Rose Among Thorns

IV

EDITED

"Light is easy to love. Show me your darkness."

—R. Queen

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Playlist: Blake Rose—Lady

CRAWFORD HIGH

The clanking of the stilettos was the only sound that ricocheted in the empty hallway of Crawford High. Aurora Giordano was dressed in an expensive two piece suit of the color teal, dark red lips and hair sleekly pulled back in a low ponytail along with a back Gucci Marmont 2.0 Matelesse leather bag hanging on her shoulder, she looked ready to conquer the world with a lift of her finger. She oozed confidence and steadiness unlike her daughter who trailed behind like a drenched puppy.

"I don't think I can do it." Came a small voice.

Hearing her daughter speak such beaten words scarred as well as warmed her heart. Stopping, she turned.

Seraphina had always been an honest child, it was a fault really that she couldn't lie to save her life.

But that was what was so loveable about her, she always spoke the truth. Aurora had been trying to maintain a close relation with her daughter so that when she grew out of her teenage phase, she could still rely on her to tell the truth.

But the admission and defeat in her voice was heart breaking.

Looking down at her frightened fragile daughter with a softest look in her eyes, she placed her hands on both her shoulders, pressing it for comfort.

"Bambino I know this is a huge step but I also know you want this—a new beginning for yourself, for us. You've grieved, you've survived and you've come up stronger than ever in the past years. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. My daughter is not weak, soft but never weak. She is a survivor and a fighter." She urged with conviction, meaning very word she said.

"What's your name?" Aurora asked adamantly shaking her shoulder.

"Seraphina."

"Who are you?" She asked again, this time her eyes pierced through Sera's eyes as if urging her to say the right thing.

"Seraphina Rose Giordano." Sera whispered, straightening her back.

"Yes! My brave, beautiful daughter and heiress to the Gambino family. Don't ever forget that. You've got a whole empire backing you up. No one in their right mind would dare stand against you. I will make it so." She looked at her daughter with a fierce determination.

"Now take that miserable expression off your face, hold you head up high like a princess that you are and smile, love." She placed her finger on her chin and raised it while Sera finally cracked a smile. Her mother's enthusiasm was contagious.

"Yeah just like that." She grinned taking a strand of her hair and tucking it behind her ears.

Squeezing her daughter's shoulder one last time and stroking her hair, they headed to the school principal's office.

It was Seraphina's first day of school.

Sera felt like she'd pass out at any moment but after her mother's encouraging speech, she felt the weight of thousand emotions lifting off her shoulder and her tensed body relaxed a little. She was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted—it was easier said than done and took way more energy than she thought it would, to try and move forward in life.