"Rose?" his voice is barely a whisper. Or maybe I just can't hear properly because everything is buzzing around me.
I don't have the strength to turn around, so I stay there – laying awkwardly on my side. The tight dress constricts me so much that I genuinely don't know how to pull myself up anyway.
Adrian appears, crouching down in front of me. "What happened?" he says, full of concern.
Sylv's distrust in him makes me snappy. Should I be so easy with Adrian?
"Nothing, Iris. I'm... fine," I croak out, trying to mask the weakness in my voice.
"I'm an intelligent man, Rose, but even a blind person could see you're not."
"Can you help me up? I can't move in this bloody f*cking dress."
Adrian flinches at my tone. I don't know why he doesn't like swearing.
He pulls me up, but my knees are wobbly and I can't hold myself up. I fall into him accidentally. I groan loudly and force myself up. I f*cking hate these heels.
"Rose, what happened?" he asks again. He reaches up – maybe to cup my face or wipe away my tears – but I swat his hands away.
"Take me home," I demand.
"But the dancing hasn't even started."
"Now."
He hesitates, eyebrows furrowed, scanning my face – obviously trying to figure it out. But I doubt he can read this. "Ok," he finally concedes.
.
.
.
When I come home early, I'm surprised to find Auntie and Uncle not home. They must've gone out for dinner or something.
Adrian offers to stay with me until they come back, but I tell him I'll need my energy for tomorrow. He nods and leaves, but I can tell he doesn't want to. He probably thinks I'm such a mess that I'll accidentally put myself in the microwave instead of leftovers.
I lay in bed and do the only thing that can distract me. Read Paige's diary. Maybe the anxiety over learning something new and terrible will make me forget about the anxiety over treating Sylv like a piece of dirt.
Don't hurt me this time.
F*cked it up in less than 24 hours. Surely that's a record breaker.
I stay up all night reading and the only thing I find out about 'C' or the 'Bodyguard' is that he has a "devilishly handsome" tattoo on his neck. A tattoo of a dragon or some bird or something, I've forgotten now.
So he probably doesn't go to school with us, because I would notice if a student had a tattoo. I would notice because they'd probably get expelled. Visible tattoos are not allowed at St. Agnes.
Then I cry myself to sleep, just another typical day in the life of Rose Chosen.
.
.
.
The next day, when I show up at Adrian's door and he's still in his silk pj's, I see shock on him for the first time. "You're... here?" he says with a yawn.
"We have plans, don't we?" I snap.
He nods. "Let me get ready."
We drive to one of three retirement homes in Cedar Creek to meet Miss Philipa Ardent. The Wittle children's nanny.
YOU ARE READING
The Secrets of Cedar Creek
Teen FictionThere's something right about Sylv. It's the way he makes Rose feel when he touches her. It's the way he can make her smile. It's the way they can be together for hours and still need more. But there's also something wrong. Rose shouldn't be feel...
