Sincerely, Tyler ▸ (Sequel to Dear, Rosemary)

9

She shook her head, but I wanted her to continue, "You what, Rose?"

She turned away from me, concealing her face. "Rose...just say it. Please."

A pause fell upon us, "I thought we would get married, Tyler. I thought we would have little children that looked like us running at our feet. I was starting to picture all of the things we would do together in the future, because I thought you would be my future, Ty."

I could feel his presence behind me as I choked up, and sighed shakily, wiping my nose with my sleeve.

"Argh!" I screamed, turning to punch the nearest thing closest to me; the houses wooden column. The impact left the pillar untouched, but my hand was the complete mess.

My knuckles bled but I didn't care, the pain of hearing Rose explain her thoughts was a lot more to bare.

I could hear her small feet rushing over to me, taking my bruised hand and enveloping me into a tight embrace.

Rose was like that. It seemed that no matter the damage you did to her, she would still come to your aid if you were ever in need of help.

"I can help you fix up your hand, and once I'm done, I'll pack up and leave, I promise," She wasn't looking into my eyes, but down to the ground. She couldn't look at me.

As we entered inside, Josh peaked over the corner, "What was that noise outside?" And when his eyes found my hand, panic rose in him, "Tyler, what the hell happened?"

"Could you just leave us alone, please," I spit out harshly, my eyes cutting into his. I immediately regretted it, having it been the first thing I said to him this morning.

His lips closed shut, and he nodded defeatedly, turning his back and heading towards the living room.

"Go sit in the bathroom, I'll grab what I need," Rose ordered me.

"I think the aid kit is in the -"

"I know where it is," She interrupted, turning away to retrieve the box.

Now, my lips were closed shut. She was completely over it. I knew I wasn't though, I couldn't be. This wasn't what I wanted at all. Everything Rose said about our future, was what I had been imagining for us as well.

My ears perked up to the sound of her voice in the distance, "I'm leaving soon, Josh."

I couldn't make out what Josh had said back.

"He doesn't want anything to do with me. I'll let him explain the rest to you."

And then I'd shut the door, as my tears seemed to become never ending after hearing Rose's words.

"You don't need her, Tyler."

"Shut the fuck up," My voice dragged out carelessly, but I knew I would care later when I had to deal with his consequences.

I gathered myself as the door swung open.

My eyes never left her hands as they quickly opened up the antiseptic.

She'd given me no warning before completely drenching my hand in the horrid liquid. She looked lifeless as she kneeled in front of me, cleaning away the peeled skin, and grime that gathered underneath of it, as this was the hand that I had hurt yesterday as well. She had not took my pain into consideration whatsoever.

"Grab the end," Rose asserted, referring to the long, cotton bandage she was about to place over my hand. I obliged.

Seconds passed before she spoke up again, ordering me to "let go," as she began finishing up. She took the two ends and sealed them together with the metal clip, then stood up, cleaned the surrounding area, washed her hands, and left out the room.

As I tried to grasp her hand, she tucked it away from me, and continued on her way.

I wasn't used to this. Never has Rose acted this way towards me, and I couldn't blame her for it, I just hated it. I hated him, and his power over me. I hated that I was so weak to let Rose go.

My feet followed Rose into our bedroom, and I stood in the doorway, watching her blushed face wander around, grabbing everything she could remember to grab, her grey suitcase laying open on the bed.

I walked over to her, taking the shirts out of her hands without even thinking, "Rose, please..."

"Tyler, don't touch me right now," She took her t-shirts out from my grasp and threw them onto the suitcase.

"I don't want you to go, I just -"

"You just what, Tyler? Why are you being so confusing? Stop playing around with me. You can't tell me that you don't want to be with me, and then tell me you want me to stay. It doesn't work like that. Either you make up your mind, or we can just act like the eight years we've spent together never happened and move on."

The hurt in her eyes was all I could see as they stared hard into mine. She was so angry at me, so pained.

I stayed silent as he watched me intently from
behind her, and she took it as my response.

"Goodbye, Tyler."