Seeking Relief

The White Rose

Jade walked closer to her dining table to look at the flower bouquet.

Nestled in the bouquet was a single white rose in the bunch.

Her breathing started to become shallow and erratic, signaling the beginning of a panic attack. She tried focusing on regulating her breathing and going through her memories of the previous day. Surely, it was in there when the guys brought it, and she just missed it.

She chalked it up to a slight memory lapse since she was focused on the guys and not the flowers. She walked into the kitchen still struggling with her breathing rate. Taking a hard swallow, she resumed trying to make her coffee.

But she just couldn’t shake off the awful feeling that single white flower was giving her.

A white rose had been the flower of Lance’s choice to gift her. He’d always chosen a single white rose. He said it was symbolic of her purity and that she was the only one for him. He had gifted them to her randomly and when he was in high spirits. He gave them to her a lot while they were in their early stages of dating. She was always taken by him and flattered when he gave her one.

Now Jade knew that those romantic gestures and mannerisms of his were just a manipulation tactic.

She cradled her forehead in her hand as she focused on taking deeper breaths. She was just panicking for no reason. She missed seeing the rose yesterday and now her imagination is running wild.

She reached for the coffee and set it on the counter with a loud 'thump'.

She scooped out the grounds into the filter and filled the water reservoir of the coffee maker. As the water ran, her eyes kept roving over to the bouquet and the white rose. She couldn’t believe how she had missed it the first time now that it seems to be screaming at her. When the water was at the level she wanted, she shut the water off with a little bit more of a forceful hit on the tap than necessary.

She dropped the top down of the coffee maker and punched the ‘on’ button.

She glanced at the bouquet again.

She couldn’t stand it any longer, if the guys notice its absence, she’ll explain the mishap. Otherwise, she wasn’t going to say anything and tarnish the sweet gesture they did for her. She knew she should tell them sometime so it doesn’t happen again on accident, but that can be done another time.

She strode over to her table with sure steps this time. But her hand shook as she reached out and grasped the flower beneath its lovely bloom. She slowly pulled it from the bouquet and walked to her trash can. She held the flower out at arm’s length as if the thorns carried a poison. She stomped on the foot pedal of the trashcan and dropped the flower. She spent a beat staring down at it, then decided she needed to remove it completely so she wouldn’t see it again. It would also serve as a preventative from one of the guys seeing it during their visit and have this uncomfortable discussion with them prematurely.

She slipped her fingers under the edge of the trash bag and yanked it out of the can. Careful to not jar her hurt hands. She quickly but awkwardly knotted the bag, then immediately went outside to take it to the dumpster.

His grey eyes followed the slender figure as she traipsed to the dumpster. Usually she’s up much earlier than this, but he waited.

He could tell she wasn’t in her pj’s, she had changed, put on a bra, and combed her hair. He tsk’ed with his tongue at her. After she went back into her apartment, he left the parking lot for the day.

Not much for visual stimulation this morning.

But it’s of no matter, he had gotten to see her last night.

He had picked her lock open, pulled her security bolt back with a magnet that’s not sold to the public. Then quietly, he stalked to her bedroom.

There she was, sprawled on the bed on her side, with one arm thrown up, putting one breast on display. She was wearing a tank top, but the thin material didn’t deter from what he knew of her body. He had grazed the back of one knuckle across the n****e lightly, then turning his hand to tantalizingly ever so slowly, lightly drag his fingertip and thumb across the n****e. It responded quickly and hardened under his attention. He lightly held it between his finger and thumb. He resisted the urge to pinch. He hadn’t wanted to wake her, at least not yet. As he held her hardened n****e, his mouth watered, and his c**k strained painfully against his pants. He internally told himself to wait. That soon, he’d be buried deep in her and claiming her as his before long.

As her n****e started to soften again, he resisted the urge to make it bud up again. He didn’t want to wake her. He knew what he could just get away with before she woke. He glanced up at her hands and saw the splints on them. He quirked an eyebrow, curious at what the reason for those were. He had turned and softly walked out of the room. He had walked over to the table and picked up the rose he set there and carefully settled it amongst the bouquet. He normally would’ve put it in its own glass. But he knew that there were others pursuing her, he saw one of them kiss her just the previous day. He clenched his hands in an effort to control his temper. He was absolutely infuriated by others trespassing onto what was his, but he had to play the game and be coy. So, what he did for, and to her, had to be discreet.

For now.

And he’d pull it off, because he’s cleverer than all of them put together. And he will get what is his.

After double checking his placement of the rose, he strode toward the door. He ground his teeth as he passed the kitchen, as he resisted to refold the kitchen towel.

Honestly, she could be such a slob!

He stopped at her keys where they hung on nails by the door. He pulled out a plastic case that had molding clay inside, he opened it and held it in one hand as he sifted through her keys with the other. He found her house key, pressed it into the molding clay, and pressed the top half of the case over the key to complete the impression. He then opened the case carefully so to not disturb his work, carefully lifted the key out. When he let go of the real key, he clicked the case shut and tucked it back in his pocket. He then pulled out his lock picking tools, picked out what he wanted, tucked the bag back in his pocket. He carefully settled her top lock at halfway, he knows that she is so inattentive she won’t notice it’s not seated properly as long as it’s not obvious. And if she did notice, he just snickered at the angst and doubt she’d feel. In fact, he found himself hoping she did notice so she’d start a spiral of self-doubt.

With a smile, he slowly opened the door and carefully pulled it shut behind him. With deft movements, he relocked her door. He stood back up, strode confidently to his car. Once he was inside, with his door shut, he pulled out his lock picking bag, put his tools back and put the bag back in his pocket.

With a self-satisfied smile and a thick d**k, he had driven out of the parking lot into the darkness.