A LITTLE TOUCH OF ROSE - EPISODE 10

Sora’s standpoint

The girls and I walked into the café talking loudly about what happened earlier at the gym and music class. First, it was Rosita and Zed, their family must be really close but who is her family? I knew all his mother’s friends and possible enemies because I love him very much. It’s a necessary to know everything about the guy you love. None of them seem to have a daughter… Or maybe it’s his father. I didn’t know much about his father. I couldn’t find out much about his friends because he seem to keep it away from public view.

Even if they were fighting a lot, it didn’t keep the jealousy away. It was selfish to be in love with and want two guys all to one’s self, but I couldn’t help how my heart worked. Odin was my ex, the guy I had. Zed was the guy I’d tried countlessly to have but never got.

I lost a good opportunity to be with him because I wasn’t Gempire’s Heart, Yuki stole that spotlight from me. What can a girl do to just have the guys she wants to herself?!

“And Cedric likes her, that’s very rear,” Mimi chimed in.

“They all do,” Sally murmured sadly. “Did you see how Alvin was so close to her?”

“He didn’t go close to her, Sally,” Rita said with a bored expression, “stop concluding. And even if he did, you are not his girlfriend.”

“I would have been,” she argued.

“One-night stand,” I reminded her.

“We made love,” she snapped. I raised my hands up in surrender, she never listens.

“Welcome to Pāpururōtasu, what can I get you?” My head shot up instantly at the familiar voice. Rosita stood by our table with her phone in her hands as she typed away.

“What are you doing here?” I looked at her uniform and smirked.

“You work here,” I stated as a matter-of-fact. She nodded absent mindedly.

“Yeah sure, what can I get you? Have to attend to other people,”

“Oh my, you are a church rat pretending to be rich. How did you get close to Zed with your bacterias? Ew!” I said loudly to get many attention from the students. And it sure worked.

“I know, she’s his maid or her mother is his maid and she being the daughter, got a scholarship. That has got to be it.” Rita added as loud as I did.

“I’m sure you must be opening your filthy legs for different men to be able to pay for the expensive things you wear,” I mocked.

“What does Odin-kun see in you anyways? You are disgusting.” Sally managed to add. Rosita sighed heavily, as if totally bored by our words. She wasn’t even a little bit bothered.

“Are you done?” She asked, dropping her hands and phone to her side, eyes still showing her boredom.

“What?” Rita asked quizzically.

“You all talk too much for brats who should be a good example to people out there. The only mature one here is her,” she pointed her phone at Mimi, “even she is embarrass for the three of you. Now tell me your order so I can get on with my life.”

“Tea, we’ll have jasmine tea,” Mimi said shyly. Rosita nodded. She turned to leave and as she walked, she intentionally spoke loudly so everyone would hear.

“And you ask what that dick and Odin see in me? For a start, I don’t look like a walking toothpick, the letter ‘I’ and someone struggling with hygiene…” She paused and turned as she reached the counter with a wide smirk. “And honey, it’s all in the breasts and bums. I actually have something on my chest and something soft to squeeze behind, not walls and bones. You better leave your makeup fixing to your makeup artist, you look like three witches trying too hard to look like humans.” And with that, she walked around the counter and to the backroom.

I bit my lip with anger at the public humiliation. It got worse when Mimi burst into laughter as she pointed at Rita and Sally. Clearly, Sally was the toothpick and Rita the one struggling with hygiene. I growled at Mimi but she didn’t stop, it only worsen.

Rosita!

Rosita’s standpoint

I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time. I was attending to a group of young adult who came to celebrate a particular guy among them. There was seven boys and four girls. One of them kept trying to shove her breasts into the celebrant’s face, even when she knew his girlfriend came with him. By the looks of it, his girlfriend was the quiet and timid type.

She left a bitch chase her away from the chair she ought to sit with her boyfriend, and kept taking the badmouthing of the bitch and her friends. And then, the touching what belongs to her. Her boyfriend wasn’t comfortable and kept trying to push her away, but he wasn’t the kind of guy that liked humiliating women. He kept glancing at his babe for help, to put the bitch in her place but she wouldn’t help.

I was getting tired of watching it. So, I intentionally poured water on the girlfriend. “I am so sorry, ma’am, please don’t get mad,” I pleaded. A small sob left her lips before she hurriedly stood up and ran to the restroom.

“Is that the wimp you want to be with, babe?” Bitch asked. Most of the guys glared at me, while boyfriend looked at where his girlfriend ran to sadly. I excused myself and went to meet her. Of course she was crying on the floor.

“I really don’t know why I should care but I do and it’s sickening. Why do you let them walk allover your face? That guy out there is your boyfriend and he needs you to act like his girlfriend. Are you that much of a coward?”

“I…I… She’s so beautiful and perfect and has the best smile but I don’t. I don’t have her beautiful body or her wealth…”

“And yet he chose you over all that package, because he loves you,” I interjected as I crouched in front of her. I took her hands from her face, amazed at my new concern for people. See what I did the other time for Zed? Since when?

“Fine, you don’t have her expensive shoes and bags, don’t have her clothes and artificial hair. You definitely don’t need those fans she calls eyelashes and the heavy makeup. You don’t have all those but he still loves you for you. His friends love you, I can see that. But if you keep letting people step on you, you will lose him. Sweetheart, he would get tired of your cowardly attitude and tears. I’m sure he is not ashamed of you,”

“He isn’t,” she sobbed.

“Then become that girl he wants you to be and try, even if you are scared, still try. Look them in the eyes and let the anger in you out. When they try to intimidate you, remember that he chose you, not them. Don’t you have friends to talk to you?”

“No,” she shook her head, “my friend got jealous when he chose me so we broke up. Thank you…?”

“Call me Roe,”

“Roe, thank you. If she tries to hit me, please save me,” she said jokingly. I smirked at her. That was easy. I should be a motivational speaker.

I helped her clean up and followed her out. The bitch was practically trying to climb onto the guy in a public place. I placed my hand on the small of her back and pushed her forward.

“Let the anger go and spill out your venom,” I whispered. She closed her eyes, inhale and opened it.

“Isn’t this wonderful,” she said sarcastically, catching their attention. I was now pretending to be wiping a table close to them. She looked at me briefly and I nodded in encouragement.

She folded her arms, the woman refused to leave her boyfriend. “Honey, aren’t you tired of trying to push your non-existing boobs into my boyfriend’s face? It’s kind of shameful watching it and no, I’m ashame for you.” Her boyfriend’s jaw fell open. The bitch and her friends were now glaring.

“Are you talking to me?” Girlfriend’s hand was shaking. She folded it cleverly behind her and gulped.

“Is there any other whore here… Oh, sorry, forgot you came in three packs,” the guys laughed.

“How dare you! Do you know who I am?!” Bitch shouted.

“Oh puh-lease,” girlfriend said with her hand out and a bored eye roll, “I believe I just stated your identity not too long ago.”

“You are the cheap whore trying to mingle with people not your class! You use your body to take men properties but I won’t let you do that to my fiancé!” Bitch was on her feet now. I was chuckling at her face. Anger didn’t go too well with her makeup.

“Isn’t this you describing your mother and yourself?” Girlfriend said with a brow quirked. Bitch’s friends gasped while her face turn red. “Because the last time I checked, you don’t get married to someone for just three months and then divorce, claiming half the man’s life work.”

“You witch!”

“You are the witch! A gold-digger and a fucking whore! I have had enough. Leave my boyfriend alone or I’ll rip off your fake hair and drag you naked down the street!” I saw it coming first and moved before bitch even thought about it.

I blocked bitch with my body and grabbed her two wrists. “No fighting in the café, important rule.”

“Let go of me,” she screamed as she struggled against my grip. Girlfriend sighed with relief.

“Thank you,” I nodded and looked at the other girls, giving them my first glare. The trembling and smell of fear, still love it.

“Get out.” They quickly gathered their things and scurried out.

“Wait! Come take your whore with you!” One of the guys shouted after them. I easily pulled the screaming lady to the door and threw her out. She screamed about suing me and the café before she left in tears. When I returned, the guys were praising the girl who was blushing while her boyfriend held her tight with pride.

Ugh, love.

“Thank you, Roe, for helping me,” I heard her say. I did a playful salute with my back still turned before walking to the backroom.

_______________

I stared at mom and Sakura as they argued over the points. It was game night like mom suddenly declared. We had played a lot of games so far, with Mom and Sakura battling head to head with their scores. They were cute and amusing, the way they were taking it so seriously.

“I am one number ahead of you, mom, you can’t cheat me. I won extra five points when I gave the answer you were suppose to give. That means I’m one digit ahead of you.”

“No, you are four digit behind,”

“Mom, you can’t…”

“I am your mother, shut up,”

“You can’t mom your way out of this, mom, we have to do this fair and square. Reece, didn’t I get extra five points?” Sakura asked as she turned to him. Mom glared dagger at him over Sakura’s shoulder. He gulped and shook his head negatively.

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention then,” he lied. Sakura scoffed and looked at Bloom who immediately stuff her mouth with pizza. I turned my gaze away before she turned to me.

“Neesan,”

Eh, what was I expecting?

I raised my head and met their intense gaze. I shifted uncomfortably and cleared my throat. “You may or may not have answered mother’s question and at the same time mom may or may not have answered it herself or I may or may not have been paying attention. It is also possible that we may or may not be in a dream.” I shrugged at the end of my foolish speech. They stared at me with mouth open while Bloom laughed with her mouth full.

“Okay, why don’t we play one more game? And the winner, wins. Charade?” Reece suggested.

“Reece,” mom and Sakura said at the same time. Reece blushed.

“Reece, you are my partner,” mom said irrevocably.

“Reece, you were hers the last time, now it’s my turn.” Sakura flared. They both exchanged their scary glare, at the end, Sakura yielded to mother’s power. Mom smirked and looked towards where Reece was once sitting. He ran away.

“Reece! Better get back here or no pocket money for you!” Mom shouted.

“I know how to bake more than mom. Reece, if you don’t show up and be my partner, you are stuck with mom’s burnt tire cakes.” Sakura shouted too. Mom removed her slipper and raised it. Sakura screamed and ran away. I shook my head in clear amusement and astonishment. I turned my eyes to Bloom and was surprise to see her sad.

I shifted closer to her and picked a slice of pizza. I rejected eating the pizza she baked before because she always make horrible pizzas. Everybody rejected it. Her face lit up and she watched me put the slice in my mouth and grinned as I took a large bite.

She looked at me with eyes wide with expectance. “Mm, it’s ur… Tasty,” I lied. “What kind of pizza is it this time?”

“Baked ziti,” she smiled. “Does it really taste good?”

“No, it’s horrible. How can you eat this?” I blunted out. I bit down on my lip after I said it. Her beautiful smile vanished again. “I’m sorry, it just doesn’t taste too good. What website do you get your recipe from?”

“YouTube video,” she murmured. I clicked my tongue and brought my left index finger to my nose. I tapped it thoughtfully… Okay, just tapping it for fun.

“You really want to be a pastry chef, huh?” She nodded. “Fine. Find a good school and get me all the information… On secund thought, I’ll find you a good school you can attend after school, just take classes until you get better. Is that okay?”

“There are good schools but it cost…”

“Money? Don’t worry about that, I’ll handle it. I still have some change left from the ring I sold.” She shrieked with joy and threw herself on me. Mom shrieked too and did the same thing, so did Sakura.

“Thank you, thank you, Neesan,” Bloom kept chanting. They were compressing me with their weight.

“Need to breathe,” I gasped.

“Oh, sorry,” they got off me still smiling. Mom leaned closer to Bloom and said, “psst, why were we shrieking?” I laughed as I lifted myself up from the floor.

“Rosita-sama is going to pay for my cooking class,” Bloom announced. Mom looked at me poutingly.

“I’ve told you to stop wasting money,”

“But I’m not wasting money,” I pointed out, “spending on them is my greatest achievement,” I repeated the words she loves saying. Mom couldn’t argue with that one.

“So, are we playing charade or not? Mom, we can share Reece,” Sakura chirped.

“Why don’t anyone ever want me?” Bloom whined.

“I want you, My Flower,” I said playfully. She squealed again. I’m good at charade and a lot of games because Terry and Tenny would always force me to play with them and their friends. At first, it was annoying, but it got interesting.

I got to know why they didn’t want Bloom and why they wanted Reece. He’s smart, Bloom is not. I was able to guess what she was trying to describe. Almost blew my brain. She did an excellent job guessing mine. So good we failed. Reece and Sakura won.

_______________

“Rosita, wake up,” Romi said. I groaned and murmured something stupid. “Wake up, stupid,” I pushed myself up like a zombie.

“What?” I whined.

“Look around,” I rubbed my eyes and yawned before sweeping my blurry vision around the living room. Living room? I remembered we were watching a movie when we all dosed off. Reece wasn’t there.

I stood up lazily, yawned and stretched before going to check on him. He wasn’t in his room or mom’s or anywhere for that matter. I got worried and went out to look for him. A sigh of relief left my mouth when I saw him sitting outside at the porch, staring at the stars. I went back inside, got him a blanket and walked outside again.

“There you are,” I said as I draped the blanket over his shoulders, “you would catch a cold if you don’t cover yourself. What are you doing here? It’s past midnight,” I questioned as I sat beside him.

“Just thinking of dad. We used to always sit out any night the stars was out. It was our special moment.” I hummed and shifted closer to him.

“Was he a good person?”

“The best,” he smiled with admiration in his tone. I sighed heavily and leaned my head on his shoulder. On instinct, he wrapped the blanket around me too and kept his hand on my waist.

“Bet your girlfriend will get jealous if she see me,” I teased, even though I knew he didn’t have.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, waste of time. Only…”

“Rich boys deserve to get girlfriends. I’m poor, I don’t have the money to care for one.” I cut in sharply, imitating his voice. I nudged his side with a chuckle.

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to love. Reece, you are fifteen and boys your age already have someone they are dating or someone they at least have a crush on.” He looked at me and grinned.

“Neesan, you are older than me, where is your boyfriend?”

My cheeks heat up. “I don’t have one because I have no one to love me.”

“Should I fall in love with you then, big sister?” He asked playfully. Reece knew how to speak Australian English, unlike Sakura and Bloom. He was the only one who paid attention to mom’s lecture like I was told. Bloom can even speak better than Sakura.

“Ew,” I laughed. He laughed too. “Come on, there have to be someone, right?”

“Wrong. I’m serious when I say love and relationship is filled with absolute misery. And not just because of money.” I smirked at him.

“I love the way you think. Almost make me wish you are my biological brother.”

Reece chuckled darkly. “But I am, aren’t I, Rosita?” I sat up straight immediately. The way he said it made his point obvious.

“What?” I asked incredulous.

“I know you are the daughter mom had for the man that trapped her here in Japan, the heir to the Donahue legacy. I’ve known for a while now.” I shifted away from him with wide eyes.

“How did you…”

“I don’t know why anyone haven’t noticed, but you look like mom from the side, and you have her smile, that glint in her eyes whenever she wants to create mischief like Sakura and–most specially–Bloom has. I’ve been with these three women all my life, so I know when I see their dramatic flair and flamboyant enthusiasm radiating from someone else. Next, the girls in this family is peculiarly strong and weird. And finally, you are too real to be just some random girl.” He explained.

“Since when have you known? That I exist?”

“Dad. He told me one night like this but made me promise not to mention it to my sisters or let mother know I know. I’ve seen your father on television and on the internet, so I know who exactly you look like from full view.”

“Wow, he’s smart.” Romi commented.

“And you don’t mind me being here? Even if my father killed yours?” I blunted out stupidly. He sighed heavily and turned his gaze to the stars.

“Your father didn’t kill mine, mom just blame him for it because it’s easier to. He died in a fatal accident on his way to finally get mom’s visa. It was a normal accident, not only him died. Every single people in both buses that collided, died. Plus, if it was him, I can’t blame you for what you didn’t do. We are all victims of the whole situation. And, father was going to die anyways…” He trailed off as he turned his face back to me. “He has only a year to live due to an illness he didn’t want mom and the others to know. That is why he wanted so badly to grant her heart desire to bring you both back together.”

“Oh,” was all I could say. Reece smiled widely.

“You don’t have to say anything, I’m pass that. I’m just glad you are here now, even if mother don’t know yet. You have made them so happy so far and I am grateful for that. Maybe now my big sister that has money is here, I can finally get a girlfriend and use her credit card to impress my girl.” He said jokingly. I punched his arm tenderly as I laughed.

“Don’t even think about it, little brother, don’t even.”

“Don’t worry, I’m working hard already. I got a new job today. It pays better than the other one and will give me time to myself.”

“Then go for it. Thank you, Reece Bae,” I said winkingly. He snorted.

“You really need to stop naming people,” I glared at him, causing him laugh. We talked for a while. I told him about my friends, Romi, dad and even that porcupine brain. But as usual, I didn’t tell him what I did most of my time. It was three in the morning before we went inside, carried everyone to their beds and then slept.

I was awoken by my phone. I grudgingly answered it. Of course it was them. Romi never shuts them out when I tell her to. Their beautiful faces pop up on my screen. Terrison was doing push-ups on the floor and Tennyson on the… Wait, is that my bedroom?

“You two, what are you doing in my bedroom?”

“Sleepover. You are no fun, you don’t have a diary to read.” Ten said poutingly. I groaned.

“Get out of my room, now.”

“Geez, calm down. We didn’t do anything other than try on your underwear and heels to see who would look sexier in them.” Terry got up immediately and slammed his body on Tennyson’s.

“You weren’t suppose to tell her that!” He yelled.

“You are just jealous because I won. Oh yeah, girl, that red butt lifter is phenomenal. Terry liked the caged bikini more but I think I’m going to keep the butt lifter…” He muffled his rest words because Terry pushed his face into the bed.

“Great, now I have to burn all my underwear again and buy another set. What do you two have against my personal space?”

“Mmph, mmph,” Ten muffled.

“What…? They are sexy.” Terry whined. I flared my nostrils but decided to ignore them as usual.

“Terry, you are going to kill your brother,” I stated blankly.

“Shit! Sorry Ten,” he apologised. Ten gasped for air once his face was free. His eyes were red from lack of oxygen and the tip of his ears too. Terry grinned sheepishly.

“Ur, oops?” He asked. Ten rolled his red eyes away. “Oh, no, not the silence treatment. I said I’m sorry, please. I’ll buy you more chocolate paradise if you forgi…”

“Forgiven!” Ten squealed. “Now, what’s with the white hair, Rosita?” I shrugged.

“Trying a new colour.” We talked for a while. Ten told me about the girl he slept with and how she won’t let him be. Then somehow, they started arguing about who would keep my favourite silver boots to give to their children. I just kept laughing freely. After they were done, they turned to me.

“Rosita, I want to ask you something,” Ten said with a suspicious peer.

“Sure, shoot,”

“Are you pregnant?” Terry immediately face palmed himself while I rolled my eyes.

“Idiot!” Terry smacked his brother’s head.

“What? Aren’t you noticing how much she is laughing? It’s weird. She laughs with us but not this cheerful and genuine. Has Zed finally gotten you pregnant? Because I know he is in Japan too.”

My smile banished itself. “Terry,” I called. Terry smacked Ten again.

“Stop saying that. Rosita will carry his child but not yet. I’m thinking in two to three years.” Terrison said thoughtfully.

“No, I’m sure very soon. A little birdie told me she is going to Gempire now.” Ten wiggled his brows at me.

“Romi,” I growled. Terry cleared his throat.

“Rosita and Zeddy, sleeping on the bed, K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” he sang and wiggled his brow at every single letter he spelt.

“And doing mm hm, mm hm, mm hm,” Ten added. They burst into laughter, throwing themselves on the bed. Foolish idiots. I hung up on them and flung the phone away.

Fools….