All Roses Have Thorns

Sierra XXII

Other than Erin, Zach was the person she least expected to hear from. So she was quite surprised when he texted her.

Zach 3m ago
If you don't regret it then stay away from her

Zach 4m ago
Erin is on the roof if you want to apologize

She bit her lip. Maybe she should talk to Erin.

Safiya was in bed, and Reese and Maggie were in the other bedroom, watching a movie as they waited for midnight to approach.

She grabbed her jacket and headed toward the elevator. When the elevator doors opened, the space she walked into was dark. Then she walked into a leaf... a whole tree, actually. She face planted on the ground, a variety of curses coming out of her mouth in a quiet, steady stream.

"H-Hello? Who's there?"

Sierra stilled. Erin. She was definitely not ready, but she might as well deal with their situation now. She stood up and brushed herself off. "H-Hey!" She walked toward the blurry figure she assumed was Erin.

As soon as her eyes fell on Sierra, she took a step back. "What are you doing here?" Her lips twisted up into a bitter smile which practically screamed murder. "Do you just want to tell me what a cruel, horrible person I am?! Let me know that I definitely deserved being pushed to the brink of death?" She laughed quietly, face pointed down at the ground. "Don't you think it's fitting that the one person I thought would change my mind, the one person I thought would tell me I wasn't worthless, was the one who told me I was worth nothing!" She waved her arm as she said 'nothing,' her other hand pressed to her chest. She was yelling, bitter smile replaced with a piercing glare. "My parents always told me that if anyone loved me more than them, it would be my soulmate. I never believed them, but there was a small bit of hope left... and you crushed it! I didn't know you, my friends knew you, but I didn't. Don't you think I have reasons? Don't you think I felt guilty? Don't you think I knew I might just regret it, but I was too insecure to tell you the truth? Don't you think I wanted to accept you with open arms, but maybe I was just too afraid? But my soulmate thinks I'm worth less than the garbage she throws away, isn't that wonderful?!"

"I never said that!" Sierra protested.

Erin scoffed. "Right, cause... what was it?" She put a finger against her cheek in mock thought, her bottom lip curling into a pout. "I'm a cruel, horrible person?" She crossed her hands over her chest. Her voice was almost a whisper. "And horrible people just deserve the world, don't they?"

"You know that isn't what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean, hm?" She tapped a finger against her arm. Sierra didn't respond. "Tick, tock, your world... stops." She turned and started to walk away, not looking back. "If you have nothing to say, I suggest you leave." Erin sighed, running a hand through her hair. "We wouldn't want to say anything we didn't... mean, now would we?"

"Erin-"

"Leave."

"Please, let me just-"

She whirled around, pure hatred - or something of the sort - burning in her eyes. "Leave!" Her voice cracked and she collapsed onto her knees.

Sierra paused, a hand extended to reach for her.

"Leave me alone," her voice wobbled.

Her heart shattered, and she retracted her hand, not wanting to cause Erin anymore pain. She had failed her soulmate. "Erin, I'm so sorry."

Erin picked herself up. "Go away." One step at a time, she began to walk away.

Sierra let her go.