6 Don't go

The girls picked her up at the restaurant at six and dropped her home and promised to come back by 8 pm to pick her up.

"Bye. And thanks again for the lift." Rose said as she got down the car.

"No problem Rose, just make sure you're ready by then." Jenna casually said.

She nodded. The car zoomed off into the distance and she took a second to ponder on the situation as she stood by the sidewalk looking at the cars that were constantly wheezing by, containing more heads than she could count on both fingers and toes combined. She could hear the loud music coming from the party down the street.

Then she saw some ladies in an Impala all in their swimming suits.

Was this really a good idea?

"What might or might not be a good idea?" Rose flew literarily six feet into the air.

Her hand flew to her chest in shock as she gazed at the amused smile of Michael, the boy who'd approached her earlier in the empty class.

It was the mystery guy that had ambushed her in school earlier that day. How he had snuck up on her was beyond her.

Embarrassed and still startled, she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Don't do that, urgh!" Rose groaned. He chuckled, leaning away from the punch.

"How did you do that?" She asked still perplexed.

Michael chuckled.

"You were too distracted by the paint job on the cars." He teased. Rose flushed embarrassed.

"So what are you doing out here?" She asked wondering what a guy like him was doing in these streets. Unless he was on his way to the party himself.

"Try not to explode, but I kinda live next door." He confessed. And explode she did.

"What?! Since when?" She definitely had not seen that one coming. He winced at how loud her voice was.

Michael took a few steps back, his hands in a surrendering posture.

"Since today." He replied. Rose gasped. What?

They didn't have a neighbor, and you'd have to be peculiarly rich to be on that side of the streets. Rose raised a suspicious brow.

"Who are you?" She asked examining him as her eyes trailed down his frame. Michael looked confused for a second, not even bothering to say anything about her checking him out.

"I don't follow." He said. Rose rephrased her words.

"You have to be particularly wealthy to live here." She said. She'd guessed that much initially from the way he dressed. He chuckled understanding.

"My dad runs his own pharmaceutical company." He answered effortlessly.

She nodded impressed.

"Your mum came over this morning, I must say the cookies were delicious. Help me thank her will you." He said smiling. And all of a sudden having him as a neighbor didn't seem so terrible.

"Sure." She smiled back.

"About what you said in school today, what was that about?" Rose said abruptly, his words had been on her mind since that morning. He seemed to expect it because he smiled.

He does that a lot.

"I apologize if I sounded weird, but I hadn't help but noticed how..." He paused slightly. She looked up at him locking eyes with him, wondering what he wanted to say.

"I couldn't help but notice how upset you've been these past few days." He finished.

Her eyes widened. He looked at her and something about the way he did made her not want to look away.

"And I wanted to help. Well not me, but Christ through me." He said chuckling lightly. So he was a Christian? Everyone was surprising her today. He definitely didn't look like the churchy kind, but the fact that

someone had noticed made her feel like the words written in the note really was true.

Struggling for words Rose stuttered out.

"Y-You noticed?" She had always thought she was invisible. He nodded with a smile.

He noticed? Him? Why he would bother paying her any attention was beyond her.

"And that's not all, I still have-" He wanted to say but he was cut off by a stern voice.

"Rose." Someone called her name from behind them and she froze.

Michael furrowed his brow at her sudden change in demeanor.

"I-I'll see you later, okay?" She stuttered out.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked concerned. He looked past her and locked eyes with an adult, about 40 to 45 years old, and his eyes were narrowed, at her. You'd think he'd be the one receiving the death glare.

"Rose, get in." The man called again, this time more demanding.

"Coming." Rose quickly replied. She locked eyes with Michael for a second and the fear in them was as clear as day.

Michael grabbed her hand and squeezed reassuringly.

"It's okay." He said.

She managed half a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Michael nodded but didn't let go.

"Rose, don't go to the party." He said suddenly.

Shocked, she recoiled slightly. He shook his head, telling her not to mind how he knew.

"I'll explain later just please, stay in your room and don't go."

"I'm waiting." The voice called out again. Marcus was growing impatient and he was the worst when she didn't do what he says.

"Bye Mike," Rose whispered.

She turned on her heels and walked to the front door where an angry looking Marcus stood with his arms crossed.

The tall built man might have appealed to most with his hazel eyes and dark brown hair, but that is until they saw him for what he truly was.

Marcus held the door opened out to her and she walked in. From afar, Michael saw him whisper something to her as she walked past him and he saw her visibly flinch.

He frowned slightly when the man turned around and smirked at him before closing the door.

*********

She ran up the stairs, got into her room, then locked the door. She heard Marcus's chuckles just as she closed her door. She sank on the bed and buried her face in her pillow.

Mum wasn't home yet, and she wouldn't be till morning and Rose couldn't stay home, not when he was downstairs, waiting. She hated this. She hated him, she hated her mum.

It was hard, but they'd been just fine before he came along. Mum never knew about the bruises, at least not the actual causes and she never would. She'd never believe her if she told. She was totally blinded by the man.

She got up from the bed and quickly got dressed. She only had about twenty minutes left, before the girls came. How she was going to get to the front door without him noticing was beyond her.

Her dress was silk white, knee-long, and was pleated to her waist in a doll fashion. The petite dressing made her look both cute and beautiful. A dazzling combo.

It was flower printed and was extremely soft to touch. After applying the little make-up she owned, she was ready.

She took her purse, containing her phone and other girl necessities before settling back on the bed. She was careful not to rumple the dress.

The dress was a gift from her aunt on her seventeenth birthday and it had hung at the back of her closet ever since.

She heard the horn of a car. She sighed thankfully, they were here. She quickly texted her mum.

*Have fun dear*, the only thing she texted back. She didn't even act remotely excited or anxious.

That's her mum for you.

She heard Marcus's footsteps heading down to the front door. She quickly followed suit, quietly stepping down the stairs.

"What do you young ladies want?" She saw him ask Brenda and Jenna who looked amazing, obviously very much ready for the party. Rose quickly came up behind him. She gulped.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting." She chuckled nervously from behind him.

"Oh, there she is! Oh my God, you look so beautiful!" Jenna squealed.

She used his shock as a quick getaway, quickly slipping out from behind him.

Surely he wouldn't try anything in front of all these witnesses, she thought. She didn't look back.

"Rose," Marcus called. Her blood froze. She turned her head slightly. He smirked that devilish smirk of his.

"Be back home early, I've got a surprise waiting." She gulped. Like she would, not even if her life depended on it, literarily.

She opened the door to the back seat and was about to enter when she heard a voice whisper.

'Don't go' She froze.

It was soft, it was gentle, but it was but a small echo in the jumbled mess that was her thoughts. She shook her head, got in the car and they left for the party.