Hers | ✔ | (Editing)

33| Eunoia

Damien even had his own tiny bookshelf – something which Aaron wasn't even allowed to have. She suddenly felt rage bubble up inside her and Rose had to clench her fists to not do anything stupid.

"Please," Damien told her. "Have a seat."

Rose gritted her teeth, but nonetheless took a seat on one of the ivory embroidered chairs; almost slipping in completely over how soft it was. She felt as though she was sitting on cotton candy. "What do you want to talk about?"

Damien merely smiled. "Care for tea?"

"Damien,"

"No tea I suppose," He said, and Rose could see the tension in his jaw.

"I don't want tea," Rose said, glaring at him. "You woke me up to talk, so talk."

"My parents are coming in less than 30 hours," Damien said, linking his fingers. "That gives us less than 30 hours to come up with a plan."

"Plan?" Rose asked, obviously confused. "For what?"

"Rose," Damien was clear now; his tone sharp and steady. "My parents will press legal charges against Aaron if they find him here, and that is putting it nicely." Damien's voice started to quiver, but he cleared his throat. "The agreement they made two years ago is still in effect, and if Aaron goes against it, it won't be pretty."

"Legal charges?" Rose raged. "But they're his parents!"

"His parents – yes. But his allies – no." Damien's voice had a tone of no question; as though these words were repeated over and over to him. "When he decided to stop following instructions, my parents stopped following sediment." His eyes looked almost like a glacier. "Because that is what makes us vulnerable, dear Rose, sentiment."

"Why are you helping him?" Rose asked, her eyebrows knitted as she looked at him. "Didn't you loathe Aaron?"

Damien slightly smiled, and it reminded Rose so much of Aaron's own. "He is my brother Rose," He told her quietly, his eyes resembling Aaron's incredibly. "Just because my parents lost sentiment," His voice was light, just like a soft murmur. "Doesn't mean I have."

Rose for the first time, smiled at him. Her heart surged at Damien's words and it made her feel more confident that she was going to face Aaron's parents with a plan. "Alright then," She said. "What's the plan?"

"That's exactly why I wanted to talk to you," Damien said, keenly looking at Rose. "However, I do have a few things in mind and –"

Rose waited for him to continue, but Damien was staring at her with wide blue eyes, and a bewildered expression on his face that Rose squirmed in her seat. "What is it?"

"I–Is that a wedding ring?" Damien's voice was trembling, shock arising in the specks of his eyes as he stared at her ring finger.

"Oh," Rose laughed, shaking her head as she looked at the ring Aaron had gifted her. "It's a promise ring. I am saving this finger for Aaron."

Damien nodded his head, but his expression didn't falter. But then a smile bloomed on his lips. "Perfect."

Rose gave him a quizzical look. "What?"

"You just gave me a brilliant idea," Damien was grinning, obviously excited as he stood abruptly from his seat and started pacing around the room. "Excellent, excellent."

"Would you mind sharing?" Rose was getting annoyed again, the sleep that she thought she had forgotten was returning in full force. "I want to go back to bed already."

Damien was still smiling. "It is simple Rose, too simple." He was pacing around the room, his sparkling eyes lingering on Rose. "My parents will be furious to find Aaron here, and they'd do anything they can to get him out. Unless," He grinned. "I have a special announcement to make that needed the whole family to attend to."