After The Dark

Chapter 4

My mother storms closer towards me, and I remove myself from Jacks embrace. Before I can even begin to speak, she scolds me. "Rose! What are you thinking! You are to be wed, very soon! Don't be so absurd!" She attempts to grab my arm, but I slap at her hand. "Mother, you are not in control of my life. I am done being unhappy. You are the one being absurd." I try not to shout. Does she not see how in love I am? "Rose, you are being ridiculous. Cal loves you! And-" And that's when I snap. "Loves me? Loves me!" I laugh at her stupidity. "Cal is abusive and cruel! He doesn't love me!" Surely, she couldn't have thought that Cal actually had feelings for me. Surely, this is all her trying to continue to be wealthy. "I will not put up with this. Goodbye Mother." I say with finality, and then I reach for my ring finger. I grab the ring that Cal forced onto my finger. The ring that symbolizes my misery, the ring that symbolizes Cal trapping me, and throw it onto the deck. And in case that wasn't enough for her, I lift my heel, and stomp on it. Her face is filled with shock and.. disgust. I do feel for her, slightly. She has only ever known the wealthy lifestyle, and for that to be ripped away from her might be a bit stressful, but that doesn't give her the chance to put this on my shoulders. I glance over at Cal, who wears the same expression as my mother, and then I walk away. I don't bother to look behind me, because I know that Jack will follow me and respect my decision. When I feel as if I am far enough from the woman that I once considered my Mother, I turn around. Sure enough, Jack has followed me. He is smirking at me, yet he looks surprised and.. impressed? "What?" I snap. He raises his hands in mock guilt. "Nothing." He bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing at me. "What's so funny?" I ask, genuinely confused what he finds so amusing about my anger. "Two things. That you thought that your heel would damage that ring, and the way that you disrespected them the way they do you. I'm proud." He brings me into a hug, and once again I'm thankful for his acceptance, his love, his heart, and just him in general.