All We Are

Seventeen

*****

"We could try to put it out, but it's a growing flame. Using fear as fuel, burning down our name, and it won't take to long, because words are burned the same. Then who we gonna blame, now and all, it's such a crying, crying, crying shame."- Crying Shame, Jack Johnson

*****

Rose

Don't get me wrong, I've met James's mother before, in fact she rather liked me, but this was unexpected. She was a kind woman, but she could be stern, and she was very stubborn. She was an accomplished woman, and a socialite. She was as respected as she was beautiful. She was tall with a curvy figure. She had curly hair like her son. She had a very angular face, and olive-toned skin.

"Really James," She said. "That isn't what it looks like."

"Mother there isn't anything going on." James rolled his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Now who's the cheap thrill you have now? Mind you she doesn't look it, where'd you find her?" She snarled.

"I'm not a cheap thrill." I spoke up, before James, who looked enraged, could speak.

"Really doll, and what's your name?" She scrunched up her nose. "Tiffany? Taylor? Brittany? Chloe? What other common name could you have?"

"I'm Rose, Mrs. Knightley. Rose Holland." I said as politely as I could.

Mrs. Knightley looked taken aback, and embarrassed, and then she stood back to study me. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry." She apologized. "Those were awful things to say. I feel horrible."

"It's fine, Mrs. Knightley." I said.

She looked unconvinced. "Oh sweetie, you've become such a gorgeous young woman. I always knew you would. A little curvy, and thin, quite the envied physique."

"Thank you." I blushed.

"When did you come back?" Mrs. Knightley asked. "James Xavier never said why you left to begin with. I remember he came home after you had missed a week of school, and this was the last week of school too, and he told me you had packed your things and left. I was devastated, for more reasons than one." She muttered.

"I came back at the beginning of the school year, and I had some unresolved issues." I explained.

"Vague, very vague, but I won't pry, but why didn't you come visit sooner?" She seemed upset.

"Oh you know, I was busy with school." I tried to sound convincing.

"That still doesn't explain why James didn't bring you around." She scolded him. "After all you two make a gorgeous couple, and I've always said, you would have beautiful babies together, wavy locks of hair, cafe brown, tan skin, gorgeous! James you should have told us you two had gotten back together."

"Mother we're not together." He said sternly.

Her smile left her face. "You're not?"

"No ma'am." I said. "We're just friends."

Mrs. Knightley frowned. "I see the way you two look at each other."

"Well, mom, you see a lot of things sometimes." James said sarcastically.

"Don't disrespect me James Xavier." She scowled at him, but turned back to me. "Will you be staying for dinner?"

"Oh no, Mrs. Knightley." I said.

"Please call me Delilah." She said.

"Okay." I nodded.

"So Rose, I realize we don't have much time to talk, given my son's eagerness to leave the room, but how are your parents, I haven't seen Katherine in a long time." She asked.