1

Then…

I walked down the sidewalk quietly as I made my way home. Mom had sent me a message asking me to come home instead of staying at Gracie's house tonight. It was strange seeing as she had told me yesterday that she would be working late and didn't want me to stay at home by myself.

The streets were dark as it was almost nine.

I wish I would have accepted Mrs. Demorine's offer for her to take me home.

As I turned the corner, I noticed a shadow behind me and heard heavy footsteps as they grew closer to me.

I picked up my pace when my house entered my line of sight. Out of nowhere, I felt weight hit my back and I went sprawling onto the concrete. I tried to scramble away, but I felt the weight again as it pressed my front into the sidewalk.

I opened my mouth to scream only to have a sweaty hand pressed over my mouth.

"Hush now, Doll, I'll take good care of you," he said, his other hand was moving through my hair. It made me feel sick. I tried to scream again, only for it to be muffled.

No one would come out to see this happening. This was a neighborhood laced with drug deals and gun fights. No one would look twice when it would benefit their lives and the lives of their loved ones if they knew little to nothing about what was happening.

And it was about to benefit my abductor.

I fought against my captor as he moved the hand from my hair to get something from his pocket. He had my arms pinned to my sides with his legs on either side of me.

I opened my mouth as wide as I could and bit down on his hand. As he reeled back to check the wound with a small yell, I scrambled away and stood up to run down the side of the road. I didn't get far until he wrapped his arm around my body and pushed a rag over my nose and mouth.

I fought myself and tried not to breathe but I didn't last long before I took a deep breath, only for black spots to dance in my vision and my body to get heavier.

"Hush now, Doll. Soon enough you'll be perfect." I felt him place a kiss to the top of my head as the black started to consume me. I wanted to get away, but I felt too tired. Too heavy.

Then there was nothing left.

Now

Rule 1: The uniform has to be immaculate.

These people would tear me apart if I showed up without my uniform being perfect, or so says Oliver.

Rule 2: No colored hair.

I ran my fingers through the loose half of my bright red hair. Oops, guess I already broke that rule. Welp, nothing I can do about it now.

Rule 3: Hair pulled back, guys will take hair down as a sign that you're a whore.

Yeah, fuck that rule. I wouldn't take my braids out for this preppy school. I stared at my right side in the mirror with the braids that were attached closely to my head as they ran across my head and down my back.

Rule 4: Hide your tattoo. Only let our family and your crew see it.

Done. I wasn't planning on letting anybody see the roses that started on the left side of my neck and traveled down my body. That would give my racer status away to a bunch of snotty rich kids.

Oh wait. I am a snotty rich kid now. Who knew.

Rule 5: If anybody asks you, Rosalie, you are the sister of Oliver Wrightborn and the daughter of Joshua Wrightborn and you do belong in this school.

I scoffed at that. I was Rosalie Collins, not Rosalie Wrightborn. My stepfather had enrolled me as Rosalie Collins with the comment that he'll work on "fixing that as soon as possible."

Rich prick.

The uniform dress was a tan and brown plaid and I had put it over a cream sweater. My socks were white with some black rings around the top. I had a pair of Mary Janes that had a few inches added to my height with how thick the bottoms were.

I stepped out of my room after sighing at my reflection in the giant mirror of my new room.

The Wrightborn mansion was huge, and I was still trying not to hate my mother for eloping the prick when I had just barely been back. Don't get me wrong I love my mother and I had no positive relationship with Dad anymore, but I wasn't ready for her to give me a new "father".

"Good morning, Rosalie," I heard as I reached the bottom of the stairs. My mom was waiting for me, her blue eyes were searching me as I got ready for school.

"Morning," I mumbled back. I didn't want to hate her, but that didn't make me any less mad.

"Breakfast is ready, go eat before you have to leave." I nodded once as I passed her. I felt her try to reach out to me, but I knew she wouldn't touch me. She and I hadn't been close since I had gotten back. She wouldn't even talk about it with me.

At the long table, Oliver and Joshua stared at me with a chair and place set up on the ong side across from Oliver. Joshua sat down at the farthest end from us with the place across from him set up for my mother.

I heard the clicks of her heels come up behind me and she glided elegantly into her seat.

"Sit down, Rosalie."

I clicked my tongue before sitting down right in front of Oliver. I stared at the oatmeal with strawberries and light brown sugar topping with some toast. My stomach twisted. I've been back a year and I still have no appetite from being held in captivity. I looked up at Joshua who was at one end of the table then through the rest of my family. They were all eating and I went back to staring at Joshua. He looked up and gave me a gentle nod and I took that as my permission to eat.

I stared down at the food and my stomach twisted as I took a bite, only to flinch and drop the spoon with a clink. I couldn't do it, this was his favorite breakfast…

I heard all my family pause as I stood up and ran to the bathroom, only to shove my fingers down my throat and throw up the one bite I had managed to swallow.

I felt a set of hands lift my hair off my neck and tie it back while another set rubbed circles on my back. I felt my system empty itself as I spit one last time and sat back onto my legs.

I shut my eyes as the toilet flushed.

A warm wet washcloth rubbed my skin and I opened my eyes to see my mother and Joshua there. I quickly pulled myself away and stood up, only to walk away and back to my own bathroom to brush my teeth.

As I started to move downstairs again, I heard raised voices echoing off the walls.

"The second I think I'm finally making some progress with her, she rips herself away!" I heard Joshua shout.

"You need to give her some time," I heard my mother as I pressed my back into the wall outside of the door to the dining room. "She's been through a lot in a short amount of time."

I heard Joshua sigh. "I know she has, but I just want her to stop seeing us both as enemies. Oliver wants to try to be her brother, but he doesn't know where to start."

"She's angry and sad and frustrated," my mother started and I heard the clicking of her heels as she moved closer. "She was hurt very badly by someone for two and a half long years before she was returned home to us. She still needs time to heal her wounds from the man who hurt her. Plus, we barely even know exactly what happened outside of what the doctors and police told us, she won't tell us what happened to her."

"She took to doing illegal things to get over it though, Cathrine!" he said, his voice slightly raised. "She was using drugs without us knowing! She's being reckless and unsafe and you're still just being passive about this whole thing! That is your daughter and you need to start acting like you are her mother before she does anything else reckless!"

I didn't hear anymore as I saw Oliver walk towards me with my black bag with the red roses on the bottom right corner, his own plain blue bag thrown over his shoulder.

"It's time to go, Rose."

I walked up and snatched my bag from his hands. "Do not ever call me that."

I stomped out to the car and slammed the door shut as I saw Oliver walk out the door and towards the driver's seat.

As he drove, I felt my phone vibrate and I lifted it up to check the message.

Zeph: How's our favorite Rose doing this morning?

I smiled as I started typing.

Me: Plotting my escape back to Delo High atm

Me: Oliver is driving me to school

Zeph: That's so gross

Zeph: Race tonight, you sneaking out?

I smiled again as I checked that Oliver was focused on the road.

Me: Pick me up at 7:42?

Zeph: Course, princess. Your chariot awaits ;)