Karma (Wattpad Exclusive)

Before

12/01/2017

Rosie waved at her friends and watched the car drive away. She stood on the main road wondering whether to turn right and go home or whether to carrying on forward and take a walk. It was a snowy day. Rosie walked further, as she had no mood to go home and face her stepmother. She smiled as she walked on the side of the road. Her eyes wandered around, taking in her surrounding. Slowly, the houses disappeared and more trees started to show up. Rosie took a sudden turn and ran into the woods as her feet left trails on the snow. She stopped in the middle of the woods and looked around at all the snow. Rosie giggled and spread her arms as she fell back. She laid in the snow and moved her arms up and down.

   Rosie's alone time was disturbed when she heard footstep. She tried to look at who the intruder was, but a big rock blocked her view. She laid there motionless, hoping no one would see her. Then she heard voices. At first they were very feeble, but soon they got clear.

   "They would never accept me. They would never except us. Why are you even with me!?"

   "Because I love you." Rosie recognized that voice.

   "But Marcel, look at me! I'm not the man you need," the feminine voice said, making Rosie even more confused.

   "Jerry, I don't care how you look or sound. What matters is what is on the inside."

   Then she heard sobs. Rosie knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but maybe it was the voice of her ex-best friend that made her stay.

   "After we graduate, we will run away, okay? We will go to a place where people like us are accepted. Okay?"

   Then there was a long moment of silence. Rosie pondered whether to leave or stay. Maybe they left? She wasn't sure and didn't want to risk being seen. She didn't want to face her ex-best friend. That would be awkward. Rosie heard whispering but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. Then silence fell over the woods once again. Rosie waited for a few minutes and stood up. Her eyes met the figure dressed in a loose sweater and baggy jeans. The person had long chestnut hair tied in a ponytail. Luckily, Marcel wasn't around. Rosie didn't know what to say and felt embarrassed. "I was just-" she stopped mid-sentence, realizing it was ridiculous to explain, and turned around. She started walked without saying a word.

   "Wait!" the voice called out. Rosie stopped but didn't turn around. "If you are planning to ridicule me, please do it right now. I beg you. Just people don't tell anyone in school. I'll take all the bullying now."

   Rosie felt bad. She knew how people would react if they found out. So she turned around and shook her head, "I won't tell anyone."

   "Why not?"

   Rosie wanted to say, "Though your boyfriend has been a shifty best friend, I still care for him as a human being." but she didn't. Instead she replied, "It is your personal life and I choose not to gossip about it." Jerry nodded and Rosie nodded back before she turned around. But then curiosity got the best of her and she turned around and ask them, "You are a senior right?"

   Yes. You are going to tell, aren't you?"

   "No, I won't." They nodded back at each other again. A moment of silence passed and then Rosie waved and said, "Take care Jerry."

   "Wait!" Rosie looked at them. "Don't use that name in school." Rosie nodded and walked away. Though she had many questions in her mind, she asked none, as she felt it was none of her business.

   That night while Rosie was in her room studying, something came flying in her room. She startled and fell back. She looked at the object and realized it was only a drone. It had something attached to it. An envelope. She took the envelope and watched the drone fly away. On the envelope, the words From Marcel Einstein were written on it. She opened it and read the letter. Rosie expected it to be something about Jerry. But what she read kept her awake, with a million things running through her mind the entire night.

12/02/2017

Dorian came running to her and kissed her cheeks. Rosie couldn't help thinking about why he kissed her on her cheeks. The words of her ex-best friend played in her mind. "Your boyfriend is cheating on you..." But then she realized how stupid she was. Dorian always kissed her cheeks in public. It was in private that the actual romance took place.

   "Baby!" he yelled, snapping her out of her thoughts.

   "Uh?"

   "Close your eyes." She nodded and did as he said. He took her hand and placed something in it. She traced her hands on the soft fabric. Fur? She opened her eyes and saw a fluffy red heart-shaped pillow with the letters D + R embroidery on it. "Do you like it?"

   "Awe baby, thank you," she said and hugged him.

   They stood by her locker holding hands when her three friends joined them and started talking. Dorian excused himself and went to his boy gang. The sound of Dorian's gang laughing caught Rosie's ears, and she turned around. She saw Marcel picking up his books from the floor. She huffed and walked up to them. "C'mon guys, let's go to class," she caught her boyfriend's hand and dragged him. The other three boys followed behind with Rosie's friends.

   Later that evening, Marcel waited by their street to talk to Rosie. He watched as she got down from the car and kissed her boyfriend. He hide behind a tree until Dorian drew away. As soon as she saw him, she picked up pace and walked past him. "Rosabella, wait!" he ran after her. She made a sudden spin and snapped at him, "What do you want!"

   "I want to talk," Marcel said.

   "There is nothing to talk about other than the bullshit you made up," she snarled.

   "It is true! I saw your boyfriend kiss her!"

   "I know what this is about," she chuckled and in disgust she looked at the boy she once loved. "You are just scared I'll tell your little secret, so you made this up to shut my mouth."

   "What! No!" he took her hand in his but she quickly she snatched it away. "Rosie, trust me they-"

   "No! Why should I? Unlike you, they have been with me through my worst. They love me they would never hurt me."

   "They are lying!" Marcel yelled.

   "No, you are! You are a liar. You lied that we will always be friends. You lied that you will always write to me. I'm not trusting you ever again!" Rosie yelled as she clenched her fist and unclenched it. Her cheeks turned pink. Marcel stood there in silence. He let out a sigh and shook his head. Rosie huffed and started to walk again.

   "Please, at least give me a chance to explain what happened," he begged.

   She turned around and looked at him. "Why now! You had all these days. You could have told me when you came back to Bridgewoods. You could have told me the day after! But no! You think of telling me only after I find out your little secret."

   "I wanted to tell you but I just didn't know how."

   "Yeah, sure you didn't." Rosie rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna tell anyone about your little secret." With that, she turned around and walked away without looking back.

   At home, Rosie had a surprise for her waiting. A pill of vessels to wash, a mountain of clothes to fold and a bunch of clothes in the washing machine waiting to be dried. Rosie groaned and dropped her bag. No one was at home. It was just her. She kicked the couch and ended up hurting her foot. She grabbed her foot, wincing and cursed, "Fuck my life!"

   She finished with the clothes before she took over the kitchen. She was already a sweaty mess. The collar of the clean T-shirt she had changed was now soaking wet. She did the dishes and then put them away. While she was placing the last plate on the countertop, she stepped on some washing liquid that had spilled on the floor. She slipped and fell on her back. Rosie groaned in pain and tried to sit up. She felt a twist in her lower back and let out a sob as she rested against the oven. Rosie lifted her hand up and traced the counter, trying to find her phone. She bit her teeth as she stretched and grabbed it. Rosie wiped her cheeks and typed in SOS and hit send. She placed the phone beside her and closed her eyes as she continued to cry in silence.

   It wasn't even 10 minutes that Rosie had texted her; she was already climbing the ladder to Rosie's room and got inside. Amelia looked around but found Rosie nowhere, so she went downstairs. She gasped when she saw her best friend crying. "What happened to you?" she rushed to her aid and sat beside her.

   "I had such a bad day and just fell on my back," Rosie cried.

   "Oh, darling." Amelia threw her arm around Rosie and pulled her close. Rosie rested her head on Amelia's shoulder. "I hate this family," Rosie whispered.

   "I know Rosie. I know," Amelia whispered as she rubbed her arms.

   Amelia kissed Rosie's head and started to sing the one song that she knew would calm her down. "I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and you..."