The Rose Boys

Chapter Fifteen

The party had wrapped up, I had breakfast with Darren until the sun poked up and brought with it the most vivid shades of pink and orange, bleeding into the sky beautifully. We stared at the sun rise and talked, admiring the clouds; liquid gold in the sky thanks to the sun's light.

We hardly noticed when the cooks came in to cook breakfast or when the ship started it's course back to shore. The only thing that remained were each other. I lay my hand on the table, under Darren's as we spoke. This was the first time that I felt like I was truly connected with someone. I knew how he felt and he knew how I felt.

Darren's smile made my knees weak and my stomach flutter. I could barely contain the way he made me feel and it didn't help that we were so close, talking intimately about everything. He had said that he wanted to get to know me from the source, not some papers that had information about me on them. I supposed I could do that, though the background report was a little creepy.

I told him about the good times and the bad, no matter what I told him, he kept his hand on mine, warm and strong. He laughed when I told him that my parents sent me to St. Clairemont because they wanted me to find someone rich to marry. I appreciated that more than he could imagine. He told me about his life, both the high and the low and I couldn't believe how much he had suffered because of his family's wealth.

He told me of the time he was kidnapped and held for ransom. They'd snatched him up off of the playground in Elementary School when he was in Grade Two and demanded money from his Parents or they said that he would die. Darren looked stronger than I would have been telling someone about the scariest moment of his life.

He talked about how alone he felt at school and how his Birthday Parties would be full of children, none of whom he knew. He smiled at me and said he was glad that I came. There was a familiar face that he wanted to see at his Birthday Party, not just the kids of his Father's Business Partners.

I couldn't help but blush, Darren made me feel special and I hoped that I made him feel the same way. I thought about all of that as I sat in the back seat of Darren's car with him, the Driver in the front was a much younger guy than Max which was too bad because I wanted to talk to him again.

Darren held my hand the entire way home. I stroked his thumb with my own and when the car stopped outside of my house and his driver got out to open the door, I turned to say good bye. Darren pulled my hand, forcing me to lean towards him and he kissed me, his lips were gentle on mine. I placed my free hand on his shoulder and kissed him back, the first kiss we shared that felt like we were truly a couple.

The door opened behind me and the Driver cleared his throat. I pulled away from Darren who in turn gave me a longing look. "I'll see you at school on Monday." I smiled, exiting the car. I waved as it pulled away from the curb and drove off as Darren turned in his seat to look back at me like lost puppy.

I smiled to myself but for some reason I couldn't shake an uneasiness that had crept up as I left the car. I did my best to ignore that feeling and turned to go inside when a couple walked by, gawking at my dress.



"Darren was supposed to call me when he got home." Nick said as I pressed the receiver to my ear.

"What?" I asked, surprised at his lack of phone etiquette. "How did you get my number?"

"Look, tell him that I'm glad you two are all lovey-dovey and whatnot but it's rude to just forget to call someone after you tell them you're going to."

"Nick, Darren's not here."

"What? Then where is he?"

"I don't know," I said, feeling that uneasiness creep back up and turn to panic in my chest. I could feel tears threaten to come up. "Nick, where's Darren?"