Snow White and Seven Devils (rewrite) ✅

(21) Downhill

(21).

Rose was a quick learner. She was also very nice.

''Did you dye your hair?'' I asked her when she brought coffee and muffins for us. Basically it was Mrs. Wayland that brought the tray with a huge formal smile on her face. Mrs. Wayland was a very tall but very big woman, the sort that dominated whichever room she went into. She was dressed in very formal clothes, everything about her yelled 'brisk', but at the same time she wasn't that bad. A bit scary, but not bad.

Rose touched the tips of her long brown hair, there were tints of red there, but worn off. She smiled,

''Yeah some time ago I dyed them red. Me and Jackson, we did it together.'' Trevor and dyed hair? That wasn't a familiar combination. I tried imagining him with bright red hair, but it didn't add up.

''How long have you guys known each other?'' I asked, taking sip of a coffee.

''It's been a while.'' She replied vaguely,

''I heard your parents live overseas.'' For a moment she looked confused, then she glanced at Mrs. Wayland before answering,

''Y-yes, they do. They went for work. What about your family?''

''I used to live with my dad in New York, but I moved here with my mom recently.'' I explained,

''Nice, how do you like it here?''

How did I like it here? I sighed, it was a very strange question. I offered her a grin, ''It's good, it's bad. I think it depend of days.''

Rose nodded, ''I agree, some are good days, some are bad. I almost wish there was an in between.''

Behind us, Mrs. Wayland cleared her throat, ''Miss White, should I bring you something else?''

I looked at her sheepishly, ''Er...this is fine. You shouldn't have. done this much'' She let out a bark like laughter and it was so, so familiar with Trevor's style of expressing 'humor', I was sure he got his influence from here.

''Mr. Jackson said we have to feed you and keep you well. Please don't mind us at all, have anything you like.'' Mr Jackson had probably lost his mind. I was a tutor here, an employee. Why was he treating me like a guest? Imagine if Derrick treated me like this. I let myself fantasize about sitting idly in Expresso and drinking his coffee all day along, chatting with Lillian and Pamela. I would chat with Carmen as well, but she was being ridiculous at the moment.

''What about you? How did you meet him?'' Rose asked after Mrs. Wayland left, ''Jackson I mean.'' 

''Well...'' Now how should I had explained to Rose? The first time I saw Trevor was him arguing with Dale. No, they were threatening each other and looked grim. It was the first time Dale and I fought, how could I forget that?

''It was a chance meeting. Coincidence to be specific.''

''I know Jackson's friends well, they come here often. I'll introduce them to you when they visit again.'' Rose said a while later,

''Trevor has friends?'' I asked, making her laugh,

''He does and they are a pretty lively bunch. They are only four of them though.'' I ate the muffin that was sitting in my plate and it was so good. I was sure there was a kitchen with chef or chefs here. I didn't think it was Mrs. Wayland. She looked like someone who whisk people with her hands, not eggs and chocolate.

''Trevor and I met by chance,'' I explained again, ''He and I go to school together and he works in the same cafe as me.'' Rose smile vanished for a moment, but she got it back quickly,