Rose with a Thorn

CHAPTER THREE

It felt so nice to walk down the street in the middle of the day. It was such a freeing feeling, considering we spend most of our time in class or studying these days.

I could hear music blaring, getting closer and interrupting my happy thoughts. I knew who it was before he stopped abruptly in front of me, preventing me from walking further.

“What do you think you’re doing? I said get in my car or I’ll put you in it.”

Next thing I knew, I was thrown over his shoulder with a very hard smack on my ass. “I swear to God if you don’t put me down right now you big, mangy brute… You don’t even know me!”

The car door opened, and I was tossed into the passenger seat. I huffed as I looked over to see Adrian’s face, and what I was met with shattered my heart into pieces. He looked scared. Genuinely scared. Why on Earth would he look at me like that…

“I went out to get the car and when I came back, you weren’t outside. I walked back through the school to the nurse’s office and you were still nowhere to be found. You can’t just disappear like that.”

“Okay what the hell is going on Adrian? You didn’t know I existed for any other reason than to annoy the crap out of me since my first day of school… and now you won’t leave me alone? What the hell.”

“Okay, look…” said Adrian. “I turned 18 a couple days ago, and I’ve been different ever since. I don’t know how to explain it to you. I don’t even know what’s happening myself. But I saw you the day after my birthday in the school hallway and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Something about you just… sparked my interest. So, I thought, hey what the hell? She already hates me, what’s the worst that can happen? And here we are.”

“So, you felt sorry for me, that’s what it was. But Adrian, I’m not interested. I’m not interested in anything or anyone in this god forsaken town. I won’t be here long anyways. I think it’s best if you just stay away from me, okay?”

I tried to open the car door but heard the lock switch. I looked over at Adrian and he did not look happy at all. I sucked in a deep breath. Oh no, it was happening again. My vision started to blur around the edges, and I gripped the side of his car seat.

Breathe Rose, breathe. That’s what I kept telling myself. Breathe, breathe, breathe… And just like that I was sucked into another one. What was happening to me?

This time I was in the woods and it was dark. I couldn’t see where I was walking, I could only hear all the noises around me. I slowed down, trying to embrace the feeling, and I heard a twig snap. My eyes shot open and another twig broke. I looked around, trying to see something, anything. And then I felt it.

Someone’s eyes were on me, watching my every movement. I took off running. I didn’t know where I was going, I didn’t know what I was looking for. I only knew that I had to get out of there.

And they were coming. I heard 3, no 4, different sets of feet running behind me. But they were much, much faster. I knew I was losing ground; I could hear them getting closer. Just as I felt someone reaching toward me, I heard a loud growl … “MINE”.

I felt myself shaking and a blood curdling scream came out of my mouth. I opened my eyes and Adrian was an inch from me, nose almost touching mine.

“Rosie!! Rose!! It’s okay! It’s just me, you’re in the car!”

I finally let out the breath I was holding, feeling my lungs inflate with the oxygen I so desperately needed. I could feel sweat dripping down my face and my back, Adrian’s breath on my cheek.

I pushed him away from me. “What do you think you’re doing!? Back off!” I unlocked the door and slid out, quickly walking away from his car.

Adrian followed, reaching out to grab my hand. I yanked it away and kept walking.

“Would you hold on Rose? I’m sorry! What was that? Why do you keep freaking out like that? And why weren’t you breathing?”

“I don’t know!” I screamed, turning toward him. “I don’t know what’s happening to me! My vision blurs and I panic… I see things, sometimes scary things, and then I snap out of it! Please, leave me alone!”

I could feel the tears dripping down my face, but I couldn’t turn away from him. I had no energy left. None to care about Adrian in front of me, or him seeing me cry. I had no energy left to pretend that I was okay.

“I’m going to hug you, okay?” asked Adrian. “I’m going to hug you and wipe your tears.”

I nodded my head. The second his thumbs touched my skin, I heated up and the sparks were back. This time I’m certain he was also feeling it. There was no way he couldn’t feel what he was doing to me. Adrian leaned in to kiss me. I put my hands on his chest and stopped him. I wasn’t ready to give up my first kiss, especially to someone like Adrian. He sighed but understood.

“Can I take you home now?”

I got back in his car and closed my eyes. The rest of the drive was silent, but peaceful. When we pulled up in front of my house, I was nervous for a whole other reason. I could see Miranda in the kitchen. I knew she had her music playing, she always danced in the kitchen when she did. It was almost like she could sense me. She looked over and smiled, before she realized I was in a car with a boy.

I couldn’t move as I watched her walk towards the front door, down the front steps, and stop right in front of my window. Instead of opening the door to get out, I gulped and put the window down.

“What are you doing, Rose? And who is this handsome young fellow driving you home in the middle of the day?” Uh oh. I was in trouble. Big, big trouble.

“Uhm… I got sent home from school early? This is Adrian. My, uh, friend?”

“Please, Adrian. Why don’t you come inside? Rose, we can talk about this later.”

Oh great. Now I was in for it.

“I would, Mrs.……”

“Miranda. You can call me Miranda.”

“I would, Mrs. Miranda, but I was just dropping Rose off and heading back to school.”

If looks could kill, the one I was giving Adrian would have him dead in a puddle on the ground. How dare he? Just dropping me off and leaving me to the wolves… Damn you, Adrian.

“Of course! Maybe next time then.”

Adrian touched my arm. There were the sparks again. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay Rose? I’ll pick you up.”

“Sure,” I said, as I was mentally packing my bags. There was no way in hell I would be here tomorrow.

I got out of the car and watched him drive off, before inhaling deeply and turning to face Miranda. What I was expecting was for her to berate me and ground me for the rest of my life, but instead she was watching me with a smile.

“Rose… you have never trusted anyone outside of our little family, and here I find you skipping school and with a boy no less? What am I to do with you?” Miranda shook her head and walked away. My feet didn’t want to move, so I stood there watching her retreat back into the house.

I quickly ran up to my room with my homework thinking if I focused on that for a few hours, I could pack my stuff when the sun was setting and be out of here when everyone was in bed.

After what felt like hours of algebra, I heard Miranda call me down for dinner. As much as I wanted to make myself a plate and come back to my room, I knew this was going to be my last dinner with her for a long time, possibly forever.

I made my way downstairs to smell the fresh cooked salmon that now had my mouth watering. Did Miranda know something was up? Why would she choose today of all days to make one of my favorite meals? I took my seat across from her and bowed my head while she said Grace.

After dinner, I helped clean up and headed back up to my room. I figured this was the perfect time to throw some clothes into my backpack with my extra pair of shoes. I was going to wait until after my birthday to leave, to be able to explain to Miranda that this just wasn’t the place for me. But with Adrian hovering over me all day, I figured I might as well go now before things get too… complicated.

At least I was going to write Miranda a note before I left.

Dear Miranda,

I know this is probably going to come as a shock to you, believe me when I say I didn’t want our chapter to end this way. But there’s no longer room for me here in this town.

I have been struggling for quite some time with the other students, people bullying me and calling me names. I tried to ignore it, but it’s hard to ignore when you’re getting a constant reminder of how you have no family because your parents didn’t want to keep you.

What these people will never know is how much of a mother YOU were to me all these years. Even when I probably didn’t deserve it.

I wanted you to know how much I truly love and appreciate everything you’ve done for me. And there is absolutely no fault of yours that I must leave.

I know my birthday is only 6 months away and you have wanted to plan something special, but what I really need is to be free and explore.

I will be in contact with you when I am ready to share the new things that I have learned. Please do not come looking for me.

You deserve all the happiness, Miranda. Even though Keith is no longer with you, you deserve to find that kind of love again.

I hope you can forgive me for leaving without saying a proper goodbye.

With all the love I have,

Rose.

I re-read the letter a hundred times, shedding tears all over the page. I hoped Miranda knew how thankful I have always been for her. I hoped she understood that I just needed to go and put this all behind me.

I waited patiently for night to fall and the house to be silent. I made my bed and laid the note on my pillow, with a rose origami I made, that I knew Miranda would treasure forever. I snuck down the stairs as quietly as I could and unlocked the door… I was free!

I wiped the rest of my tears on my sweater sleeve, and I started walking. I wasn’t sure where I was going to go yet, I just knew it needed to be far away before the sun came up.

Before I knew it, I was passing the last park at the edge of town. The child in me was dying to swing on the swings! And hey, I didn’t have to answer to anyone anymore so why the heck not! I made my way over, swinging as high as I possibly could, and then it hit me.

My face was burning up again. I started to panic and I couldn’t breathe! The wind was blowing past my ears as the swing slowed and I was just hoping it would come to a complete stop before I passed out.

My body started losing all control, my vision blurred, and the tears welled up in my eyes. Not again. Not now. Come on, Rose, we got this. Just breathe, girl. Deep breath, come on now. My inner monologue kept repeating over and over.

Smack! I was sitting in the back of a car. My eyes were blindfolded, and I couldn’t move my hands. What the heck was happening?

“We got her, Boss… No, she didn’t get far… Okay, Boss… Yes, we’ll be there in 45 minutes.” I heard someone say. Are they talking about me? I started to squirm as panic flooded through me.

“Yo, man… you didn’t sedate her enough! She’s moving around! Now what do we do!?”

…

I sucked in a deep breath and I was back in my body in the park. How was I laying under the swings when I was just in the back of a car?

I sat up rubbing my head and I heard laughter behind me. I quickly stood so they couldn’t completely take me off guard and I heard one of them say to me. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing wandering around in the dark all by her lonesome?”

I didn’t reply, I slowly started backing away. The 2 guys looked at each other and laughed. “Don’t worry sweet pea, we won’t hurt you.”

I heard tires screech behind me. I turned towards the sound, trying to keep my balance. A hand reached out to steady me, and while I was slightly relieved I didn’t fall to the ground, my inner conscious was screaming at me to be afraid.

Just when I thought I could stand on my own, I felt a prick in the side of my neck. My body immediately started to feel numb, my vision slowly fading. The last thing I heard before losing consciousness was the sound of a van door opening and one of the men whispering “Gotcha” in my ear.