The Rose and The Thorne
One.
Georgia Rose was a heartbreaker. She knew it and so did the rest of the world. From her little black dress to her sky-high heels to her perfectly painted nails and plump red lips, she screamed heartache. She was the girl the boys wrote love songs about and the girls sent looks of envy.
The moment she walked into the room, every eye went to her. Her dress was low cut enough to leave class and her heels were just tasteful enough. It was a charity dinner and even though she came looking very much like a club-hopper, Georgia looked perfect. Every tuxedo-clad boy and man turned to watch her as she walked down the room to stand beside a woman who looked much like her, with the gift of age added on.
“Mother dearest, guess whose favorite daughter is in town?”
“I’m not stupid, Georgia. We both know you’re failing your classes so you withdrew for the semester. We know it and so does everyone else in this room.” The older woman hissed as she took a champagne flute and brought it to her pink lips.
“You know Mother, I tried but the professors just didn’t seem to catch my interest. They weren’t engaging enough. Not at all like my hands on Professor Jean Luc.”
“Georgia, this is a public charity. Do not mention your distasteful affair. It caused enough scrutiny last year.”
“Don’t mention my schooling if you care so much for your reputation. And don’t wait up, Mother. That boy in the corner with the blue bowtie and blonde hair looks like he’d be good between the sheets. I’m going to go put my theory to test.”
“Georgia Rose!”
“See you around, Mother.” Georgia said before turning on her heel and introducing herself to the boy with a flip of her hair and a sultry smile.
“I’m Georgia and it’s getting awfully hot in here if you ask me.”
The boy kissed her hand before tugging her toward the exit and into the back of a town car. It wasn’t long before Georgia was in his Park Avenue townhouse and her dress was on the ground, her heels in the doorway and the tuxedo was discarded around the room.
He leaned in and said “I’m Lucas.”
“I honestly don’t care.” Georgia said before she closed the distance.
The next morning Georgia called her driver and gathered her belongings. She turned back to look at the boy who was sleeping. He hadn’t even been that good. Far too sloppy and he didn’t last nearly long enough. Georgia left his apartment, lit a cigarette and got into her car.
“Jonathan, can you take me to Central Park?” She said to the man in the driver’s seat.
“Your mother’s orders were to take you home.”
“Jonathan, when was the last time you and I followed my mother’s orders?” Georgia said with a wry smile.
The old man smiled at Georgia and his blue eyes twinkled. In Georgia’s mind, Jonathan was her best friend since the age of five. He was always there for her, no matter what. He never judged her. He silently listened, with a nod here and there. Wherever she asked to go, Jonathan drove without a question. No matter how many of Gwyneth’s orders Jonathan defied, Gwyneth knew he would never put Georgia in harm’s way.
“Should I drive to the usual location?”
“Yes please.”
“Long night, dear?”
“Not really. I did manage to upset my mother, though.”
“You know Georgia, that’s hardly a feat these days. Your mother has enough to worry about with business these days and all the media attention on your father’s addiction. I’m not telling you what to do, but I think both you and Gwyneth would be better off if you weren’t at each others throats constantly.”
Georgia nodded her head before saying “I knew there was a reason Mother kept you around for so long.”
Jonathan merely laughed and continued to drive ahead. New York City was busy as usual, traffic congesting all the streets and hurried pedestrians ignoring all care for safety as they hurriedly crisscrossed busy intersections on their way to work.
Jonathon stopped on the corner of 59th and 5th avenue and gestured to the park where Georgia had spent her life.
“I’ll walk back home. It isn’t much farther from here and I need to clear my head.”
Jonathon nodded before driving off to some place close in case Georgia needed him.
Georgia wished she’d worn some sort of a wrap as the cool October air met Georgia’s bare arms. However, wrapping her arms around herself, Georgia trudged on until she was at the lake where she had learned to ice skate and dared Chase to jump into. Her younger brother was as proud as her and refused to be called a wuss so he had jumped into the lake, in the middle of November. He had caught pneumonia that winter and Gwyneth had been furious.
Georgia was about to sit on the bench that she had claimed was hers at the age of five but was stopped by a seated figure in a red coat. Georgia cleared here throat and the figure turned to Georgia before breaking out into a grin.
“Georgie!” The red coat clad girl said.
Georgia tried not to look surprised but she couldn’t help it. She hadn’t seen Elizabeth Ross since the both had left for school, with Elizabeth going to the west coast to study at Stanford while Georgia followed her father and mother’s legacy at Yale.
“Liz, when did you come here? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I came this morning and when I called your mother, she told me she hadn’t seen you since a charity event last night. I assumed you’d gone off with some handsome bachelor and were probably on your way here as you usually do after one of your trysts.” Elizabeth explained in an indifferent tone.
“I don’t know what I should be more surprised about. The fact that you knew I’d be here, the fact that you admit my one night stands are attractive or that you called a one nightstand a tryst. What’s next? Are you going to start telling me to stop frolicking about?
“You’ve gotten mighty funny since I last talked to you.”
“And now you just used mighty as an adjective. I thought you were going to school in California, not Alabama. Here I was expecting you to come back saying, “Chill bro” and instead I’ve got a hick.”
“Really, Georgia? That’s how you’re greeting me after two months?”
“What I meant was, oh Elizabeth, I’ve missed you so much. Please, let’s have a slumber party and braid each other’s hair. I’d love to braid your long, luscious blonde locks.”
“Shut up, you goon. Now, what’s this your mother’s saying of you withdrawing for the semester?”
“It might have to do with the fact that my classes weren’t engaging enough to warrant my attendance.”
“What did you want, the hands on approach Jean Luc used?”
“I would’ve been more than willing if any of them were attractive but I’ll be honest, they were all old and wrinkly.”
“Georgia, you’re a smart girl. You don’t need to fail because you just didn’t think the class was interesting enough.”
“Thanks for letting me know that, Mother.”
Elizabeth ignored the comment and continued. “I was talking to your mom who is upset as it is, mind you. She decided it would be best if you didn’t withdraw, hired a tutor and got your grades up to par by the end of this semester.”
“You know she can’t make me do anything. I’m an adult who can live on her own. She has no say in any of my decisions.”
Elizabeth sent her friend a smile. “As far as you know.”
“Don’t be cryptic. I’m cold and that invitation to the slumber party still stands. We’re braiding each other’s hair, stealing my mother’s wine and having a movie marathon.”
“I’ll be over later tonight. I have a lot of work to do. My mother will flip a shit if she realizes I’ve visited after two months only to see friends before family. We’re having a dinner tonight.” She said with a smile.
“From what you’ve told me, dinners never end well for you, do they?”
“Well, considering I’m always scrutinized I suppose not.”
“Oh if only I was as perfect as Elizabeth Penelope Ross! Then my only problem would be the fact that everyone is always talking about my success.”
“Oh shut it, you. I will not deal with this. See you tonight. And go shower. You reek of sex.”
“Do I really?”
Elizabeth nodded as she wrinkled her nose in distaste before grinning and walking away. “See you tonight, slute.”
“I cannot believe you, Liz!” Georgia called after her friend who walked away quickly. Georgia wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to shield her from the cold and walked in the direction of her apartment with a smile on her face.
The moment she walked into the room, every eye went to her. Her dress was low cut enough to leave class and her heels were just tasteful enough. It was a charity dinner and even though she came looking very much like a club-hopper, Georgia looked perfect. Every tuxedo-clad boy and man turned to watch her as she walked down the room to stand beside a woman who looked much like her, with the gift of age added on.
“Mother dearest, guess whose favorite daughter is in town?”
“I’m not stupid, Georgia. We both know you’re failing your classes so you withdrew for the semester. We know it and so does everyone else in this room.” The older woman hissed as she took a champagne flute and brought it to her pink lips.
“You know Mother, I tried but the professors just didn’t seem to catch my interest. They weren’t engaging enough. Not at all like my hands on Professor Jean Luc.”
“Georgia, this is a public charity. Do not mention your distasteful affair. It caused enough scrutiny last year.”
“Don’t mention my schooling if you care so much for your reputation. And don’t wait up, Mother. That boy in the corner with the blue bowtie and blonde hair looks like he’d be good between the sheets. I’m going to go put my theory to test.”
“Georgia Rose!”
“See you around, Mother.” Georgia said before turning on her heel and introducing herself to the boy with a flip of her hair and a sultry smile.
“I’m Georgia and it’s getting awfully hot in here if you ask me.”
The boy kissed her hand before tugging her toward the exit and into the back of a town car. It wasn’t long before Georgia was in his Park Avenue townhouse and her dress was on the ground, her heels in the doorway and the tuxedo was discarded around the room.
He leaned in and said “I’m Lucas.”
“I honestly don’t care.” Georgia said before she closed the distance.
The next morning Georgia called her driver and gathered her belongings. She turned back to look at the boy who was sleeping. He hadn’t even been that good. Far too sloppy and he didn’t last nearly long enough. Georgia left his apartment, lit a cigarette and got into her car.
“Jonathan, can you take me to Central Park?” She said to the man in the driver’s seat.
“Your mother’s orders were to take you home.”
“Jonathan, when was the last time you and I followed my mother’s orders?” Georgia said with a wry smile.
The old man smiled at Georgia and his blue eyes twinkled. In Georgia’s mind, Jonathan was her best friend since the age of five. He was always there for her, no matter what. He never judged her. He silently listened, with a nod here and there. Wherever she asked to go, Jonathan drove without a question. No matter how many of Gwyneth’s orders Jonathan defied, Gwyneth knew he would never put Georgia in harm’s way.
“Should I drive to the usual location?”
“Yes please.”
“Long night, dear?”
“Not really. I did manage to upset my mother, though.”
“You know Georgia, that’s hardly a feat these days. Your mother has enough to worry about with business these days and all the media attention on your father’s addiction. I’m not telling you what to do, but I think both you and Gwyneth would be better off if you weren’t at each others throats constantly.”
Georgia nodded her head before saying “I knew there was a reason Mother kept you around for so long.”
Jonathan merely laughed and continued to drive ahead. New York City was busy as usual, traffic congesting all the streets and hurried pedestrians ignoring all care for safety as they hurriedly crisscrossed busy intersections on their way to work.
Jonathon stopped on the corner of 59th and 5th avenue and gestured to the park where Georgia had spent her life.
“I’ll walk back home. It isn’t much farther from here and I need to clear my head.”
Jonathon nodded before driving off to some place close in case Georgia needed him.
Georgia wished she’d worn some sort of a wrap as the cool October air met Georgia’s bare arms. However, wrapping her arms around herself, Georgia trudged on until she was at the lake where she had learned to ice skate and dared Chase to jump into. Her younger brother was as proud as her and refused to be called a wuss so he had jumped into the lake, in the middle of November. He had caught pneumonia that winter and Gwyneth had been furious.
Georgia was about to sit on the bench that she had claimed was hers at the age of five but was stopped by a seated figure in a red coat. Georgia cleared here throat and the figure turned to Georgia before breaking out into a grin.
“Georgie!” The red coat clad girl said.
Georgia tried not to look surprised but she couldn’t help it. She hadn’t seen Elizabeth Ross since the both had left for school, with Elizabeth going to the west coast to study at Stanford while Georgia followed her father and mother’s legacy at Yale.
“Liz, when did you come here? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I came this morning and when I called your mother, she told me she hadn’t seen you since a charity event last night. I assumed you’d gone off with some handsome bachelor and were probably on your way here as you usually do after one of your trysts.” Elizabeth explained in an indifferent tone.
“I don’t know what I should be more surprised about. The fact that you knew I’d be here, the fact that you admit my one night stands are attractive or that you called a one nightstand a tryst. What’s next? Are you going to start telling me to stop frolicking about?
“You’ve gotten mighty funny since I last talked to you.”
“And now you just used mighty as an adjective. I thought you were going to school in California, not Alabama. Here I was expecting you to come back saying, “Chill bro” and instead I’ve got a hick.”
“Really, Georgia? That’s how you’re greeting me after two months?”
“What I meant was, oh Elizabeth, I’ve missed you so much. Please, let’s have a slumber party and braid each other’s hair. I’d love to braid your long, luscious blonde locks.”
“Shut up, you goon. Now, what’s this your mother’s saying of you withdrawing for the semester?”
“It might have to do with the fact that my classes weren’t engaging enough to warrant my attendance.”
“What did you want, the hands on approach Jean Luc used?”
“I would’ve been more than willing if any of them were attractive but I’ll be honest, they were all old and wrinkly.”
“Georgia, you’re a smart girl. You don’t need to fail because you just didn’t think the class was interesting enough.”
“Thanks for letting me know that, Mother.”
Elizabeth ignored the comment and continued. “I was talking to your mom who is upset as it is, mind you. She decided it would be best if you didn’t withdraw, hired a tutor and got your grades up to par by the end of this semester.”
“You know she can’t make me do anything. I’m an adult who can live on her own. She has no say in any of my decisions.”
Elizabeth sent her friend a smile. “As far as you know.”
“Don’t be cryptic. I’m cold and that invitation to the slumber party still stands. We’re braiding each other’s hair, stealing my mother’s wine and having a movie marathon.”
“I’ll be over later tonight. I have a lot of work to do. My mother will flip a shit if she realizes I’ve visited after two months only to see friends before family. We’re having a dinner tonight.” She said with a smile.
“From what you’ve told me, dinners never end well for you, do they?”
“Well, considering I’m always scrutinized I suppose not.”
“Oh if only I was as perfect as Elizabeth Penelope Ross! Then my only problem would be the fact that everyone is always talking about my success.”
“Oh shut it, you. I will not deal with this. See you tonight. And go shower. You reek of sex.”
“Do I really?”
Elizabeth nodded as she wrinkled her nose in distaste before grinning and walking away. “See you tonight, slute.”
“I cannot believe you, Liz!” Georgia called after her friend who walked away quickly. Georgia wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to shield her from the cold and walked in the direction of her apartment with a smile on her face.
♠ ♠ ♠
New story! Yay!Tell me what you think please.
Marie