Step to You

FIFTY-SIX

Rose's POV

"YOU TOLD HIM THAT?!" Elise clapped my back while laughing. "I'm so proud you weren't swayed!"

"I bet she's screaming deep within," Sue muttered.

"No I am not!" I said and walked on. They both held each of my arm. "But actually I felt kind of... sad."

"Why though?" Elise asked in an inpatient tone.

"Because... I miss him--"

Elise jokingly hit the back of my head while Sue sighed rather dramatically. I laughed at them.

"What can I do? I cannot forget everything in one go, but I will follow your advice guys," I stopped walking then gasped.

"What?" Elise asked.

"I got one problem," I said sighing deeply. "Mom told me before that we aren't going back to our house any sooner."

"Why?" Sue asked with a frown.

"You know Mom and Auntie, they're all in for me and JK," I muttered.

"But you can tell her the situation," Elise suggested.

"No, I can't. Or it might cause another feud between JK and Auntie. I don't know what to do if it happens again, now that Auntie is perfectly happy..."

Sue nudged us to walk again. "Well, you can still stay true to your words, Rose," she said thoughtfully. Both Elise and I looked at her. "You can get away from him."

"I agree!" Elise said, raising her hand. "You can get away from him by ignoring him. Don't talk to him or anything."

"You think I can do that if we're in the same house?"

"You have to!" Sue tapped my back. "Or he'll forever play with your feelings. It's called self-respect, Rose Anne. He is not respecting what you feel and always confuses you because you give him the motive to do so."

I bit my lower lip and did not respond. I know Sue is right...

"Don't worry," Elise said, putting her arm around my shoulders, "we'll help you."

Sue nodded.

"Okay," I said and raised both my fists. "I'll do it!"

***

I don't know if it is what Sue and Elise called "help," but if it is---

"I can't do it!" I said and shook my head.

"You can!" Elise said and gave her phone. "Just accept it okay?"

"Can't she just date Van?" Sue asked and I facepalmed. Both my friends are setting me up for a blind date. As if I do blind dates!

It's only four days since they proposed to help me, but I have done so many things already.

1. They made me go to school before 5:30AM since JK wakes up that time. (I swear I haven't had a decent breakfast since Monday!)

2. We eat dinner outside, or in Elise's/ Sue's house. Jennie said that after she's done with the shooting, she'll invite us to dinner too. (Elise listed the restaurants she wanted to try.)

3. I have to go home late---at least past 9pm! Because JK goes to bed 'round that time, they said it will lessen interaction between us. To make my excuse valid as to why I'm going home late--Sue listed me up for study hall! (I'm so sick of school works please~)

4. Blind date. Ugh.

"She can't! JK knew she doesn't like Van so it won't work. But if Rose shows that she considers other guys, then JK will believe that Rose is serious at what she said." Elise handed me her phone. "Go, Jayson's calling!"