ROSE

29. Lower

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My heart skipped a beat to what she just said and I couldn't make up my mind with anything to respond with at all. I tried to convince myself that it was a joke as Anthony shut the door behind me and pulled me closer to his mother that her back was facing us.

She was blond, not at all the same colour Anthony's hair is. She had it up with a clip into a small pony tail which showed how short her hair was. She was wearing the kitchen apron. It was short and white and under she was wearing a tight short dress with heels on her feet. Why would she keep the heels in the kitchen? I wondered.

"Mom, this is Rose. Rose this is my mom." Anthony placed his hand on my back and I wanted to just push it down and hold it in mine, wishing for any sort of comfort as my heart beats only fastened as the time goes by.

"Nice to meet you." I nodded with a smile even though she couldn't see me.

She hummed and kept cutting the tomatoes, making the salads she was making. I sighed and looked at Anthony that gave me an apologetic smile and rubbed my back.

"Do you need any help?" I suggested. Maybe if I kept being nice, she will be nice to me too and that's all that mattered to me.

She looked up at me with her light brown eyes and no sign of smile on her lips. She started at me for a couple of seconds, intimidating me and causing my knees to shake in place. "I'd rather make my food with my own hands." She said.

Anthony's mother means so much to him which was the only reason why I am trying so much to impress her. I didn't want her to dislike me but if I put so much effort into this first meeting for her to love, it seemed like she already made up her mind about me, even before this meeting.

Anthony and I went to prepare the table which I was so thankful for leaving the room she was in. I felt unliked but that didn't stop me from trying harder. Anthony whispered a fast "sorry" as we placed the plates down and that already gave me the motivation to try again.

When she sat down, she said nothing at all. She placed food on her plate and started eating so Anthony and I followed her actions. She kept having some glimpses at me from time to time but I kept my eyes on the plate, pretending I didn't see her looking.

"So how old are you?" She finally spoke with the hardest and loudest voice.

"Nineteen. Almost twenty." I said then placed the fork with the piece of chicken on it.

"And is Rose your real name?" She asked right away as if she didn't even care about the previous answer I gave to her question.

"No," I looked at Anthony then said "In fact, nobody calls me that except Anthony. My real name is Rosabella and everyone call me Bella." I simply said and for some unknown and strange reasons, she scoffed. Perhaps she was mocking me or making fun of my nickname, perhaps it was something she liked but because I felt so unwelcome at the moment, the first option was what I took. I didn't understand what I did but I couldn't clearly tell that she didn't like meeting me.

"And Rosabella, is it normal for your family to have a young daughter like you who lives alone?" Her tone was so judgmental and her eyes was fighting for a respond to her attacking question. My heart was racing and I didn't know what to say exactly. I didn't know how she found out I live alone but that wasn't what made my mind busy. I was thinking for an answer that will make her see my life without sounding pity about my parents' death.

"Mom!" Anthony warned her with his deep tone but I cut him by saying.

"It's fine." I sighed and let my fork down and looked down at my hands that I places on my lap. "I live alone because I simply don't have parents to live with and my parents weren't really close to our large family so no one really cared enough to raise me. Plus, I'm old enough to take care of myself. I have a job, I go to college, I have an internship that will make me be able to have to have the job that I always dreamed to have. No, obviously I'm not enjoying living alone but I don't hate it either but I'm brave enough to be able to build my life on my own." I explained myself.

I looked back at Anthony who had a smile on his face as he tried to hide it by stuffing food on his mouth. I gave him a small smile and took my fork to eat again.

The rest of the evening went silent. It was only Anthony and I trading a few words here and there to cut the awkward moments for awhile but as for his mother, as I talked, she'd look at me, raise her eyebrows and shake her head but honestly, as strange as it sounds, it didn't matter to me. I prove to Anthony that I tried. It may hurt a little a bit that she doesn't like me for some reasons I couldn't figure out but I have not done anything so I couldn't blame myself.

When it was time for me to leave, I smiled at her warmly and gave her my hand to shake as I told her how nice it was to meet her but she only looked down at my hand and then looked at Anthony saying "yeah, me too."

As soon as we left the apartment, Anthony giggled.

"What?" I looked at him.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be laughing." He put his hands up in defence. "But honestly I've never seen anyone talk to my mother like that before." He smiled. "My mother acts like the queen of England that nobody could talk to her and seeing you so defensive of yourself and being able to answer her questions made me happy."

"So you liked me being mean to your mother?" I raised my eyebrows.

"You weren't mean to my mother, you were wisely answering her mean questions, right?"

I shook my head as I smiled a little. I was happy that he wasn't affected by what I said to his mother but I still don't get why she was doing that to me.

"And why is she mean though? I haven't done anything." I asked as he opened the car door for me.

"Don't take it personal, she does that to every girl that tried to get close to me."

"Seems like you bring a lot." I rolled my eyes as he shut the door and turned to get in the car as well.

"You're only the second girl I introduce to my mother. Other than that, she only finds out on her own about girls around me." He started the car and started to drive me home. I sighed.

"Your mother seems complicated. It scares me." I honestly said.

"She is very strict at times but she just basically doesn't like showing her emotions."

"Not at all like you." I smirked and he looked at me, smiling.

The rest of the drive was full of questions about his mother and he was always defending her indirectly. It made me happy because as much as he doesn't care about a lot of people, as much as nobody will ever replace his love for his mom.

"What you've done today made me want to tell you so many things." He said parking the car in front of my building. "It makes me trust you with anything." He smiled and placed his hand on mine. I bit my lip, looking at his eyes. Even in the darkness, I could see its colour and even in the darkness, his feelings were so clear to me. His eyes are suckers at hiding how he feels.

"What do you want to tell me?" I asked. My voice was so soft which was never me. I was always loud and harsh until he appeared in my life. I feel so different around him. I'm not even trying to fake myself in front of him, I just feel myself changing as soon as my eyes lay on him.

"I will tell you tomorrow." He smiled. "By the way, as I promise to not disappear again without telling you; tomorrow morning you won't be able to hear from me." He explained.

"Why?"

"You'll know tomorrow."

♡