Black Rose

Destroying yourself.

I felt heavy as I returned to our table, weighed down by what I'd just done. Would it even be worth it? Would she also try to help, or was Blake too powerful?

Blake must have called for our food while I was gone because it was laid out and waiting for me when I got back. Blake gave me a smile as I sat down. I couldn't meet his eyes.

"So, rose?" He asked.

I frowned, confused. "What?"

He nodded down at the meal, chuckling. "About the food. What do you think?"

I looked down, actually taking in the meal for the first time.

It was split into two plates, or rather, a plate and a small bowl to the side. The small bowl was filled with unfamiliar little black beads, with a glass spoon beside it.

The main plate was a large grilled fish, maybe salmon, with some sautéed vegetables and a dollop of mashed potatoes on the side.

"What's the black stuff?" I asked, frowning and picking up the glass spoon to poke it.

"Caviar, my rose." He said, smirking.

I frowned. "Isn't that stuff really expensive?"

He nodded. "Correct. It's expensive because it is good, my rose. Try some."

I poked the black beads, then put down my spoon and folded my hands in my lap. "I'm not hungry," I said.

"What?" Blake said, frowning. "You haven't eaten all day, Rose. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that you're a fucking psychopath that wants to pretend that nothing is," I said angrily, my voice rising.

"Rose..." He said, his voice a warning tone.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded, cutting him off.

His eyes softened. "I'm teaching you, my rose. If you were a little bit stronger and a little bit smarter, I wouldn't have to push you the way I do."

"You're destroying me," I said my voice breaking.

"You're destroying yourself," He spat. "You're so focused on blaming me for all your problems, but you are the one that created them. All I've done is try to help you. I've tried to push you to be better, stronger, and smarter, but you're so goddamn fixated on playing the victim that you can't admit that you're the perpetrator."

"You kidnapped me!" I exclaimed, angrily. He kicked me under the table, glaring.

"Keep your voice down, Rose." He muttered. "I took you because you needed it. You have been nothing but a burden the entire time you have been with us."

"If I'm that much trouble, why don't you just fucking kill me already," I spat. "At least that would be better than this hell."

"That can be fucking arranged, you brat."

I didn't know what to say to that.

The atrium went silent. I forced my eyes shut and looked down, slowly clenching and unclenching my hands into fists.

After a long moment, I heard the scraping of metal on porcelain. I opened my eyes, and Blake nodded, gesturing down to the meal.

"Eat, my rose. I would hate for the food to go to waste." He said.

"I told you," I muttered quietly, "I'm not hungry."

He raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. Suit yourself."

I pursed my lips and looked away as he continued eating. Biding my time, I found my gaze wandering across to the ski hills, and the tiny figures dotting the hill, speeding down the snow. What would I give to be them? To be free, with nothing ahead of me but the snow and trees, no directive but to get to the bottom of the hill.