by Lilly Purdon
“Pardon me?” Ah, she always knew her wonderful manners.
“Don't 'pardon me'.” What a nerd. “You've got him back.”
“Who?”
I kept my face neutral. Daddy always taught me how to hide emotions and never you’re your enemies your fears or weak spots. They’ll always use them against you. “Jaxon,” I replied.
“I don't want him.”
“But he wants you.”
“So you came here to talk about Jaxon?”
“No, he's just a little conversation starter. A conversation about him would be a wasted conversation, don't you think?” I cocked an eyebrow at her. Ignore the pains in your chest, they'll fade.
“Then why'd you come and talk to me?”
“Because I can,” I smirked at her. She was twisting a piece of thread from her jean shorts around one of her fingers. It was almost too easy to get her nervous and intimidated like that... seeing her like that made me feel superior and stronger than her.
“I'm going back inside,” she said turning around.
“You've got a cute little family there, Rosaline…” I commented, making her freeze. She turned around slowly.
“What do you mean?”
“You've got the perfect family.”
“My family is far from perfect,” she snapped. I was a little surprised from her tone. So she was being smart after ditching Jaxon to be with Axel? Pretty smart move if you asked me.
“Watch the tone, Rose.” I almost laughed at her shocked face. Her mouth parted slightly and her eyes widened. Who did she think she could fool with that stupid disguise on at the Halloween dance? “Or do you prefer liar?”
“I'm not a liar,” she said in a strong voice.
“You might've fooled Matt, but you can't fool me.”
“Nice to know,” she replied dryly.
Her new attitude pissed me off. “I’d hate for your boyfriend to find out-”
“He already knows,” she dared to interrupt me. “He likes me for who I am, and you can’t change that.”
I licked my lips, she was right. I wasn’t going to make him feel any different about her. I cocked my head to the side and raked my brain for a comeback. I didn’t like how independent she was becoming. It was a threat.
I smirked; looked like it was time to break her down, “Tell me, does your mommy know about your new habits of partying?”
---Axel's P.O.V---
Hiding in the bushes wasn't the brightest idea, but it was the fastest thing I could think of. I stared at Rose and Layla and watched them to make sure Layla didn't lay a finger on Rose. I wouldn't hesitate to hit a girl if she touched a single hair on Rose's head.
“Tell me, does your mommy know about your new habits of going to parties?” Layla asked in her annoying high pitched voice.
“I don't have a mom,” Rose replied, staring Layla straight in the eye.
“Sure you do,” she flipped her brown hair over her shoulder. “What's your mom's name again?”
Rosie looked like she was about to punch the girl. I liked her new confidence, “I told you, I don't have a mom.”
“Cleo, right?”
Rosie growled, “She’s not my mom.”
“Oh really? She spent every day when you were a little girl taking good care of you.” Layla was so spiteful… I slowly pieced the puzzle pieces together…
“She's not my mom,” Rose growled.
“Remember when you were about five she took you to the dentist on January 13th?”
Rose stared with wide eyes. “H-how'd you know…”
Layla had a cruel smile, but it seemed to be masking something. “From what I heard it was a pretty important appointment, was it not?”
“I didn't even remember that day until you reminded me…” Rose trailed off while playing with her fingers.
“Well guess what, I do.” Layla took a step closer to Rose.
Rose's eyebrows furrowed before she looked up. “You didn't even know me back then. We met in middle school…” Rose sounded confused and frustrated. “Did Jaxon tell you all this?”
“I’ve known you long before we met,” she cocked her head to the side. “And no, Jaxon would never open his pretty little mouth to tell me about you,” she spat.
Rose looked hurt for a moment, but she covered it up quickly. Layla sighed and shook her head. “Want to hear a story?”
Rose hesitated, “what do you mean?”
Layla rolled her eyes. “I meant what I said,” she looked straight at Rose. “Want to hear a story?”
I would’ve said no and told her to fuck off.
“Axel!” someone hissed from behind me. I jumped and bumped my head against a ledge. Ah fuck! I glared at one of the twins who was crouched down beside me.
“What the hell do you want?” I growled.
“Where's Rose?”
“With Layla.”
“What?!” he yelled.
“SHH!” I put my index finger up to my lips before I pointed at Layla and Rose. He nodded and zipped his lips. From the way he was dressed, I would’ve guessed Justin on meth with some biker dudes, but I wasn’t sure. “Which thing are you?” I asked in a whisper.
“What?" he whispered.
“Are you thing one or thing two?”
“Who's thing one?”
“I forgot.”
“Who's thing two?”
“I forgot that too, retard. If I knew what thing one was, I would know who thing two was, wouldn't I?” I pointed out.
“Yeah, my bad,” he shrugged, “take a guess.”
“Dustin wouldn't be as cocky as this, so I say you’re Justin.”
“Maybe he would be,” he shrugged.
“Just answer me, which thing are you?”
“I might be Justin, or I might be Dustin.”
“If you're Dustin, you're on crack or some other hard drug.”
“So if I'm stoned, I'm Dustin?”
I felt like breaking that annoying bitch's face right there.
“Just answer me!” I hissed.
He hushed me, “they'll hear us.”
I grabbed his shirt collar roughly and pulled him closer to me. “Fucking tell me!”
“Jesus Christ!" he gasped. “It's me, Dustin.”
I kept my eyes narrowed but let go of his shirt collar. “If I find out later that you're Justin, I'm kicking both of your asses.”
“That's unfair for Justin.”
“So you are Dustin.” Dustin sure changed his image in a short time. He dressed in semi-fashionable clothes for once. The leather jacket was a bit much though.
“Yeah, I kind of changed my style,” he looked down at his clothes.
“Why? I thought you had the ‘take me home to meet your mom’ look going on.”
“Well I had to change that,” he pursed his lips together. “My brother slept with the girl I like.” The poor kid was genuinely upset. “And she likes bad boys like him.”
“He’s not even a bad boy,” I scoffed. I was the real bad boy here.
“Well he’s worse than me, and she prefers him over me.”
“Sounds like a slut to me.”
He just shrugged. “I was just wandering if you could give me some lessons of how to have that bad boy image.”
I gave him a flat look. “I didn't choose the bad boy life; the bad boy life chose me.”
“Well, then can you at least give me some pointers?” he pleaded.
“Maybe later, I'm busy,” I replied, turning back to watching Rose and Layla.
“So your new habit is stalking your girlfriend while she's talking to people?”
I rolled my eyes at the clone. “Why are you here besides the fact that you want the bad boy image?”
“Can't I check on my two best friends to see how they're doing?”
“No, and I'm not your friend.”
Dustin shrugged, “whatever you say, buddy.”
“You're seriously getting on my nerves right now.”
“And
?” He was trying too hard to be someone he wasn’t.
“If you don't shut up I'll do everyone a favor and break that pretty little face of yours so everyone can tell the difference between you and Justin.”
---Rose's P.O.V---
I felt proud of myself for talking back for the first time. Layla has been walking over me for too long, it had to come to an end. “Cleo just married your dad because she wanted more money. And because she wanted a stupid little girl who wouldn't stick her little nose into people's business.” Layla smirked, “you’re dumb, and that’s why she enjoys keeping you around.”
My fists clenched by themselves. I knew she was right about Cleo, but she seemed happy at the fact I suffered from the words. She looked at both my clenched fists before laughing. “Is little Rosie going to hit me?” she asked in a mocking tone.
Something came over me. I don't know what it was, but everything suddenly slowed down and moved in slow motion. I didn't have to control a muscle in my body. My right fist flew straight at her face. She fell to the ground as blood started to pour out of her nose.
I could’ve beaten her up right then and there.
Taken all my anger accumulated over the years out on her.
But I stopped myself.
I shook my head, and lowered my fist down. I wasn’t violent. This wasn’t me.
But it felt so good…
“You bitch!" she screamed. People around us were too drunk to notice, they just minded their own business. Not a single person glanced our way.
I was shocked at myself for actually hitting her.
“You worthless bitch!” she spat.
Without thinking, I crouched down and grabbed her throat with both hands. A boost of confidence came out of nowhere to save the day, or ruin it. That moment, no fucks were given.
“Say it, say it again.”
She clawed at my hands. Blood was running out of her nose.
“You always have to ruin everything!” she said through the clenched teeth.
I squeezed tighter, but then something inside of me stopped me.
I shook my head again to clear the thoughts out of my head. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t a violent person. I hated violence. I refused to beat people the way Axel did.
I let go of her neck and stood up to stop myself from further hurting her.
But she deserves it.
“What did I ever ruin for you?!” I spat out. “You've been ruining my life since the day you walked in. On the first day of school, can't you remember? I happily introduced myself to you, and from that moment on, you hated me.
You've made every day of my life a living hell. What is it with you and hurting me? Or picking on those below you? You like to intimidate people to feel confident even though inside you’re probably a shaking little brat trying to gain approval and popularity.
You got one of my best friends expelled from the damn school! You probably got your daddy to bribe the school- which is illegal by the way. I can see by how spoilt you are that he’d do anything to please his little princess.” I glared down at her and said every single word in her face. I wasn’t going to cower away like other times.
“Tell me! Tell me the exact reason why you hate me so much!” I yelled on the top of my lungs.
She broke down.
She started sobbing quietly while holding her face and bloody nose. Did she feel guilty? Of course she wouldn't feel guilty, she had no soul. I was sick and tired of her bullshit! It was my turn to give her what she deserved.
“You took her,” she sobbed quietly.
“I took what?” I almost sounded as merciless as Axel.
“Her.”
“Who the fuck did I take away from you?!” I grabbed her arm and shook her.
“My mom!” she screamed and sobbed at once, “my mom! You took her away from me!” She got up from the ground. “You've taken everything from me, what else do you want?!”
~*~
Chapter 38 SOB STORY
---Rose's P.O.V---
You've taken everything from me, what else do you want?
Layla's words kept spinning around in my head. I never thought I'd see the day where she'd break. The day where her perfect Greek goddess posture would come falling down.
If it were anyone else in my situation, they'd probably laugh in her face.
But this was me we were talking about, the softy who never did anything before a rebel walked into her life. Even though she made so many years of my life a living hell, I couldn't bear to do that to her. A part of me wanted her to pay for what she put me through, but the other part of me wanted to comfort her.
She was human after all.
My mom! You took her away from me!
Layla was sobbing hysterically in front of me with blood running freely down her face and neck and tears flooding her face. Her makeup was now smeared all over her face. She was a wreck.
“Who's your mom?” I asked her in a quiet voice.
She sniffed, “isn't it obvious?”
“My real mom?” I furrowed my eyebrows. That wasn't possible, my real mom was a deadbeat mom and she didn't have any kids before me.
“No, you might seem smart but you're really stupid.” Of course she had to insult me no matter what. “Cleo, my mother is Cleo,” she looked at me expectantly for some reason.
Everything froze that moment and something clicked in my mind.
Everything was starting to make sense. I put all the puzzle pieces together slowly.
In middle school, as soon as she heard my name she hated my guts, because my step mom was her real mom. Her mom left her to come marry my dad.
“January 13th, was the day I turned six,” she sniffed, “she promised me she'd come to my birthday no matter what. She said even if she had to sail the seven seas she would still come. I invited all my friends from school and even dressed up as my favorite princess that day. Dad made sure to throw the biggest party,” she wiped some tears away with the back of her hand, smearing even more makeup and blood on her face.
“I waited and waited. I promised her I wouldn't open the presents or cut the cake before she came home. All the guests arrived and enjoyed the party. That afternoon no cake was served, I wouldn't let anyone touch it until my mom came home.
Hours passed and guests left, maids cleaned up the whole place, but she still wasn't home. I told them to leave the cake on the table and the presents untouched because I wanted to wait for her to be here with me. I waited until it was midnight, four hours passed my bedtime.
