Chapter 1
"Rose you better get up before your late for school" I heard my grandfather yell from downstairs. I unwillingly got out of my bed and said "I'm up grandpa." I sighed and quickly got my clothes and went to take a warm shower. I couldn't wait to get to school today, people call me absolutely crazy for loving school, but I can't help it's something I enjoy. I put on a nice white blouse along with a matching skirt with flowing roses for the design.
When I got downstairs I saw grandpa in the kitchen reading a newspaper. He put the paper down and smiled and said "Happy Birthday Rosie." "Thanks Grandpa" I said giving him a big hug. Grandpa got up and put his hands on my shoulders and said "I can't believe your 16 already Rosie, it feels like just yesterday you were a baby and now your 16 and have your license." "Now your making me feel old" I said laughing. "Come outside I have a surprise for you." grandpa said. "What is it" I asked curiously. "It's a surprise, now close your eyes." I rolled my eyes and did what I was told. I felt him grabbed my arm and lead me outside. "Ok open your eyes" he said excitedly. I opened my eyes and gasped in shocked at seeing a brand new shiny blue Volvo. "No way are you serious" I asked still in shocking looking at the beautiful vehicle. I turned around and hug him and said "Thank you, Thank you." Grandpa just laughed and said "You deserve the best sweetie, now here are the keys, you better get to school." When he put the keys in my hands, I felt so grown up.
When I parked in the school's parking lot I saw people giving me envious glances at my new vehicle. "Dude Rose sweet ride" my best friend Susie said. "My grandpa gave it to me for my birthday" I said as we were walking into the school. "Not fair all my grandparents get me for my birthday is savings bonds, man I wish I was as rich as you." By this time we stopped at our lockers to get our stuff for first period. "I may be rich, but my grandpa makes me work for my money." Susie chuckled and said "Doesn't stop him from spoiling you though." I just laughed and said "Shut up, lets just get to class."
The rest of the day consisted of people wishing me a happy birthday and telling me how lucky I was to have such a rich grandpa. I might have such a lovingly grandfather, but the one thing I don't have, that most of my friends have is parents. My grandpa told me when I was little my parents had died in a house fire while he was out with me for the day. Not even a single photo survived, but he always told me how much I looked like my mother, with the straight black hair, to the green eyes. I really wished I could've met them, I mean I love my grandfather, but I want to know what it's like to have a mother and a father, a parents love. "Earth to Rose are you listening" Susie said sitting next to me at lunch. "Sorry daydreaming again" I said chuckling. "For a girl with straight A's you sure do daydream a lot" our other friend Grace said. "Oh hahaha, now what we're you saying" I asked." "Tomorrow you should come shopping with us and we'll take you out to dinner for your birthday" Grace said. I wasn't sure about going, but something in my gut told me to. "Yea why not I could always use a new outfit" I said biting into my apple. "So you going to give your best friends in the whole wide world a ride home that sick ass car of yours" Susie asked grinning. I rolled my eyes and said "Yes I would love to give my two bests friends in the whole world a ride home in my new car." "Yes" they both said in unison and high fived each other.
After dropping Grace off, I was on my way to drop Susie off at her house. "Hey you ok Rose, you seemed out of it today" Susie asked. "Yea I'm fine" I said, but I wasn't sure if I convinced her or not. As soon as I parked in front of her house she turned to me and said "Rose you can tell me anything you know that right." I sighed and said "It might sound stupid, but for some reason I can't get my mind off my parents." "It's not stupid Rose, I mean you lost your parents when you were young and don't have no memories of them. Honestly even though not many people know it, you've had it rough more than some people." I felt tears coming down my eyes. "It even makes it harder because there's absolutely no photographs of them or any mementos left of them" I said wiping away the tears. Susie pulled me into a hug and said "I know and no matter what happens I will always be there for you." "Thank you" I said hugging her back.
For the rest of the day Grandpa and I just hung around the house we watched some old movies on TV, I played the piano from him, which he taught me himself, and had a nice dinner followed by a birthday cake. Then as I was laying down getting ready for bed, a knock was at my door. "Come in" I said. Grandpa walked in and had a box in his hand. "Grandpa you didn't need to get me anything else, I think the car was enough" I said chuckling. He sat the edge of the bed and said "It's not something I bought, I've had it for a long time, but I believe now is the time I give it to you." He handed me the box and I opened it very carefully because whatever it was must be important. When I opened it up I saw a necklace shaped like a circle with leaf shaped symbols intersecting with one another in the middle, and at the very bottom there we're the initials JA. "It's a necklace that's suppose to bring you protection no matter what" Grandpa answering my unspoken question. "It looks old how long have you had it" I asked examining it closely. "It belong to your mother" he said. My eyes widened in shocked and said "Really." Grandpa smiled softly at me, while tears ran down my eyes. "But Grandpa if this is my mother's, why is her last initial A I know her name is Judith, but my last name is Owens." Grandpa shrugged a little and said "Because you were born before your mother married Michael Aarons, so you had gotten her maiden name." "Thank you grandpa it really means a lot" I said putting the necklace on. Grandpa then put his hands on my shoulders and said "Rosie you know I love you right." I nodded and said "Yea why." His face went from calm and relaxed, to almost frightening. "Don't you ever forget that Rose Angel Owens, that everything that I've done has been to protect you." I just nodded my head trying to understand what he was meant by that because he's making it sound like this was the last time I would ever see him. Grandpa then kissed my cheeked and left the room. I wondered what that was about, but my mind quickly drifted away from him and I clutched the necklace around my neck thinking I finally have a piece of my mother with me.