Not Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 16 : ugly scars

*Ash's POV*

There is something about Juliet that seems off. I mean, her disposition is always a bit tainted (mind you she is a stunningly gorgeous girl who can frighten even the worst of criminals), but this is different. Her face reads that oh-something-is-so-wrong kind of off.

And she hasn't said anything about what's got her so worried to anyone. I even asked Lilac and Lizzy who are her best friends and they seemed completely oblivious, which set me off more.

Which is another reason why I'm not taking her home after I pick her up from the academy.

"This isn't the way home" Juliet says, looking sideways at me.

"No."

"Then where are we going?"

"You'll see."

After my mother's death, I saw that my dad left me a colossal of amount of money and a mansion so big it could be considered a castle. Bigger than even Lizzy's house, and that's big.

I didn't go inside the house though I knew it had everything anyone could even dream of. I always wondered off. One day I saw a cliff, I sat on the edge of it and watched the city.

The sunset made it beautiful, the cursed castle behind me made it sad and the silence of the city beneath my feet made it peaceful.

But the only look on Rose's face as I made her sit on the edge of the same cliff was wonder.

Plain, pure wonder.

I take her hand in mine as I sit beside her.

"What's going on with you, Rose? What's wrong?"

She looks away from me. "I'm fine."

I cup her cheeks in my hands and force her to look at me. "I need to know what happened so I can kill the one who's hurting you."

"Promise me you won't be disgusted?" She sobs. I kiss her softly.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to."

She takes a deep breath. "My parents died when I was 2 years old and none of my relatives wanted me so they sent me to an orphanage. I was there until I was 8 years old. Then a family took me in. I loved June, my foster mother, but I didn't trust Hal, my foster dad. One night, when June was late, Hal got into my room and locked the door behind him. Then h-he raped me." Her voice broke like a piece of glass.

"In the middle of it June came back. She probably heard my screams so she unlocked the door and when she saw what was happening, she tried to stop him but he killed her, right there and then. His was a lifetime prison sentence. Today I got a call that said he escaped from the prison. He will probably come back for me." She shakes violently, crystal tears covering her face.

I will make sure that bastard dies painfully. I think as I draw her closer to me so she is sitting on my lap. I kiss away her tears and she buries her head in my chest.

"I won't let him lay a hand on you," I whisper to her hair softly as I draw circles on her back.

After she stops shaking and her tears refuse to fall anymore, I lift her chin so I'm looking straight in her eyes. "Do you know why I call you Rose, Juliet?"

She looks at me, her eyes red and scared. She shakes her head, telling me that she doesn't. I cup Juliet's cheek in my hand, her hot tears licking my fingers. I speak in a soft voice, calming her rapid breaths.

"I love Beauty and the Beast's story. It's been my favorite since I was a kid. The sorcerer could've turned him to a full monster at the beginning. But instead, she gave him a rose. She gave him a second chance. You are my Rose. You are my second chance at the hellhole I call life. And I won't let anyone take you away from me."

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"why would you care what I think? I don't matter. I am nothing."

"you matter to shadowhunters ," said Alec."you're a Herondale. that'll never be nothing."

- Lord of shadows, Cassandra Clare

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I want an Ash of my own. he is just sooooo... Ash! and cute. and nice. and a bad boy. next chapter is a letter too. share and vote if you liked the chapter, follow when you're at it if you loved it.

love, always.

~Ani