Avatar Rose: Dusk

Chapter 55:Rose

(This is going to be a long chapter XD).

I don't know how long I hide in my closet, nor care. All I want to be is alone. But with Nathan here, I'll never be.

In fact, if it weren't for him, I would be alone. He's the one who dragged everyone along. This is his fault. And I can't run away, he'll just find me. (And it's creepy how fast he can too).

The closet door opens. I hide my face in my knees, expecting Nathan to bombard me with questions, which I'd refuse to answer.

The body plops down beside me, but not close enough to touch. I peek out from my arms.

It's Evan. He glances at me for a moment, but remains silent. He doesn't try to comfort me, or ask any questions. He's just there. He's there for me.

But he does hand me his flask, which I take gratefully.

Evan and I have this mutual understanding. I don't know what he's been through, but I can tell it was a similar hell from mine.

I offer a smirk. "Are you here for a Pi Sho rematch?"

"You don't have to act like that with me, Rose. I know it's fake," he answers bluntly.

I stare at him, stunned. What did he just say? "Act like what?"

No answer. Probably because I do know what he's talking about. My little bravado that I wear in times like these. We sit in silence for a while, but the tears eventually begin to fall once more.

Why am I crying so much? Ling didn't say anything that wasn't true. Just things that are extremely hard for me to talk about. Even now it seems like I can't. The words just won't form in my mouth, which is extremely frustrating.

And now I'm crying in front of the least likely person, Evan. The guy who stabbed each of the palms of my hands to "keep me still." The guy who placed me into torture. The guy who seems to understand me better than anyone else.

Crying exhausts me eventually, and I doze off without noticing Evan leaving. It's 3 in the morning when I wake up from nightmares and decide to actually try to sleep in my bed.

The next morning, I slip on the clothes on the top of drawers of my dresser. I yank a brush through my waist long hair and exit the room.

This is going to be one shitty day. I can feel it.

Sure enough, minutes after walking out of the room, Nathan stops me. Gwen is in the next room reading a book, while Evan picks at a plate of food in the kitchen. Liesel, Xander, and Teacher must be outside.

"What happened?" He demands with intense, icy blue eyes. His hands are placed firmly on my shoulders.

"I don't want to talk about it," I snap, trying to pull away from his grasp. He doesn't let go.

The heat in his face begins to rise. Before he yells, a kitten like sneeze escapes his mouth, making me chuckle a little.

"Evan, you do realize that you almost gave Nathan frostbite last night. Now he has a cold," I overhear Gwen complain.

Nathan looks angrier from embarrassment. His grip tightens, making the automail on my right shoulder creak.

"Y- you can't do this! You have to tell me! Being raped is a big deal!" He protests in an angry, desperate tone. His voice even cracks a little.

I wrinkle my nose. "You thought I was raped?"

"THATS NOT THE POINT! Don't change the subject!"