A/N: Mm…skittles…music…ice cream. This is heaven for writing. Also, just for certain plot reasons, Joshua is only one year younger than Rosette but passes into the same grade.
Disclaimer: I don't own CC blah blah. Same as first chapter.
Warning: Just in case I get in trouble for stuff that I didn't rate already. Also, in case you didn't get this in the first chapter, characters will be ooc for now so they can grow into the people you guys know so well and love (smiles)
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Chapter 2: Ill Fated Meeting
Present day San Francisco…
A flutter of shades flashed as the sheer surface gave way to the sun's rays. Vivid white blinded passersby as the ends of the habit flapped through the air on the way back around the girl's leg. The swing swung back like a pendulum, tossing her bright golden blond locks around her face. She smiled dazzlingly at the crowd of men around her, making sure to take note that they were "donating" to her accomplices a little distance away. It was a holiday for the church and they were celebrating who knows what, but Rosette Christopher didn't care. All the tourism was earning them some much needed spending money and whether it was against the rules or not, it wasn't as if they were hurting anyone. Continuing to smile, she floated onto cloud nine thinking about how much they had made already until the screech of a whistle snapped her back to reality.
"ROSETTE! Come on!" yelled a blond boy. "Let's get out of here!"
Unprepared, Rosette tripped off the swing. The tall boy and the redhead girl with whom Rosette had brought along were hurriedly stuffing their souvenirs and earnings into a case. Rosette squeezed her little brother's hand for a moment before she dashed off into the opposite direction from the others.
"Hey you! Stop right there!" yelled the security guard.
"Why me?!" Rosette thought, as he ran after her.
In a panicked state, Rosette skidded, rounding the corner, hoping to lose her pursuer. The guard turned the corner more expertly than she, allowing him to close the gap by a few feet. Ahead of the two were a group of children playing jump rope. Unthinkingly, Rosette tried to lose the guard by jumping through the double dutch, like she used to as a kid, only to trip spectacularly into the ground. Everyone stopped and stared as she pushed herself off the ground. She wiped the dirt off her face and when she pulled it away, there dripped the wet feeling of blood on her fingers.
"Shit!" she cursed in frustration.
Quickly, she wiped the majority of the oozing blood on her sleeve, jumped to her feet, and ran off again. The guard gave chase yet again. Rosette ran straight for the wall ahead, grabbed onto the ledge, and heaved herself over the top…
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…and he landed on the ground. The boy looked up and saw seven other guys in the same uniform as him rolling over the wall. He turned and sprinted up the street. He dodged between parked cars and electricity poles.
"You're fucking dead, punk!" roared the tallest of the pursuers. "Hey!"
The boy in front turned the corner, his long, violet, braided hair whipping out and following his lead. He pushed harder on his legs when he felt grabbing hands at the back of his jacket. Another turn to the right and he found himself trapped at a dead end alleyway. The seven gangly boys behind him stopped, wheezing. The leader looked up at the strange boy staring at him and pointed menacingly.
"Y-You…," he panted, "Did you think we'd let you go…after you beat up one of our brothers, huh Chrono?!"
Chrono smirked.
"Hey, I'm going to San Francisco in just a few days," he shrugged. "At least let me go peacefully."
Leeringly, the guy gave Chrono a look that could match his as well. He took a step forward and tapped his cheek.
"Come. Hit me, why don't you?" he dared. "Hit me just like you did to our friend."
Chrono rolled his eyes to the sky and sighed.
"I tried to live peacefully…" He stepped towards them.
"Quit playing around." The tall boy turned and nodded his head towards the calm teenager. "Get him."
They rushed at him; one swung wildly and blindly, the others more precise. Chrono ducked and turned this way and that, thwarting each blow from below or behind. It was obvious which side was going to end up going home on clutches. Frustrated, the leader of the falling pack bent down and picked up a fist size rock. He swung back his arm and threw it in a way worthy of a homerun pitch. Chrono froze, barely turning around to see it smash into the wall a few inches to the left of his head.
That was it.
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"What?! Don't lie to me."
"I'm NOT. I'm telling you the truth."
"Jesus Christ! How can you not know? You were there!"
The police office lounge was chilly. A student sat slumped in his chair, arms crossed defiantly, facing an authority figure. He clicked his tongue. He was about to sit up to talk back when the door to the large room opened and in ran Chrono followed by a much older man blocked by a heavily bedizened woman and restrained by a younger man. The self-possessed man was waving a menacing baton, trying to free himself from the other two.
"Y-YOU PUNK! You transferred here only three weeks ago and you already caused more trouble!" he screamed.
"Sir!"
His assistant tried to hold back his constant pushes. Terrified, Chrono jumped over a table as the others struggled around the numerous desks. The woman was obviously trying to cover the boy as he ducked to dodge the precarious stick.
"H-H-Honey…Please stop. He's going to be transferring to San Francisco in a week." she pleaded. "Can't we just let this go?"
"Let it go?" he yelled at his wife. He glared at Chrono. "What is the point in fighting criminals all the time, and even receiving an honorary award from the president…when my own son just makes trouble and ruins it all?"
The constable was shaking with anger.
"Chrono Wolken, nobody doesn't know about you," he spat. "When he gets to San Francisco, just how much more trouble is he going to stir up, huh?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Chrono explained. "I'm not going. I'll stay here in New York by myself."
"…WHAT?"
Mr. Wolken tossed the baton into the air and caught it from a different angle. Cranking back his arm, he chucked the stick like a spear right for his son's head. Chrono jumped out of the way as the tinkling sound of glass shattered behind him. He looked behind him and saw his dad's award in pieces. He looked back fearfully to see his dad's reaction. Oh god. He was so dead.
"CHRONOOO!!"
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"So you're forced to go there?"
"Yea, my dad almost killed me but I survived somehow," sighed Chrono.
He sat there with two of his friends on each side of him. It was nighttime in the park and they each held a can of soda. Chrono leaned forward onto his knees.
"What about Mary then? That one girl you can't seem to live without," one asked.
His other friend looked over Chrono at the first. "It's unrequited love though, isn't it?"
"Then…it could be out of sight, out of mind."
"Hm…why don't you just propose to her, Chrono?"
Chrono looked up, seriously considering it.
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It was late. Chrono paced back and forth in front of Mary's house.
"Mary, I won't consider you as a sister now because you are my woman…" he recited.
He shook his head. Ugh. This wouldn't do but it was better than nothing, he knew. He looked down and opened his palms revealing a locket with a picture of a pretty blond. Suddenly, he heard the rumble of a car pulling up. He stood back behind the bushes and waited, watching. A slightly older man stepped out of the car and walked around to the other side to open the door. Out stepped a gorgeous light-blond girl. Mary was dressed nicely in a dress topped with a light jean jacket. He continued to watch as the guy proceeded to hug her. Chrono looked away, squeezing the locket in his hands.
Chrono rode his sleek motorbike down the street at high speed, tears streaming down his cheeks, hidden by his slightly tinted helmet. He just didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that she was taken right from under his nose. He'd stuck with her since middle school, and yet, she seemed so out of reach. There was just no chance now…
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Rosette rode her bike down the row of houses, swaying unsteadily each time she reached into her bag to fetch another bundle of newspapers. She tossed the papers from side to side with ease and familiarity. Eventually, the sun peeked over the horizon, and by then, Rosette had finished her morning duty and opened the door to the dingy little apartment she called home. Mrs. Christopher sat at the dinner table sipping a bowl of soup.
"Ah, done already, Rosette?" her mother asked.
"Mm hm," Rosette nodded in response.
"Sit down, sit down." Her mother beckoned her to take a seat.
"Why?"
"You know…Mom needs to pay the rent again," she said. "Could you give me 1200?"
She looked at her daughter and smiled acquisitively.
"Mom, how could be greedy over your own daughter's hard earned money?" Rosette tsked.
"Don't be stingy! You' call yourself a daughter but you can't even give your mother the money?" she snapped.
Rosette stared hard at her mom. Then, she grinned.
"Fine then."
She pulled out an envelope from her bag and counted out the money before she slid it over to her mother. Her mom put down the spoon and eagerly fingered the bills. Rosette looked at her smiling and thought to herself. She finally pulled out another twenty and put it under her mom's nose.
"I'm in a good mood today," she said. "Go buy something good to eat."
They beamed at each other for a moment. Rosette then closed her back and began to stand up. School was going to start soon.
"Well, I'm going now."
"Be careful."
"Yea."
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Over at Magdalan High, students were constantly graded according to their performance and tests, but not so much the work that they do. Now many people who didn't go to this school wouldn't know since she didn't look it, but Rosette was especially smart and studied hard, even though she wasn't as fond of it as many would come to think. That's why, as unbelievable as it may be, she always pulled first place on everything she did…that is, until today.
Students were milling around and getting ready to go to class. Rosette's pretty, heeled redhead friend walked over to the ranking board. She scanned the top of the list and gasped. It read:
1. Azmaria Hendric
2. Rosette Christopher
3. …
…and so on.
"Rosette's not first anymore?" she thought to herself.
She strode into the all-girls classroom where Rosette sat with her head in her arms.
"Hey Rosette," she said.
"What…," Rosette mumbled back.
"You know, it's annoying to see someone first cry because they got second place," she sneered.
Rosette didn't answer.
"Hey…" She shook her shoulder.
Rosette snored. The girl crossed her arms and smiled contentedly.
"Ooh, keep sleeping," she said, letting go of her friend's shoulder. "But wipe up your drool first at least."
Looking up dazed, Rosette lazily wiped her mouth and lay her head back down.
"Good girl."
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A glossy, black car sped along the highway followed by an enormous U-Haul truck. Inside the car, Mrs. Wolken leaned in towards her husband and whispered anxiously.
"Honey," she said, her voice sugary," I wonder if they have any good golf courses here."
Chrono, who sat in the front passenger seat, crossed his arms, slouched in his seat, and rolled his eyes at his mother's words.
"Quit talking nonsense," snapped Mr. Wolken.
The car continued to pass through the borderline to California. After a few hours, it finally came to a stop in front of the official police headquarters where Mr. Wolken was greeted honorably by his underlings. After the reception party, the Wolkens arrived at their new home. It was a comfortable two-story house situated at the corner of a quiet street. It had a private gate which led to an inner courtyard, almost like a backyard.
Inside, Mrs. Wolken held a picture frame in her hands, looking around the walls for an appropriate place to put it. She turned around to search the opposite wall for a spot when she noticed the man helping them unpack tossing things out of a box and onto the couch. He was about to chuck a thin, red, velvet box when she drop the picture frame and lunged for the box. She hugged onto it tightly and glared at the helper.
"How could you…our family pride…," she said angrily.
"S-Sorry, ma'am."
Mrs. Wolken carried the box over to a little nook area and set it down, moving everything else out of the way. She opened the box in a timid manner, revealing her husband's plaque. It now sported visible cracks and occasional tape over the entire surface.
"Oh my, oh my…," she whispered, wiping at the surface. "It's damaged everywhere…"
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Chrono walked along the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, looking from side to side. He did very well not to hide his evident look of boredom.
"God, this city is pathetic."
He kicked a rock into the street as he passed a huge board map of San Francisco. Stopping, Chrono backed up and looked the map up and down. He spotted a little park area right across the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Golden Gate Bridge.
Mary would like that.
He looked at the tiny symbol indicating the location of the bridge.
Yea, she'd definitely like to see it.
About fifteen minutes later, Chrono stepped off the bus and looked around him. Not bad, he thought, not bad at all. As he strolled along the walkway, he pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. After setting it to camera mode, he began to take random pictures and putting captions on them.
"Hey sis" one said.
"How r u?" another said.
"It's nice here in SF, don't u think?"
Chrono smiled to himself sadly as he sent them one at a time.
It'd be nicer if you were here with me…
He took a deep breath to release some of the strain on his heart and continued walking towards the bay area near the gates to the park. It was closer than he expected. The bridge was enormous.
Elsewhere, Rosette walked up to the wall of the park and measured the height with her eyes. She had just come from school and as usual, in order to make it to work on time and cheaply, she had to jump the gates illegally. After throwing her backpack over, Rosette walked back a few paces and hikes up her sleeves and flattened out her skirt. She did a few pumps in her knees, and then…she was off. Rosette ran towards the wall, and with both hands, she clung onto the wall as her toes dug into the ridges allowing her to push herself fully over the top. Unfortunately, she pushed too hard and tripped on her way over.
Chrono was just about to snap another picture when he heard a scream to his left. He quickly turned his head and saw nothing. It wasn't until then that he realized that the squeal wasn't coming from the left, but from above. He looked up in time to see a strange girl topple onto him.
Both Rosette and Chrono groaned. Rosette shook her head and looked down in surprise. Somehow, she managed to land on him in an awkward position. Chrono looked up confused and he tried to push himself up onto his elbows. He didn't notice that as he tried to get up, his thumb pushed the button meant for a perfect picture of the Golden Gate Bridge, but instead, created a Kodak moment…under Rosette's forbidden curtains.
Click.
Rosette looked down slowly as his hand emerged slowly from her skirt. His eyes widened at the playback. He looked up at Rosette.
She looked murderous.
Oh god, he thought.
End Chapter 2
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A/N: Well hope you guys liked it. I really have to stop procrastinating. Anyhow, very ooc in a way, yes? But I hope you guys won't mind eventually. Then again…Rosette. Smart? No way. Actually she IS pretty smart in many ways and hard working too. (Rosette fans should support this fact!)
