You hadn't been expecting any gifts.
It wasn't a special occasion, your birthday or Valentine's day or an anniversary of some kind. It was an absolutely average day and yet...
Someone sent you roses.
They had been delivered to your front door earlier in the afternoon, a thin black box full of twelve long stemmed red roses. You couldn't think of any reason someone would send you such a thing or even who that someone would be...you didn't have friends anymore (they were all gone now), not anymore, and your dating life wasn't anything romantic (not since your breakup).
This was though.
A box full of ruby red roses was terribly romantic and, you couldn't deny it, your heart was racing at the sight of them! The red petal were as soft as silk and they smelled so sweetly...it was such a lovely gift!
You had to know who had sent them!
After placing the roses carefully in a crystal vase, you examined the black box, hoping to find some kind of a clue as to who the sender was. There was nothing on the outside...but on the inside, you found it:
A letter.
The envelope was red as well with your name neat written in a heart. With shaking hands, you quickly opened the envelope and pulled out its contents. The note was a short one, written in red ink and the same neat handwriting. Quickly, you began to read it...
"My lovely little rose,
Forgive me if this is all too much for you. Frightening you is certainly not my intention, darling.
But I'm a little bit old fashioned and a bit of a romantic as well...which is probably why I've approached you like this. I know that most men will simply introduce themselves with a witty comment and a charming smile but I haven't been able to. Is is shyness? Nerves? Fear of rejection?
I'm not quite sure.
All I know is that I've never been able to speak to you, no matter how much I wanted to...so I've simply watched you instead. And with everyday that I have watched over you, I've fallen a little more in love. You're so...you're perfect, Y/N. You're everything that I've ever wanted, everything that I've dreamed of.
You're so lovely, so wonderful.
That's why I've sent you so many gifts. But you didn't notice the others, though, did you? Well, I can't be too mad, I certainly didn't wrap a big bow around them and send them to your doorstep! No, I sent them away from you. Those no good friends of yours, I got rid of them. Your boyfriend too (oh, how I hated him) as well as anyone who ever hurt you. Or looked at you too long. Or spoke to you too much. I got rid of them all, just for you.
Oh, don't be upset darling! I want you to like my presents! But I know that you are much more fond of roses which is why I've sent you some. Twelve roses for every month that I've watched you, one year that I've loved you and wished for you.
My wishes have finally come true, my little rose! Tonight, you are coming to our new home...and we are finally going to be together!
I love you..."
This was a joke. A sick, cruel joke...it had to be. Because your friends had just moved away of been in tragic accident...and went missing. And your boyfriend...he didn't say goodbye. He just sent you and his mom a text and left. Never came back.
You re-read the letter, hoping to find something that you missed. But there was nothing except for neat cursive and red ink.
"I love you...my little rose." A man suddenly whispered from behind.
Dropping the letter to your feet, you tried to run...but instead you found yourself trapped. An unseen attacker grabbed you, strong arms wrapped tightly around your body and a soft hand pressed over your mouth, smothering your terrified screams into silence. Still, you struggled in the stranger's grip...but it was too strong to break.
He trapped you. He took you.
"Shhh...it's all right. We're going home, darling!"
No. No. You were being dragged away from your home, through the dark halls and out the back door...towards a black car. You had seen it sitting in the shadow's before, you had thought it belonged to your neighbors.
"We're going to be happy!"
He dragged you towards it kicking and screaming, or at least trying to. But in the end, you were thrown into the trunk, catching of glimpse of him before he shut you in.
"I love you, my little rose." He whispered.
Locked in the darkness, you kicked and screamed and tried to escape...but to no avail. All you could do was hear his voice over and over, echoing in your mind as his eyes flashed through your memory...his eyes were...red.
As red as a rose.
