The Return of Rose

Chapter 7: Maybe, Just Maybe

"Remember; we have to behave ourselves." Chris repeated for the hundredth time. I was starting to think he was saying it to himself, but he was right, we all needed to control ourselves.

We entered the ball, everything very antique. The ceilings had red silky cloths crossing each other. The round tables were also covered in black silk sheets. The waitress and waiters wore uniforms, both working rapidly.

They probably knew if they didn't do a good job they would be more than fired. If they were lucky, they would walk out just handicapped.

Now that my mind was clear and I wasn't nineteen anymore, I wasn't naive and I was starting to see alot of things more clearly.

We stalked in the spacious room with our masks on. I had Christian by my side, my arm linked with his. Chris, Daniel, and Antonio though, they decided it was best to not bring a girl along since they were going to be talking business throughout the gala.

That's all they ever did now. And if they really didn't care for privacy they might have even talked in the bathroom with one another.

But I don't think they were going to have a chance to talk business since we were already being greeted. We were going to be busy.

Great, let us fake smile throughout the day.

I didn't want to be greeted even more so I sneaked to the snack table. I served my self punch and stood there smirking at Chris and the boys as they talked with other business men.

"Mhm I didn't think you'd have the balls to come back Lana, but I guess we meet again. Why is it always the dances, mhm?" I felt two cold hands on my bare shoulders and his minty breath near my ear. I sucked in a breath and turned around.

Even under the mask, he knew who I was? But then again when I turned around I saw his green orbes and his sculptured jaw.

It was Giovanni.

I sat up, gasping for air with my hair stuck to my face. I was sweating real badly. My clothes and my bed covers were lightly drenched in sweat. That I could feel.

When I left New York, it had took me a good while to fall asleep without waking up in the middle of the night, back home. I had sleeping pills for the first year and then after, I sort of lived without them.

Calum had become my comfort.

I hadn't had bad dreams since the first year I left back home. But I guess since Chris and I have been talking more about Giovanni, my mind was starting to reach for the lost memories deep inside my head. They were memories and thoughts that were defending him.

You can't trust yourself, be strong. Use what's left of your energy to block him out.

I rubbed my head and slammed my head against the pillow. I was going to make it without sleeping pills this time.

~~~~~~~

Throughout the whole night, I kept having the same dream but it always stopped with me turning around.

I was frustrated, yes, but I wasn't going to let that dwell into my mind. I needed to be positive, and do what I had to do in order to get out of here.

I wanted to be guilt free by the time I got out of here.

Since it was Saturday, I knew everyone was going to wake up later than the usual time, which was at two or so. And I being the positive, nice person and all, I had decided to make green enchiladas. Before my mother passed away, she thought it was in my best interest to learn how to cook her Mexican dishes. Though she exaggerated with the spiciness. If you weren't born growing up eating her food, you had to have milk by your side at all times. It was funny though how some people were tearing up about how spicy the food was, yet they still ate it because it was just too good to waste. That and you weren't allowed to waste food in my mom's household.

I chuckled at the thought, as I finished preparing the plating. As soon as I placed all the plates on the table I yelled for all the guys.

I heard groans and curse words coming in the direction of their rooms.

I was very extra and everybody in this household knew that, so when I say I had hacked into Chris's office to get a megaphone, I actually got the megaphone. I marched midway on the stairs and placed the megaphone near my mouth.

I smiled against the megaphone as I yelled into it, "If you all don't get your asses down here in five minutes, I'm going to go into each of your rooms with the plate of food and shove it down your throats, hot!"

I shuffled into Chris's office and quickly placed the object in its rightful place. After locking the office, I rushed towards the island and watched as the guys were rushing into the kitchen.

"God, I think I got up too fast."

"Damn, this fucking smells good as fuck, lana."

I laughed as they pushed each other to wash their hands.

"All of you couldn't at least put on a shirt?"

"Well I mean we were threatened." They all chuckled.

I knew that only half of the guys were here, the other half were still holding a grudge because of the whole Fransisco thing being my fault. I didn't blame them, it was my fault and that will always be over my head.

"Don't worry lana. They'll come around." Johnny smiled as he raised his fork into his mouth.

Everybody nodded in agreement and I smiled back.

"Where's Chris by the way?" I asked and I searched around the kitchen for him.

"Mhm I think he's in his room." Christian responded.

"Yeah, I think I heard him come in late."

I sighed and left the kitchen to go in his room. I knocked a couple of times still he didn't answer so I slowly opened the door.

"Chris." I whispered. "Chris. . ."

I glanced at the bed and saw his body sprawled out on the bed with his head near the edge.

I shook my head and quickly fixed him, then I placed the covers up to his chest.

I noticed that his whole room was a mess, there were bottles everywhere, clothes thrown basically in every corner, including his bed.

While picking up the liquor bottles I noticed a white powder substance on his night stand along with needles. I dropped the bottles to cover my mouth, thankfully though, the bottles hit his piles of clothes.

I was beginning to worry even more. I only thought he drinked, but I guess I was wrong. I wanted so desperately to put him in a rehab facility or something but I didn't want to put innocent people in danger. I knew what Chris was capable of.

I just didn't want him to keep going in the same path as his dad.

I picked up the bottles and threw them in his trash can, then I walked towards my room and sat down on my bed.

I was feeling gloomy now. I was also just thinking of ways to help Chris. So many times I thought of just turning him in, but that would hurt us both, and cause trouble. I was desperate.

I kept thinking and thinking till my eyes became heavy then eventually I went to sleep, crying.

~~~~~~

I awoke with a scream. A faint scream but it was still noticeable. I got up way too fast for my liking, because instantly I was seeing blue dots. After the dizziness went away, I opened my drawer and took out a pistol. It was six pm. Had I really been that exhausted?

Slowly, I opened the door enough to peek out. Looking left and right, I saw nothing. I didn't hear anything.

Cautiously, I walked down the stairs with the gun pointing up, ready for anything dangerous.

Unfortunately it was getting really dark with so little daylight so I had to be extra careful. I stopped in the middle of the living room, wondering if maybe I had just overheard something.

Maybe I was going crazy.

But then, just as I had my foot on the first step, I heard the scream again. A female scream to be specific.

And even though I hadn't heard this voice in two years, I recognized it, and maybe, just maybe, I thought it was Camilla's.