ROSE

54. Accepted

"Enough crying." Rita rubbed my back. I was crying for so long. I was crying for longer than I could remember to the point that I was crying but no tears were coming out of my eyes. "You need a shower. Go take a quick hot shower. You'll calm down a little."

I nodded and quickly got up. I needed a few minutes alone and the shower idea was the perfect opportunity. I got in the bathroom and stepped in the shower. I turned it on and the water was hotter than I usually use it but that's exactly what I needed. I sat down in the bath and let the water run on me. Maybe the water could wash my pain away, maybe it could help me move on, maybe it will make me think good and make the right choice without fearing regret.

What happened today was so unexpected and it's all because of Anthony. I was really not expecting him showing up after Noah told me that he saw him kissing a girl and dragging her next door. At first, I was excusing him because it was Lindsay running behind it but this time he was after another girl. Maybe, yes, there is a lot of girls around him and he doesn't want them but I can't allow that. I wouldn't be able to see him getting hugged and kissed by girls that likes him.

And now there is Noah that acts like I'm his and no one else's. He was the one to make choices for me as if he was my father that is picking the right thing to do for me because I couldn't do it myself. I wanted to show him that I was able to make my own choices and if they are wrong I am able to live the consequences. I didn't ask him for help and he was helping me. It scares me so much thinking if he's only doing that to me just because he doesn't want Anthony happy. I shook my head, why would someone date someone else just because he doesn't want her to be with someone else? That's so stupid to do.

"Bella, are you okay in there?"

Rita's voice brought me back to my conscience, the water was freezing cold. I shivered and closed my eyes, so weak to get up and fight again. I wanted to take a break, a break from all of them, from all of the people that hurts me, from everything and everyone around me.

"Bella? Dylan is here. He's waiting for you." She added, knocking on the door.

I sighed and finally got up. I put my clothes back on and put my wet hair in a bun then walked out to tell Dylan about his book.

"Bella," he smiled and got up to hug me. I tried to smile as warm as possible but when he sadly looked at Rita, I understood that she told him everything. "Are you feeling a little better?" He asked. I nodded and looked down at my hands.

"Anyways, I have something important to tell you." I said right when Rita's phone started ringing. I looked at her looking at her phone screen with a strange expression on her face. "Who is it?" I asked her. She looked up at me.

"Tia."

I almost rolled my eyes when I heard her name but I chose not to. It's really not Rita's fault to lose her friend for something she did to me.

"Answer her, Rita." I told her. She frowned at me and I nodded. She blinked and accepted the call then got up and walked away to talk to her in private and I totally respected that. "So, Dylan. I have something to tell you but please think about it very good."

"What is it, Bella?"

"About your book." I started.

"You read it?" He excitedly asked me. His smile gave me hope that he will not get mad when I tell him that I sent it to Clifford and Clifford called a publishing house to publish his book and the meeting is tomorrow with the people from the publishing house.

"I did read it and I liked it a lot." I started. "I also thought that a book like this can't be only drafts."

He chuckled and nodded. "I'll think about publishing it."

"Well," I bit my lip and he looked at me with his innocent smile, not knowing what I'll say next. "I sort of did this step."

"What?" He yelled.

"I called Clifford and he liked your book and called a publishing house." I told him and he got even more surprised.

"You're joking." He tried to find a smile in my words but I was serious.

"And the meeting is tomorrow."

If his eyebrows were able to surpass his forehead it would have happened at that moment. He didn't know what to say, in fact, he didn't say anything. I could tell he wasn't expecting what I told him and he didn't like it as well. He looked scared and under pressure.

"You can't be serious, Bella. You can't just do all that behind my back." He said.

"You wouldn't do that without someone doing it for you, Dylan and honestly I couldn't just keep whiling and waiting on you to do a step. I did everything. All you have to do is be there tomorrow at the meeting with me." I told him. "Clifford was one of the closest people to my father and he called one of his friends that owns a publishing house so it's basically all under hands and I didn't do anything extra."

"I honestly don't know what to tell you." He sounded angry but I was also expecting it. I didn't expect him to hug me and thank me because I knew that he wasn't very likeable about helping him publishing the book. He needed it though because I knew that if I didn't help him, he wouldn't have thought once about doing the first step.

"It's sort of too late because you have to come with me tomorrow. If you don't, I'll look so bad in front of my boss."

And because Dylan would never be the reason of me looking bad in front of someone, he agreed to come with me. He was nervous, I could tell but I wasn't at all. I knew that he was good and his book was not something I wasn't sure of. I knew so well that the book would be liked by whoever will read it. It is talking about a love story anyone would want to have.

Right when I walked in the office with Dylan, Noah's name popped up on my screen.

From: Noah
Can we have dinner together today? You can come over and I'll cook you myself.

I sighed and locked the phone. I smiled up at Dylan and walked in with him. Clifford was talking with the man that is supposedly the one that owns the publishing house and when he saw us, he smiled warmly.

"You must be Dylan." Clifford said, giving him his hand to shake. They shook hands.

"Yes, sir." Dylan shyly said as him and I sat down next to each other, in front of the desk.

"Dylan, this is Richard, my friend and the owner of a really big publishing house." Clifford started. I could tell how happy Dylan was but I knew that he would have never admitted it that he wanted to publish his book. I agree, something like this book would be personal to me too but at the same time, that has nothing to do with it being a book that contains his talent.

"Nice to meet you, Dylan." Richard said. He looked like someone who's truly a book lover. "He keeps talking about how good your book was."

"It was pretty good." Clifford said. I knew they would like it.

"Thank you." Dylan said.

"Bella did good by giving me it to read it." Clifford added and I smiled. Finally, I did something good.

"Listen, I didn't read it yet, Dylan but I trust Clifford's taste more than anyone else's." Richard said. "I'm not saying that your book will be published tomorrow because that's absolutely not the case. But I can say that I accept working on it with you to make a better book for it to be able to be something to get published."

"Wait, seriously?" Dylan excitedly stood up. Clifford laughed and put his face in his hands.

"Of course." Richard said. "Don't you think that, Bella?"

"Yeah, of course." I happily said.

"Great. When do you want to start? Tomorrow?" Richard said and I gasped, looking at Dylan with so much excitement in my eyes.

"Tomorrow?" Dylan's fear started to kick in.

"Yes. There is no time to lose. Why waste time?" He said. "So see you tomorrow."

When we walked out of the magazine, I got my phone out and texted Noah back telling him that I will come. I need some time alone with him to understand him and know what he wants from me. I'm done running after what my heart wants. I need to think a little more about what I do in my life before I actually do it.