Now It's My Time to Strike Back

-After argument between Nick and Rose the same night of Jake and Rose’s date-

I walked out Rose and I’s dorm room, walking wherever my feet pleased. I was furious!

How could Rose just kiss Jake, Jake of all people on the cheek?!

I began to get self-conscious. Does she think Jake is better than me? I stopped, realizing I was at our tree.

Am I really a bad person? Yes, I chose Victoria over Rose out of stupidity, but I’ve been trying to make amends because of that.

What should I do? Do I go back and apologize or do I stand by what I said?

I was so confused that it wasn’t funny. How did Rose have this much control over me? I didn’t understand it myself.

I rested my back against its trunk, taking a deep breath as I thought everything over.

My phone went off, surprising me, but when I took it out and Vic flashed on the caller ID, I reluctantly answered.

“Hello?” I asked in an annoyed tone.

“Stop ignoring my phone calls!” Vic exclaimed through over the phone.

“Well, maybe if you’d just leave me alone or get a life, you wouldn’t have to worry about me ever answering your calls!” I replied just as angry.

“I saw you walking around the school by yourself, but I was surprised I didn’t see Rose with you. Where was she?” she asked, causing my heart to stop for a second.

She knew she hit a nerve.

“That’s none of your business,” I growled.

“Oh, please. You and Rose are so predictable. I can tell the two of you aren’t getting along right now. Am I right?” she asked.

I could picture the smirk on her face. I ran a hand through my curls. I was stressing out and Vic wasn’t helping to my problems.

“Why did you call, Vic? You must have called for a reason,” I retorted, ignoring her previous question.

“Ah, always avoiding the question, Nick. You haven’t changed at all. So, are you and Rose going to get back together or not?” she asked, avoiding my own question.

“That’s not what I asked, Vic. If you don’t answer me, I’m hanging up,” I said, getting agitated at her satisfied tone.

“Fine. I just wanted you to know that Rose enjoyed her date thoroughly,” she said, hitting a nerve stronger than ever.

“What are you talking about, Vic?” I said my voice raising.

“A couple of my cheerleading friends went to the movies tonight, too and they saw Jake and Rose holding hands on the way into the theater. Pretty shady if that guy was your friend, let alone your roommate,” she said in a teasing tone.

She had to have been messing with me. Rose and Jake holding hands? It was impossible.

“Y-you’re lying,” I got out, trying to regain confidence and certainty in my voice.

“Check your phone tomorrow morning and you’ll see whether I’m lying or not,” she said before the line went dead.

I stared at my phone as Vic’s words went through my mind again. Why would Rose do this? I know I hurt her, but why would she give Jake a chance? We made love just a week previously and she’s already moving on.

Why couldn’t I do the same?

I walked back to the dorm after I walked around the campus once to see a sight that pulled at my heartstrings. Rose was asleep on the floor probably trying to stay awake for me to stop arguing.

I walked over to her sleeping figure and gently picked her up, placing her gently onto her bed. When I picked her up, her head tilted towards my chest as though she knew it was me.

When I placed her on the bed, she groaned lightly, turning onto her left side as though she would face me in the morning when she woke up.

Shaking the false hope out of my mind, I pulled the covers on top of her before changing right there then, I climbed into my own bed. My eyes couldn’t tear away from Rose’s sleeping figure. She looked so peaceful yet something wasn’t right. She kept tossing and turning in her sleep.

Wondering what in the world she was dreaming about, I climbed into bed with her, moving her head and right arm onto my chest causing her to suddenly stop. She cuddled right next to me, a small smile on her lips.

Then, suddenly, something unexpected happened. She opened her mouth to speak.

“Mmmm, I love you, Nick,” she mumbled, but I understood her clearly.

Shock overcame me as I was stuck on stupid. Rose said she loved me! She finally said it! But just as the happiness went through me, it was washed away as I realized one simple fact: she was asleep. Those words could have just been her dreaming, but if she was dreaming of loving me… What did that mean?

I stroked her small, slim hand in my larger, slightly calloused one and she cuddled even closer filling the slight gap in between our bodies. Her warmth radiated off of her causing me to get sleepy in turn. It was so comfortable being next to her again.

…

I woke up the next morning at 7 not surprised to see Rose still asleep, but just like that, reality hit me. I had to get out of bed with her if not for my sake, then at least Rose’s.

Cautiously, I successfully got out of bed without causing her to stir. I stared once more at her beautiful face just as a breath escaped her with a quiet whimper causing my feelings for her to grow ever stronger. What was I going to do about this?

A sigh escaped me as I climbed into my own bed, closing my eyes when my phone went off signaling I’d received a text. I opened it, my feelings for Rose turning into anger and jealousy at the very sight of the photo.

It was a picture of Rose in the outfit she wore on the date with Jake at a movie theater about an hour or two from the school, walking hand in hand towards the theater.

I bit my lip as I felt the tears begin to form in my eyes as I stared at the woman in the bed before me. My fingers uncontrollably began to type in response to Vic’s satisfaction, but I didn’t care.

Don’t text me again, Vic. You’ve done enough damage with your manipulation and selfishness. LEAVE. ME. ALONE!

I couldn’t help but suck my tears up as I turned over with my back towards Rose. I couldn’t keep thinking about her. Not anymore. From this point on, I had to give up on her or at least begin to.