Status: Complete
Run Away With Me
Rosie
"This is my Dad, Austin. And my step-mom, Cathy. Cathy, Dad, this is Rosie, my girlfriend."
Oh how I detested the pride in Jake's voice and his parents eyes as I shook Austin's and Cathy's hand. I wanted to slap them all, scream at them and trash their perfect home. I didn't even know why I wanted to, I just did. I wasn't quite normal, was I?
"Pleasure to meet you," I said politely, feeling like I should curtsy. I wondered if all girls found boyfriend's parents this intimidating.
"And you," Austin said, very friendly. Cathy merely nodded, much more reserved. I liked her best.
She then bustled off to serve dinner though, so I was back to feeling awkward with the males again.
"So..." Austin trailed off.
"So..." I repeated, fighting the smirk that was trying oh so hard to appear. Austin was tall, with a thick head of black hair which was long, and tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were the color of the sky on a summers day and his skin was pale and smooth. He looked young, like he should be an ex-rock star.
"Dinners ready," Cathy announced, popping her head out of the kitchen door, breaking the tension and the awkward silence. Austin laughed loudly and Jake took hold of my hand. The grip was sweaty, but I wasn't sure who's hand the sweat was from. I was pretty sure it wasn't from me though, since I wasn't nervous.
I sat next to Jake and across from Cathy. I observed the flower pattern of the tablecloth as I was served the Vegetable Lasagna and listened to the story of 'How Cathy Became A Vegetarian!' I tried to nod and say 'oh, yes' in the right place, and it seemed to work, as everyone was smiling and laughing and trading stories.
"So, Rosie," Austin was suddenly looking at me and I paid attention. "Are you coming to Jacob's seventeenth next month? It's on the 27th."
"Of course," I smiled. "That's my birthday too!"
"We were meant to be!" Jake exclaimed dramatically as the others laughed. "It means we'll never forget one another's birthday!"
They began telling stories of past birthdays so I kept my mouth shut and nibbled at my lasagna. It didn't taste very good, so when Cathy got around to clearing up the plated I mumbled something about not being hungry. She smiled and shrugged, like it was no big deal, and I was grateful for that. Most people think if you miss one meal you obviously have an eating disorder.
Or I could just not like your food, idiot?
We all went through to the lounge and Austin patted the space beside him on the sofa. I sat down reluctantly as Jake and Cathy took the other couch. There was a huge gilt mirror across from me and Austin and I looked at our reflection. The first thing I noticed was how bored I looked, so I righted my expression and smiled at Austin.
He went off on a 'What Jacob Was Like When He Was Younger' spiel and I nodded and laughed along, trying to not lose my concentration. Jake rolled his eyes and groaned a lot, while Cathy smiled politely, like I was doing.
"It's just a pity about his mother," Austin sighed.
"Dad, Rosie doesn't need to here this," Jake muttered, looking uncomfortable.
"We met on holiday. I was fifteen, she was thirteen. We fooled around and then a few months later I got a letter from her telling me she's pregnant," he sighed. "But the thing is, she didn't have one baby, she had two. A boy and a girl."
"Dad," Jake groaned again.
"When I was 18, I went to find them. No matter how young I was, they were my kids you know? I hated the thought of them in care."
"I was in care. I'm adopted. It's not so bad," I injected, but Austin ignored me, just like he'd ignored Jake.
"The only child at the right age though, was my Jacob. Tiny thing, looked just like me. The little girl though, had been fostered already. I could have tried to find her, but I was too afraid. A few years ago, I managed to get a hold of her new adoptive mother, who said it would be too disruptive for me to visit. I think the woman's name was Tessa..." Austin trailed off.
I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. I'd always thought my friendship with Jake was too good to be true and now I was finding out why. Our birthdays being on the same day, same year. Tessa. Being adopted.
I looked in the huge gilt mirror across from me and Austin and looked at us. His hair was the exact same shade as mine. Our blue eyes met and he smiled, crooked at the left side like my smile. His determined chin only slightly more masculine than mine. His love heart shaped face. I felt sick as it all fell into place.
"Austin," I interrupted, and he paid attention this time. "The girl you met on holiday."
"Yes?"
"Her second name was Riley, wasn't it?" I said, fearing the answer.
"Y-yes, how do you know?" Austin looked startled and confused. Jake looked like he was about to understand. Cathy looked a bit bored.
"You knew the girls name, right?" Austin nodded and I took a deep breath. "Well, Rosie is just a nickname for me. My full name is Astrid-Rose Riley."
Austin swore. Jake paled and Cathy looked confused.
"I... I... kissing... sister?" Jake stuttered, then rushed out the room. I heard the noise of him being sick in the kitchen sink. Cathy looked like she understood.
"Astrid-Rose," Austin smiled shakily. "I've finally found you. You know what this means? I'm your Dad."
"You're nothing to me," I hissed, getting to my feet shakily. I felt like doing what Jake was doing. I mean, we'd been related all this time? It made me nauseas. "I have to go."
I rushed out, ignoring the shouts. I didn't know whether it was Jake or Austin, and I didn't care. I couldn't face them. I'd fought hard to destroy every link to the mother who'd abandoned me. I didn't need them. There was only one person I needed.
The minute I was home I logged on-line desperately. Thankfully Tessa was asleep so I managed to avoid questioning until tomorrow. My email in-box was blinking, so I checked it quickly before I started writing the email.
Funnily enough it was an email from the person I needed to hear from most. I read it quickly then started a reply.
Frank,
I'm so messed up. I need to see you. Meet me at the park on your street tomorrow at 12?
Love, Rosie
Oh how I detested the pride in Jake's voice and his parents eyes as I shook Austin's and Cathy's hand. I wanted to slap them all, scream at them and trash their perfect home. I didn't even know why I wanted to, I just did. I wasn't quite normal, was I?
"Pleasure to meet you," I said politely, feeling like I should curtsy. I wondered if all girls found boyfriend's parents this intimidating.
"And you," Austin said, very friendly. Cathy merely nodded, much more reserved. I liked her best.
She then bustled off to serve dinner though, so I was back to feeling awkward with the males again.
"So..." Austin trailed off.
"So..." I repeated, fighting the smirk that was trying oh so hard to appear. Austin was tall, with a thick head of black hair which was long, and tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were the color of the sky on a summers day and his skin was pale and smooth. He looked young, like he should be an ex-rock star.
"Dinners ready," Cathy announced, popping her head out of the kitchen door, breaking the tension and the awkward silence. Austin laughed loudly and Jake took hold of my hand. The grip was sweaty, but I wasn't sure who's hand the sweat was from. I was pretty sure it wasn't from me though, since I wasn't nervous.
I sat next to Jake and across from Cathy. I observed the flower pattern of the tablecloth as I was served the Vegetable Lasagna and listened to the story of 'How Cathy Became A Vegetarian!' I tried to nod and say 'oh, yes' in the right place, and it seemed to work, as everyone was smiling and laughing and trading stories.
"So, Rosie," Austin was suddenly looking at me and I paid attention. "Are you coming to Jacob's seventeenth next month? It's on the 27th."
"Of course," I smiled. "That's my birthday too!"
"We were meant to be!" Jake exclaimed dramatically as the others laughed. "It means we'll never forget one another's birthday!"
They began telling stories of past birthdays so I kept my mouth shut and nibbled at my lasagna. It didn't taste very good, so when Cathy got around to clearing up the plated I mumbled something about not being hungry. She smiled and shrugged, like it was no big deal, and I was grateful for that. Most people think if you miss one meal you obviously have an eating disorder.
Or I could just not like your food, idiot?
We all went through to the lounge and Austin patted the space beside him on the sofa. I sat down reluctantly as Jake and Cathy took the other couch. There was a huge gilt mirror across from me and Austin and I looked at our reflection. The first thing I noticed was how bored I looked, so I righted my expression and smiled at Austin.
He went off on a 'What Jacob Was Like When He Was Younger' spiel and I nodded and laughed along, trying to not lose my concentration. Jake rolled his eyes and groaned a lot, while Cathy smiled politely, like I was doing.
"It's just a pity about his mother," Austin sighed.
"Dad, Rosie doesn't need to here this," Jake muttered, looking uncomfortable.
"We met on holiday. I was fifteen, she was thirteen. We fooled around and then a few months later I got a letter from her telling me she's pregnant," he sighed. "But the thing is, she didn't have one baby, she had two. A boy and a girl."
"Dad," Jake groaned again.
"When I was 18, I went to find them. No matter how young I was, they were my kids you know? I hated the thought of them in care."
"I was in care. I'm adopted. It's not so bad," I injected, but Austin ignored me, just like he'd ignored Jake.
"The only child at the right age though, was my Jacob. Tiny thing, looked just like me. The little girl though, had been fostered already. I could have tried to find her, but I was too afraid. A few years ago, I managed to get a hold of her new adoptive mother, who said it would be too disruptive for me to visit. I think the woman's name was Tessa..." Austin trailed off.
I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. I'd always thought my friendship with Jake was too good to be true and now I was finding out why. Our birthdays being on the same day, same year. Tessa. Being adopted.
I looked in the huge gilt mirror across from me and Austin and looked at us. His hair was the exact same shade as mine. Our blue eyes met and he smiled, crooked at the left side like my smile. His determined chin only slightly more masculine than mine. His love heart shaped face. I felt sick as it all fell into place.
"Austin," I interrupted, and he paid attention this time. "The girl you met on holiday."
"Yes?"
"Her second name was Riley, wasn't it?" I said, fearing the answer.
"Y-yes, how do you know?" Austin looked startled and confused. Jake looked like he was about to understand. Cathy looked a bit bored.
"You knew the girls name, right?" Austin nodded and I took a deep breath. "Well, Rosie is just a nickname for me. My full name is Astrid-Rose Riley."
Austin swore. Jake paled and Cathy looked confused.
"I... I... kissing... sister?" Jake stuttered, then rushed out the room. I heard the noise of him being sick in the kitchen sink. Cathy looked like she understood.
"Astrid-Rose," Austin smiled shakily. "I've finally found you. You know what this means? I'm your Dad."
"You're nothing to me," I hissed, getting to my feet shakily. I felt like doing what Jake was doing. I mean, we'd been related all this time? It made me nauseas. "I have to go."
I rushed out, ignoring the shouts. I didn't know whether it was Jake or Austin, and I didn't care. I couldn't face them. I'd fought hard to destroy every link to the mother who'd abandoned me. I didn't need them. There was only one person I needed.
The minute I was home I logged on-line desperately. Thankfully Tessa was asleep so I managed to avoid questioning until tomorrow. My email in-box was blinking, so I checked it quickly before I started writing the email.
Funnily enough it was an email from the person I needed to hear from most. I read it quickly then started a reply.
Frank,
I'm so messed up. I need to see you. Meet me at the park on your street tomorrow at 12?
Love, Rosie
♠ ♠ ♠
Anyone see that coming?