Roses are Red

Chapter 17

*Seem familiar? Keep Reading. There's a new ending to this chapter*

Serena's Point of View:

The darkness swallowed me. I sat up and stretched as the early morning light peeked through the window. Knocking the sheets off me, I climbed out of bed and sleepily walked across the hall to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror at my acute case of bedhead and attempted to detangle it with my fingers. After a few moments of unsuccessful combing, I stripped down and stepped into the shower.





Zane's point of view: 



"Morning," I whispered, unaware of Serena's absence. Looking over, I wondered where she had gone off to. Noticing the steam emulating from the bathroom across the hall, I figured I had time to kill before she would return. 

I groggily rubbed my eyes and stepped out of bed.

Serena's point of view: 




The familiar words of a song I used to love came to mind: 




"Oh memories, where'd you go? 



You were all I've ever known


How I miss yesterday



And how I let it fade away..."


"The sad matter of fact was, Zane didn't seem to have a clue in mind of where he was taking life, and I wasn't sure I exactly wanted to be dragged down that road. I've seen it before, it never turns out well. Don't get me wrong, I love him, but he has to get his head straight. He always seems miserable, and over what exactly? He has a great life. I guess it's my fault here too, I never did ask him-" I thought. 





I turned off the water and squeezed the last drops out of my hair. Grabbing a towel off the rack, I wrapped it around myself and walked back to the bedroom to get dressed. I picked out something nice, yet simple.

I walked downstairs to see Zane, sitting on the sofa with a bowl of cereal, watching something on the television.

"Hey you," I called lovingly from the hallway.

He turned around and smiled at me slightly, motioning with two fingers to come over to where he was sitting.

So I did.

He let out a soft laugh when he saw the light mask of confusion that I seemed to be wearing. 

"Relax. It's not like I'm going to eat you or anything," He whispered into my ear.

 I felt him gently move his arm to put down his now empty bowl on the side table. With his open hand, he reached around my waist and pulled me down so I was sitting on his lap. He had his legs crossed, and I could feel myself slowly settling into the crevice between his legs. He wrapped his arms around me, and with a nonchalant flick of his finger, he pointed towards the television.

"What?" I asked him. It was just the news.

"Look closer," Zane said to me quietly, as if afraid someone would hear.

I turned my attention towards the news program.

"Two students simultaneously drop out from local high school, more news at six." The monotone voice of the reporter announced.

I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt crash over me like the crest of a wave had just hit me, and I was drowning, but only for that moment.

"Zane, what do we do about this?" I asked him, afraid. 

He just shrugged. "Nothing," he replied. "It's not our problem."

I sighed and stood up. I looked around at where I was living now, and thought, "I would have never imagined myself here three months ago."

I walked into the kitchen where Zane had already made my breakfast.

I felt oppressed, pathetic even. How could I have chosen my life path this early? What consequences will I hold dear to me from this?

I sat down, and stabbed at my food and began moving it around my plate, my mind in deep thought. I almost didnt hear Zane walking up from behind me.

"Everything alright, sweetheart?" he asked me gently.

I sighed.

"I've just been thinking too much lately, and it's really getting to me." I whispered in return. I could feel his hands that had been resting on my shoulders tense for a shred of a moment, then relax. It was almost as if he had a momentary fright, then pushed away the thought. He sat down on the stool next to me, and cupped my chin in his hands. 

"Serena, darling," he cooed. "Do you trust me?"

I nodded silently.

"Then believe me when I say that this will all be alright," He said, as he got down on one knee.