*EDITED*

♥

"Oh, you must be Rose!"

Rose gracefully brings her eyes up to meet Mr. Col's. "Dear, are you okay? You look-"

"Rose!"

She turns her head, only to see Brian slowly walking down the stairs, as if he wasn't chasing her seconds before. She silently scrowls, grinding her teeth at the sight of him.

Rose looks up at Mr. Col, forcing a smile, along with a reply; "yes! I'm okay, thank you!" She feels her skin beginning to crawl, as her mind remembers what she had read about him in Iran's diary. She ducks under his hand, immediately stepping onto cement— her escape. Outside, the air was less toxic, and strange. There, Rose breathed slowly, and she began to walk calmly to her house— knowing Brian couldn't chase her anymore.

She reaches her doorstep and opens the door. Inside, it was dark and seemed as if no one was home. Where was her Father? She thought, but didn't ponder much on the thought, because she was tired and just wanted to go to her bed.

Even though that night, Rose didn't sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about what Brian's next moves might be. He'd already showed how much and the length he would go, just to have her in his hold. But Rose couldn't let that happen, and she had to find a way, to ensure it never does.

Rose turned noisily in her bed, thinking of a solution. She knew it was quite impossible to ignore the Col's— she lived next to them for God's sake. She becomes slightly ridget, and uncomfortable with not being able to think no further. Fustratedly, she takes a deep breath, and sits up on her bed, bracing herself forward with the palm of her hand against the soft mattress. She placed her feet onto the soles of her slippers, and stood to walk over to the window. There, she peered into the night sky— almost dream like. There were no stars, but the silence and darkness was enough to ensure what was held outside would help her summon a solution. With that promise, Rose steps outside onto the roof of her home. She sat, hugging her knees to her chest. With her heartbeat against her knees, she felt at peace. And the promise was kept when her eyes caught sight of Iran.

A car had pulled up, and him and another guy exit. With the car lights peering on to the both of them as they stood in front of the vehicle, Rose was able to make out a guy with long dreads exchanging words with Iran.

It was in the moment that when Iran turned away, staggering to enter his house, that she knew what she had to do. If she wanted to protect herself, she had to cut all ties with the ones that caused danger to her. Meaning, she had to end this with Iran and separate herself from the Cols, all together.

Rose couldn't stop what happened next. All she knew was that she suddenly found herself, knocking at their front door at two in the morning.

The door suddenly opens and Diran stands before her.

"Hey, can I see Iran?" Rose asks.

Diran smirks at her, "sure, he's in his room. It's ri-"

"I know where it is," she says cutting him off.

Iran's room is right across from hers, and she saw the light was still on, meaning he was awake.

Rose walks up the stairs until she came to his doorway. His door was open, and he sat at a desk, hunched over something.

Rose pulls her kimono further over her shoulders and enters his room. She looks around, it was a simple room, in contrary to her room-- that had pictures of random things all over the walls.

"Iran..." she whispers, inches away from the doorway. It surprised her how little she suddenly felt, now being in his presence. No one ever did that to her, or made her feel so powerless. Rose lost her train of thought when Iran turned in his chair.

At the sight of him, she gasps, her hand finding its way to her chin.

His eyes were bloodshot red and his hands shook, "IRAN, what the fuck?"

"I'm fine, what do you want?" He says sternly as Rose approaches him.

"Don't fucking touch me!̈ ̈ Iran says when she tried to lay a hand on his shivering one. She backs away, "sorry, I shouldn't of.¨

Rose looks at her toes, realizing she didn't have on any shoes.

"Where are your shoes?" Iran asks standing up. "Here, sit."

He guided her to his bed where she sat and began to speak, "I've been thinking, and..."

She stops, averting her eyes to where they eventually landed on his wall and catches sight of a hanging picture. It wasn't just any picture, it looked familiar, too familiar.

Rose stands to inspect. As she goes to pass Iran, he realizes what she had just seen and in fright, jumps in front of her. "It's nothing!" He stammers out.

Rose was taken aback by the sudden shift in behavior. He looked almost shy now-- an emotion she never expected to be caught on Iran. "Then why are you blocking my way?" She crokes an eyebrow and folds her arms.

"Because. I- it, we- well. I- I."

"Iran. I want to see. Now let me see!" Rose says, pushing him out the way.

"No, you can't. It- it's nothing."

"Let me decide that." She starts to tackle him, and due to his drunken state, she won. Pushing him to the side, she saw the picture.

And in a rush, all the blood came to her cheeks, as her heart raced a race it would surely win. It felt as if the world had stopped, and as her heart pounded in her ears, she smiled, through the multiple heavy breaths.

"Oh, Iran. It's beautiful. "

She touches it gently, it was a picture of her.

He had drawn her when she was seated on the roof, crying. She remembered it very well. That day...

"No, it's nothing." He says scratching the back of his neck.

"Well can I have it?"

"No-"

"But you said it's nothing. And I don't think it's nothing." Rose looks at him confused. She kept her hand on the image, feeling possessive of the art work. No one had ever drawn her before.

"No, it's not nothing. It- it's beautiful." He says, a distant look in his eyes as he stares at the picture.

In the picture, her chin rested on her knees as she cried. Her long hair was shaded in and it laid over her shoulders beautifully.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" She asks, turning to him. Her heart continued to beat furiously in her chest and she felt her cheeks getting hot again. But she had to know-- it was like a burning desire, caught in her core and in her eyes as she stared back at him.

"Everyone is beautiful..." He says looking in her eyes, trailing off. His voice was now a meer whisper that only she understood.

"Oh." She said.

"But you're different. There are different levels of beauty." He whispers.

They stared at each other, not knowing what this feeling was that they felt.

Iran slowly leans in, his lips brushing against hers- "what was it you wanted to tell me?¨ Iran asks.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone your secret, it's our secret now!" Was Rose's last words before he captured her lips in his.

His hands trailed up to her neck, pulling her in closer. Her hands wrapped around his shoulders. He pulled her into his chest, deepening the kiss.

Iran detaches his lips from hers and places them on her earlobe.

"Stay." He whispers, his breath fanning her ear.

"Ok."

♥

thank you for reading.

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