The Black Rose [COMPLETE]

My Only Friend

I took my time getting back, grazing my talon marks with the tips of my fingers. When I slipped into the front room, the first person I saw happened to be Miss Peregrine. I stood up straighter, knowing if she's the first person to greet me, I had obviously done something wrong.

"You're three minutes late Rosetta. Where were you?" I shrugged, holding back the fear rising in my throat. "The garden. Is there a rule against that?" She shook her head, but her eyes remained hard.

"Why do you have those marks on your arm?" I tucked my arm behind my back. "What marks?" With an annoyed sigh, she strides over and pulls my arm away by the wrist. I don't bother fighting.

"These ones, did someone hurt you?" I roll my eyes, pulling away. "I was with a friend, no biggie."

I get halfway across the room before she calls me again, slightly annoyed, I turn around.

"Would you walk with me?" I hesitate, before nodding.

~

Even without Pearly, the garden is my favorite place to be, it's pretty much the only place I can be myself. But walking through it now, with Miss Peregrine next to me, only made me feel troubled.

"You've been coming out here a lot lately." I sighed, still slightly annoyed. "Is there a problem with that?" "No, of course not." I looked at her and notice how nervous she seems. Maybe you should go easier on her. My mind whispered, and I agree with it.

"What do you want to talk about?" My voice is softer and nicer, and I watch her loosen with relief.

"There's something special that keeps you out there. What is it?" I look up at the sky for a moment before responding. 

"A bird." Pause. "A peregrine falcon, I call her Pearly." "What makes her so special?" And for some reason, I tell her everything.

When I finish, she's watching me with blank, emotionless features. "She sounds like a very special bird." "She is, she's my only friend."

A wave of silence.

"We better get going or we'll be late for dinner." And quietly, we walk back.

When we get back, Emma warmly greets us and the rest of the evening carries out the way it always does, except for one thing; the conversation I had which remains like a burn mark, bright and unavoidable, in the back of my mind.