ROSE

52. No more

♡

I groaned once the morning lights hit my eyes. I wasn't sure how because my house was always dark, I never opened the blinds or the curtains at my house.

I was so lazy to open my eyes. I could already feel a headache kicking in. Today was the day I should be packing to leave for the camping. I am thinking about just telling them that I don't want to go. This year, I had a plan for once. I thought I'd take Rose and go together, get her close to my friends and make her spend a good time. I had a plan to not leave her alone, to help her have fun and do my best to make her happy but fate never stood at my side.

I sighed and finally opened my eyes. I frowned. Where was I? I blinked twice then realized that I'm not home but I'm somewhere familiar, somewhere I never thought I will visit again. Nervously, I pushed the covers off me and made out of bed.

"Lindsay," I yelled. I knew it was my fault, not hers, but I remember her finding me, I remember her telling me to go with her, I remember her letting me kiss her. "Shit," I yelled, punching the wall next to me. Thankfully, I didn't create a hole. I frustratingly ran my hand through my hair, pulling at the end of it. I don't remember anything after getting in the car with her. It was like I have a small empty space between getting in the car, leaving with her and waking up in her bed. "Lindsay," I yelled even louder.

"What, what happened?" She came, running towards where I was.

"What...am I doing here?" I tried to stay calm. I needed to stay calm. Yelling at her will make her act more bitchy so the best thing I could do is stay calm.

"What do you mean?" She leaned on the doorframe, with her shirt-dress that doesn't pass her highs, her messy hair and her mug in her hand. I closed my eyes, wishing what I'm thinking about didn't happen yesterday.

"How did I end up here?" I yelled.

"You were so drunk. What did you expect me to do? Leave you in the middle of a bar with no one to drive you home and no company at all?"

It's all my fault. I gave her the opportunity to have control over me with the excuse of me being drunk. As if she cares a lot and won't want me to get hurt. I almost laughed at my thought.

"You brought me here because of one reason and one reason only. Tell me now if—"

"We didn't do anything yesterday if that's what you're asking about." She said. I could tell she was offended by my comment but I didn't care. I was happy. I was never so happy I didn't do it with her. "I'm not that person who takes advantage of someone." Again, I almost laughed at what she said.

"Well, you sort of did at the bar." I grabbed my phone that was laying on the nightstand next to the bed. Rose didn't call or text me. I grabbed my jacket to leave.

"I wasn't the one all on over of you." She crossed her arms, standing in my way to not pass.

I scoffed. "I only did what I did because I thinking about someone else." I smirked when I saw her proud face turn angry and turned yellow. Maybe, just maybe, she has some pride to stop running after me.

"You did it because you missed me." She said and I laughed. "I know you will come back one day."

"Lindsay," I placed my hands on her shoulders, feeling truly bad for her. The girl is insane, poor little girl. "I won't. For one reason and one reason only, I can't look at your face. I despise you with all I have. I don't like your presence and I don't want to be anywhere near you." I nodded when I felt her skin under my hands turn cold. Maybe my words will knock some life into her. "The more you do to bring me closer to you somehow makes me want to get further away from you. I really don't want you, Lindsay. Small advise, move on before you regret it. What you want will never happen because I love Rose and I won't give up on her."

Her silence was enough to please me.

"Oh and one more thing," I placed my index in front of her, turning my warning mode on, "don't think I'll slide what you did with Rose."

She froze and that was my opportunity to leave before she interrupts me again. I meant every word I told her and wished with everything I have in me that she believed what I was saying and actually leave me alone. All I want is a healthy relationship with Rose and everyone somehow is after us to not have what we both want to have.

♡
R O S A B E L L A
♡

"I know, I never expected Tia to do that. But she did." I shrugged, pouring coffee in my mug.

"I'll show her." Rita yelled through the phone. I shook my head with a small smile at how she just managed to always find something to yell.

"I honestly don't care. I just want her to leave me alone." I said then heard someone approaching me from behind. I looked behind me to see Noah, shirtless with a grey sweatpants. His hair was messy and he looked like he just woke up. He was fit and his body was well shaped. I couldn't see that under the clothes he always has on.

"Good morning." He smiled. He came closer and sat on the kitchen bar.

"Morning." I smiled back. "Rita, I'll call you later, okay?" I interrupted what she was saying and I wasn't even listening to. "Do you want me to pour you a cup of coffee with me?" I asked him.

"Please." He grunted, yawning right after, grabbing his phone, unlocked it and started scrolling down. I poured him a cup too. I took mine and his mugs and walked to where he was sitting and sat next to him. I placed his mug in front of him and kept mine between my two hands, enjoying the warmness it created between my hands. "So what's your plan for today?"

"I'll go home at first. Call mister Richard to see what he did with Dylan's book then I'll call Dylan to tell him." I thought again, what more I wanted to do today. "Oh, and I'll go to work and help Rita because she needs me. And probably will just end the night with writing the article." I listed my schedule and he laughed. "Whats funny?" I giggled.

"Do you always have schedules for your days?" He asked, taking the first sip of his coffee, his eyes still on me.

"Yeah, most of the time. I would rather do what I need to do and finish everything I have to do." I said, drinking my coffee as well.

He nodded. "What would you say if I told you after you're done with everything you and I go to a restaurant or something and eat something together?"

I smiled, a small image of Anthony rushed into my brain but I quickly pushed it away. "Sure." I nodded, keeping the warming smile on my face.

"Great." We looked into each others eyes but this silence was nothing of what Anthony and I have. Ours isn't awkward at all. We stay silent because we want to be silent, not because we have nothing to talk about. Noah and I make a couple that is boring. It isn't as exciting as mine with Anthony. This one is way healthier of course but it doesn't have flames that keep the fire going between us. I shook my head. What am I saying? I need to stop thinking about that liar that only chose himself and his pleasure over me and my wills. He doesn't love me as much as I deserve to be loved. I need to move on.

He drove me to work later that day. Rita hugged me right when she saw me then asked me to tell her exactly what happened again. I did tell her everything as we worked. Noah chose to wait for me in the restaurant to be able to take me right after I finish my shift. He kept throwing small glimpses at me.

"You need to rest a little from this whole life you have." Rita told me.

"I wish I could."

"Take a week or two off. I'll talk to my mom."

I could feel his eyes on me and as much as I felt uncomfortable of his pair of eyes watching me as I work, as much as I knew that one day, his look will make me move on from Anthony and fall for him.

"So, does that mean..." Rita started, looked at Noah, pointed at him then looked back at me, "no more Anthony?"

I slowly nodded, closed my eyes, maybe saying it out loud will help me believe it myself, "no more Anthony." I repeated.