The Girl in Seat 23 {l.r.h.}

fourteen.

After dinner, I opened the door to the messy room, inhabited by four hyperactive boys jumping to and fro on top of their springy mattesses. "Boys," I called, "this is-"

"Luke," Marco piped up, not even glancing up from his Fantastic Four comic book. "We know. That duke you're always raving about."

I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks. Luke flashed a cocky grin, placing a hand around my waist. "Gee Rosi, if I didn't know any better, I might almost believe you were falling for me."

The boys giggled. I elbowed Luke in the gut. "Fat chance."

Dante, the youngest of the bunch, tugged on the side of my shorts. "Rosalie?"

I scooped down to pick up the bright-eyed  five year old. "What's up, buddy?"

"I had a dream."

"Good dream? Bad dream?"

"It was about Ma."

I glanced over my shoulder at Luke, shifting his weight between his feet. "Let's go out in the hall and talk, yeah?" I knew Luke would still listen with his ear against the door, and those doors were thin. But Dante needed to feel safe with me.

"She was crying."

I bit my lip. "Why?"

"Because she hates herself." I closed my eyes. It felt like I'd been shot down in my tracks. "She was the prettiest woman in the whole wide world," he whispered. "Why did she hate herself?"

"I don't... I wish I could-"

"Do you hate yourself?"

I could only shake my head. "Go to bed. Please." I heard the door creak open and a pair of feet shuffle over to me.

"Rosi?"

"Luke?"

"What happened to your mom?"

"Not now, Luke. Someday. Not now."

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THIS ISNT GONNA BE A DEPRESSING STORY I PROMISE. ~Laura:)