She is like a sun on a rainy day for him, she is like an ice in a cocktail, like a pepper in a dish, she is his quiet harbor, his wharf. But at the same time Rose is like a honey to Gregory. Like a honey in black tea, she gives Gregory's life a special taste. And once you try it, you can't without it. So if Gregory doesn't have his honey, he will just stop drinking tea. And eventually die of thirst?

But there is a big abyss between Gregory and Rose. And this is his father- the mayor of this town. Mr Blair was against their relationship from the beginning.

"She is not from our social circle, Gregory. She is so simple for you." This words painfully beat Gregory's heart. He hardly tried to resist his father and prove him the opposite. But couldn't. Gregory is powerless, he is like a fish thrown ashore. So he just threw up his hands and gave up. The fire in his once hot and passionate heart went out. So, in its place is only ash now. And nothing and no one else can return his heart to life. Because life isn't a fairy tale, the Phoenix bird, reviving from the ashes, doesn't exist.

So in one day he felt tired. He just resigned that he can't change nothing. Because his life is controlled by his father, not by himself.

One week before this night Rose found out that Gregory cheated on her. As in all typical romance novels, she saw that in her own eyes. She still clearly remember how Gregory, her lovely Gregory pressed that tall thin  blonde to the wall in the school corridor. Rose is sure that this girl was very very beautiful and adorable like a fantastic fairy, although she didn't see her face. But Gregory also saw her. Rose found him  staring at her too, not looking away even for a second. And that look he gave her, Rose still remembers this empty and cold like an ice eyes, looking back at her.  He didn't care? Or also know that sooner or later it would happen too?

Gregory didn't immediately realize what he had done. But this mistake was fatal and irreparable. He know, he can't fix it.

This situation is really typical and Rose thought she was ready for it. But why all this week she spent in her little room, continuously crying and staring at the wall in silence?  Her poor mother couldn't understand what was happening to her lovely daughter. Rose didn't answer her questions, but only because she didn't find strength to do that. She was like an empty vessel without vitality and desires. But why Rose feels so empty and hurt, why did her heart break into a million pieces? She thought that she would not care, but is it so?

This memories pierced Rose's heart as an arrow and the tears rolls down her cheeks even more. She was sure that she wouldn't cry today, that she could smile and be happy through the night. But at the end, her expectations didn't materialize and she sitting here,  alone in the school bathroom.

Maybe she thought that pain had a different taste with him? But everyone knows that  love means pain. So I can say with confidence that they loved each other.

                                                                        ***

Some time later, Rose calmed down. The last tear rolls down her cheek, her breathing becomes slow and thin hands, clenched into a fists, finally relaxes. Rose is like a sea after the storm. High waves, strong wind and downpour changes to calm water and blue sky with small clouds.

Rose stands up from the floor and comes to the mirror to fix makeup. It's time to go back to the prom.

***

Rose approaches the door leading to the gym, where the prom held. But the door opens faster than she manages to touch the handle, and the tall dark haired guy stands in front of her. Rose's heart is like a freezes for a few seconds like herself. Her mind is whirling and she not daring to move. Because it's Gregory stands a step away from her.

"Let me pass," Rose says barely audible.

But Gregory does not answer. He just silently stands and looks at her, his eyes is like scanning her face. Rose looks down at her feet, avoiding eye contact with him. But she can't resist herself for so long and finally Rose looks up to meet Gregory's eyes. 

Brown and green, green and brown. Rose never liked her eye color, she thinks that brown is the color of mud in the swamp. "It is disgusting! I don't like it!" once said Rose.

But Gregory always saw a depth and wisdom in her eyes, he admired them as a wonderful painting. "Her eyes definitely stole my heart," once admitted Gregory. He likes how her eyes shine when she laughs at his stupid and sometimes inappropriate jokes. And how the tears of happiness rolled down from her flickering eyes when Gregory gave her a kitten, she had dreamed of on her birthday. But most of all he liked to watch Rose when she read. They often spent time in the library. She read, sometimes aloud, but quietly, so only they could hear, and Gregory just watched her, trying to remember every centimeter of her face. They were quite comfortable with each other.

Gregory still clearly remembers that cozy evening in the library. Her chestnut hair below the shoulder blades, her favorite blue jeans, black t-shirt and brooding look. Rose is passionately talking about the book she just read and shares her impressions with Gregory. In this moments her breathtaking eyes sparkle with admiration. Rose laughs and he admires her. She puts a lock of hair behind her ear, licks the lower lip and looks up to meet his eyes.

"What?" Rose asks and cocks her head sideways.

But Gregory doesn't answer her question. He only shakes his head as if telling her that nothing has happened. She mutters something incoherent and continues talking about that three-volume novel, which she likes so much. Rose stir the syrup at the bottom of her cappuccino, takes a sip and pushes the cup towards Gregory.

"Try it, I asked barista to add a new syrup. They call it "Sugary peach." But what else they think a peach can be? It's like a salty salt!" resents Rose.

Gregory laughs and takes a sip of this drink. The syrup is really very sugary and sweeter that any peach you have ever tasted. But not sweeter than his peach: his Rose. Gregory tells her about this, but Rose only laughs and rolls her eyes.

"Greg, you're insufferable," she says but Gregory is absolutely sure that she likes when he tells her something like that. Because he notice how the corners of her lips lifts and cheeks becomes pink.

"You look at me strangely again." She often says it, but Gregory doesn't know how to look at her differently, he doesn't know ho to look at her as an ordinary person. He can swear that Rose is extraordinary, she is like from another universe. She likes to read huge stupid novels and find there a philosophical meaning, she likes to eat French fries with ice cream and considers this the most delicious dish in the world, she likes to drink a coffee with very sugary syrups. So if love exists, this is exactly why he loves Rose.

But now, in such native and lovely eyes, Gregory doesn't see anything, only his own reflection. Her look is empty. And it frightens him, frightens so so much.

Rose frowns and pushes him with her shoulder, so she can come back to the gym, because they stand in the middle of the doorway and interfere with others.

***

                                                             Angel in disguise -
                                                             You save my soul
                                                             But make my heart
                                                                     Go blind
                                             (Cinema Bizarre- "Angel in Disguise)