AUTHOR'S NOTE: THE ITALICS WRITTEN IN FIRST PERSON ARE ROSE'S LITTLE INTRODUCTIONS ON HER BLOG POST. THE NORMAL WRITING IN THIRD PERSON IS WHAT HAPPENED, ONLY ROSE WILL BE EXPLAINING IT IN FIRST PERSON, ALTHOUGH I WON'T BE WRITING IT THAT WAY. I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE :P THIS IS ALSO AN AU IN WHICH THEIR SPYING DAYS ARE OVER, AND THEY'RE GOING TO COLLEGE LIKE NORMAL KIDS. ANYWAY, ENJOY!
Hello everyone! So, exactly a week ago from today, I told you all that I'd be starting a mini series: Reasons why romances will make you question everything. And, true to my word, I am going to be doing that. But this is your last warning – if you don't want to hear my emotional, sometimes cliché story – with lots of events in which I make the wrong decision – then don't watch these videos.
You're still here? Great! Without further ado, here's the first video, titled as follows.
ONE – ROMANCES MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON SOMETHING.
"Rose!" Carrie Stewart called out, knocking almost furiously on the other girl's door.
A small groan came from under the covers inside the room, muffled by the duvet. Maybe if Rose ignored her friend, she'd go away. She rather hoped so, despite how mean that sounded. Sighing, she pulled the covers around her even tighter and burrowed in deeper, even though all that did was make it a little more difficult to breathe.
The banging on Rose's door didn't stop, however. It got even louder and more insistent. Of course, the girl thought to herself. Carrie never gives up.
"Rose Gupta, you have five seconds to open this door, or I'll kick it down. You know I have the expertise to do that!" Carrie threatened, and something in her tone indicated that she meant business.
Another groan followed, but this time, it was followed by a reluctant sigh as Rose kicked her covers away from her, wrestling with them until she finally sat up, gasping in a little fresh air and ignoring the banging and shouting from outside, although it was only for a moment.
Feeling around for her glasses and carefully picking them up, Rose jammed them over her eyes and let her lids open, sunlight almost blinding her. She'd forgotten to close her curtains last night. Typical.
"Alright, alright!" she snapped, in the general direction of her dorm room exit. The banging quietened, and she could practically feel the triumphant smirk that was going to be forming on her friend's face. Shaking her head, Rose tied her hair back into a neat ponytail and got up, stretching.
She didn't even stop to think about what she was wearing as pyjamas – tiny shorts that showed off lots of her legs, and a skimpy camisole that also showed off a lot of skin. Both clung to her figure in all the right places, although she'd never stopped to think about that. They were only pyjamas, after all. Who was really going to see them?
Another bang on the door caused Rose to groan in frustration, but she finally made her way over there and swung it open, revealing Carrie. Immediately, Rose realized that something was different.
After knowing her for five years, Rose was used to Carrie's seemingly-endless optimism and happiness. But this was off, even for her. She was vibrating with excitement, barely able to keep still, and if the grin on her face got any bigger, it would probably start splitting her cheeks.
Rose moved aside silently, and Carrie rushed in. There was definitely something she wanted to tell her, Rose realized. Closing the door, she turned to face her friend, and crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow and acting as though she wasn't interested in whatever her friend wanted, although curiosity was starting to eat away at Rose.
Before the girl could even speak, however, the other beat her to it.
"Oscar asked me out!" Carrie exclaimed, clapping her hands as her grin seemed to widen, the vibrations of her body only intensifying as she jumped up and down, giggles falling from her lips as though she were a young teenager with a crush.
Despite the oddly contagious happiness that rolled off her friend in huge waves, Rose's heart was sinking right down into her gut, and her stomach was twisting oddly as her entire body seemed to turn to ice. She felt as if Carrie had dumped icy water over her, in fact. Her teeth sank into her lower lip and tugged, hard.
Carrie had never shown any interest in Oscar at all. Absolutely none. Rose would've picked up on it – she picked up on everything when it came to Carrie Stewart. They were so close, Carrie was like an open book to Rose. It clearly wasn't a two way street, however.
Rose had liked Oscar ever since she'd first laid eyes on him. There was something about how he looked – and no, not just the boyishly handsome features – that intrigued her. He was mysterious, and good at what he was trained to do all those years ago. But as soon as you got past his walls, he was kindhearted, sweet, and a constant worrier, although he did try to be positive.
He'd always understood her better than anybody else. But Rose hadn't wanted to make a move, fearing that it'd ruin their friendship because he didn't feel the same way. It wasn't a risk she wanted to take, because he was one of her best friends.
Her other best friend was standing in front of her, and Rose wondered if Carrie knew anything about her at all.
But she couldn't shout at her, scream at her like she wanted to. Instead, Rose stood up straight, drawing in a sharp breath, and then she exhaled, forcing a smile onto her face, arms falling to her sides so as not to look so strict.
"That's great, Carrie, really." She said, finally, and her friend looked relieved. Couldn't she hear how flat Rose's tone was?
"Oh, thank god. Honestly, Rose, we were terrified that you'd be all weird about it. Don't worry, you won't be the third wheel! I swear, we'll include you in lots of things. Not couple-y things, of course, but we can still be how we were. Just me and Oscar will be dating." Carrie rambled.
Me and Oscar will be dating. Rose felt like she wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come, even if she'd wanted them to. She smiled until her face was sore, although it was so fake, the Kardashians would be jealous.
When Carrie finally made an exit, saying she wanted to spend her Saturday with her new boyfriend, Rose smiled and nodded until it felt like her head would fall off.
As soon as the door shut behind Carrie, she violently kicked out, her foot connecting with her bedside cabinet and promptly knocking it over, the lamp crashing to the ground. The bulb shattered into a million pieces that skidded across the girl's floor.
But all Rose could do was thread her hands into her hair and grip at it, tugging as if she hoped she'd get some sort of reaction from herself then.
She didn't.
It was like she was just numb.