Black Rose

"Sweet shot," Josh said, patting my back. "Thanks, dude," I replied, flashing a smile at Josh. It was my first week in basketball. I wouldn't classify myself as a Michael Jordan yet, but I was doing hella fine. I was the only girl on the team. Why? Because apparently, all the girls think basketball is too "boyish." I think that's being a little too racist. But I couldn't care less. I don't want to be talking about how Logan spilled his milk in the cafeteria, or how this guy likes the girl. I don't want to waste my time gossiping about unnecessary things. How do I fit in then? Pffft. Easy. I hang out with dudes. They don't bring up no drama, no stress, no nothing. They don't care about how you look, doesn't matter if you look like a monkey or a cockroach. I was interrupted by my trail of thought when Josh waved his hand in front of my face, yelling at me. "Yo! Are you there?" he yelled. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I spaced out." I replied, biting my lower lip. "Anyways, coach gave us a free session. Wanna practice shooting?" he said, raising his eyebrow, smirking. He ran to go get another ball. "Champion Ball?" he asked, dribbling the ball. "Sure," I replied, tieing my hair into a ponytail. We started dribbling the ball, touched, and shot. He made it. "Aw!" I sighed, not actually caring that I didn't get it in. I don't know. Every time we had a free session, it's like I and Josh would get closer. I remember after we had our big game and we won, Josh lifted me up on his shoulders and started jumping around. When we were walking our way towards the exit, Josh stopped me. I looked into his beautiful brown eyes, and I could see my reflection in them. I gazed at his light pink lips, knowing he knew what I wanted. He leaned in, pressing his lips against mine. It lasted for about 10 seconds, but it was still intense. That's when it was official. But not long after that, it all stopped. It stopped because someone got jealous and killed him. Karen was Josh's ex-girlfriend, and they were only together for a month. Josh broke up with her because she started being too clingy, and started to act weird. When Josh and I were officially together, Karen started giving me weird looks, and always mouthed, "Time." I ignored whatever she said, and focused more on Josh and me. But after 2 months, on April 3rd, Karen stabbed Josh several times when he went out to get the mail. The day my mom told me he died, I broke down. I felt my heart, throbbing with pain, how one must survive without their loved one. I sobbed, to the extent where I couldn't breathe regularly. When I heard about Karen, I started pulling my hair, cursing her inside. I turned on the news, and I saw Josh's body, lying on the grass, with his face blurred. When they arrested Karen, she psychotically smiled and said: "Time has come, the time has come, the time has come." Then I instantly knew, why she was mouthing that word before. And I just wished I was there to stay with him and protect him. When I walked through the hallways, I remembered all those people who used to say, "Aww! Look! It's Josh and Rose!" or "Aww! Hey, couple Jose!" Now people call me "Black Rose." The name is true because I'm a depressed, alone, lifeless black rose. I'm that black rose that watches all the red roses live their life. And I was once a red rose, but 'Killer Karen' had to come and pluck me away, leaving me to turn into a black rose. Everyone just felt sorry for me now. "Poor Rose. She lost Josh." or "LOL! It's more like, Rotten Rose now." The death also altered my whole self, leaving me to only dress in black, get a piercing on my tongue and lips, and dye my hair from blonde to black. I always keep my black hood over me, because all people will remember me for is my cheeks that were stained with mascara by crying the day Josh got killed. My grades used to be fresh when Josh was here, but I guess it's just a swing and a miss now. No friends, no life. I'm just that girl, sitting in a corner, listening to "Say You Won't Let Go," by James Arthur. It was almost going to be a year since his death, because it was already March 9th. When school ended, I was walking home, alone. Everything was going as planned, but when a set of hands touched me on the shoulders, I screamed. I turned back, horrified to see no one behind me. I started walking backward, not realizing there was a road ahead. When I stepped on the road, there was a car, zooming towards me, and I couldn't move. I felt that something was holding me, and I yelled. "HEY LITTLE GIRL! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" yelled the man in the car, completely frustrated. "I'm sorry!" I replied, continuing to walk home. I plugged back my headphones and tucked my hair behind my ear. Then, it just stopped streaming. Static, radio-like noises interrupted my music. And in a deep, eerie voice, someone said, "Come." I shrieked and threw my headphones on the ground. I fell to the ground, cupping my hands over my face. What just happened? Slow and steady, I inched my hand towards my headphones. I snatched them and stuffed them into my backpack, and started running home. When I got home, as usual, mom was watching the latest movies with her coke. "Hey Rosie!" said my mom, pausing the movie. "Hi," I replied, not even caring to make eye-contact with her. I rushed to my room, plopping down my backpack, and opening my laptop. I hopped on my bed, removing my sweatshirt. I searched up, "someone touched me but no one was there," The first link that popped up was, "Never Ignore Sign of Communication." I nervously clicked it, my heart beating fast. It said, "If you ever felt like something touched you, and no one was there, it is most likely a spirit that is trying to communicate with you." My eyes opened as wide as heck, and I was starting to feel very insecure. The next line read, "If you had anyone close to you that died, they may be trying to contact you." I cried right on that spot. It was Josh. I knew it was Josh. But why would he hold me down on the road? Is he trying to...kill me? I told my mom about the whole thing. She said I was probably having hallucinations, and my overthinking of Josh might affect my problem. Her answer seemed to make sense, but I thought my research made more sense. My brain was in the middle of processing everything that just happened. Josh died, his ghost touched me, he held me down on the road, and he whispered "Come" through my headphones. Mom reminded me I was going to be getting late for school, so I grabbed my laptop, put it in my backpack, ran out and got on the bus. I figured I'd do a little more research during "Computer Lab," When I got to school, I was casually putting away my things away in my locker, when a group of girls came by and started teasing me. "Oh well. Look who it is. Rotten. Rose. I totally hate your outfit and your makeup! You are so ugly!" she said, in an annoying, cheeky voice. "Honey, please. My straightener is hotter than you," said a girl with blue eyes as cold as winter's rise, at the girls. The girl with the cheeky voice said, "Ugh. Let's go girls. We don't need this drama." She attempted to cat-walk but her high-heel didn't want to be her partner, so she failed. "Thanks, dude," I told the girl with platinum blonde hair. "Anytime. The names' Hayley. Love your clothes and makeup, by the way," she replied, pompously. I really liked that girl. She had my whole style idea, personality, and she was low-key as hell. "Oh, my names' Rose," I replied, trying to stand straight. "Well, see you at lunch!" she replied, scurrying off to her next class. Was this reality, or am I dreaming? A girl, way off my level, asked me to hang with her? I started imagining what we would do together, which sounds kind of cheesy. But after all, what happened, I need someone other than my mom to be there for me. Suddenly, Josh's dead body flashed in my mind. I flinched, dropping my English notebook. No, no, no.