Roses and thorns

Little Girl - C. 13

Date: 5/7/1957 (Saturday, 7pm)

School went by like normal, Ace and Alice haven't spoken to each other at all since Thursday, but I don't blame them. It was apparent that they had tension. Zee, Danny and I all laid on the couch, watching TV and lounging around. Alice was visiting Nick with Buddy, and they said they planned on being there for the day. I hadn't seen Jean for the last couple days, I couldn't help but feel like maybe she was avoiding me. I could understand why though.

"Alice should be learnin' right now, right?" Danny looked at me from his spot on the floor, but I was still daydreaming and all I could really respond with was a shrug. After thinking about it for a while, I finally gave him a response.

"I guess so, now that I know she lived like this a few years ago, there's not much point. We just have to remind her and build her confidence back up again." Alice came clean to the gang and told them about her being apart of the Roses, and previously using the name Angel. They all seemed pretty calm about it, except Zee went nuts.

"She hasn't been training for years though, surely she's lacking-" Danny stopped when Zee whacked him over the head. I forgot she was behind the couch, taking a nap like a cat in the sun.

"She was the Angel, it'll come flooding back soon." Zee slowly went back to sleep behind the couch. Yesterday was probably one of the most stressful days I've had at school since James' attack, Alice got so many dirty looks for being a greaser. People started threatening Zee and Buddy about it, but we scared them off.

"I'm gonna have a smoke." Danny got up and walked out the house, Zee shrugged and followed behind. As the walked out, I made my way into the kitchen and pulled out a bag of chips Ace had stolen that day he attacked Alice. I looked out the window of the house and sighed. I wonder what life will be like without Nick? I wonder how I'll pay for the house.

"I'm tired." I thought to myself.

Alice P.O.V

He seemed to be getting worse with every visit I gave him, his face seemed so pale. I held his hood hand and kissed his cheek countless times.

"Angel, I'll be okay.. s-stop worrying." His voice is becoming weaker, it hurts to watch him like this. He turned his head over to look at me and smirked. "N-Nice jacket.. where'dya find a classic like.. that?"

"I stole it off a certain boy who I jumped a few years ago." I gave him the same cheeky smile back at him. I stole this off of his back on the night we met. Back then, I didn't have enough money to afford my own, so I "borrowed" this one. I still remember his eyes that night, even though he said nothing, his eyes told me thousands of stories. Buddy decided to leave us alone for a while and got a burger instead, he said he'd come back soon but he wasn't here yet. I guess he didn't want to third wheel.

"I-It looks good on you." I brushed some hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you." I smiled back at him, trying to ignore his condition. It must take every ounce of him to not fall into a coma. Nicky, how much pain are you really in? "How long have they had you off the pain killers?"

"A few days.. it kills. I can't feel my arm sometimes."

"That's because James got your collar bone." I held his face in my hands and rubbed my thumb along his cheek, he smiled again. He always had the biggest smile, but I could tell when they were forced. "Do you want to die?" I asked him.

"I-I want a lot of things.." he paused for a moment and looked at the ceiling. "I-I want to walk along.. the beach with you, tell everyone about how much... I really love you, I want.. to start goin' steady w-with you, I want to marry you and... see you walk d-down the isle in the most beautiful wedding gown man has ever seen." I felt tears begin to pour down my face as his own tears fell down his.