The Boy And His Choices.

Part 1- The Necklace.

Rose's P.O.V

I didn't see Meredith till right before the victory party that night.

I didn't understand her. She knew Zayden for a longer time than I did, and yet she just did not understand him. If she did then she would know better than to hide her wounds from him.

I glanced at myself in the mirror. I wore a golden strapless dress which hugged my body. My hair tumbled down my back. I grabbed my heels and was in the process of putting them on when Meredith burst into our tent.

She glanced at me and smiled. "Someone is looking pretty damn good."

"Thank you," I smiled. "Where have you been?"

"I was just borrowing Emma's concealer," she said shrugging her shoulders.

She slipped on her ravishing red dress, which was backless, and which reached above her knees. I handed her a shade of red lipstick.

She slipped on her heels and turned towards me. "How do I look?"

I smiled at her. "Beautiful."

"Can you see the bruises?" She asked anxiously.

"Nope. The concealer really worked well. I can't even make  out that cut on your lip," I said a little sadly.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright then lets go."

She took out a necklace to wear. I walked out of the tent and she followed her fingers still struggling to put the pendant on.

I looked at her face. Nope. Couldn't see a thing. But how does it matter?

Your wounds don't prove your weakness. They only show the world how, despite everything, you still have the strength to stand up. To go on. And that's all that matters.

~

Meredith's P.O.V

I struggled with the clasp of my necklace even after we had walked out of the tent. We were greeted with a cool breeze (I shouldn't have gone for a backless dress) and thousands of decked up people. The guys were wearing suits and the girls were wearing dresses. People chatted and talked and laughed, while I still struggled to put on the necklace.

"Allow me, love."

Zayden smiled and he took the necklace from my hands. He motioned for me to turn around. I flashed him a grateful smile and spun on my heels till my back was facing him.

For a moment he didn't do anything. Confused I turned back to see him looking at me with such intensity that I swear I felt something burn inside me.

"Turn around," he whispered again, clenching his eyes shut and breathing heavily.

I did as he said.

I swept my hair to one side so that he could see what he was doing. I waited.

I sensed him before I felt him.

He came close to me till I could feel his warm breath fall on my neck.

He slipped the necklace over my head and I held it in place.

I felt his fingers as they brushed against my neck trying to do the clasp of my necklace. I heard a click. His fingers slipped on my back as he let his hands fall to his side. The necklace hung protected around my neck.

I felt him walk away though his touch still lingered on my burning skin.

~

James was talking to Rose. I felt Zayden stiffen next to me.

"Why is he talking to my best friend?" He sounded offended.

Before I could protest he was dragging me closer to them. We stopped just when we were near enough to listen to their conversation.