Rose

Who's More Important?

Look what you just made me do.

Phillip stays outside with Antonio while Amber and I go in.
The walk from the car was silent due to neither of us knowing what to do. We haven't acted like this in four years.
"I'm sorry." Amber says barely above a whisper.
"What do you mean?" I inquire, sitting down on the couch and patting the spot next to me.
"I... I um..." She stumbles for the right words, glancing at the door every two seconds. "Nevermind."
Phillip enters, cutting off any chance of questioning her further. "You know for a fued going back generations Antonio was pretty humane about it." He sits beside Amber, who for once doesn't agrue with him.
Instead she asks on both our minds: "Family feud?" She sounds way too curious.
"His grandmother is Amanda Hastings." Phillip leans back watches as realization falls over us.
"Oh." We both nod.
"So he'd like nothing more than for all of us to die." Amber jokes.
"Exactly, little one." He pats her shoulder.
Again leaving me with a ton of unanswered questions. Why are they acting so friendly all the sudden when all these years they've done nothing but fight?
"Listen," Lip claps his hands together. "Since Scar will be away tonight. I want you both to stay in her room."
We nod in unison.
AJ hops up. "Okay, then, Ro." She holds a hand out. "Upstairs awaits."
I take her hand, filing the questions away for later.

****

"That freak's not your friend. I can tell in the end, if she had your shot, she would leave you to rot! " Amber sings, jumping off the bed and strutting over to where I sit at the desk.
I watch, giggling uncontrollably as she dances around.
She makes it to me, and places a hand on my chair. "'Course if you don't care

Fine! Go braid her hair! Maybe Sesame Street is on." She picks up my braids, wiggling them around.
"Amber," I laugh, my sides beginning to hurt for laughter.
She pulls me up after her, spinning me to the music.
I walk over to Scar's drawer and grab something. "You're not complete." I whisper under the music, sliding the red scrunchy up her ponytail. "There we go."
She smiles at this action, and after awhile I stop fighting.
"Veronica, look!" I sing excitedly. "Ram invited me to his homecoming party. This proves he's been thinking about me!" I hug AJ excitedly as I sing, jumping up and down slightly.
Amber pushes me away playfully, rolling her eyes. "Colour me stoked."
We sing the ending together, falling back on the bed toward the end, our hands interlocked, and giggling like crazy.
She rolls to face me. "Remind me to comment on Scarlett's music to her later?"
"Agreed." I turn toward her as well. "She should not be listening to Candy Store at eleven."
"You two were." A new voice joins in.
Both of us shot up, only to find Lip standing at the foot of the bed.
"But she's our innocent baby." I defend.
"Those things should not be on her mind. I want her better than me." Amber adds.
"Amen."
Phillip gives an agrivated sigh and holds up something. "I found this on your pillow, Rosie." He chucks it toward me.
A note. Just great.
Flipping it over, I note that it's the same handwriting as the last one.

Dear Rosie,
Hiya again! This time my letter is more fun. Did you enjoy your shower? Guess you are a blood rose now. Not funny? Oh, well, I thought it was. But I digress.
We're going to play a game. Sounds fun, right?
Okay ready for the first task. I've marked my next victim, but you can stop them from dying.
Wanna know how? 
Just tell dear Aunt E the dirty little secret you harbor. Y'know the big one?
Anyway you have twelve hours to do so, or the person dies.
Oh, yes, I forgot the person will be marked with the letter N on their hand
Good Luck!

Amber-who was reading over my shoulder-cusses. "What a twisted sicko." She says.
I discard the note on the bed, checking a glimpse of something red. "AJ," I say very slowly. "Give me your left hand."
"Why?" She does it anyway and I see something I never ever wanted to see.
A small bold red inked N written atop an old bike scar.
Closing my eyes, I try to decide what to do. I can't let my twin sister die, I love her too much. Plus we all saw what happened to Connor when Noah died.
But at the same time, I can't ruin Grandma and Ellis' relationship.
"Am, please, tell me you drew that one yourself." I plead, my eyes still shut tightly.
"I wish I could." She lets out a shaky breath.
Opening my eyes, I get up. "Phillip, go downstairs." I command.
"What?"
"Go. Now." I point to the door, watching as he vanishes around the corner.
"Rose, what are we going to do?" Amber runs a hand through her hair. "You can't tell Aunt Ellis."
With that my mind was made up. "I am not letting you die tonight. If the price of you being alive is telling something Ellis deserves to know then oh well."
Taking one last look at my sister, I head for the stairs.
"Wait, Ro!" Amber runs to catch up to me. "At least let me go with you?" She offers.
I nod. "Okay. Let's get this over with."

Ten points if you knew the song they were singing. Next chapter will be interesting.
Any ideas on the secret? - Iz