Rosie sat at the lookout she had found after Caroline had passed away. She didn't go there much, and she had never brought anyone there. She had been there once with her dad for a picnic, but she hadn't wanted to come back till now. She and Nolan had just had a really big fight. She had tried to talk to him about what was going on with him and apparently it had nothing to do with not going to university with his friends and he was incredibly insulted that she would have even insinuated that he was jealous or not happy for his friends. That was -not what she had meant in the slightest and she tried to explain that to him, but he just told her to go.
She was really upset, and she didn't want to go home, she didn't want to have to explain to everyone why she was crying. She noticed someone was taking photos of the lookout, but she didn't think much of it. If she had her camera she would be doing the same. It was a beautiful view. Rosie was just thinking. She told Nolan everything. She talked to him about everything. He always seemed to hold back his feelings for a long time till it would get to a point where he would snap. He never got angry or anything, but he didn't seem to handle things well and she didn't know if she could handle it anymore. She needed him to open up to her.
The young woman who was taking the photos had noticed her sitting there and she could tell she was upset she wasn't sure if she should go over and make sure she was okay or just leave her alone. She had decided that she wasn't going to go over till she got a good look at the younger girl she recognized her. She had seen her elsewhere before and even took a picture of her and the boy she had been with. It had turned out to be the favorite picture she had ever taken. She looked through the folder in her bag. It was a picture she always had with her to show prospective customers the quality of her work.
She went over to her. "Hey. Are you okay?" the woman asked Rosie
Rosie wiped at her eyes. "Yeah. Sorry. Do you want to get a picture where I'm sitting?"
"No. You're fine. I just. I know seems weird but a couple years ago I was at this beach an hour away from here. And um. Well I took this photo." She held it out to Rosie "Its you right?"
Rosie looked at photo and was surprised. It was from the night her and Nolan had gone on their first date. And the picture was of their first kiss.
"Wow. Yeah. Its me and my… boyfriend. It's a really good picture." Rosie said softly
"Its my favorite picture I've ever taken actually." The woman said "One of my bests."
"Yeah. The lighting. Everything lined up exactly right." Rosie said
"You know photography?" The woman asked
"Yeah. I'm in the photography club and the photography program at school." Rosie said
"Oh cool. I was at my highschool too. I did a few years of photographer in collage too." She said
"You went to highschool around here?" Rosie asked
The woman said the name of the school she went too.
"Hey. That's where I go." Rosie said
The woman smiled. "Mr. Burch still the teacher for photography?"
"Yup." Rosie said
"He's a really good teacher." The woman said
Rosie nodded. "Yeah. He is. Apparently he thinks I'm the best his has ever taught." Rosie said
The woman smiled "You're the favorite."
Rosie chucked abit. "I guess so."
"I was too." The woman said
Rosie smiled she went to hand her back the photo.
"You can keep it. I can make another copy. I hope its okay it's a main part of my portfolio." The woman said
Rosie smiled and nodded. "Yeah its okay. I'm happy to support another photographer and Nolan would be too."
"Nolan your boyfriend? Is he why you are here crying?" The woman asked
Rosie let out a breath "Yes to both."
"Boys can be stupid, but I could tell that day you two were so full of love. How long have you two been together?" The woman asked
"This was our first date. But we had been best friends for a year before." Rosie said
"Well you still love him right?" The woman asked
"I am so in love with him." Rosie said
"Than from my personal experience as long as whatever has you crying isn't him being abusive or cheating than you can probably work through it." The woman said
"How do you know?" Rosie asked
"I have dated a lot of people. Both men and woman. I have had the great partners and the bad ones. And I have lost a lot of good once because I just gave up when things got hard. I kind of watched you two when you were walking down the beach. I saw the chemistry you had. That doesn't just go away. So don't give up." The woman said
Rosie nodded abit.
"I know. I'm a random chick you don't know. Why would you listen to me right?" The woman asked
"Well no I don't know you, but I don't think you would waste your time giving bad advice. I just." Rosie said
"He really pissed you off?" The woman offered.
"Yup." Rosie said
The woman sighed. "Yeah. They do that."
"He is the best listener. Anytime I have a problem. He can tell and he gently pushes till I talk to him. But when it comes to him having a problem. He will not talk to me. I try to gently push him to talk to me, but he just gets annoyed and tells me not to worry about it or tells me he 'cant' talk about it with me. Like what the fuck is that?" Rosie told this pretty much complete stranger her problem.
"That's boys. They don't know how to talk about their feelings." The woman said
"Well. I thought he was different. And he's not exactly a 'boy' anymore." Rosie said
"Well sorry to say most don't get much better as adults." The woman said.
Rosie chuckled "Greeaaat. Maybe I should just date a woman."
The woman chuckled. "Woman have their own set of issues."
Rosie laughed "Ain't that the truth."
"From my experience corner your guy. Make him talk to you." The woman said
"That's what I tried to do and why I am now sitting here." Rosie said
"Ooh. So he is really stubborn." The woman said
"I thought I was the stubborn one in this relationship." Rosie said
"I can not believe I'm about to suggest this to a teenager. You have things that only you can give him. Right?" The woman asked
Rosie let out a sigh. "We haven't gotten to that point in our relationship yet."
The woman nodded. "Well honestly that's a good thing. You are young don't rush it."
Rosie nodded.
"But you probably know him better than most if not everyone right? You know what will get him to talk." The woman said
"Yeah. I have an idea. But it could go very badly." Rosie said
"Well no risk no reward." The woman said
Rosie chuckled "Fair enough. Thank you. What's your name?"
"Mary." The woman said
"I'm Rosie." She said
"Well Rosie. It was nice to meet you." Mary said
"Nice to meet you too. Thank you for your advice and the picture." Rosie said
"No problem." The woman said
Rosie got up and she went and got on the bus. She still didn't have her new car she was going the next day with dad to get it. She went back to Nolan's picture in her hand. She was nervous. They had fought before. Hell they had broken up before but that was because of something he did. And if she pissed him off enough he could break up with her. She didn't think she could handle that this time. She barely survived the last time. She got back to Nolan's house and knocked on the door.
Mrs. Shephard opened it. "Rosie. Hello. Didn't think I'd see you back today."
Rosie let out a breath. "Didn't think I would be back today either."
"Come on in." She said
Rosie went in "Do you know what's up with him?"
"I do. But he needs to tell you." Mrs. Shephard said
Rosie nodded. She went to his room and knocked.
"Who is it?" Nolan asked
"Its Rosie. And I am not leaving." Rosie said
Nolan let out a breath. "Rosie. I don't want to talk right now."
Rosie went in anyways. "Tough. You don't get to shut me out anymore. It isn't fair. If I tried to do this you would corner me and not let me leave my room till I told you what was going on so I will be doing the same."
"Rose. I would not force you to talk about it if you weren't ready." Nolan said
"That's bullshit. You are pulling away and I will not let this relationship die without fighting for it." She showed him the picture. "I will not let the love evident in that picture die."
Nolan looked at the picture "Where did you get this?"
"I ran into someone she had that photo. She was there that night taking photos she took the photo. She had it on her its part of her portfolio. It is her favorite picture she has ever taken. It's a big honor to be the subject of a photographer's favorite photo." Rosie said
Nolan smiled abit and handed it back to her.
"So. What is going on? I am not leaving till you tell me." Rosie said
Nolan sighed.
"Maybe its better if we…" He started
"If the next words out of your mouth include breaking up with me." She interrupted. "I will leave. But I will not come back. If you break up with me to avoiding opening up to me. That is it." She said tears filling her eyes.
Nolan took a breath. "Rose you don't understand." He said
"I know I don't! Because you wont talk to me!" She said tears streaming down her face.
"Is it something to do with Matthew?" She asked
"No." Nolan said
"It's a bad thing?" Rosie asked
"Yeah." Nolan said
"You moving?" Rosie asked
Nolan shook his head.
"Is it about you?" Rosie asked
"Yes. And no." He said
"You sick?" Rosie asked her voice shaky
"No. My sister." He said
"How bad?" Rosie asked almost in a whisper.
"Kidney failure" He said. He patted the spot next to him on the bed.
"How?" She asked
"Long term affects of the trauma. She had kidney damage, but they are just getting worse."
Rosie nodded. "What's the treatment?"
"Um. Its both kidney's so she needs a kidney transplant." He said
"Okay." She said taking a breath. "Is she getting one right away?"
"She is on the list, but it could take a while. A living donor can direct donate to her. My parents are not matches. Extended family have be contacted and tested no matches." He said
"You are?" She asked
Nolan nodded.
"She told me she doesn't want me to. Um. If I do. I cant play football anymore. I don't care. I want to. But she told me if I give up my chance at my dreams for her she would never forgive herself." Nolan said
"Okay. Outside of not being able to play football what are the restrictions for a kidney donor?" She asked
Nolan shook his head "This. Right here. Why I didn't tell you. I knew you would offer." He said
Rosie let out a sigh. "Nolan. She is your family. Makes her my family. I take care of my family." She said reiterating a statement he had made a few months ago to her.
Nolan chuckled "My words coming back to bite me in the butt."
"Yup." Rosie said "I don't even know if I could donate. I think you have to be eighteen. And I think I'm at higher risk of kidney failure later in life because of the eating disorder. So I think I would be told no anyways. So please answer my question."
"No contact sports. Have to be really careful with certain foods afterwards. Cant have a high protein diet. Minor really when not donating means my sister will not live." Nolan said
Rosie nodded. "Have you asked outside the family to your parents friends or anything?"
"People know. Mia doesn't want to ask them. But people know she needs one, so we are hoping people get tested and offer to. But she doesn't have long to wait before it can become critical." Nolan said
Rosie nodded. "I'm so sorry Nolan. I will keep my fingers crossed that someone comes through."
"Thanks." Nolan said
"And please. Just open up to me about these things. If we are going to have a future together I will not be kept in the dark about things like this." Rosie said
"Okay. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I was even going to suggest that…" he said
"You really think I wouldn't have found out even if we had broken up?" Rosie asked
"I know you better than that… Its why I stopped speaking." He said
"It does hurt that you were even considering that as a way to keep me in the dark." Rosie said
"I'm so sorry. It was stupid. I wasn't thinking. I wont ever do something like that again." He said
"Forgiven. I know you have a lot on your mind." She said as she wrapped him in a hug.
"And I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. It is a little hard to see them all going off to university when I should be doing so too. But the extra year here means an extra year with you." He said
Rosie smiled and hugged him tighter.
Nolan pulled her to sitting in his lap and held her.
Rosie snuggled. She stayed like that till her phone started to ring. She sighed and reached into her pocket and looked.
"Its my dad." Rosie said
"Answer." Nolan said softly
Rosie answered it. "Hey dad. I'm at Nolan's. Your on speaker." She said
"Don't mean to interrupt but there is a situation. Needs a family meeting." He said
"Family meeting? Can it wait?" She asked
"No." Dave said
"Is it Helen?" Rosie asked
"Nope. Nothing to do with her." He said
"Okay. I'll be home soon as the bus can get me there." She said
"I'll drive you." Nolan said
"You don't have…" She started
"I'm driving you." He interrupted her.
Rosie chuckled "I'll be home soon."
"Okay." Dave said
They hung up. Rosie and Nolan went downstairs.
"I'm driving her home." Nolan told his parents
"You tell her what's going on?" Mrs. Shephard asked
"Yes." Nolan said
"Good. It was not fair to not tell her." Mrs. Shephard said
"I'm glad you agree with that." Rosie said with a small smile "If I can do anything. Please let me know." Rosie told Mrs. Shephard.
"Thank you. I will let you know." Mrs. Shephard said.
Rosie hugged her. Mrs. Shephard hugged her back before she and Nolan left.
They started the drive.
"Can I ask you a favor?" Nolan asked
"Of course." Rosie said
"I know your faith in God is not what mine is. And I am not trying to force you to believe. But if any part of you still does." Nolan said
"Pray for your sister?" Rosie asked
Nolan nodded.
Rosie took a breath. "Okay. I don't know what I believe but I will at the very least send positive vibes for her to get a transplant."
"Okay." Nolan said, "Thank you."
Rosie nodded.
He pulled into her driveway.
Rosie leaned across and hugged him tight. "I will call you later."
"Yeah. I want to know what this family meeting is all about." He said
"I will let you know." Rosie said before she went inside.
