[Rosebay]: Beware, danger!

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| Chapter Thirteen |

Mia 8, Connor 10

He could always tell whenever she was sad.

He could feel it in her touch, moves, smile, and, most of all, her eyes.

She wasn't an open book, ready to spill her secrets, not at all. She was mostly a mystery to him with her mischievous smiles, playfulness, jokes, and hyperactive nature.

He could never, for the love of God, understand how she could always... smile.

But he could always tell her sadness because whenever she was sad the eternal fire in her eyes would...die.

The first time he noticed it, was when they buried her dog, Nutcracker.

They found Cracker when he was still a tiny puppy. Connor was in the treehouse with her when it had started raining and they decided to go back to her place and ask Sophie for some hot chocolate. They heard a noise on their way, almost a cry for help, and when they walked toward the sound, they found him in the bushes- bleeding and all alone.

They decided to take him in, right there and then, and after gently gathering Cracker in his arms, they rushed to her house.

They both knew Connor wouldn't be able to take him home with him because his father would hate finding a tiny white hair on the carpet, or not being able to finish an important call because of a puppy barking in the background. He'd get rid of it in a second, because according to him, anything that wasn't homework, was bad for Connor.

So the only option was to try and convince Sophie to let them keep him at her place.

And of course, she agreed because Sophie was the best and coolest adult Connor had ever seen in his entire life. The only adult he didn't hate, in fact.

They played with Cracker all the time, sneaked him the best snacks, and let him tear their shoes apart for fun.

However,  shortly after, they found out that he had cancer.

Almost 8 months after they found Cracker, he passed away, and that's when Connor first saw his Little Monster's eyes die out like a candle.

After the small funeral, they walked silently to his house and then his room. She didn't want to go home and see Cracker's toys all around the room, the cute sweater they got for him together, and anything that would remind her of him.

Connor always admired how deeply his Litlle Monster felt about everything. If she loved something or someone, she loved them with her whole existence and when she hated it, her whole body and soul would reject it.

It was a foreign concept for him because he never cared about anything. He was always indifferent toward everything and everyone, except her.

She brought every emotion out of him - anger, annoyance, sadness, happiness, and something more.

All of his emotions were heightened when it came to her and he loved every second of it.

Because of her, he could feel everything...

And seeing the fire leave her eyes that day, made his heart physically ache.

He wanted to do everything in the world to make her smile at him again with her eyes radiating life.

"We should have gone to the doctor sooner," she mumbled as they organized the painting supplies he kept hidden in his closet, right under his underwear drawer.

Connor didn't want his father to find it because if he did, he'd start with his pointless speeches about being a real man and studying harder at school instead. He'd force his opinions on him again, and he hated how he couldn't disobey him most of the time just because he wasn't old or strong enough.

But one day, he thought, he would stand up for what he believed. He'd proudly share his love for arts and architecture, scream it from the rooftops and become the best architect just so his father could see his name on every building, newspaper, and tabloid.

"It would have saved him."

"It wouldn't, Little Monster," he said, reaching for a lock of her hair and tucking it behind her ear. He loved how her eyes closed when his fingers brushed the side of her neck accidentally. "Cancer can't really be treated."

"Are you telling the truth?" She asked with her huge eyes staring at him under long lashes. He loved when her whole attention was on him.

"I'm telling the truth." He lied because he didn't want her to look away. He wanted her eyes on him...only on him, always.

Suddenly her eyes narrowed before she punched him on the shoulder playfully.

"It's hard to believe you when I know you've lied to me so many times." She said with a glare and made him chuckle slightly.

"And you are one to talk? You're the lying queen, Little Monster. You always lie to me first."

"I so am not!"

"Just the other day you lied about going to Noisy Rosy's birthday party in Disney just to make me feel bad about not being invited."

"I was supposed to go, idiot." She said, eyes flaring.

"Then why did you come over to my house instead, huh?" He asked, tilting his chin toward her, waiting for her answer, which never really came.

Instead, he saw the exact moment the fire in her eyes lit up stronger than ever, as she looked him in the eye, biting her lower lip all mad. Just the sight of her lively gaze made him happier than anything ever could, and he couldn't stop smiling under his breath.

Making her fight him always did the trick.

"Sometimes, you're really so shitting dumb," she mumbled with a growl, her moves a little too violent then. "So, so shitting dumb," she repeated under her breath as she pushed his pencils inside a jar with a force.

"Do not say that word again, your Mom is going to kill me."

"Good," she said eyes twinkling and a huge smirk painting her lips. "Maybe then. I'll finally get rid of you."

"Yeah, you're never getting rid of me, but you can keep dreaming."

"I will...idiot."

Mia 17, Connor 19

"Your eyes..." he mumbles, his cold fingers tilting my chin higher, so our faces are on the same level.

"My eyes what?"

"They look dead."

It takes me a long moment to realize what he's saying and when I do, I'm frozen against him as I hold his eyes, not quite understanding what he's saying and yet wondering how the hell he can see right through me?

Even my best friends didn't notice my emotional withdrawal in the morning, and yet here he is, my bully, looking at me like he genuinely cares about what's going on inside me.

Like he wants to burn down whatever is killing me.

My breath is caught in my throat, my mind blank, my joints numb and my heart threatening to burst out of my chest and lay right under his feet. I have no idea what to do with my body, thoughts, or feelings.

But when a sudden sound breaks the spell, I let out a deep breath and turn my head away like lightning.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I tell him after clearing my throat and pushing him away from me with all the strength that I have.

Once there is enough space between us I realize the sound was coming from the speakers and that our class has probably started.

"I'm going to class," I say out loud, to remind myself that it's the right thing to do, and when I try to sidestep and pass him by to reach the door, his fingers wrapped around my wrist stop me.

"You need to tell me, so I can make it go away, Little Monster." He says and his voice is more threatening now than soft and if I am being completely honest with myself, it's frightening. So frightening that I almost miss the nickname I haven't heard for years now, except I don't.

I hear it loud and clear and it's so beautiful coming out of his mouth, I almost reach for him and break into a sob in his arms. I missed it so much, the name he always addressed me with so warmingly even when he was mad at me most of the time.

I turn my head to him slowly, my feet trembling under my weight, but when I see the smirk on his face, I realize he only did it to stop me. He knew I would.

"Fucking stop acting as if you care." I snap, shaking his hold on me and taking a step back from him.

"You're really dumb if you think I do, Jones."

"Then why..." I trail, my voice weak and hopeless.

"There is no fun in breaking what's already damaged." He says, eyes frozen on my face, probably to see how his words make me crawl more inside myself.

But instead of giving him the satisfaction of seeing the hurt on my face, I stare back at him just as coldly and aim to shoot him in the heart just like he did.

"I wonder how you turned into this awful human being or were you always like this? It'a becoming more difficult for me to look inside you."

"There is nothing to see here." He answers with a voice so low I think I might have even imagined it.

"Yes, I'm starting to believe it, Trouble," I mumble before turning around and walking right out of the door.

I don't notice anything or anyone around me as I make my way to the class, my steps heavier than they were minutes ago.

At first, I feel so dizzy I navigate my steps by touching the walls with my fingertips, just so I can feel something solid and real to lean on right now. But then my steps pick up, as I decide he doesn't deserve to see me like this. And if he is the only push to help me stay on my feet and fight everything and anything, then so be it! I will use him as an escape, even if it might not sound so healthy.

"Sorry," I mumble under my breath, as I enter the room and start to make my way to my seat.

"Good, you're here." I hear the instructor say and stop halfway. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Trouble make his way inside and come to stop not far away from me. "Darius was almost left without a partner. You guys can work on the next project together with him."

My eyes almost snap out of their sockets. What the hell?

"What?" I whisper under my breath, looking around the classroom confused.

"The last project of our semester is going to be a group project. Everyone has already chosen a partner, and because you two were late, I don't think you have much of a choice."

"I will do the project alone," Trouble says unbothered, making his way toward a seat at the end like he is the rule maker here and the last word is his.

"Nope." Mrs. Gruwell says, smiling unthreatened and stressing the P. "It's final. Groups, deadline - December thriteen, any architectural project with detailed info will do as long as it's unique. I will send the detailed info about the project after the class. Now take your seat and let's start the class."

"I want to work alone." I hear Trouble say again, his gaze practically murdering Gruwell. "I'm sure no one will complain if I back off from this teamwork."

I want to agree with him because there's no way in hell I'll be able to stand his presence for so long, but then an idea pops inside my head like lightning.

Wait!

Wait a freaking second!

So, if Trouble doesn't want it, then I should definitely give it to him, right? I mean what was he even thinking handing me an opportunity like this?

"I will!" I chime in, raising my hand before I can stop myself.

Trouble's head turns toward me, and for a second I feel like he's really going to strangle me. However, I hold his gaze bravely and give him the sweetest and most innocent smile I can fake, even though I'm close to pissing my skirt.

"Darius and I absolutely need him in the team," I say and look around the room, to find Darius. I've seen him before. A cute Egyptian guy with glasses and awesome taste in fashion. I have even complimented his outfits once. I find him sitting in the third row, his feet stretched in front of him, and a lazy smile on his lips as he watches me with a confused expression on his face.

"Right, Darius?" I add, holding his gaze.

"I guess," he shrugs and I give him a smile, before turning my attention to Connor.  I hold his gaze across the room, smiling like a freak, while Mrs. Gruwell announces that it's final and asks us to take our seats again.

I can almost see the smoke coming out of the devil's head, that's how furious he is. This is the first time I have seen him show any kind of emotion in front of everyone, and I'm proud of myself for evoking it.

I get to my seat first, laughing silently to myself, and when Trouble passes me by to get to a vacant seat, he slows his steps slightly and whispers under his breath: "I'm going to fucking kill you."

"But can you really kill a monster?" I whisper back and then I'm chuckling under my breath, everything in my life full of color again.

Checkmate, Trouble. Checkmate!