Rose opened her eyes, sunlight filled the apartment. Sitting up she yawned and stretched.
Was it really morning already? She thought to herself. Memories of last night flooded into her mind. There was one thing Rose liked about mornings, the fact that just for a few moments she could forget the arguments ever happened, pretend that everything was ok. As she tried to stand up pain winced through her neck and back.
"Ouch," She mumbled as she dragged herself off the uncomfortable couch. She pulled her cardigan round herself tighter and ran a hand through her messy hair, which was falling from its pony tail. Rose went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She leant against the counter and stared into the back yard. Birds skipped around collecting twigs from the ground and fluttering back up to the tree.
Rose closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
Jack came behind her and wrapped his arms round her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder and kissing her neck.
"You're so beautiful," He whispered.
Rose opened her eyes and put her hand on her neck where she could still feel the imaginary touch. Rose could feel the ghostly presence of Jack's hand round her waist. Back in the day, they couldn't keep their hands off each other and now it was like they were strangers.
She remembered when Jack first started his job; he would leave little notes around the apartment when he was gone. Telling Rose how much he loved and missed her. He didn't do that anymore. Rose picked at the thread on her cardigan; she hated being stuck here by herself. Cleaning up after Jack, trying to make the perfect home, even though there relationship was nowhere near perfect, not anymore anyway.
Rose smoothed the cushions on the couch, before going into the bedroom. The bed had been made, like Jack hadn't even slept in it. She knew he had come home, because she didn't remember putting a blanket over herself and his jacket was hanging up this morning. Rose stroked her hand over his pillow. She couldn't help but pick it up and held it close to her chest; she inhaled deeply before falling back onto the mattress.
"Good morning my angel," Jack smiled, stroking her cheek.
"I miss you Jack," She said sadly. "I miss how things were,"
"Hey, don't say that we're going to be fine," Jack smiled.
Rose was snapped back into the present, the familiar anger began to bubble up through her body again. She was tired of moping around all day, feeling sorry for herself while Jack would be at work with his friends, having a laugh no doubt going to the pub afterwards.
Rose stood up and got dressed. She didn't want to stay in the house today; she hated it staring at the same four walls day in day out. She would go see Ester; she hadn't paid a visit to her in a while. She flung on her coat and left the house.
As Rose walked down the street, she couldn't help but feel glum. She could never feel as terrible as what she did under her mother and Cal's control, but it was getting close to that. Jack and her they just fought all the time and she could feel herself beginning to snap one day.
Rose looked up at the clouds in the sky. Why can't things just go back to how they were? Rose thought to herself. She didn't see the person in front of her and next thing she knew she was on the floor.
"I do apologise Miss, here let me help you up. Are you ok?" The gentlemen asked holding out his hand to her. Rose let herself be pulled up.
"I should be the one apologising to you. It was me who wasn't paying attention," Rose explained brushing herself down.
"Well you did seem to have your head in the clouds. Or your eyes on them should I say," The man chuckled. Rose forced a smile back, before erupting into small giggles herself. She never had a chance to look at the man properly but he was quite handsome, probably middle class. He didn't seem too snobby, dark hair blue eyes. Nothing compared to Jack's ocean blue diamonds.
"I'm Joseph Calvert," He smiled holding out his hand.
Rose shook it. "Rose Dawson,"
"Well Rose it was nice to bump into you," He chuckled again.
"Quite the comedian," Rose smiled.
"I like to think so. Well I must be going I'll maybe see your round sometime,"
"Yes maybe,"
He turned and began to walk away, but for some reason Rose couldn't continue walking nor cast her stare from him until he vanished.
She blinked and smiled to herself before continuing down the road to Ester's house. She was surprised she still knew the way after so long. She made her way up the stairs and knocked on the door. Her heart was racing, Ester was supposed to be her friend but she hadn't really been a great friend to her in the past and she didn't think Ester would be so happy to welcome her back with open arms.
The door flung open, and Ester gasped. Thoughts of guilt and anxiety spread through her like wild fire. After what had happened last night, it was just typical that Rose would show up.
"R-rose what are you doing here?" Ester asked.
Rose shrugged. "I guess I just felt that I should try and make amends."
You're not the only one. Ester thought to herself.
"Come in can I get you a drink or something?" Ester asked, closing the door behind her.
"A tea?" Rose questioned.
Ester nodded. "I'll be right back just sit down,"
Ester practically ran to the kitchen and shut the door behind her. She put her head in her hands and began to shake. This could not be happening, what happened last night had been playing on her mind. She felt guilty, sick and shaken. Jack and Rose were supposed to be her friends and she tried it on with him. A married man! She couldn't stay in a room for an hour or so with Rose and pretend like nothing had happened.
"Ester are you ok?" Rose called from the living room.
"Yeah I'm fine," Ester managed to splutter out, and she began to make the teas, her hands were shaking so much it was a wonder she didn't spill anything.
She carefully handed the cup to Rose and sat down in the chair opposite the couch.
"It's been too long Ester," Rose smiled.
Ester just nodded, unsure what to say or do. She just wanted to get out of here.
"I mean I know, I wasn't always the greatest of friends to you but I am really sorry and I do want to try and get back to how we were," Rose tried to explain.
"Yeah," Ester simply said taking a sip of her tea.
"Ester are you still mad with me?"
"No of course not, you needed to focus on your acting I understand that." She said. "I'm sorry Rose, I really am," the words erupting from her mouth.
Rose looked at her confused. "Why are you apologising,"
Because I kissed your husband. "Because I didn't try and stop us growing apart," Ester quickly lied.
"Well there's nothing to stop us been close again,"
"I know about you and Jack Rose. I know the problems you're having,"
Rose paused. Her expression suddenly turned. "How do you know that?"
"Because Jack's my friend to and every time you row he comes here, and I can't pretend that it hasn't been happening more and more frequently."
"Jack shouldn't be telling you these things, it's none of your business," Rose snapped.
"He's hurting; he's a broken man..." Ester began to explain.
Rose scoffed and stood up. "And I'm not hurting? Am I not a broken woman? I'm fed up of him always playing the victim in all this shit! Everybody defends him but he's no angel!"
"Rose I'm not saying you're the bad one, I'm not saying that he's the victim! You guys have got to talk and sort this shit out, before it gets any worse. So he doesn't have to come to me anymore, so he doesn't have to end up doing any more things he will regret..." and then she realised what she said.
"What do you anymore things he will regret? What's he done?" Rose asked, though she already had a faint idea.
"Nothing just nothing ok," Ester said lowering her head.
There was a deafening silence and an awkward tension building in the room.
"Ester, please tell me,"
Ester couldn't keep it a secret it was too hard. "Jack came round last night. After your fight and he got really upset, so I tried to comfort him and we, we, we ended up kissing," She blurted out.
Rose gasped, she felt like she had just been hit across the face.
"But it meant nothing! And nothing else happened I swear to you,"
Rose stepped back towards the door. She flung it open and left, stumbling down the stairs and sobbing as she went. She knew things were bad, but she didn't for one moment think Jack would ever be unfaithful to her. Ester was supposed to be her friend.
Rose fell against a lamppost; sobbing uncontrollably she fell to the floor. A familiar hand reached out to her. It was Joseph.
"You look like you could do with a drink," He said with concern.
Rose nodded tears spilling down her face. He pulled her up for the second time that day, he patted her arm and she felt grateful, grateful that there was someone there to pick her back, although she wondered how long it would be before she crumbled altogether.
Hope you liked it, reviews are very much appreciated (:
Leah
