A fractured fairytale

67

༻ Rose's POV ༺

I hadn't been to the mall since I was a kid and my dad used to take me most weekends. That was before the drinking started. Back when we were happy.

It looked exactly as I remembered, with white washed walls and marbled floors. We parked and entered on the first floor near the square in the centre that overlooked a garden on the first floor and allowed a view up to the fourth.

"Where shall we go first?" Mia asked enthusiastically. She was working so hard to put a smile on her daughters face and it had my chest aching. Mia was the kind of mother everyone wanted. I loved my own mother and had a good relationship with her, but she'd never defended me and had never gotten angry about the way I'd been treated. I couldn't help but wonder what Mia would do, if she was in the situation my mom was in. A part of me knew she'd protect her children, no matter the cost.

She turned to me. "Any preferences? Matty told me we aren't allowed to leave until you've bought something."

I laughed. Of course, he did. I surveyed the stores around us and shrugged. "I don't mind. It's been a while since I've been here, I'm not sure which stores are the best."

Em pointed towards a department store on our left and we all veered in that direction Mannequins lined the windows, all dressed lavishly and with stylish accessories. When we entered, the smell of perfume hit me and, now that it was spring, pastel-coloured dresses and blouses filled the racks. "You two have a look about," Mia said, gesturing around the large clothing section. "We're going to have a little look at the kids' stuff." She discreetly gestured to Em, whose eyes were damp with fresh tears.

When they walked away, I turned to Violet with a frown. "I feel so bad for her."

Her eyes were still on Em and Mia as they walked away. "I didn't know it was that bad," she muttered. "I knew she didn't have any friends really, and that one of the girls was mean to her, but I didn't know it was everyone. I didn't know it was this bad."

"Has it always been like that at school?"

She nodded. "She's never really fit in. She likes video games and football and stuff so she doesn't have a lot in common with the girls and the boys don't want to play football with a girl." She rolled her eyes at that. "I think that Melonie girl noticed she was alienated and jumped on the opportunity. I wouldn't be surprised if dad or Matt track her down and bury her alive if she doesn't let off soon."

A laugh burst out of me, even though I knew it was entirely possible. They only had so much patience and I had a feeling soon, one of them would snap. Who knows what they'd do when that happened.

"Those are nice," Violet said, gesturing to the jeans I was looking at. They were a light denim that flared out a little at the bottom. The pockets were lined with little diamonds.

I nodded. "They are." The issue was the price. It was extortionate for a pair of jeans and I couldn't justify wasting Matt's money on jeans when I already owned a pair. I knew he was serious about me buying something but I wanted to save the money for something unlike anything else I owned.

"Are you going to get them?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't think so."

I moved along to a shelf lined with perfumes. "This one smells amazing," Violet said, picking up a little tester bottle and spritzing it on her sleeve. She shoved her arm in front of my face. "Smell."

I sniffed and the strong floral scent tickled my nose. "That's pretty."

"Ooo, are you buying a perfume Rose? That's such a lovely smell!"