The girl begins to make some kind of painful noises that are actually on the list of the most unpleasing sounds I've heard. She takes her hood off, revealing big black eyes glowing under the lamppost. I shiver and Ross pulls me farther backwards.
"Ross.. stop being so rough. My foot hurts when you pull me like that. "
He isn't being the least bit gentle. I get it that he's scared here on the cemetery, at 2 am with some narcotic girl hanging around but he could at least pay attention.
His heart beat is fast and his movements uncontrolled. Ross' arms are tight around me and lifting me up when the unfamiliar person starts approaching us. Fear awakens inside me too and I bury my face into his neck.
"Take me back, please. ", my half drunken, half drugged self whispers into his ear.
Ross is stepping back slowly but doesn't have an intention to just run away as I planned. He's just staring at her and I am feeling uneasy.
Blondie seems petrified by the presence before him which stops him from getting away. I look at the girl who is now obviously closer to us, looking as if she saw a ghost.
What the hell is happening in my life? Why isn't Ross leaving this place and taking us somewhere safer?
I hit Ross' chest. "Ross, please let's go back to the dorms.."
My eyes scan his face when I don't get an answer. While staring up at him, I see tear stains clearly shining on his cheeks from the small light. I'm confused and don't know what to do. Is he that scared that he can't move, that he cried?
I feel a hand touch my leg and throw a quick glance back around so see the girl reaching out to us. My heart is now beating fast and I scrunch up my face in fear, almost starting to cry. Her horrendously sick face is giving me chills.
I yell into Ross face and push his shoulders while kicking the frightening human creature off. "Ross! Wake the hell up and take me back!"
As if just now hearing my voice, he breaks out of his little bubble and with trembling hands, squeezes me to his chest and turns around. He begins to quickly walk away, desperately hiding his face from my view. He doesn't want me to see. Is he that ashamed of his tears, or is it something else?
I don't question him now, just relax because we got away from that unpleasant encounter and are now getting into the car. Wait. This isn't Ross' car. It's Jasper's.
I look around, familiar faces spinning in my head.
"Hey guys. ", I mumble to Anna and Jasper who are sitting in the front seats.
"Are you alright? What were you doing here at this time of night?", Jasper worriedly asks.
I hang my head low, not answering. My hands are shaking as the engine starts and we drive away into the night.
I feel Ross' hand trembling over mine as he holds it tight. He's looking out the window and holding his face with his other hand.
"Are you okay?", I whisper to him as I snuggle close to his right side.
"Uh-huh. "
For the entire ride, I don't get any answers. Everything is silent and nothing moves besides Jasper's hands and legs that are making this car drive and Ross' hard jaw tightly clenching and relaxing from time to time.
A short while later, we arrive at campus feeling unfamiliar tension.
"I'll sleep with Lexi at her dorm. ", Anna announces as she picks up her stuff from her bed. Just pj's I guess. Why would she sleep with Lexi? She's got her own bed.
Ross is outside talking to Jasper. The door of our room is open so I take a glance at them. Ross' face is gloomy, mysterious and hard to read. His eyes hold this unexplainable horror.
That's when I hear Jasper gasp and raise his voice at him. "What? Why didn't you say that she was there when we picked up Laura? I could've taken her home too. "
"Selfish reasons. ", Ross emotionlessly answers.
"So you know Naomi? How come you're telling me just now? Damn it, Ross! Now I have to go back!", Jasper runs a hand through his hair frustrated.
Blondie's chin lowers. "I'm sorry. I really didn't want to be in the car with her. "
The guy before him looks surprised and somewhat hurt. "I get that she's intimidating but she's my sister, for Christ's sake. "
"I could care less about her looks. ", my boyfriend answers him.
Are they talking about the girl from the cemetery?
Jasper gives Ross a hard look before mentally giving up. "Okay. You will talk to me tomorrow and tell me what it is that kept you from letting me know she was there. I have to go get Rosalyn. "
Rosalyn? The woman mentioned that name, I recall.
"Who's Rosalyn?", I approach as I ask.
"My niece. ", Jasper answers shortly.
"Your sister has a kid?", I widen my eyes.
"I have to go. ", Jas mumbles and walks away.
I walk out of the room and after him, curious.
"Where is she?"
"With Lexi at Ross' dorm room. Lexi didn't know where her keys were. Go back to your room, Laura. You are not feeling well. ", Jasper scolds me, not even turning to look back as he turns the corner.
I walk after him on my unsteady feet and follow him up to the guys' section.
"Laura, where are you going? Your foot still isn't fully recovered and you are wondering around", Anna yells after me after she's picked up her stuff.
"To see who Rosalyn is. ", I say.
I hear the door locking and two footstep paces behind me. Very soon, quiet Ross and a very confused Anna are on my side. My foot is hurting but I can barely feel it under this alcohol and I manage to stumble upon Ross' room.
It's messy when we get inside, the familiar beds, desk, and window in there. Lexi is lying on a bed that was once Ethan's and there's a small girl asleep on Ross' bed. I shudder at the sight. They both look tortured and exhausted. Lexi has hiccups in her sleep.
"Come here, princess. ", Jasper gently picks up the little girl. Her eyes open slowly but she doesn't look aware of her surroundings.
"Is Ross okay?", she mumbles cutely.
I frown and look back at Ross. Why would she ask if he was okay? He seems distraught, not able to make a single blink with his eyes let alone some important decision.
I don't get the way he's been acting ever since he saw that woman.
Maybe he knows her.
"Yes. ", Jasper whispers and lays her head on his shoulder gently.
"Where are we going?", the girl I assume is Rosalyn speaks.
"To pick up mommy. ", Jas says and exits the room with a quick "Bye."
The girl's sleepy eyes meet mines as she passes by and I shiver. I turn to look at Ross but he avoids my gaze.
"I'll crash in here with her. We shouldn't carry her around in this state. ", Anna points at Lexi and looks at me. "Ethan came to the party. It didn't end well. "
My eyes are wide and I glance back at my black-haired drunk friend asleep on her ex's bed. Well, I guess that's why Anna wants to be with her.
"Ross, you sleep with Laura tonight. ", Anna throws the keys of our room at me while telling him.
"I gotta call Colton. ", Ross mumbles and takes out his phone.
"Why?"
"Kate. She's still at Jasper's place, all alone at the party. Something could happen. ", he walks out.
"Good night. ", I tell Anna who nods.
I stumble out of the room and into the dark hall, bumping directly into Ross' back.
"He isn't picking up. ", he puts the phone away into his pocket and squeezes his sweaty palm anxiously.
I stare at him for a good minute or two before speaking my mind.
"What's up with you?"
Ross is quiet, leading our way back to my room. I have trouble keeping up with his pace due to my injured leg. He's a few feet ahead of me and I am trying but fail to catch up. Is he running away?
"Fine. I can just walk to my room alone. ", I say and slow down, setting a comfortable pace for the injury.
Ross continues to walk faster, even though he doesn't have a key.
"You forgot that the key is in my hand. ", I let him know.
He stops in front of the familiar door and awaits there. I stumble upon him and unlock the door with my sloppy hands. Ross turns the doorknob and walks inside.
I'm all grumpy and a little angry at him because he won't meet my feelings and answer my questions. When I'm inside, I bump into his back again. His head is hanging low still and I close the door, locking it behind us. My eyes soften at his sad figure.
"I'm sorry. ", I say quietly. "Are you okay?"
He shakes his head no. My eyes are wide.
That's right. Maybe he's mad because I haven't congratulated him. I'm such a stupid idiot.
I slowly walk past him and light the room with a small lamp. After that, my hands grab the box from the corner and I shyly walk up to him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't say it earlier but..happy birthday, Ross. ", I hand it out to him.
That's the first time I get to see his until now hidden eyes. He's been weeping for some reason. He looks sad and broken but cracks up a small smile, grabbing the box from me. I'm confused with his feelings, and I don't know how to act around him.
Ross puts down his present, not even opening it and my heart is beating fast in my chest. I feel lightheaded.
"You always do the right things in the wrong time. ", he walks up to me and to my surprise, puts a hand on the top of my head.
I stare up at him intensively. I don't know what I did wrong besides not letting him know where I was but he knew that too. He knows me now. That's why he managed to be at the cemetery in the exact time he should.
"Sorry, I.."
He gives me a small but sincere smile, wrapping his other arm around my waist. "Idiot. I like it. "
To my surprise, Ross' lips make contact with the top of my head, kissing my hair. He hugs me close to him and I relieve in this very moment. I feel tiny in his huge embrace, protected by his strength and height, even though I just saw him shattering before me a minute ago.
"Ross?", I call for his presence as my head rests on his chest. He strokes my hair from behind.
"I was worried about you. ", he admits sadly.
How do I answer him? I am such a shitty person, making him constantly worry over me. I keep quiet. He continues.
"I know you took the pills, Laur. ", Ross pulls away and stares down at me. I feel my soul getting naked for him as his gaze pushes through the depths of my eyes. "Why do you do it?"
I shiver and look away. "I don't know. I just suddenly get this anxiety and my heart beats really fast. That's when I need them to calm down. "
He stares at me blankly. "How do I get you to stop? How do I help you? "
I don't know that either. I'm confused with this huge care for me that's coming from him. I am still not used to it. I don't know how to respond to his feelings.
"It was her. ", he whispers. "Seeing you there next to her... It hurt me. I don't want you taking that path. I don't want you to meet her. I don't want you to become like that. "
His words stab right through me. Aside from mixed emotions, I realize that he must be speaking about the girl from the cemetery.
Just like that, the pieces fit and the puzzle comes together in my head. Earlier, Jasper was nagging him for leaving his sister back there and Ross was saying he couldn't be in the same car with her. Jasper's niece is that little Rosalyn girl, and the woman from the cemetery mentioned a girl named Rosalyn. It makes sense now.
Jasper's sister is Naomi Gibson, the girl from Ross' story. His ex-girlfriend.
°°°°°°°°°°°°
Heeey. Vote and comment for me, will you?
The mystery of a child is still not solved but hey, be patient.
By the way, Rosie is a cute even though she went through shit and is going to go through it. I already love her and can't wait to introduce her character in the more happy scenes.
As for Naomi.. well...idk. you're gonna have to wait to see who she is.
See ya!