chaptered stories
Turning my head, I try to hide the hurt I feel. Hurt I know I have no right to feel. My heart believes differently and a lone tear trails down my cheek.
Vera cups my face in her hands, forcing me to look at her. I swallow hard when I see her eyes shimmer, too. “Rosalie, I’m sorry. So sorry. I wish… I wish things were different, but Father…”
Her jaw works a few times before she continues. “Lloyd’s a good man, at least, and I do love him, in a way. Or I believe I could do… someday…”
A soft knock startles me out of my reverie. Quickly wiping away a few stray tears, I clear my throat, straightening my posture and turning to the door. “Come in.”
Vera tentatively steps into my room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. She leans against it. For a moment we just stare at each other.
Slowly, she steps forward until she’s right in front of me. Her soft hand touches my cheek as she kneels down before me, our eyes never breaking contact.
“Oh, Rose… my beautiful Rose…” She sighs. “I still love you, my precious one.”
Lloyd Henry Roche.
How I despise him.
Envy him.
He is free to court Vera – to hold her hand, touch her, caress her.
To steal a kiss from her.
He’s been courting her for weeks and I cannot stand it.
Sitting behind my dressing table, I stare blankly at my reflection. I’ve claimed a headache in order to be left alone by Mother and my brothers.
In truth, I’m sulking, thinking about how things will never be the same again.
That I’ve lost her.
A sob threatens at the realization that I never truly had her to begin with.
Vera’s parents are asleep, their bedrooms on the far side of the hall. Knowing that they could walk in on us heightens everything.
My back arches at her touch, a low moan slipping past my lips.
“Shhh! You must be quiet, Rosalie!” she whispers admonishingly, even as her very actions prove to make that nigh impossible.
Her fingers curl inside of me, doing wickedly heathen – delicious, heavenly – things to me.
I need more.
Keening softly, I reach for her, kissing her frantically as she brings me to completion – as she damns me to hell.
I’m in Heaven.
We agree that no one must know. No one can ever find out. If they did, they would surely separate us.
If Father ever discovered …
I shudder at the thought. As ambitious as my parents are, he would not take kindly to find his daughter had been…spoiled.
Used goods.
I know that what I feel for Vera is improper, but I simply cannot help myself. I still can’t believe she feels the same way about me.
So we keep our secret.
People always say we’re as close as sisters, so that’s what I call her.
My sister.
My love .
She blushes as her hand finds mine under the covers – it strikes me as odd, since this isn’t anything we haven’t done before. We’re lying on our sides as always, but there’s something different this time.
We’ve been sharing secrets again, as is our ritual.
“Rose?” she murmurs, uncertainty clear in both her voice and her eyes.
“Yes, Vera?”
“Can I tell you a secret? A real one, I mean?”
I nod.
Instead of speaking, Vera leans in, brushing her lips ever-so-softly against mine. “I love you, Rosalie,” she whispers shyly.
“And I, you, Vera.” I squeeze her hand .
Mother’s taking us out shopping for our coming out party. Neither Vera’s, nor my family, is high enough on the social ladder to attend any formal debutante balls – something that nettles my parents greatly.
It hasn’t stopped them from doing all they can to propel me out into the spotlight.
Not that I mind, so long as Vera is there with me. I know I’m beautiful, everyone always tells me so. But it is her that makes me feel it.
Vera smiles at me, hooking my pinky finger with hers, silently conveying her excitement about staying the night again.
There is one secret, however, I daren’t share. Not even with Vera – my best friend and confidante for as long as I can remember.
Vera, who has long been the one who’s invaded my most private thoughts.
Vera, who would surely condemn me if she ever found out .
Sail
Alec has finally left – gone to who cares where.
I watch my best friend closely, hoping that he will bounce back to the way he used to be, but it is as if Alec’s venomous words have taken the wind out of his sails.
It’s been weeks, and he continues to hold a part of himself back. He claims to be fine. I can see the change in him, though, and it makes me ache for him.
I pray that, with time, he will open up again and his heart will heal.
He deserves to be happy, to be loved. Continue reading
As always, Twilight is not mine.
********************
I held the small, innocuous piece of metal between my fingers. The uneven ridges bit into my flesh as my grip tightened.
The key in and of itself was innocent enough – the reason behind it, however, wasn’t. I didn’t know what he would say, if he would welcome the gesture. Would he be upset? Would he use it? Would he need to?
I closed my eyes briefly before holding it out to him. He watched me curiously as he opened his hand.
“Here, Jazz. I want you to have this…as a talisman, of sorts. I hope you’ll use it.” Continue reading
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