CHAPTER 14

Rose finished her homework and ran a hand through her hair. It was Saturday; nearly a week since the dance, and today Rose had decided she was going to visit Talen, who she hadn't seen since the dance. Lately Brianna hadn't been around as much, but that was probably a good thing, she had been there for Rose way too much recently, and Rose liked seeing her with Finn or other friends, laughing like she used to. But still…Rose sighed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired. She was. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she was wearing scruffy jeans, an overly large but very comfy cardigan and her fluffy slipper boots. Attractive. Just then she heard a knock at the door and groaned. If it was Brianna or Taylor they wouldn't have bothered knocking, which meant it was someone else. Rose was not in the mood for a 'someone else' so decided to wait for the person to leave. But the knocking continued. Finally Rose gave in and answered the door. She gasped. Standing in front of her was Drake Merwin, holding, and this was the crazy part, a large bouquet of beautiful flowers. Drake Merwin. Holding flowers. Rose just stood there, gaping. Drake held the flowers out to her and Rose took them.

"Um…thank you?" She said, still in shock. Drake shrugged.

"Do you like them?" He asked and Rose nodded.

"Yeah…they're beautiful!"

"So?"

"So what…?"

"So…you gonna take me back now?" Rose sighed and ran her hand again through her hair.

"Look…Drake…it's not that simple…" Drake lost it then.

"Yes it is! It's a fucking yes or no question!" Rose just sighed again.

"I'm sorry Drake…" She said and shut the door. Through the door she heard Drake swear and punch the wall hard. She sighed and put the flowers in a vase by the window.

Drake shook with anger as he walked back to his dorm. What was her fucking problem? He'd done what Brianna had said, he'd bought her flowers, and the most expensive ones in the shop at that! But she'd still said no. He didn't understand what else he could do! What else had Brianna said? Presents? Like what? Drake knew what he'd like as a present, but he doubted a new gun would have the same effect on her. What he really wanted to do, was ask Caine for advice, but Caine would never let that one go, and anyway, him and Diana weren't exactly your average couple…but then again neither were Drake and Rose…but then he remembered that the whole reason he was thinking about all of this was because they weren't a couple and he punched a nearby locker, hard, startling a bunch of kids standing close by. He carried on walking, deciding the world would be a much better place if there weren't any girls in it.

Rose knocked lightly on Dorm number 7's door. No one answered for a while but then the door opened to reveal Brad Harvey, not looking too happy when he saw who it was.

"Hey Brad, is Talen in there?" Brad narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, but he doesn't want to see you."

"Let her in Brad, its fine…" Came a tired sounding voice from inside, and huffing and rolling his eyes, Brad opened the door wider and stormed off inside, Rose following swiftly after. She saw Talen reclining on his bed, his laptop on his lap. He closed the lid when he saw her and smiled weakly. His whole face was covered in horrible wounds, his nose was at a different angle to before, he had a black eye and, most worryingly, a neck brace. But still he patted the bed beside him and, wincing, moved up a bit for Rose to sit down next to him.

"I am so sorry." She said as she sat down but Brad just smiled weakly again.

"Its fine, not your fault…" And as he spoke Rose noticed a gap in his previously perfect smile where Drake had knocked one of the teeth out.

"So how have you been feeling?" Rose asked, feeling incredibly guilty.

"Yeah alright-" Talen began but Brad laughed sarcastically.

"Oh come on! He's felt like shit Rose, it fucking kills him to move a centimeter and it was all your precious little boyfriend's fault! What do you think he'd look like after I punched him a few times? Or a lotta times…" He shook his head angrily and stormed back into the bathroom. Rose gulped. She wasn't scared about his threats against Drake, sure he was big and hench, but she knew he didn't stand a chance against Drake. But his angry words just increased the guilt in her stomach. She knew it was mostly Drake's fault, seeing as he had actually beaten Talen up, but he wouldn't have done it if Rose hadn't said yes to going to the dance with him, and then kissed him in front of the dangerous bully. She took Talen's hand.

"I really am sorry…" She said quietly. He tried to shrug but the pain was too great, so he just half-smiled instead.

"Look, I don't blame you Rose! I know Brad does…and most of my other friends…" Which was a lot of people seeing as Talen was one of the most popular guys in the school, "…but I don't. And you shouldn't either. It's just one of those things that happen, y'know?" Rose shrugged, not convinced. "So…?" Talen pressed.

"So what?"

"Did you get back with Merwin then?" Rose bit her lip and shook her head. "So I still have a chance?" He winked but again Rose shook her head.

"I'm so sorry Talen but I don't think so…" Talen's smiled fell but then he half-nodded, the most he could do with the neck brace.

"Yeah I understand…probably safest too, eh?" He laughed but Rose didn't join in. She leant over and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"I'm sorry Talen," She apologized for the 100th time since she'd seen him. "I better be off…"

"Thanks for stopping by" Talen said genuinely, and waved her off. Rose welled up as she closed the door behind her, but tried to remember what he had said about not blaming herself. Then she set off, she had one more stop to make.