Ashlyn Ross is a normal teenage girl -to the outside world that is. she has a secret identity and only her parents and trusted trainer knows.
she's a gang boss that even her gang members don't know who she is. she goes by Rose and that's that. her...
I swung my leg off my bike and looked around at all the kids standing on the school's grass and by their cars. they stood in clusters, mostly friend groups but a few groups were kids who were studying last minute or finishing up their homework. I looked around and found Luke and Flora standing by his truck.
I set my crotch rocket on its kick stand and left my backpack on it. I walked over to Luke and Flora and smiled. Flora waved.
"Hey, have you seen Brandon? He hasn't come back to school since you came back." Flora said, confusion in her eyes. My smile faded and i looked at her sadly, knowing i was going to have to bring her into my terrible world sooner or later. I should've known i would never be able to keep this from her. Luke gave me a knowing anx sad look then gestured to the truck. I nodded and dragged Flora into it.
"Why do we have to talk in here?" She asked. I flinched and glanced away.
"There's something you have to know, Flora. I don't know why i ever tried to keep it from you, with you knowing everything else in my life." She narrowed her eyes at me.
"If you're going to say you've been cheating with Brandon, I'm going to kill you." She said. I visually gagged and almost barfed on Luke's truck seats.
"God no. It's way worse. And it doesn't involve me and Brandon being together." She considered this and then nodded, gesturing for me to continue. "Flora, Brandon's not a good guy."
I looked away out the window before continuing.
"And neither am i." I cringed, knowing she would hate me after i told her.
"What are you talking about? You're amazing!!" She said. I looked into her eyes.
"I'm Rose, the faceless queen." I said pain laced through my voice. She froze and she tried to wrap her brain around it.
"Wait, what?" She said, holding out her hands and then pressing them to her temples.
"I'm Rose." I repeated. "And Brandon is a bad person. Worse than me."
"Wait you're Rose." She stated. Hesitantly, i nodded slowly. "This isn't a prank is it?"
I shook my head, unable to make words come out of my mouth.
"I've been going to school with a criminal boss." She gasped, her lip trembling and tears standing in her eyes. She looked at me and a tear rolled down her cheek.
I knew she would hate me. I knew she would leave me and tell everyone. I looked at my lap, ashamed for the first time in my life of being Rose.
"Ashlyn, i love you... but i need some time to process this." She said her voice cracking. I nodded and swallowed, the lump in my throat staying put. She unlocked the truck doors and climbed down from it. She went and sat on a picnic bench and i watched her, waiting for the bell to signal first period. _________________________
I stepped into the lunch room and scanned it. I spotted Flora sitting alone and walked up to her. I hesitated before sitting across from her. But before i could walk away, Flora croaked out.
"You can sit." She said. I looked at her face and nodded, slowly sitting as if cautious to not spook a wild stallion.
"Tell me everything." She simply said. I nodded and started with me being Rose, meeting Luke and continued to Brandon kidnapping me.
"But you have to know, that those men i tortured? Those men i kill? They rob and steal and kill for the fun of it. I don't hurt innocent people." I finished.
She nodded and looked at me.
"In my eyes, I'd say you're doing good with getting rid of murderers and stuff." I chuckled and she smiled.
"So we're cool?" I asked. She studied me.
"Ya we're cool." She took a bite of her sandwich and i felt so much better. I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt so much more free now that my best friend knew who i was and what i did.
I'm so happy she doesn't hate me. So glad she didn't leave me.
I smiled wide and looked at her across the table.
"So are you and Luke going to prom this weekend?" She suddenly asked. Shit i forgot it was this weekend! And today is Thursday!!
"Probably not, Flora. I forgot about it and i don't have anything to wear." She tilted her head at me.
"Tell Luke to find a black tux with a red tie. If the dress I'm thinking of fits you, it'll work beautifully. It's at the mall and not many people like the color so no one's bought it." I nodded. "We'll go after school."
I dread shopping. But if it's only one dress to try on, it won't be too bad right? _________________________
Wrong!! I couldn't have been more wrong!!
The dress Flora had in mind had been baught and that left me with her and all her shopping expertise. She loved shopping and i hated it. I couldn't hate it more. So we browsed through the mall, finding cute dresses but quickly disposing of them when they either didn't fit,or didn't look good on me.
Knowing i only wear dark colors, we didn't even bother with the bright pink and yellow dresses. But finallyn -finally as in almost five hours of shopping finally- we found the perfect dress. It hugged my curves nicely and it complimented my dark hair and red lips.
It was black with blood red on the inside. And it was gorgeous.
It was almost worth the time it took to find it. Almost. I twirled in it and giggled. What the hell was that? I don't giggle. I chuckle and snicker! Sometimes i laugh but i don't giggle.
"Wow, Ash! You're gorgeous! And every girl there -including me- is going to be crazy jealous."
I smiled wide and looked down at the dress. It made me feel badass but at the same time pretty.
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Hey y'all!! Proms coming up and this dress is amazing!
Hope ya like the book so far!! I think i might be winding it down to an end soon... but maybe not lol.
