Now It's My Time to Strike Back

I got to Rose’s room, realizing no one was there. I sighed quietly, my head snapping to the stairs as I heard voices coming from the kitchen, indicating she was down there talking to someone.

I quietly stepped down the steps, the voices getting louder. Rose and Mel were closer to the counter and sink, away from the hall so I stood next to the entrance, eavesdropping on their conversation.

“So, anyways, how have you been?” Mel asked.

I rolled my eyes. Why was everyone so damn concerned about Rose? She and Nick broke up months ago!

“I’ve been better. I wrote another song, actually”, Rose answered in a slightly cheerful tone.

Another song? What is it about? I wondered.

“Really? How does it go?” Mel asked out of curiosity.

I waited patiently to hear Rose’s response.

“It’s in bits and pieces right now, but I have the chords down. I’m going to perform it when we get back to school after the tour with the Freshman and everything”, she answered smoothly.

I made a fist in anger. So, Rose was coming back to New Preston over the summer, too? Damn. That means that she’ll be with Nick and I. I wanted to have fun with Nick in private instead of having to deal with her so soon.

“So, why did you write it?” Mel asked the same question that came in my mind.

“I don’t know. It’s not finished yet”, Rose answered. I thought this to be my cue to enter the room, so I did.

“You wrote a new song?” I asked inquiringly. I hadn’t realized I startled them, but I ignored their reactions. Rose’s face went cold and blank as did Mel’s before she answered.

“Yeah”, she answered in a monotone.

I put my arms to the side, feeling a smirk form on my lips as I watched the anger build in Rose as she stared at me. I felt like I needed to know why she was writing this song so I can prepare to protect my reputation before she ruins it.

“Is it because I’m with Nick?” I asked.

Silence filled the room, but she sighed for a moment before speaking.

“I don’t know yet. I don’t know how I feel about that anymore. I know you stole him from me and all, but I don’t really care about what you do to me anymore. I’m done with everything and you. You can be happy and cheerful with him, but I know that it wasn’t meant to be. So enjoy him while you have him”, she said in a cold tone, marching out of the room as she headed to the bathroom.

Hmph. I guess I pissed her off, then.

“What was that for?” Mel asked with an attitude, glaring at me.

“I didn’t do anything. I only asked two simple questions”, I retorted.

“Leave Rose alone, Vic. Can’t you just be satisfied with having Nick already?!” she exclaimed, rushing up the stairs after Rose.

I closed my eyes for a few minutes before I, too headed upstairs but to my room this time. Rose was surprisingly outside of the bathroom. I hesitated before deciding to try one last time to get things straight between us.

“Rose, you know I didn’t mean to fall for Nick and everything, right?” I asked in a serious tone.

I honestly didn’t mean to fall for Nick as much as I did. I only wanted to make Rose miserable for being happy and having everything.

“Really? And why should I believe that? You have him now. Shouldn’t that be all that matters to you?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

I shook my head, trying to get her to see reason, even placing my hands on her shoulders.

“No! It’s not OK!” I exclaimed, feeling the guilt overcome me again. “I wanted to be friends with you, especially after mom died. I will admit that at first, I was only thinking of manipulating you and Nick so I could get Nick to be mine, but after I did fall for him, I realized that he’s not like any other guy I’ve ever been with. He’s-”, I began, but she wouldn’t have it.

“I don’t want to hear this shit, Vic. Why the hell would you tell me all of this? Is it supposed to make me feel better because it sure as hell doesn’t. Have you even told Nick any of this?” she asked, catching me off guard.

How did she know I hadn’t told Nick this? I bit my lip hard before answering.

“No, he doesn’t know. I don’t plan on telling him”, I said, turning my face from her as I allowed my hands to fall from her shoulders.

A laugh escaped her, but it held no humor, ticking me off.

“You’re so stupid, Victoria. Do you honestly think Nick hasn’t figured out what you did by now? He’s pretty smart, last time I checked”, she said with a smile, raising a brow taking a hit just because I was being honest with her. I was done trying to be nice to her.

“Well, he hasn’t left me yet, then, if he has figured it out, has he?” I asked with a smirk knowing what I’d done.

She bit her lip, responding before I could say anything else.

“You may be right about that, but like I said, Nick isn’t stupid. There’s only a matter of time before he finds someone better, someone that’s not you”, she said, turning on her heel, leaving me in shock.

Since when did Rose have that much courage to say something like that to me? I didn’t know how, but Rose has changed and I didn’t like it at all.