Slowly rising off the couch, I walk over to a make up mirror and place the rose on the counter. It really is quite a beautiful rose. All of its petals are perfectly intact and it even still has that nice fresh scent to it. I find myself picking it up again and bathing my senses in its wonderful aroma. Roses are my favorite flower. I then quickly place it back on the counter and try to cover it up as I hear the ladies coming toward me. They start crowding around me and asking me questions about what happened on stage. Of course I can't answer them as I hardly remember myself. After being satisfied with my answers, they finally move away from me and back over to their other chatting area. I let out a sigh of relief and take my hand off the rose. Well that was one disaster averted.

"What do you have there?"

I cringe as I hear the voice from the last person I wanted to see that rose. I turn and look at Mary. "It's a rose, Mary. You know that pretty flower with petals and grows thorns?"

Mary gives me a look. "I know THAT. I just wanna know where you got it from."

"I don't think that's any of your business." I answer back looking her straight in the eye. Ooooh I can't stand this woman! I just want to gouge her eyes out with the thorn on this rose right now!

"Did you steal it?"

"Of course not." I then feel her snatch it right out of my hand. "Hey!"

Mary twirls the rose in her hand. "It's a nice rose, Dana. Did your mom send it to you?" By this time a crowd of ladies have surrounded us and it seems to be egging her on. "Or....maybe it was another family member? One of those close friends of yours from that Satanist shop?"

"It's NOT a Satanist shop!" I snap.

"Oh sorry, it's a witch's shop then." Mary smirked. "Oh I get it. You're going to use it to make one of those love potions because you can't find anyone."

Oh that is the last straw! I stand up and am about ready to show Mary Walker the dark side of me that many have rarely seen when I hear Jess' voice.

"Actually, it's from a secret admirer."

I close my eyes and sigh. Oh god Jess, why did you have to say that?

Mary lets out a laugh. "Oh come on! You don't really expect me to believe that do you?"

"You should." Jess replies stepping up to Mary. "It's true. I saw him myself."

"Is this girl for real?" Mary asks laughing and pointing at Jess. The girls behind her echo her laughter.

At this point I just want to crawl under a rock somewhere. I snatch the rose back from Mary. "That's right, Mary it was sent to me by my mother all right? Are you happy?!"

"Yeah, I knew it wasn't possible that you had some kind of secret admirer." Mary replies with a sneer. "Come on girls, let's go check out the banquet and the men in tuxes." She waves at Jess and me. "Bye girls." She then leaves the room giggling along some other girls.

"Dana..."

"Why did you do that, Jess?" I ask angrily. "I told you not to tell anyone about it!"

"She was rubbing it in your face, Dana! She was making you feel like a total loser!"

"Oh, thank you so VERY much, Jess!"

Jess sighs. "That's not what I meant. She was trying to make it seem like no one else but a family member would give you a rose."

"So you chose to tell her it was given to me by a secret admirer instead and that made it OH so much better! I'm the laughing stock now!"

"Dana, I'm sorry. I thought...."

"Yeah, well you thought wrong." I look at the rose and angrily throw it to the floor. "Thanks a lot Jess." I then leave the room, slamming the dressing room door behind me.

"Dana!" Jess calls toward the door. She the sighs and falls back on the couch. "Great." She then has her thoughts interrupted by the ringing of her cell. "Hello? Oh hey, Jenn. Yeah, she's doing better now. Hmmm?No, she uh stepped out probably to get some fresh air. I'm sure she'll be back soon. Yeah, how about if we just stop by tomorrow? Yeah, I think she needs tonight to get herself together after that incident on stage. Ok, I'll be sure and tell her. Take care of yourself, Jenn." Jess hung up her cell and let out a sigh. "Please don't do anything stupid, Dana."

I make my way down the hall still fueled by anger from Mary and her damn cohorts. I secretly know that it's not Jess' fault about what she said. She was just as usual looking out for me. And as usual I took it the wrong way. I will have to go back and tell her I'm sorry but right now I need to get the hell out of this area. It's bad enough I fainted tonight in front of an audience but to be humiliated by Mary? Well that's just the icing on the cake! Then as if things couldn't get any worse I see Mary again. And she's talking with David! Please don't let him see me.

"Dana!" David replies motioning toward me.

I instantly start to back away and then unconsciously find myself running. He is the last person I want to see right now especially with that....that trollop by him! I quickly look for an escape route.

"Dana!Wait!Where are you going? I just wanna talk!" David replies running behind me.

I look around desperately and find a curtain, which I quickly duck into. I press myself against the wall as I hear the sound of running footsteps get closer and then fade. I breathe out a sigh of relief knowing that I've lost him. At least that's one less thing I have to worry about. I think at this rate that I should just get Jess and get out before things get any worse. This night is already ruined as it is. I take a step out of the curtain and then find myself in full contact with someone. We fall to the ground due to the force of our hit. I shake my head. Great that's TWO times I've fallen tonight! I look up from the ground and see a guy sitting up holding his head, moaning. "Watch where you're going!" I yell toward him.

Jake puts his hand to his forehead. "Sorry, I didn't realize there was heavy traffic through here." He rubs his temples. "Ow."

"Well, you need to be more careful." I reply back angrily. "Need your WALKING license revoked!"

"You're the one that came out of nowhere!" Jake replies nursing his head.

"Oh sure blame the female!" I reply as I slowly start to pull myself up. "It's never the guy's fault. Oh heaven forbid!"

"You talk a lot you know that?" Jake replies slowly rising to his feet.

"Oh yeah, I'm a regular chatterbox!" I reply sarcastically.

Jake steps up to me and is about to say something when he suddenly stops. He stares at me with a puzzled look.

"What? Want me to find another reason to kick your ass?"

"Aren't you....that young lady who sang the solo tonight?"

I look back at him and cross my arms. "Maybe. What's it to you?"

"You were incredible."

That was not the reaction I expected. But I'm determined not to show it. He's just trying to suck up! Remember Phil told you the same thing right before he tried to make his move on you! "Thanks." I reply flatly before turning and starting to walk away.

"Did Miss Williamson give you that rose I sent you?"

I stop dead in my tracks. Rose?Wait a second. He has dark hair and hazel eyes just like Jess described the man at the door! I don't believe this! I turn back around and walk toward him. "That was you?"

Jake nods. "I just....wanted to express to you how concerned I was for your accident onstage. And...to be honest I thought it...mirrored your beauty."

"Uh huh. Well let me give you some advice Mr..."

"Please, just call me Jake."

"Fine, Jake. Before you go off giving roses to women you don't even know. You'd better take into consideration whether they are actually wanted or not." I look him dead in the eyes. "There are some women who are easily influenced by tokens such as this. They are...swept off their feet and into the arms of any man who just shows them attention. Willing to do whatever he pleases. I am NOT one of those women, JAKE." I pick up my gown.

"That's all I get?" Jake asks. "No thank you or anything?!"

"Glad you enjoyed the performance. Thank you for the rose and good night." I then turn back around and walk away from him and back down the hallway toward the dressing room area.

Jake stands in complete shock as he watches me walk off. He tilts his head and chuckles. "Now there's some gratitude for ya." He then walks back toward the banquet.

I burst into the dressing room area where I spy Jess on the couch. "Jess, can we leave please?"

She instantly rises from the couch and runs to me pulling me into an embrace. "Dana! I'm sorry about what I said. I..."

"It's ok. Just...just forget about it. Can we just go please?"

"You don't want to stay for the banquet?" Jess asks in a confused tone.

"Why it's a bunch of stuck up rich people who had some fancy caterer!"

"True but it's FREE, Dana. You know FREE food?" She pauses. "And besides you should let Mr. Marlens know how you are doing..."

I find myself raising my voice. "PLEASE Jess! Can we just go?! I don't want to eat here!I just want to go home!"

Jess touches my forehead. "Are you ok, Dana? What's wrong?Did...did something happen out there?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I answer lowering my head and closing my eyes. "Can we just go please?"

"Ok. Let me just grab my coat."

I watch as she disappears in the back. Walking up to a mirror, I look at myself. I take a strand of my red hair and twirl it in my fingers before bring it toward my face. I look at my body as I move it from side to side. How could he possibly think I'm beautiful?I mean look at this gown and how it fits!What is he blind or something?That rose was just a bribe!It had to be!

Jess comes back with her coat and back pack. "You ready?"

I take one last look at my reflection and nod. "Let's go."

As I follow Jess out of the dressing room and to the parking lot. I feel a fear inside of me. It's not a fear of David, fainting onstage or even Mary Walker and her mind games. No, this is a different fear. A fear...that I may actually have liked speaking with a man. Enjoyed his company. Could it be true? Jess thinks that I'm running away from Mary Walker but in reality, I'm running from Jake.