Within Rose Heart

Chapter I - Remember You

The morning sun bled through my white curtains. I sat on the bed, watching the news. The reporter talked about Rose again. It has been a year since she disappeared. The reporter goes on to talk about how Rose body was found 6 months ago, saying she is sorry and all her prayers go out to her family. She says she's loved by the community, but no one knew her like I did. If she did know her like I did, she would know she didn't have any family. My roommate, Henry, walked into the room and grabbed the remote, muting the TV.

"You're watching this again. It's been a year," Henry said "I think you should go out. It's been a year of that too, you can't just go around not socializing with people."

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?" I said, snatching the remote back, "And I have no choice, but to watch this. This is all they talk about now and days."

"Go out. Maybe stop by the cafe across the street, so you won't have to go far." Henry made my bed and pushed me out the house. His suggestion wasn't bad, but I didn't want to go.

The sun burned my eyes, blinding me for a minute. My eyes adjusted and Henry tossed me an umbrella.

"I hear it's going to rain later, so be careful."

I continued to walk to the cafe called "More Coffee Please". The business was small but popular. It was built 6 years ago across from my house. I swung the door open as the bell rung. The owner, Buck, laughed like Santa, "I see you are back. I thought you would stay locked away somewhere. Come sit."

I walked down 3 booths and sat down with my back against the wall. I saw the small table in the middle, where Rose commonly sat. The table was left untouched. I guess he's hoping she'll come back. I stared at the empty table, remembering when we first met here.

The rain battered the windows of the cafe. The rain was too bad to walk in, so I waited inside the cafe. I walked to my usual booth and sat down. Buck howled with excitement when he saw me. A girl looked back to see who he was howling to and saw me. She stared at me and smiled. I was nervous. No girl has ever done that to me.

I had a big nose. People compared my nose to a eagles beak, sometimes even a dodo bird. I was really tall and skinny. My Adam's apple pushed against my throat, which made it hard to hide. My eyes hung low. My ears could hear everything, it was like Dumbo was my father and he passed down his ears. My grandmother used to think I was anorexic, but I ate food, plenty of food. The only upside was my curly, orange hair.

The girl closed her book, sticking it under her arm and grabbed her drink. She rose from her seat and walked over to me. She wore a black dress, V -cut low with black gloves to match. Peals hung from her neck down to her breasts. The red lipstick she wore complimented her silver eyes. I took a huge gulp and cracked a smile. My smile was ugly, due to my crooked teeth.

"I see you're famous here," she said leaning over the table.

I chuckled, 'No, I'm not famous. If anything, he only likes me, because I give him money."

She laughed. "So, what is your name, money man?" she asked in a sweet, low tone.

"George. George Hunkly. What about you?"

"Rose Heart," she said with a smile. "I seem to be smiling a lot around you. I must really like you then."

I sat in silence. No one had said that before, no one even laughed at my jokes. She looked back to see a middle-aged man staring at her. She looked panicked.

"Shall we leave?" she asked rising from her seat. She didn't even wait for my answer. She was going to leave with or without me. I grabbed my coat and followed her.

That's when I knew she was a mystery and had to get to know her.

I rose from my booth,"Buck, can I get the food to go?" I shouted to the kitchen.

"Of course, give me a minute?"