I glance at the clock, I see it's just before 9 a.m. I decide to head downstairs early and wait. When I reach the entrance, I spot Nico, Luca, and Owen already there. Owen nods as I approach. "There you are—now we're just waiting on Theo," he says, looking back toward the staircase. Luca starts toward the stairs, then stops at the bottom and yells, "Theo, we're leaving without you!"

We hear a door slam open from upstairs, followed by Theo's hurried footsteps. "Don't! I'm coming!" he shouts as he practically flies down the stairs. Owen shakes his head with a small smile and gestures for us to follow him. "Alright, let's go," he says, leading us toward what I remember as the garage.

Inside, I'm hit with the sight of rows and rows of gleaming cars, each more impressive than the last. Sleek, expensive sports cars line the front, while in the back, there's a line of all-black, more practical-looking vehicles. Owen heads directly toward a dark blue car. "We're taking my car," he says in a tone that suggests it's not up for debate. Luca and Nico both groan, but Theo seems perfectly content with the decision.

"Shotgun!" Luca and Theo call out at the same time. Owen cuts them off with a look. "No, Rose hasn't had a chance to sit in the front." I open my mouth to protest, but Owen raises an eyebrow at Theo and Luca, and both of them fall silent, Theo mumbling something under his breath.

Inside the car Theo muttering about how he never gets to sit in the front. Once everyone is in, Owen starts the car, and we drive off smoothly, his driving steady and controlled.

As we pull up to a shopping plaza, I notice people glancing in our direction. Owen leads the way, and as we step inside the first store—a trendy clothing shop—he turns to me. "You can pick out anything you need or want. No limits."

Theo bounces on his heels. "What's your size? I'll find you the best outfit you've ever seen." He's animated, hands gesturing wildly as he talks, but then he stops and blinks at me, suddenly aware of my hesitation.

"I...don't actually know my size," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. Theo's face shifts with a momentary flicker of surprise before he composes himself again. "Well, then we'll find out," he says, trying to regain his previous excitement, though there's a softer edge in his tone.

Nico gently takes my hand and leads me to the changing rooms. Moments later, Theo appears with an armload of jeans in varying sizes. He hands me a few pairs, practically pushing me into the changing room. I call out from inside, letting them know which fit, and they adjust the sizes accordingly. I'm relieved they don't ask me to step out and show them; some of the clothes reveal more than I'd like, especially with the bruises on my arms and legs.

We move from store to store, collecting everything I might need. Despite my repeated insistence that I don't require so much, they seem determined to make sure I have more than enough. Finally, we're standing in front of a Victoria's Secret, and Luca looks as if the mere thought of entering might kill him. "I'm not going in there," he says with conviction, folding his arms. Owen rolls his eyes and gives him a light slap on the back of his head.

In the end, only Nico and Theo come in with me. Theo's face is one of sheer discomfort, his eyes darting around like he's afraid of touching anything. After a bit of browsing, I realize I don't even know what I'm looking for. I approach a store associate, who greets me with a friendly smile. "Hi, I've never had, um...a fitting before, and I'm not sure what to do," I admit.

The associate kindly measures me over my clothes. "You're a 34B," she says, showing me where to find the size tags. She suggests I try a few and directs me to the fitting rooms, where another associate can assist me. I return to Nico and Theo, who are still awkwardly navigating the displays. I catch Theo accidentally knocking over a bra stand, which makes him look horrified before he darts out of the store. Nico chuckles, looking amused.

After grabbing a few basic bras, we head out to meet the others by the car. As we approach, I notice a group of girls gathered around Luca, one of them hanging on him. The girl with long brown hair spots Nico holding the Victoria's Secret bag. "Nico, got yourself a girlfriend, huh? I didn't know you were into younger girls," she sneers.

Nico's face hardens, and the girl clinging to Luca glances at me, her gaze sharpening as she sizes me up. "Look, he even bought her something from Victoria's Secret," she says, her eyes on the bag.

Just as we reach them, she closes the distance between us, a mocking smile on her face. "She doesn't even speak, like you, Nico. A perfect match," she says sarcastically. Then, she leans closer, her tone venomous, and whispers, "Stay away from my Luca." With that, she gives me a sharp, unexpected punch in the stomach.

I double over as pain radiates from my wound, clutching my abdomen. I glance desperately at Nico, who, after a second, realizes something is wrong. His eyes go wide with worry as he sweeps me into his arms and rushes to the car, placing me carefully in the front seat. He dashes around, nearly tossing Owen out of the driver's seat, then throws the car into gear and speeds back to the house.

The drive is a blur, the world passing by in flashes as I try to keep my breathing steady, fighting against the pain. Once we reach the house, Nico barely stops the car before he's out, scooping me up and rushing me inside toward the medical room. He lays me gently on the table before bolting back outside. Moments later, I hear him yell something I didn't expect.

"OLIVER!" Nico's voice rings through the halls, strained with urgency.

Seconds later, Oliver and Nico reappear, and they immediately begin tending to my wound as I bite down to keep from screaming. The pain is overwhelming, but they work quickly, and soon enough, the bleeding stops. They hand me painkillers, which I swallow gratefully, though my clothes are now stained red.

Nico quietly leaves, giving Oliver a look, and when I turn back, Oliver's already pulling off his sweatshirt. He hands it to me and turns his back to give me privacy. I slip into the dry fabric, savoring its warmth.

Just as I finish, Nico re enters the room, lifting me once more. As he carries me back to my room, he finally speaks. His voice is soft and calm, barely a whisper, but it carries a comforting weight. "You're safe now."

I barely register the words, my eyes growing heavy as he pulls the covers over me. In a matter of seconds, exhaustion takes over, and I drift into sleep, the pain and fear melting away.

1186 words

There will be less updates because scool started again.