Hers | ✔ | (Editing)

17| Haimish

The thought made her eyes water with angry tears. 

And she tried to hate Aaron, she really did. 

She tried to hate his beautiful beautiful beautiful blue eyes, and his silky, luscious brown hair and his stupid face, along with his stupid eyelashes and his stupid stupid smile. 

She tried one more time to hate him. 

Because as she lied on her bed, her eyes pooling down with sleep, she tried to think of more things Aaron had that she couldn't possibly hate.

◈◈◈  

The next morning Rose woke up exhausted. Her parents practically forced her (Well it was mostly her Mom) to visit their family and friends downtown. It was apparently their high school reunion or something, and Rose had to go. ("Or else I will never let your father buy you anymore books again.")

So it made sense when she woke up aching everywhere (She had to hang out with hyperactive kids too) and she was going to prepare herself for school until her Dad entered her room with a gentle smile on her face. 

"Mornin' pumpkin," He smiled at her, sitting down at the edge of her bed. "How did you sleep?"

"Alright," She replied groggily, rubbing away any lurking sleep from her eyes. She yawned. "Just a lil bit tired."

Peter ruffled her untamed blonde locks, a smile still evident on his lips. Rose never saw her Dad without a smile: if he was angry, he was angry smiling with a clenched jaw; if he was sad, he was sad smiling with pursed lips; and if he was happy, he would smile with his teeth. 

It was something that Rose admired all throughout her life, and she knew she also wanted to be seen always smiling. Because it always made her feel better. If she was having the crappiest day in school, her Dad would flash her the been-there-done-that smile and she'd feel loads better. 

Maybe it was just because his eyes were always so beautiful when he smiled, but Rose didn't care about it anyway. She adored her father's smile, period. 

"I knew you'd be," Peter said, letting out a sigh. "That's why I called you in sick today at school."

Rose's wide eyes met his teasing blue ones. "You did what?"

Peter bit his bottom lip (But he was still smiling) as his chest vibrated in laughter. "Just don't tell your Mom."

"But how will Mom not know?"

"I might have or might have not woken her up half an hour early for work,"

Rose grinned. "You're the best Dad,"

Peter laughed too, smiling at his daughter. "I know," He winked. "Now come on downstairs, and let me cook up some breakfast."

It was Vegan Wednesday, which meant her Dad was going to come up with some vegan breakfast for today, and Rose couldn't be more anxious. It wasn't that her Dad was a bad cook, it was just that she never looked forward to Vegan Wednesdays, but the excitement in her Dad's voice when he came up with the idea was just too much for Rose to say no. 

It has been about 7 years since Vegan Wednesdays were introduced to the family, and Rose was still as worried as the first one. 

After leaving a small kiss to Rose's forehead, Peter left Rose to wash up and take a quick shower. Since she was staying home today, Rose just slipped on some pajama shorts and shirt before she went downstairs, only to be greeted by the smell of burnt butter. 

She peered at her Dad from the corner of the door, noticing how he was handling so many pots at once and she could hear occasional curse words fly from his mouth. She grinned at how much money he would have put in the swear jar if her Mom was here.