The Red Roze

My Childhood Friend

Rozalina

Beep, Beep! I turn over and shut off the incessant alarm on my phone. With a groan I check the time. Through the haze of sleep that still clouded my vision I see a blurred 7:45. Panic quickly pushes the exhaustion from my body as I realize I am running late for school. Scrambling to gather fresh clothes I curse the universe for my lateness. I grab a brush from my dresser and haphazardly try to brush my hair as I pack my bag. I wince as the brush snags in the knots in my long blonde locks. I quickly check my reflection in the mirror on my closet door. My reflection stares back at me, my ocean-blue eyes still looking tired but attentively back at me. My waist length hair swaying as I check that I am ready.

My name is Rozera Flowers. I am seventeen years old. For as long as I can remember, my life has been very average. I live with my mother, and ten year old brother, Zeke.

As I hurry towards the door my mom calls from the kitchen, "Don't forget to pick your brother up after soccer practice!"

"Yes mother," I call back as I shut the door behind me.

As I barrel through the school doors I gasp for breath as I check the time on my phone. Still have plenty of time.

"Hey Roze!"

"Oh. Hi Lilly." Lilly is my best friend, I don't have many girl-friends, but Lilly has been like a sister to me over the years. She can be over dramatic at times, but she is one of those girls that will never make you feel left out. Her blonde, green tipped hair often led people to think we were sisters. She wore her hair in a long ponytail that streaked behind her as she sprinted toward me.

"So...?" she prompted excitedly.

"What?" I ask confusedly.

"How was the party last night? Was it awesome or what!?"

"Oh, it was ok," I answer with a slight smile.

"What!? It was way better than ok!" she said incredulously.

It would have been better if the wannabe popular girls didn't try to pick a fight with me every time they saw me. There was a constant feud between me and these girls – any time we crossed paths sparks seemed to fly...

It all started with my use-to-be best friend, Elora – a girl I had known my entire life. Ever since we entered high school she has become more popular and with it more obnoxious than I could ever believe possible. She had completely pushed me out of her life and what's worse, she had turned most of the girls at our school against me. To this day I don't know what had caused the change in Elora – there had been no fight, no words or actions that could have instigated the behavior. One day, she was my best friend, like family; the next thing I knew her behavior changed to an ever escalating trend of negativity.

I sighed at the thought of Elora... I wish I could just figure out what is going through her thick skull. Lilly and I chat about the previous night's events as we make our way to first period.

First period was science, my least favorite class. Everyone seemed to be talking about the party last night. The party had been thrown by a senior boy, Steven. He always has the best parties and is one of the most popular guys in school – especially with the girls – he was a real ladies man who always seemed to have the attention of every girl around him...

"Hey Roze," Steven says from the seat across the aisle. "You look as cute as always." He says resting his head in his palm. "Just like a flower freshly blooming in the morning light," he added with an easy smile...

"Oh shucks, you're making me blush," I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. Steven has had a major crush on me since elementary school, but I've never liked him in a romantic way. I could see why the girls were all over him; He was a very attractive boy with short messy red hair and emerald green eyes that seemed to pierce your soul whenever you gazed into them. He had athletic build despite not playing any sports. Even if I didn't return his feelings, it had never stymied his determination to win my affection.