Rose with a Thorn

CHAPTER ONE

*6 months prior…*

“Rose! Rose, honey! Rose, wake up!”

I felt someone shaking me aggressively.

“Rose! It’s over, open your eyes. You’re safe.”

“What are you doing? Stop shaking me!” I said groggily as I swatted her hands away from me.

“You had that dream again. I heard you from the kitchen, screaming as loud as you can. Do you want to talk about it yet?”

“No, Miranda. I can hardly remember any details when you’re moving me like that!”

God, I wished I could remember. The images from my nightmare quickly disappeared from my mind as I rubbed my eyes. The feelings were always there though. They never left.

I knew it was the same dream over and over again. The only memory I had was running and feeling dread course through my body. But the closer I got to my 18th birthday, the longer the flashes stuck around. That is, unless someone else woke me up. I couldn’t count how many times I’ve jerked up covered in sweat, screaming into my pillow, only to see a flash of a face cross my vision.

6 more months.

I could make it, right? Then I could move out of Miranda’s house and travel across the country.

“Rose, can you take a shower before you come down for food? You kind of stink this morning.”

Gosh Miranda, give it to me gently why don’t you.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah sure, wouldn’t want to spoil breakfast.”

As I made my way into the shower, I couldn’t help but think about all the opportunities I was about to face. I wouldn’t be stuck here in this stupid little town where everyone hated me.

I didn’t know who my biological parents were. Miranda found me wandering alone in the woods right outside of her house when I was 2 years old, and I’ve been with her ever since. She really was a wonderful woman, but I just didn’t feel that mother-daughter connection with her.

Miranda had a stepdaughter a few years older than me too. She adopted her husband's child soon after marriage, but he died awhile back from an accident I knew nothing about.

Seemed kind of weird, didn’t it? I spent most of my life with Miranda and Keith, and they said I was there when he died, but I had no recollection of what happened. Miranda thought that was what my dreams were about. The pure terror I felt when I had them was not something I could relate to how I ever felt towards Keith.

With a towel on my head, I wandered down the stairs to see what Miranda cooked up.

“Poached eggs on toast for you, Rose. Make sure you eat it all today, okay? Oh, and Amelia will be here in 20 minutes to pick you up for school! She had rehearsal this morning.”

“Thanks Miranda, it smells great!”

You could probably hear my stomach grumble from the street. Unfortunately, I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat all this. For some reason, the closer I got to my birthday, the less food I could handle.

Miranda said it was just nerves, that my big day was coming faster than I wanted it to. I've clearly done a pretty good job of hiding how excited I am to finally leave this place and all these people.

*Beep*, *Beep*

“Amelia’s here!! See you later!”

I rushed out the door to walk towards the car and froze.

What was he doing here? Oh no. Oh no, no, no. This wasn’t happening.

I frantically looked side to side for Amelia, praying silently that she didn’t ask the biggest jerk in the school to pick me up!

“Hey pal,” said Adrian with a smirk. “Climb in. I'll take you for a nice little ride before school.”

I scoffed, pushing his shoulder to move him out of my way before I started walking by. “Whatever, no thanks... I’ll walk.”

“Come on now, I’m not going to hurt you! Amelia gave me strict instructions to deliver you to school, safe and sound. How else am I supposed to win her over?”

“Leave me alone, Adrian. I can’t trust you as far as I can throw you. Which isn’t very far, by the way... you’re huge.”

I took 2 more steps before I felt Adrian grab my hand.

“I...”

The whole world stopped, just for a second. All I could feel was the electrical current running up my arm from where we were connected. I yanked my arm out of his grasp, rubbing my skin, before I looked up at his face.

“No. Get in the car, Rose. I’m not asking.”

Did he feel what I just did? Was that even real? There was no way he didn’t feel that. And the look he was giving me? His stubborn ‘don’t mess with me’ face...

“Fine, whatever. No nonsense, alright?” I said as I reached to open his car door.

If I wasn’t already surprised and confused about the sparks I just felt, I'm certainly surprised now seeing his arm reach out in front of me. He opened the car door, motioning for me to get in. I was dazed as I stared at him. What was happening?

“Are you going you to get in, or are you just going to continue to look at me? I don’t particularly want to be late either Rosie, I like my pretty head on my shoulders.”

I snapped out of it, rolling my eyes as I climbed in.

The leather was nice and warm under me. Too bad I didn’t trust him enough to close my eyes for a few minutes before we got to school. I bet it would be nice to sleep here, like a little baby swaddled up nice and warm.

Okay Rose, get it together. 6 months and we’re out of here. There will be no falling in love with Adrian, no matter how handsome he is. We would be the laughingstock of the school.

The next thing I knew, we were pulling up in front of the school, and Lord love me, all his friends were staring with their mouths open.