His Flower

Chapter 11

Rose held herself as she stood in her shower. The warm water hammering down on her body was somewhat soothing. Though, it didn't help with anything that happened during the previous night. She could still feel him on her. Hands traveling down her body, lips against her skin and nipping at it. And all Rose did was laid there and allowed it to happen.

She turned the water off and stepped out of her shower, wrapping her towel around her body. Rose looked to the bathroom door, making sure that it was still locked. She was nervous about checking to see if Jerome was still in her bedroom. She hoped that he had left already.

Dark purple marks were all over her neck. Turtle neck sweater day. Rose took a seat on the toilet while rubbing her neck. She didn't want anything that happened the night before. She was scared to tell Jerome no though, not knowing what the possible result could possibly be if she had upset him. He claimed that it was an early birthday present, but that thing was not something that she wanted.

Rose had wanted to wait. Wait for the perfect person, at the perfect time and at the perfect moment. Whether she had to wait until the night of her wedding day, it didn't matter. She only wanted to save herself for the right person. And Jerome just took that all away from her. She didn't have much of a say, as she feared any mood change that could happen during everything. Fear. It controlled Rose. Controlled every little thing about her.

She peeked out to her bedroom, seeing that Jerome was no longer asleep in her bed. The teenage girl was quick to grab a skirt, tights, and a turtle neck before locking herself back in her bathroom. The clothes were placed on the toilet seat while Rose sat on the floor with her back to the wall.

She had made a mistake last night. And the night before that, and the night before that night, and so one. Rose's first mistake was allowing Jerome to see how she felt for him. It opened up this little part of her that Jerome could manipulate. Her next mistake? Allowing Jerome to see how vulnerable and scared she is. It let him know that Rose wouldn't dare to fight back. That she wouldn't have the guts to stand up for herself.

Rose didn't know how upset she was until she felt a tear fall down her face. The girl quickly wiped the tear away and took a deep breath. She stood up and faced the mirror. Rose was to go on with the rest of her birthday. Tabitha said that the two of them and Barbra would do something nice. Like a girls day out. Something that Rose didn't think Tabitha would ever bring up while the ginger girl was still living under the same roof.

Later that night, around seven, Rose would go out to dinner with her aunt and uncle. A new sushi restaurant that was a little ways from them, but it was a place that Rose was dying to try. So perhaps one good thing can come from this whole day. That's all that Rose wanted now. Just one good thing to happen on her birthday. Anything to make up for last night events.

***

"We'll be back for dinner," Tabitha announced to the group walking out with Barbra and Rose trailing behind them. "So don't call or send anyone."

Rose heard Jerome say something, but she only hurried to catch up with Tabitha. There was no way that he would even dare to get close to Rose with Tabitha near her. She wondered if she should tell Tabitha about everything. Tell her that she wanted out of this family.

The three girls walked down the sidewalk in search of places they could shop at. Tabitha was the one that lead the three of them into a small boutique. "You'll need something formal soon." Was all she told Rose before showing her to a nearby rack of clothes. Barbra had went on her own, looking for something that she needed.

"Tabitha," Rose slowly spoke as she looked through dresses. "Is this what you had in mind? After my parents left me with you and Theo?"

"I don't know what your parents were thinking when they left you in our care," Tabitha told Rose before picking out something that was black. "But I don't think that all of this is something that you should know about."

'Jerome hurt me, Tabitha.' Rose thought to herself. She wanted to tell her that right then and there. She couldn't though. Something was holding her back.

Rose let her hands fall to her sides as she stared at her aunt. "Tabitha, I want out of this."

Tabitha kept her eyes trained on dresses, which made Rose even more nervous. She wanted the older woman to say something. Anything to reassure Rose. She just wanted to hear her aunt say something to her.

"You won't be able to get out of this mess. It's going to follow you."

"I don't care," Rose looked to her feet. "I just need to get away." She waited for Tabitha to say something. A small part of her wondered if she should bring up Jerome. How he's slowly scaring her and causing her to slowly fear this innocent looking boy.

"Try this on." Rose stared at Tabitha before accepting the dress she handed to her.

"Tomorrow night, there will be a fundraiser your uncle wants to go to." Road froze up a bit when she heard Tabitha tell her those words. The dress she was trying on in the dressing room was partially over her when the words were said.

Was this Tabitha's way of telling an escape plan? To leave during the fundraiser? "And I can leave during that?"

"Your uncle will be to busy making a name for himself in Gotham City," Tabitha told her niece. "He will hardly notice anything during that time."

Rose stared at the mirror, contemplating what was just said to her. Her aunt just gave her a way to escape. To leave their messed up family. "This is the one."