Today is the day. Rose's birthday and the Toby is going to propose! I'm so excited. Toby is coming early so he and I can plan. Lyric stayed at his place last night so there is no chance of anyone but us knowing. Well, other than Rose's father. I have just finished getting dressed and ready when I hear a knock on the door. I get out of the floor and go answer the door. It's Toby. "Hey." He says.
I move aside for him to come in. "Do you got it with you?"
"Yep." He takes a small black box out of his pocket and throws it to me. I sit on the sectional and open it. "It's gorgeous." And it is. He shows me an oval shaped ring with a big ass sapphire in the middle surrounded by diamonds. There are diamonds also on the silver band. It looks like it cost a fortune. He did say it was his grandmother's ring so it is more than likely an antique and is probably a family heirloom.
"Thanks." He says. "I just hope she likes it."
"She'll love it Toby." I stand up and hand the box back to him. He puts it back in his pocket.
"So we need to decorate?"
I nod. "Yeah." I go get a box of decorations. "This is what was bought." It's all just small, simple decorations.
"What about the cake?"
"Lyric is in charge of getting it. He's coming before anyone else."
"Okay. How is he since everything?"
"He's doing better. Which is good."
"Yeah it is. Have you told Danny you're coming back next week?"
"Sure did. I'm starting back Friday."
He climbs into a chair and starts to string up some fairy lights. "Are you excited?"
"Be careful. And yes, I am. I've missed it."
He nods. "I understand."
"Do you miss it?" I put out cups and plates.
"What?"
"Deejaying. Do you ever miss it?"
He stops what he is doing and looks down at me. "Every day of my life."
"Then why don't you do it?"
"There's the store."
"Get other workers."
"I've tried. I can't keep anyone that's truly good with music and enjoy the customers like you and me." He shrugs. "I can't sell the store. It was my father's."
"I know." He puts the last of the lights up and jumps of the chair and lands on his feet. I flinch slightly. I saw that going really badly... He smiles slightly as he sees me flinch. "You thought that was funny, didn't you?"
"Yep." He sits on the edge of the sectional.
I sit down beside him and shove him. "Stop being so nervous."
"I can't. This is a big step Lavender."
"She loves you Toby. The only answer you're going to get is yes."
Lyric walks in and sets the cake on the island with the plates and cups. "The lights look awesome."
"Thanks." Toby and I both say.
"Is everyone bringing a dish of food?" He asks me.
"Yeah. Would you get mine out and put in the oven along with yours?"
"Yes." He turns and puts the two dishes in the oven. I made hot corn dip and he made some kind of fruit tart that everyone can cut into. He sits down on the sectional with us and I lay back on him. He passes the remote to the TV to Toby. "You can pick something if you like."
"Thanks." Toby turns it on and scan through the channels then decides on music video countdown.
"Who all did you invite?" I ask Toby.
"Well, obviously all of our friends, a couple of our friends from school, her family, and I even extended the invitation to my mother and her family."
"Really? So I get to meet them?"
"If they come, yes."
"What are your friends from school like?"
"Mine are or were absolutely insane. If they grew out of their wild side, I'll be surprised. Rose's friends were kind of quiet honestly."
"She hung out with quiet people?"
"Rose herself used to be kind of quiet."
"No way." Lyric says. "I cannot see that."
He laughs. "I know. No one can when I tell them that, but honestly she was this shy little girl until my friends got hold of her in her junior year of high school."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "I was going through a lot that year. It was the year my father died. I was unable to keep her away from them. They got her into some hardcore drugs. I didn't notice what was going on until it was too late. She was into them until a year and a half ago."
"Whoa."
"Yeah...That's why I am hoping they have calmed down. It seems like they have when I talk to them, but you never know. And if they haven't and try to get her or anyone to do the drugs with them tonight, I will probably kill them."
There's a knock on the door and Lyric stands up and gets the door. I stand up and get the food out of the oven. Samuel, Josie, and Jason walk in. They all set their food down on counters around the oven. "Where's Rose and Danny?" Josie asks.
My phone dings and I read the text message. "Danny and Tony just picked up Anna and will be here in a few minutes." I say.
"Who texted you?"
"Tony."
"Well, where's Rose?"
"She's riding with her family here." Toby says. "They should be here soon."
"How old is Rose?" Samuel asks.
"Twenty-one."
"And you're how old?" Jason asks.
"I turned twenty-five in January."
"You were kinda illegal when you started dating weren't you?"
"Yeah, but we grew up together so it's not like her father didn't know who I was."
"Oh." It's not long before Danny, Tony, Anna, Rose, and her family show up. Danny, Tony, and Anna set their food with the others and Anna's father sets a few bags of chips down.
"I thought I said you didn't have to bring anything, Jack." Toby says.
"Yeah you did. But I still brought something."
"You know how hard headed he is Toby." Rose says.
"That must be where you get it from." He says as he wraps his arm around Rose's waist. She hits him on the chest and he laughs. He leans down and kisses her head. Rose walks up to me and sits on me. "Why do you constantly do this?" I ask.
She shrugs. "Why not?
"Because you're sitting on me."
She slides off of me onto the sectional. "This thing is comfortable."
"I know it is. That'd be why I bought it."
"What money did you use to buy it anyway?"
"Grandmother has an account for me that they've been saving for years."
"Oh. Okay."
There's a knock on the door and Toby goes to answer it. "Rose. Justin, Eliza, and Maxi are here." Rose jumps up and runs to the people. She hugs all of them then leads them in. "Is this your place?" The boy asks.
"No. It's a friend's house. Lavender, this is Justin, Eliza, and Maxi. We all went to high school together." I nod.
"It's nice to meet you. Make yourselves at home." They all look the same age as Rose, which makes sense. Justin has short black hair and brown eyes. He is built. Eliza has a petite frame and has long blonde hair that stops at her mid back and green eyes. Maxi has an average build and has brown, curly hair that stops at her shoulders and hazel eyes. They all nod. Not long after them, another group of people walk in. Toby walks with them to me. "How do you afford this place?" A guy says to Toby.
"It's not my place."
"Whose is it?"
"Lavender's."
"Who's Lavender?"
I stand up and walk to them. "Hey. I'm Lavender."
There are two guys and one girl. One of the guys, the one with hair that has a red tint stops everything he is doing. "Hey." He says. "I'm Jake. This is Mason and Maddie."
"It's nice to meet you." Mason has dirt blonde hair and green eyes and Maddie is kind of tall and has long brown and blonde hair and hazel eyes. "I mean it guys, behave." Toby says.
"We will man. Relax."
Toby looks at them. "You better."
There's a knock on the door. "I'll go get it." I say. I walk off and answer the door. The person that is there, surprises me. "Jesse?" I say surprised.
I feel someone looking at me and turn to look into the kitchen and see Danny and Tony looking confused. "Lavender? What are you doing here?"
"It's my place."
"You're Toby's friend?"
"How do you know Toby?"
"He's my step brother."
"You're the step brother! I understand now. Where are your parents?"
"Parking their car."
"Well, I guess come in." I move aside for him to come inside. As soon as he sees Tony and Danny hanging on each other he freezes. I lean in to him to whisper to him. "Relax. We aren't going to out you."
He turns and looks at me. "How do I know that?"
"We could've done it already if we were going to."
"True..."
"Go get something to eat." I say motioning towards the kitchen.
I see Anna watching him and I motion for her to come here. "Yes?" She says.
"Be nice."
"But-"
"Be. Nice."
"Alright." She huffs and walks off. A man and a woman that looks like Toby with blonde hair walks up. "You must be Toby and Jesse's parents?" I ask.
"Yes. And who are you?" The man asks. Wow. He doesn't even recognize me.
"Lavender Blaine. I'm a mutual friend of them both." I say smiling.
The man looks at me. "I thought you were broke." He says. Now he recognizes me.
"Nope. I actually have family that lives not far from you." I move out of the way and they walk in.
"The police chief is here?"
"Sure is. He's Rose's father. Why don't you go talk to him?"
They walk off and I roll my eyes. Toby walks up. "What do you think?"
"I think I know them."
"Really? How?"
"Long story."
"So you know how much of a judgmental ass my step father is?"
"I do."
I walk up to Lyric and wrap my arms around his waist. He turns and faces me. "Hey love."
"Hey."
"Are you hungry? I fixed a couple plates of food." I take a plate from him.
"Thank you."
"There's something I want to ask you." I hear Toby say. I smile. He knees down in front of Rose. "Oh my god." She says covering her mouth. Everyone is watching now.
"Rose, will you marry me? I want to spend the rest of eternity with you and your absolute craziness."
Rose looks to me and I nod. "Yes!" She says. Toby stands up, smiling and puts the ring on her hand. Rose jumps and hugs him. He picks her up and spins her. He sets her down. "Who all knew about this?" She asks him.
"Just me, your father, and Lavender."
"What?" She turns to me. "You hid this from me?"
I nod. "It killed me, but yeah. I did."
"I hate you."
I walk to her. "No you don't."
"Okay, you're right. I don't."
I smile and hug her. "Congrats."
"Thank you."
I hug Toby and he hugs me to him. "Thanks Lavender."
"It's no problem."
Jesse walks up. "Hey, Lavender, Can we talk?"
"Yeah. Sure."
Toby watches him. "Relax Toby. He won't try anything."
"He better not."
I lead Toby back to my bedroom. "What's up Jes?"
He sits on the bed. "I...uh...told my parents last night..."
"What?"
He nods sadly. "My father disowned me. I'm living with James right now... I almost didn't come cause I knew they were coming, but I am trying to fix everything I ever fucked up and Toby and mine's relationship is one of those things."
"Jesse. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. I just couldn't live with the lying to myself anymore."
"Well, I'm proud of you because of that."
"Thanks." Tony walks in.
He sees Jesse on the verge of tears. "Is something wrong?"
"He told his parents last night and his father disowned him."
"That's messed up. They are actually leaving."
"Good. They need to." Jesse says.
I pull Jesse up from the bed and hug him. "It'll be okay."
He starts crying. I hear Tony close the door. "How do you know?"
"I don't, but you got to hope." I smile. "I was told that by someone I care for once and he was right. Everything eventually gets better Jesse. You just got to keep pushing through."
He leans up and Tony hands him some tissue. "Thank you." He wipes his face. "I don't know why you're being so nice to me..."
"We were friends before anything else, Jes."
"So were we." Tony says.
"No matter what happens, we do still care about you. That's why we did what we did. We wanted you to see that living like you were wasn't healthy. For anyone."
"I appreciate it."
There's a knock on the door and Danny walks in. "What's going on?"
"I'll tell you later." Tony says.
"You guys go ahead back to the party. I got to get a few things from back here."
"Need any help?" Danny says.
"No."
"Alright." They all walk out and I go into my closet to get Rose's birthday gift. Someone starts the music in the living room and I smile. I start searching through my stuff. Where did I put it? There's a knock on the wall and I jump. "Ugh!" I hit my head on the shelf in my closet. "Crap." I crawl out rubbing my head.
"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." Jake says.
"It's okay."
"What are you doing back here?"
"Trying to find the gift I got Rose, but I have too much stuff. Ah! Found it!" I stand up with the multicolored box.
"What did you get her?"
"A couple new books."
"That's cool." I go to walk out of the room and he blocks me. "Can I get through?"
He shakes his head and closes the door and locks it. "No. I think not."
"Let me out." I say.
He smiles and pushes me onto the bed. I drop the box and he climbs on top of me. "Get off of me!"
"I think not. And they can't hear you." He smiles and trails his hand up my leg and pushes my pants and underwear down. "Stop!" I try to hit him and he holds my hands above me.
"Uh huh. No hitting. God, you're beautiful." He starts kissing my neck. He bites my neck roughly and I scream out. He starts to roughly go in and out of me and I start crying. "Lav?" I hear from the other side of the door. I can hear Lyric trying to open the door, but failing.
"Lyr!" I hear running down the hall and then multiple people banging on my door. "Move." I hear Toby say. A few seconds later, Toby has broken the door down and has pulled Jake off of me. He slams into the floor and punches him multiple times. He then drags him out of the room. "All three of you. Out!" I hear him yell. Lyric runs in and helps me put some new pants on. I grab him and he holds me. I hear the door slam and Toby walks back in. "Lavender?" He sits on my bed and I crawl to him. "Are you okay?"
"No..."
"Did he?"
"Y-yes..."
"She needs to go to a hospital." I hear Rose's father say.
"Come on. I'll take you." Toby picks me up. "Stay here and get everything cleaned up. I'll text you any info." He says to Lyric.
"Alright."
Toby takes me to his car and we go towards the hospital.
Toby
Lavender and I are in the hospital room. The cops came and got her statement and a rape kit was sent off. We are still here in order to make sure Jake didn't do any more damage than the obvious. She is asleep in my lap on the hospital bed. She wouldn't let me sit in the chair. My phone starts ringing and I answer it. I see the number is Mason. "What?"
"Maddie and I had no idea he would try something like that. We only gave him a ride."
I sigh. "Yeah... I guess I overreacted with throwing all three of you out... Sorry..."
"It's okay. Is she alright?"
"We're at the hospital waiting on results. Did the cops come get Jake?"
"Yes. Well, actually we took him to them. Maddie and I really have changed and we thought he did."
"Well, apparently he didn't. I would've killed him if Jack wouldn't have been there."
"I know and I don't blame you. She seemed like a good kid."
"She is." I run my hand through Lavender's hair. "She's been through enough without Jake fucking it up even more."
"What is she to you?"
"She's kind of like the little sister I never got. She started off as Rose's best friend."
"How did they meet?"
"She's the deejay at the club."
"Well, tell her I'm sorry about Jake."
"I will. There's probably going to be a hearing. Will you come if there is?"
"Yeah. I will definitely be there. Just keep us updated."
"I will."
He hangs up and the doctor walks in. "The tests came back normal. She has no diseases or anything."
I nod. "Thank you."
"She's going to more than likely be kind of shut down for a while, so be patient."
"I know."
He nods and walks out. I gently shake Lavender. "Come on. We can go home."
"Okay... Toby?" She says quietly.
"Yes Lavender?"
"Why does this keep happening to me?"
I sigh. "I don't know kid. I wish I did, but I don't." I hate this. I feel like this is my fault... If I wouldn't have invited Jake, this wouldn't have happened.
"What did the doctor say?"
"Everything came back normal."
She nods. "Can we go?"
"Of course." I stand up and we go out to my car and go back to her apartment. She falls asleep on the ride there so I pick her up and carry her inside. "Lay her on the bed. I changed the sheets." Lyric says as I walk in. I walk her back to the room and carefully lay her on the bed and cover her up. I walk back to the living room and sit on the couch with Rose. "Stop blaming yourself." She says.
I smile slightly at how well she knows me. "I was the one that invited him. Why wouldn't I blame myself?"
"Babe..."
I grab her hand and intertwine my fingers with hers. "I love you."
"I love you." She says. She glances at the ring. "Where did you get this ring?"
"It was my grandmother's. My father's mother."
"It's beautiful. I love it."
"It fits you."
She smiles. I love moments like this that are calm and quiet. It gives me a glance of the quiet girl that Rose used to be. The girl I fell in love with originally. I'm not saying that I don't love the girl she has become, I just miss the quiet and innocent Rose that I knew most days. If that Rose would've met this one, she would be absolutely terrified.
A/N: So I am going to make this story into a series. I only see there being between 5 & ten more chapters left of this maybe a little more. I already have one chapter done for the second book and its cover. Under this, I will post a sneak of the chapter and you can let me know what you think!
-JBG
Here is the Sneak peak:
Toby
Drugs and alcohol. Two things I thought I would never be surrounded by as much as I am. I sigh as my friend, Jake takes another hit of whatever drug he is smoking this time. "You sure you don't want any Toby?" he says extending what is in his hand out to me.
"I'm positive. You know I don't do that."
He shrugs then continues to smoke it. I sigh and stand up. "I'm going home."
"What? Why?" Mason asks.
"I got an exam tomorrow." I say lying. I just can't be around this any longer.
"Alright."
I walk out of the run down house. I don't even know why I still hang out with them... Probably because my only other friend is a freshman at my school and doesn't have time to hang out much because she watches her younger sister and brother every evening. I get in my car and head towards my father's house where I live. I get out of the car and see the lights are still on next door. I walk over and knock on the door. I smile at the girl who answers the door. "Can I come in?"
"Of course." My best friend, Rose says as she moves aside. Rose is fifteen and has blonde hair that goes to her shoulder blades and green eyes. She has a small figure. I wave as I walk past the living room where her father is. I make my way upstairs to her room. I throw myself on the bed and groan. I feel the bed move as she lays on top of me like usual. I don't know when exactly this started, but it's been a thing she does every time I come into her room. Especially if I lay on her bed.
"What's wrong Toby?"
"I need new friends."
She laughs quietly. "What happened this time?"
"The usual. More drugs, alcohol, and sex. It was worse."
"Why do you hang out with them?" I go to move to turn over and Rose moves. I turn over on my back and she crawls next to me and sits down and looks down at me.
"I don't know... They used to be so easy to hang out with. There was never any drugs or anything involved. I guess I just feel bad if I even think of possibly ditching them."
"Toby, this isn't healthy...Even for you. You can get second hand from everything they do. And they could want to go driving or something and you end up killed." I sigh and wrap my arms around her waist as I lay in her lap. "I mean it."
"I know. I know..."
"And if a bust happens and you're there you can go to jail with them. Even with my father being who he is. He won't be able to get you out this time."
I sigh as I remember the last time Rose's father, Jack had to get me out of being sent to jail. I was with Mason, Jake, and Maddie. They were going to meet their dealer and took me along. They did not inform me as to what we were doing. All I know is one minute I'm standing there waiting on them and the next we are all in a fight. The cops got called, Jack ended up being there, saw me and pulled me to the side. The other cop on the scene wanted to take me in, but Jack told me that he knew I wasn't one of those kids so he took me home. Never told my father and still hasn't to this day. "I know Rose." That was about a year ago.
"Show me what you're working on?" She says looking down to me and touching my head.
"Yeah. Okay." I stand up and take my flash drive out of my pocket. I put it in her computer and pull up the new music file I have. I play it and she smiles.
"I like it." I am trying to get into deejaying.
"Thanks. Michelle says she may be able to get me into a club for a gig next weekend."
"That's awesome!"
I smile. "That's only if my grades are okay." Michelle is my step mother. She used to deejay years ago. She was really good and she thinks I could be too.
"How long have her and your father been married?"
"Eight years."
"That's awesome."
I nod and lay back on her bed and listen to the music I am playing. "So are there any guys that I need to worry about hurting if they hurt you yet?"
"No. Probably won't be anytime soon."
"Why do you say that?"
"I don't really talk to any guys aside from you and Justin."
"Why not?"
"I freeze when I go to talk to anyone other than you, Justin, Eliza, and Maxi."
"We really need to get you out of that."
"Probably not gonna happen any time soon...So what did you tell them so you could leave?"
"That I had an exam tomorrow."
"And they believed you?"
"Yep."
"Don't they have all the same classes as you?"
"Yeah, but they don't show up half the time so they wouldn't know if I did or not."
"How did they manage to get into the advanced classes?"
"They are really smart. Or used to be. They just get bored, which is why they started doing the things they do."
"That's a shame."
"I know." The door swings open and Rose's ten year old sister and five year old brother come running in. Haley runs towards me and Dean runs towards Rose. I pick Haley up and sit her on my lap. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"
"Mom said we could come say night before we go to sleep."
"Well, goodnight Hay bug."
She smiles and kisses my cheek then runs over to her sister. Dean walks over to me and I pick him up. "Are you coming to tell us night too?"
"Yes." He says hugging me then kissing my other cheek.
Rose stands up while still holding Haley. "Let's put them to bed."
I stand up and carry Dean to his bedroom. I lay him on his bed and over him up then kiss his forehead. "Go to sleep little man."
"Night Toby." He says tiredly. He turns over on his side and falls asleep. I walk to the next room where Rose is putting Haley to bed. I lean against the doorway and watch her. She's really good with her little siblings. She's going to make an amazing mother one day and any guy would be lucky to have her as a wife. She turns around and sees me standing there then smiles. She walks to the doorway and closes the door quietly as we walk out. She's such a good person and she's beautiful. But she doesn't flaunt it like every other girl I know. I have kind of had feelings for her for a while and no one knows. I don't want to ruin the best and longest friendship I've ever had so I don't say anything.
"I should probably get home."
"Alright. I'll be over tomorrow morning before school like.'
So what do you guys think??? Comment and let me know what you think.